Growing up in Licking County, Ohio, my childhood was immersed in the vast landscapes. From playing football in sprawling fields to biking along dusty roads, casting lines in serene ponds, and exploring the dense woods, every corner held a memory. Little did I anticipate that three decades down the road, the world's largest Microchip factory would emerge merely a 10-minute drive from my childhood home, where my father resides to this day. The Intel Gigafactory project on the outskirts of Columbus, Ohio, in close proximity to New Albany and Johnstown, is poised to become a prominent semiconductor facility on a global scale. Originating as the costliest private development in Ohio’s history, this venture has expanded into a colossal $28 billion enterprise, with murmurs of it soaring to a staggering $100 billion, reshaping the familiar landscape of my upbringing.

Current Construction Stats:

• Poured enough concrete to fill a stadium

• Over 1.6 million work hours spent on the project

• Installed rebar weighing as much as 600+ African elephants

• Put in underground pipes equivalent to almost 700 parking spots

• Laid down conduits equal to just over 700 football fields

• Employed over 100 Ohio residents, some training at Intel's Arizona and Oregon sites

• Currently 800-900 construction workers on-site, expected to increase to several thousand by year-end.

Housing Delima

As construction progresses, our rural community is witnessing an influx of over 20,000 construction workers seeking accommodation, accentuating the existing housing shortage dilemma. The scarcity of available homes, with less than 3500 active listings in Central Ohio as of February 2024, coupled with a stagnant pace in new home construction, forebodes a future where local residents may find themselves priced out of their own neighborhoods. The imminent impact on our community, both economically and socially, looms large, requiring proactive measures to mitigate the widening ripple effects.