LIMA, OH (WLIO) -Â The Metro Center in downtown Lima celebrating the grand opening of their first business tenant.
Spherion Staffing and Recruiting has moved into the first floor of the former Metropolitan Bank Building. The Metro Center has over 30 upscale lofts, all filled, and aims to fill the first floor with more offices and retail space. The staffing franchise is owned by Lima native Tom Pentenburg, who is excited to continue working to support other area businesses while staying downtown.
"Spherion has had a long history of being involved in Lima and downtown Lima and so that was our first thought when we came to purchase this business, was that we wanted to remain here. And the Metro Center really gives us the best of all situations," Pentenburg said.
Business leaders say that the growth of the Metro Center will have a positive ripple effect on the rest of downtown Lima.
"The more mixed-use you have where everybody can come in and have different services, different opportunities, is just really great. Also more people in the downtown, more foot traffic," said Jed Metzger, the president and CEO of the Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce.
"As the first tenant in the commercial space on the first floor here, Spherion, the quality of the company, having Tom and his group here, is really going to spark interest in the next spots," added Brian Walter, the owner of the Metro Center.
The building still has spaces available for three more business tenants.
