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Glass manufacturer plans to move to Midwest City

Jessie Peterman, president of American Glass, Inc., speaks about his company’s plans to relocate to Midwest City and open a new 100,000-square-foot building on NE 23rd St. Photo by Jeff Harrison

American Glass, Inc. agrees to buy land in Soldier Creek Industrial Park for 100,000-square-foot facility

By Jeff Harrison
Midwest City Beacon

Midwest City leaders agreed to sell land to a glass manufacturer last week during a city council meeting.

American Glass, Inc. plans to purchase 11.73 acres in the Soldier Creek Industrial Park, 7450 NE 23rd St., where it will build its corporate headquarters and primary production facility.

A real estate agreement was approved by the Midwest City Utilities Authority Board of Trustees, which consists of members of the city council. American Glass, Inc. agreed the buy the land for $306,540.

Closing on the project is dependent on the subsequent approval of an economic development agreement with the Midwest City Economic Development Authority, as well as a zoning amendment that requires City Council approval, said Robert Coleman, Midwest City economic development director.

American Glass, a privately held corporation, produces, and maintains glass wall units used primarily for new commercial construction. It has been involved in several notable projects including the Devon and BancFirst Towers in Oklahoma City as well as the BOK Arena in Tulsa and the Cherokee Nation Outpatient Health Center in Tahlequah.

“I started this company 40 years ago and we’ve constantly grown,” said AGI President Jessie Peterman, during the Feb. 28 city council meeting. “It’s been one endeavor to the next. We’ve grown with buildings, grown with construction teams and developers. Lots of the buildings in Oklahoma City that you’re probably very familiar with like the Devon and BancFirst Towers.”

Existing American Glass facilities in Cleveland, (Oklahoma), Oklahoma City and Tulsa, along with approximately 70 employees, will be consolidated to a new 100,000 square foot building at SCIP. The facility will soon have access to rail service, which will make it more economical to ship products nationwide and internationally.

“The Soldier Creek Industrial Park offered a strategic location that will allow us to build an attractive campus for serving our customers for years to come,” said Peterman. “The fact it lies in a U.S. SBA Hubzone is an added bonus.”

The U.S. Small Business Administration HUBZone program fuels small business growth in historically underutilized business zones with a goal of awarding at least 3% of federal contract dollars to HUBZone-certified companies each year. Qualifying businesses must meet and maintain qualifications to receive the benefits of the HUBZone program.

The project will be included in the Northside Improvement Tax Increment Finance District. The city created the TIF District to spur economic development in the Soldier Creek Industrial Park and NE 23rd and NE 36th streets. The TIF was expected to generate more than $8 million that will be used for infrastructure improvements and economic incentives to attract industrial businesses and make enhancements along NE 23rd St.

The city targeted two businesses for the TIF District. Centrillium Proteins, LLC, a food processing company, and Global Turbine Services, a jet engine maintenance and repair company, both planned to build new facilities in the TIF District.

GTS has dropped its plans to build in the Soldier Creek Industrial Park. Coleman said they will need to amend the TIF District to include American Glass Inc. and remove GTS.

Peterman hopes to start construction of the new AGI Midwest City campus in early summer 2023. Construction is expected to take a year.

“We look forward to getting this project underway,” he said. “We really need the space. And we look forward to using just about all this real estate. And hopefully we’ll need more.”

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