Back in 2023, the Kimberly-Clark Corporation purchased 559 acres of a former steel property on Pine Avenue in Warren.

Warren Mayor Doug Franklin told 21 News on Wednesday progress should pick up in the coming months at the property.

"It's progressing pretty well," Mayor Franklin exclusively told 21 News on Wednesday.

The Kimberly-Clark Corporation is a manufacturer of household products like Kleenex and Huggies diapers. Mayor Franklin said the city is in weekly contact with company reps and Howland Township officials, discussing infrastructure needs and the formation of a Joint Economic Development District (JEDD).

"We are working on infrastructure needs and continuing to meet without Howland Township quite regularly," Mayor Franklin said. "We are all hands on deck here locally in discussions with the Western Reserve Port Authority, Lake to River, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, and the surrounding communities."

According to the Ohio State University Extension, a JEDD is a 'special-purpose territorial district created by contract between municipal corporations and townships for the purpose of encouraging economic development, creating jobs, and improving the economic welfare of citizens.'

The city is also keeping an eye on flooding concerns happening along Pine Avenue, which could potentially delay the project.

"We've already implemented a construction project to mitigate some of the on-street flooding, which should help the project immensely," Mayor Franklin said. "I know for a fact Kimberly-Clark was glad we are taking such a proactive stand on the flood mitigation process."

21 News reported Tuesday an EPA filing shows there has been no new construction on the property.

Director of the Western Reserve Port Authority, Anthony Trevena, said in a statement they, "have seen site work taking place including the installation of a perimeter fence and dynamic compaction." Dynamic compaction is a technique used to compact the soil.

The city plans to have final renderings of the facility by the end of this month. There is no set date on when the facility will be up and running.