Harrison approves Ironwear Fitness owner's application for warehouse move to Natrona
A new business will be moving its warehousing operation to the Natrona section of Harrison.
Monday night, the township commissioners unanimously approved the application of Arnold Cook for a special exception to use the building at 25 Garfield St. for warehousing. The approval followed a public hearing during which Cook explained what his company does and how he wanted to use the building, which is the site of the former St. Joseph School.
Cook said he is the founder/owner of Ironwear Fitness, which manufactures weighted conditioning apparel such as workout vests. Its website claims the company is “the world's largest manufacturer of wearable weights.”
He said the company's production facility is in Sharpsburg and its main office is in Aspinwall. He said the company formerly had a warehouse at UPARC in Harmar.
Cook said he founded the company after creating weights using a polymer that makes them very flexible. He said the primary production materials he uses — ionized metal power, rubber cement and baby oil — are nontoxic, but he will not be storing those at the Natrona building.
“Most of the time, it will be our older stock, finished products,and empty barrels,” Cook told the commissioners.
Cook said the traffic to the building would be large vans but no tractor-trailers.
When asked about the facility creating any jobs, he said there will be a few for the warehousing operation. If the company is able to move some of its production activity to the site in the future, which he said is a possibility, more jobs would be created.
Cook purchased the property in July for $18,500, according to Allegheny County real estate records.
“He's cleaned the place up; he keeps it nice,” said Commissioner Gary Lilly, whose ward includes Natrona. “I think he is going to be a good neighbor.”
According to Cook, he purchased 19 Garfield St., which at one time housed a convent, but said he is uncertain what use he will make of that building.
Tom Yerace is a staff writer for Tribune-Review. Reach him at 724-226-4675 or tyerace@tribweb.com.
