Antwerp Receives $2.3 Million State Grant for Workforce Housing Development
ANTWERP — The Village of Antwerp has been awarded $2.3 million in state funding to support a major workforce housing development project that has been more than a decade in the making.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Development recently announced $9 million in statewide grants aimed at encouraging residential growth and workforce housing, with Antwerp receiving one of only five awards across Ohio.
Other communities receiving funding include Youngstown and Hamilton, each receiving $2.5 million, Lancaster receiving $1 million, and Warren receiving $851,000. The grants were awarded from a highly competitive pool of 48 applications requesting nearly $99 million in funding.
The Antwerp project, now known as Antwerp Square, will create more than 100 residential building lots on approximately 90 acres of land located between Antwerp Local School and the US24 highway. The grant funding will help extend essential infrastructure such as roads, water, sewer, and natural gas services needed to prepare the site for future home construction.
Planning for the development began shortly after the completion of the US24 highway in 2012. Early efforts involved securing property options near the US24 and State Route 49 interchange through collaboration between the Antwerp, Payne, and Paulding County Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) and the Paulding County Economic Development (PCED) office.
Progress accelerated after Jane and Leo Stumphy donated a residential property that provided access from State Route 49 into the development area. Kauser Excavating removed structures and leveled the site, allowing PCED to secure a $350,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Development to construct an initial access road and drainage improvements.
Over the years, additional partnerships helped bring the project together. Property sales from the Marlin family and Antwerp Community Church expanded the development area, while numerous meetings involving village officials, Carryall Township trustees, county offices, and investors helped consolidate the property into the village limits.
In 2025, two Powell, Ohio-based investment groups—BMJW Investments, LLC and MWB Investments, LLC—completed the land purchase and began preparing the site with surveys and environmental studies. Their planning confirmed the project met the requirement of at least 100 buildable lots necessary to qualify for the state grant.
Another key step involved securing a second access easement for the newly acquired US24 frontage. The needed parcel was owned by Antwerp Community Church, but funding for the purchase was not immediately available. To help complete the acquisition, the CIC offered naming rights for the first access road. Local resident Sue Meyer stepped forward, allowing the roadway to be named Meyer Avenue and providing the funds necessary to purchase the easement property.
Paulding County Economic Development Director Tim Copsey credited years of teamwork and persistence for bringing the project to this point. He noted that families, churches, investors, businesses, and local government officials all played roles in moving the plan forward, with as many as seven sets of attorneys involved during the process.
“This award reflects years of teamwork among families, the church, county, township and village elected officials, businesses, the CIC, investors, and our PCED office,” Copsey said, noting that the recognition as one of Ohio’s top residential growth projects makes the long process worthwhile.
With the state funding now secured, Antwerp leaders say the project is poised to attract new families, support workforce needs, and strengthen long-term population growth in both the village and the surrounding region.
The development represents one of the most significant housing investments in the history of Paulding County and highlights the community collaboration that helped bring the long-planned project to life.
Rep. Klopfenstein Applauds Workforce Housing Grant Designated for Village of Antwerp
COLUMBUS, OH – State Representative Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland) today applauded the recent announcement by Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Development that the Village of Antwerp in Paulding County will receive a $2.3 million grant to support the creation of workforce housing through the Residential Economic Development District (REDD) program.
The Village of Antwerp is set to receive a $2.3 million grant to support the development of 345 workforce housing units through major infrastructure and roadway improvements. Funding will be used to construct new roadways, drainage systems, sanitary sewer lines, and water infrastructure needed to support a high-density residential development.
“Workforce housing is critical for the continued growth of our communities. This investment in our community will help create more housing opportunities for families and workers in Paulding County while supporting the area’s economic development. I appreciate the support from Governor DeWine and the Ohio Department of Development in helping make this project possible,” said Rep. Klopfenstein.
According to the press release, the Village of Antwerp has established a Priority Workforce Housing District and eliminated development fees to encourage new housing construction. These investments will create a mix of single-family homes, duplexes, and multifamily units while helping address regional workforce housing demand. This project helps support housing demand created by investments from First Quality Tissue in Defiance.
Governor DeWine and the Ohio Department of Development announced last week that more than $9 million in grants would be provided to support the creation of workforce housing in five counties through the Residential Economic Development District (REDD) program.
