With a few shovels full of rich, brown dirt, the South Ironton Industrial Park's first official tenant began construction Thursday.

The Ohio Department of Transportation and city officials hosted a groundbreaking ceremony in the 40-acre park that signified the start of construction on the $3.25 million project that will become home to ODOT's new Lawrence County Highway Maintenance Facility.

More than two dozen people attended the ceremony, including city and county officials, the contractors, ODOT and other state representatives and interested community members.

ODOT purchased the 8.65 acres for $258,000 earlier this year.

Construction is scheduled to begin in a couple of weeks and be completed by Aug. 10, 2004.

Everyone with the state agency is excited about the prospects of replacing the antiquated facility that was built in 1953.

John F. Hagen, ODOT District 9 deputy director, said a new facility was much needed and a long time in the works.

"We are very happy to be a part of this industrial park," he said. "We are also the first tenants, so we are pleased about that."

Mayor Cleary was pleased to see that more than three years of hard work by the city and the state has paid off.

"This is really a momentous day for the city of Ironton," he said.

Cleary outlined the long process that began in 2000 when the city first tried to purchase the property and culminated earlier this year when ODOT finalized their purchase.

"It has been over three years getting to this day," he said. "It has only been a little over a year since we purchased it, so it has moved quickly, but took a long time to get here.

"I am looking forward to turning that shovel and getting out of the way so they can bring the bulldozers in," he said jokingly.

The new facility will include a 22,600 square foot main building, a 2,800 square foot mixing shed, a 3,200 square foot equipment shed, a 72-foot salt dome, a 5,800 gallon tank for liquid calcium and two 5,800-gallon tanks for brine solution used to treat icy roads.

Cecil Townsend, county garage manager, said a new facility will make a tremendous difference and allow the department to be proactive instead of reactive.

"The facility we are building is state-of-the-art," he said. "We should be able to get every piece of snow-removal equipment inside. That means it will be up front and ready to go immediately."

The new brine system will allow them to do much more pre-treating of roads than in the past and an improved maintenance shed will be key in keeping the fleet of vehicles running smoothly and on the roads, he said.

J & H Reinforcing and Structural Erectors Inc. of Portsmouth was awarded the general construction contract for $2.4 million. L & L Electric of Proctorville was awarded a $295,535 contract for electrical work. Ferguson Brothers Co., of Huntington was awarded a $521,190 contract for plumbing and heating/air conditioning work.

During the construction process, the existing facility at 3001 S. Sixth St. will continue to operate as normal.