Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

2007 CEDS Report Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Comprehensive • Background and history of Abstract Context Economic Devel- the economic development situation of the area covered, Title: CEDS COMPONENTS opment Strategy with a discussion of the 2007 Comprehensive Eco- economy, including as ap- (CEDS) nomic Development Strategy • Analysis propriate, geography, popu- A Comprehensive Economic lation, labor force, resources, • Vision and the environment Development Strategy is Subject: the result of a local plan- • Action Plan ning process designed to • A discussion setting forth A comprehensive overview guide the economic growth goals and objectives for on the current condition and • Evaluation of an area. It provides a taking advantage of the op- future possibilities and strat- mechanism for coordinating portunities and solving the egies for economic develop- the efforts of individuals, economic development prob- ment in Hamilton County. This Report organizations, local govern- lems of the area serviced ments, and private industry concerned with economic • A plan of action, including Date: References: development. The strategy suggested projects to imple- July 2007 In addition to sources spe- should be utilized by local ment objectives and goals cifi cally identifi ed in this re- stakeholders as a guide to set forth in the strategy port, content from the 2004 the local economy and as a Synopsis: State of the County Report plan for how these groups • Performance measures Series and the 2005 Ham- can take action to improve that will be used to evaluate This report presents informa- ilton County Report Card, the regions economic out- whether and to what extent tion on the background and both researched and written look. goals and objectives have analysis of the current state been or are being met by the Hamilton County of Hamilton County, as well Regional Planning Commis- A CEDS is required to as a vision, including goals sion, were used extensively. qualify for federal Economic A successful CEDS process and objectives for the future. Development Administration should lead to the formula- Also included is an action (EDA) assistance under its tion and implementation plan format with a series Report prepared by: public works, economic ad- of a program that creates of projects to help guide justment, and most planning higher-skill, higher-wage development in the future. Hamilton County Regional programs and is a prerequi- jobs; raises income levels; Concluding the report is a Planning Commission site for designation by EDA diversifi es the economy; and list of partners and resources as an economic development improves the quality of life, as well as recommendations Project Staff: district (EDD). while protecting the environ- for performance measures. ment. The process should Caroline Statkus, AICP The CEDS must be the result adopt a logical approach Planning Services of a continuing economic de- to long-range development Report prepared for: Administrator velopment planning process, while identifying and imple- developed with broad-based menting short-term problem Hamilton County Develop- Clinton Smith and diverse community solutions to achieve early ment Company University of Cincinnati participation, and contain the results and maintain momen- 1776 Mentor Avenue Planning Intern following: tum and public support. Cincinnati, Ohio 45212 513-631-8292 Manning Baxter • An analysis of economic www.hcdc.com Miami University Planning and community development Intern problems and opportunities including incorporation of Source of Copies: Carol Kammer Clerical Specialist any relevant material or sug- Hamilton County Develop- gestions from other government Company Jay Springer ment sponsored or supported 1776 Mentor Avenue plans Graphics & Communica- Cincinnati, Ohio 45212 tions Specialist 513-631-8292 www.hcdc.com John Huth Senior Planner, Data Analyst COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

HAMILTON COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY: 2007 CEDS Report

HAMILTON COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TODD PORTUNE President PAT DEWINE

DAVID PEPPER

COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Patrick Thompson

Prepared by: For Submission by: Hamilton County Regional Planning Hamilton County Development Company Commission (HCDC)

138 E Court Street 1776 Mentor Avenue Room 807 Cincinnati, Ohio 45212 Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 513-631-8292 513-946-4500 www.hcdc.com http://www.hamiltoncountyohio.gov/hcrpc/ David Main, President Ron Miller, Executive Director

2007 CEDS REPORT i COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

ii HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY Table of Contents

Acknowledgements ...... i List of Figures ...... iv Executive Summary ...... v

Chapter 1: Hamilton County Today ...... 1 Chapter 2: Plan Coordination ...... 5 Chapter 3: Process and Organization ...... 7 Chapter 4: Existing Conditions ...... 11 Chapter 5: Strengths and Challenges ...... 25 Chapter 6: Vision, Goals and Potential Strategies ...... 27 Chapter 7: Action Plan: Speciﬁ c Projects ...... 31 Chapter 8: Partners and Resources for Economic Development ...... 47 Chapter 9: Performance Measures ...... 51

Appendix A: Status of 1997-98 OEDP Goals ...... 53

2007 CEDS REPORT iii COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY List of Figures

Figure 1: Jurisdictions ...... 11 Figure 2: Population, Households, Housing Units, and Jobs ...... 12 Figure 3: Consolidated Land Use Vision Concept ...... 12 Figure 4: Change in Developed, Vacant, and Residential Land ...... 13 Figure 5: Environmentally Critical and Sensitive Areas ...... 13 Figure 6: Percent Change in Population ...... 14 Figure 7: Net Population Loss ...... 14 Figure 8: Reasons for Moving or Considering Leaving ...... 15 Figure 9: Population Projections ...... 15 Figure 10: Percent Population Gain/Loss by Age Group ...... 16 Figure 11: Largest Employers Ranked by Total CMSA Employees ...... 16 Figure 12: Largest Shopping Centers, Suburban Ofﬁ ces, and Industrial Parks ...... 17 Figure 13: Ofﬁ ce Square Footage and Vacancy Rates by Class ...... 17 Figure 14: Percent Change in Total Employment ...... 18 Figure 15: Unemployment Rate ...... 18 Figure 16: Percent Share of Jobs ...... 19 Figure 17: Total Labor Force vs. Total Jobs ...... 19 Figure 18: Employment: Percent Share by Sector ...... 20 Figure 19: Industry Employment Projections ...... 20 Figure 20: Median Family Income ...... 21 Figure 21: Median Home Value ...... 21 Figure 22: Housing Unit Change ...... 22 Figure 23: Housing Affordability ...... 22 Figure 24: School District Ratings ...... 23 Figure 25: School District Ratings ...... 23 Figure 26: Percent 18-24 Population Enrolled In College or Graduate School ...... 24

iv HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY Executive Summary

By: Harry Blanton Vice President, Economic Development Ofﬁ ce June 1, 2007

A rapidly changing economy necessitates the need for updating regional and local plans with greater frequency. Paradigm shifts in business practices, the impact of globalization, and telecommunications have had a profound impact on how companies make decisions on where and how they conduct operations. Communities need to be as nimble and ﬂ ex- ible as successful companies.

Hamilton County’s economy has been going through major changes over the past few decades. Not unlike the Midwest and Nation, the manufacturing segment of the local economy has become a smaller percentage of the overall economic engine. Although manufacturing had been the cornerstone of the local economy for decades, Hamilton County must prepare itself for a more diversiﬁ ed economy with less manufacturing jobs. Service sector entities and research-oriented businesses hold some promise for growth. This fact, however, does not mean that the County should turn its back on the manufacturing sector. Hamilton County Development Company (HCDC) believes that programs and policies should be developed with the understanding that manufacturing will continue to be an important part of the local economy along with other growing segments. It is more than likely that it will continue to decline, while at the same time providing good jobs. The County and its partners must design its programs, incentives, and attraction and retention efforts to meet these new realities.

HCDC, the designated agency charged with developing a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), believes that this plan must be updated with greater frequency to keep up with changes in the private sector. With this in mind, HCDC contracted with Hamilton County’s Regional Planning Commission to provide technical assistance in forming a representative group of stakeholders and to facilitate the planning process. By bringing the two agencies responsible for economic development and planning together, HCDC believes a more strategic and regularly updated CEDS will result.

HCDC invited many stakeholders to participate in the process and to work through a series of four meetings in the Summer and Fall of 2006 to develop the CEDS for Hamilton County.

The CEDS planning process provides a mechanism for coordinating the efforts of individuals, organizations, local governments, and private industry concerned with economic development. This ﬁ ve-year plan intends to create jobs, foster a more stable and diversiﬁ ed economy, and increase the quality of life in Hamilton County.

In the past, the Overall Economic Development Plan (now known as the CEDS) served as Hamilton County’s central planning document. The Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce conducted and completed a 1997-98 OEDP update. A subsequent 2001 update was never completed.

2007 CEDS REPORT v COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

A current CEDS document is required to qualify for Economic Development Adminis- tration (EDA) assistance.

Though each CEDS reﬂ ects the unique character of its area, there is a common four ele- ment planning process:

Analysis: The analysis assesses the state of the regional economy, the opportunities, and threats posed by external trends and forces, and the availability of partners and resources for economic development.

Vision: The community’s visions and goals are validated with a candid appraisal of the region’s competitive advantage

Action Plan: The action plan establishes strategies and speciﬁ c projects for implementation.

Evaluation: Finally, the CEDS develops a format for establishing criteria and performance measures for evaluation of the process and for periodic update of the document.

The Hamilton County CEDS identiﬁ es eleven goals, each with an accompanying strategy:

1. Retain and expand existing businesses, while attracting new businesses: In order for a community’s commercial sector to be successful, it must provide existing businesses with contemporary spaces, a strong workforce, and other elements that make Hamilton County an attractive business location. Businesses considering locating into the County consider similar factors, extending to opportunities for their employees accompanying the move.

2. Expand the industry clusters of advanced manufacturing, biosciences, and information and communication technology: Clusters generate greater information exchange, dynamic relationships that frequent- ly give rise to increased research, and a collaborative working environment. Com- panies attracted to this progressive business culture are very likely to consider the county as a viable and attractive location.

3. Develop and retain workforce: A well-educated workforce, readily adaptable to ever-changing technological progress and business methods, measures human capital in today’s business environment. Similarly, this workforce and the educational resources producing its competencies is a major attraction to businesses considering a new location.

4. Promote entrepreneurship through education and enhanced opportunities: The entrepreneur is an innovator and risk taker, responsible for keeping a business environment fresh and growing.

5. Create a vibrant downtown: The traditional heart of the city is transforming itself as a fresh, new, and attractive

vi HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

place to recreate, dine, do business, and live. It has generated an increased level of civic pride. A comprehensive plan must address the continual need for investment in the city’s center.

6. Bolster First Suburbs: Urban sprawl’s momentum has drawn former residential and commercial energies from these ﬁ rst ring, established suburban communities. A coherent development strategy should address the concept of identifying new options for improving existing and creating new housing options to meet market competition beyond the county. The challenge of site assembly in a built-out environment is the key to commercial opportunities.

7. Bring underutilized properties, including brownﬁ elds, to higher and better use: Commercial properties that are no longer attractive or adaptable to contemporary uses must be readied for fresh, new development. Once vital, productive sites are re- vitalized for contemporary re-use in a new commercial environment. Shifting commercial paradigms require ﬂ exibility of design and site size.

8. Ensure homeland security and public safety: National security depends upon local planning, readiness and vigilance. Prospec- tive residents need to be conﬁ dent of the county’s abilities in this area. Similarly, residents need to feel secure in their homes, neighborhoods, shopping areas, and the workplace. Local law enforcement must remain strong and effective in maintaining public safety.

9. Increase coordination among economic development organizations: Agencies committed to economic development must coordinate either among them- selves or with the assistance of County offi cials in order to facilitate better coordination and communication. This will also avoid working at odds or a duplication of efforts. A signifi cant benefi t of coordination is the prospect of collaboration and focused efforts.

10. Improve linkage between transportation improvements and economic development: Many of the county’s economic development challenges have been enabled to some degree by transportation improvements. Equitably applied travel efﬁ ciencies should be a goal for regional plans.

11. Develop new housing choices in the County: Residential options in design, vintage, size, and price make communities more accessible to new residents. The result is a community that increases its attractiveness through a broader market presence.

The accompanying text provides a more comprehensive description of strategies for each of the above goals. Projects in varying stages of implementation accompany each strategy.

The Oversight Committee and the Advisory Group identiﬁ ed several projects related to the CEDS goals. These projects are representative of each strategic approach. They do represent a deﬁ nitive list of all projects underway in Hamilton County.

2007 CEDS REPORT vii COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

viii HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

CEDS CHAPTER 1: Hamilton County Today

Hamilton County’s economic development strategy is designed to create jobs, further a more stable and diversiﬁ ed economy, improve its citizens’ living conditions, and explore techniques for guiding and coordinating growth. The County, with its 49 political jurisdictions, is the major source of economic and cultural vitality for the entire region. It is a diversiﬁ ed economy that has enabled the region to weather the down-turns in economic sectors. As Hamilton County moves into the 21st century, it must meet the challenges of the ever increasing market and local challenges of economic globalization through creativity and innovation.

Although Ohio is losing manufacturing jobs and plants, Cincinnati has 99,700 of Ohio’s 1.1 million industrial jobs according to the Ohio Manufacturers Directory. In fact, Cin- cinnati ranks sixth in the U.S. for manufacturing jobs, with Cleveland coming in at 10th, and Columbus at 19th. This is strength, as well as a challenge, since manufacturing is becoming less of a factor in the national, state, and local economy.

Industrial clusters serve as a valuable tool in growing the local economy. “Industry clusters are geographic concentrations of competing, complementary, or interdependent fi rms and industries that do business with each other and/or have common needs for talent, technology, and infrastructure. The fi rms included in the cluster may be both competitive and cooperative. They may compete directly with some members of the cluster, purchase inputs from other cluster members, and rely on the services of other cluster fi rms in the operation of their business.”1 Studies conducted by the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce (2004) and by the Hamilton County Region Planning Commission (2003) identify the following key clusters that have potential for signifi cant growth and genera- tion of high-paying jobs:

• ﬁ nancial services • business management • bioscience • advanced manufacturing • aerospace • chemicals and plastics • information technology • digital equipment and telecommunications.

The active, local medical community is a key component in both the region and Hamilton County’s goal of growing technology-based companies with high-paying jobs, according to a collaboration of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Cincinnati Children’s Hos-

1 The Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota. 1999. Industry Clusters: An Economic Development Strategy for Minnesota, Preliminary Report. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Author. Retrieved June 1, 2007 from the World Wide Web

2007 CEDS REPORT 1 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

pital Medical Center, and the University of Cincinnati. This is attributable to the medical community’s increasingly higher medical research proﬁ le and recognition as a fertile environment for attracting and developing talent.

To ﬁ ll today’s jobs in the high-technology manufacturing and service sectors, increasingly referred to as the “knowledge economy,” it is essential that relevant educational resources be present and accessible. Though the level of educational attainment of Hamilton County residents has been increasing, two recent studies indicate that both the County and the region suffer from job/skill mismatches between worker credentials and employer needs. The clear inference demands that education and training be more aligned with future demand in particular sectors of the economy.

As the core county of the metropolitan region, Hamilton County has the largest residential population and number of jobs. However, Hamilton County has been losing population since 1970. A substantial portion of that loss has been to neighboring counties. As population has ﬂ ed, jobs have followed, both enabled by highway growth. While Hamilton County continues as the major employment center in the region, other growth centers have recently emerged. The Union Centre Boulevard in Butler County and the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport are prime examples of areas that have gained signiﬁ cant commercial presence through improved highway accessibility.

Housing development on the urban fringes has expanded the number of location choices for many employees and employers in the region. Consequently, potential homebuyers rely more heavily on quality of life variables such as schools to choose a home. In areas where the public school quality is perceived as high and crime rates are low, housing tends to enjoy a more vibrant real estate market. Businesses are similarly attracted to these fringe areas, viewing a location change as both an amenity for their employees as well as a presence in a dynamic commercial real estate environment that attracts other, successful companies.

Outward growth to areas beyond the County’s borders triggers disinvestment in older residential and commercial sectors of numerous communities. The increasingly competitive pursuit of tax dollars brings additional pressure on Hamilton County communities. In the absence of any tax-sharing program or incentives for redevelopment and infi ll development, older communities are often fi scally constrained or unable to generate necessary revenues to cover the cost of community services. These older, built-out communities have been referred to in recent years as “fi rst suburbs.” Redevelopment in these older communities is often stymied by contaminated “brownfi eld” sites, requiring environmental remediation.

It is incumbent on jurisdictions such as Hamilton County to create innovative incentives and programs to promote economic development and encourage residential growth. The Hamilton County Commissioners recently created such an incentive by amending Met- ropolitan Sewer District (MSD) sewer reimbursement policies. Previously, sewer exten- sions or treatment plants could be installed by developers at their own cost or by waiting 3 to 10 years for MSD to install. With the new policy, developers can be reimbursed from tap-in fees as homes and businesses are hooked up to the sewers. This revision will encourage development in the western portions of the County currently without sewer in-

2 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY frastructure. However, environmental constraints such as hillsides with landslide-prime soils and ﬂ oodplains, will impact the level of development.

While population has been generally declining in the County, downtown Cincinnati is experiencing a transformation with conversion of industrial and retail buildings to apartments and condominiums complemented by arts and entertainment enhancements.

The City of Cincinnati has been encouraging new development to go “green,” by meeting residential and commercial LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards. Development is further encouraged by real property tax incentives.

2007 CEDS REPORT 3 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

4 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

CEDS CHAPTER 2: Plan Coordination

Collaboration among economic development entities is important to ensure success of initiatives and is a key component of Community COMPASS, Hamilton County’s 2030 Plan and Implementation Framework. The Policy Plan component of COMPASS identi- ﬁ es countywide economic development policy opportunities and implementation policies. Further, the Policy Plan is consistent with regional policies developed by the Ohio- Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI). The CEDS Plan provides an opportunity for implementation of policies consistent with those at the county and regional level as are excerpted below from the 2030 Plan and Implementation Frame- work:

POLICY OPPORTUNITY By strengthening cooperation and coordination in regional economic development, Ham- ilton County, local governments and other stakeholders can make our region the location of choice for diverse businesses and build the regional tax base.

Implementation Policies: • Hamilton County and local government comprehensive plans should encourage cooperation with economic development agencies and major institutions in the region to provide information about sites and services available for new and expanding businesses. • Hamilton County and local governments should support and participate in regional economic development partnerships, such as the “Cincinnati USA Partnership,” led by the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce, to develop and nurture businesses that contribute to the needs of the regional economy. Although not directly contained within the Policy Plan, it is rationalized that Hamilton County and local governments should support and access programs and services offered by the Hamilton County Development Company, the county’s designated economic development agency. • Hamilton County and local governments should work together to establish a set of best practices that can be used to streamline Hamilton County and local government regulatory and permitting processes, thus improving the climate for business retention, expansion, and recruitment. • Hamilton County and local government comprehensive plans should support coordinated economic development by encouraging the location of new or expanded business in areas currently served by public facilities and services or in areas that are planned for infrastructure expansion. • Hamilton County and local government comprehensive plans should support clusters of related industries and businesses that export outside the region, have strong multipliers, have the potential for future expansion, and are on the leading edge of international competition. • Hamilton County and local government comprehensive plans should encourage the thorough analysis of proposed public tax incentives and the use of performance pro- visions to ensure the viability of economic development projects and the competitive position of the region.

2007 CEDS REPORT 5 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

6 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

CEDS CHAPTER 3 Process & Organization

The Hamilton County Development Company (HCDC) and Regional Planning Com- mission (HCRPC) convened stakeholders in the Summer and Fall of 2006 to develop a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for Hamilton County. As a process to guide the economic growth of the County, the CEDS provides a mechanism for coordinating the efforts of individuals, organizations, local governments, and private industry concerned with economic development. This ﬁ ve year plan is developed with the intent to create jobs, foster more stable and diversiﬁ ed economies, and increase the quality of life in Hamilton County.

Each CEDS is unique, refl ecting the specifi c challenges and opportunities of its region. It typically contains four main elements: Analysis, Vision, Action Plan, and Evaluation. The analysis assesses the state of the regional economy, the opportunities and threats posed by external trends and forces, and the availability of partners and resources for economic development. The community’s visions and goals, together with an appraisal of the region’s competitive advantage, set the strategic direction for the action plan. The action plan establishes strategies and specifi c projects for implementation. Finally, the CEDS develops a format for establishing criteria and performance measures for evaluation of the process and for periodic update of the document. A CEDS is required to qualify for federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) assistance.

Prior to Hamilton County Development Company’s designation as the agency responsible for the CEDS, the most recent Hamilton County plan (formerly known as an Over- all Economic Development Plan, or OEDP) was the 1997-98 update completed by the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce. In 2001, an update was started but not completed.

Several studies completed in the last few years provide further insight into Hamilton County’s economic development status and opportunities:

• “Assessment and Recommendations to Improve the Effectiveness of Economic De- velopment Efforts in Hamilton County, Ohio,” 2004, prepared by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) for the Board of Hamilton County Com- missioners • “Identiﬁ cation of Industry Clusters for Guiding Economic Development Efforts in Cincinnati USA,” 2004, prepared for The Cincinnati USA Partnership • “Hamilton County’s Comparative and Competitive Advantages,” 2003, prepared by Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission • “2030 Plan and Implementation Framework,” 2004, for Hamilton County (a part of Community COMPASS) 2004, by Hamilton County Regional Planning Commis- sion • “Strategic Regional Policy Plan,” 2005, prepared by OKI, identifying factors to be included in an inventory, types of analyses to be conducted, quality of life indicators related to economic development, and guidance for developing goals, objectives, and policies

2007 CEDS REPORT 7 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

The EDA is guided by the principle that distressed communities must be empowered to create and implement their own economic development and revitalization strategies. In that spirit, HCDC invited key stakeholders involved in the County’s economic development decision-making to serve on an Oversight Committee for the CEDS.

The Oversight Committee’s assigned role is to act as a barometer of economic growth by assessing economic trends, strengths, and challenges; to develop goals and strategies; to identify and review potential project activities; and to decide how to capitalize on the County’s strengths and address the challenges.

Oversight Committee, Afﬁ liation Position Dorothy Air, University of Cincinnati/Cincy Tech USA Associate Senior V.P. Entrepreneurial Affairs Frank Birkenhauer, Colerain Township Director of Development Harry Blanton, Hamilton County Development Company Manager Paul Brehm, City of Forest Park Economic Development Director Jack Cameron, First Suburbs Consortium Administrative Assistant to the Mayor Pamela Carter, Workforce Investment Board President Judy Clark, City of Blue Ash Economic Development Director Gary Conley, TechSolve President Rick Dettmer, City of Norwood Economic Development Director Terry Dickey, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber Economic Development Director Linda Fitzgerald, LSR Consultants Principal Chris Gilbert, Springﬁ eld Township Assistant Township Administrator Quinten Harris, Ohio Department of Development Governor’s Regional Economic Development Representative Albert Kanters, Village of Lincoln Heights CIC Director Laura Long, Cincinnati Business Committee Executive Director David Main, Hamilton County Development Company President Greg Mason, Cincinnati State Technical & Community College Assistant to President Joel McGuire, City of Harrison City Council Mark McKillip, City of Cincinnati Principal Architect Ronald Miller, Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission Executive Director Martita Nelson, African American Chamber of Commerce Project Manager Derrick Parham, City of Springdale Assistant City Administrator Bonnie Phillips, City of Cincinnati Environmental Compliance Manager Daniel Pillow, Village of Addyston Mayor Mark Policinski, OKI Regional Council of Governments Executive Director Kim Satzger, Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority President David Savage, Municipal League Mayor Steve Sievers, Anderson Township Director of Development Services David Smith, Duke Energy Economic Development Manager Barry Strum, Hamilton County Development Company Senior Development Specialist Jeff Tulloch, City of Springdale Economic Development Director Wanda Wagner, Kenwood Towne Centre Senior General Manager Rea Waldon, PNC Bank Community Consultant, Community Development Banking

In order to make the process as inclusionary as possible, an Advisory Group was formed to respond to the range of ideas generated by the Oversight Committee. To streamline the planning process and optimize input, the Advisory Group provided their ideas and comments for each phase of the CEDS via e-mail using a modiﬁ ed “Delphi technique,” which is essentially a silent form of brainstorming. The Oversight Committee considered that input with regard to Hamilton County’s vision, goals, and action plans (includes strategies and speciﬁ c projects).

8 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Advisory Group Afﬁ liation David Aaronson D.S. Aaronson & Associates, Consultant Gerald Beckman Symmes Township Mike Berens City of Deer Park Ray Brokamp Leadership Cincinnati - Chamber of Commerce Walter Cordes Village of Glendale Richard Ellison Village of Elmwood Place Nancy Ellwood Mill Creek Watershed Council Adam Goetzman Green Township Peg Gutsell The Inclusion Network Jennifer Kaminer Village of Fairfax Mike Lemon Columbia Township Ted Mack City of Sharonville Kathy Merchant Greater Cincinnati Foundation Rhonda Moore ProSeniors, Inc. Steve Neal City of Cheviot Bob Polewski Miami Township Peg Roudebush Business Representative Jerry Thamann City of North College Hill

In July 2006, the Oversight Committee held their ﬁ rst meeting, facilitated by HCRPC staff. The facilitators provided an overview of Hamilton County’s past demographic trends along with projections for population and employment (these ﬁ ndings are in Chapter 4). Building upon recommendations from a previous CEDS and other local economic development plans, staff presented a draft vision, strengths, and challenges. The Oversight Committee reviewed and revised these components and then forwarded them to the Advisory Group for their comments.

At their September 7th meeting, the Oversight Committee considered written input from the Advisory Group and after discussion ﬁ nalized the vision, strengths, and challenges. The Oversight Committee then reviewed draft goals and strategies that staff had compiled using previous studies and recommendations. After making those revisions, they forwarded them on to the Advisory Group for input.

The fi nal Oversight Committee meeting on September 28th provided an opportunity to fi nalize the goals and strategies with Advisory Group input. The Oversight Committee expanded staff’s list of specifi c projects for potential implementation and also identifi ed key players and potential tools for several projects. A fi nal request for additional strategies and specifi c projects was sent to Oversight Committee members unable to attend the September 28th meeting and to the Advisory Group. These suggestions were incorporated into the fi nal draft.

2007 CEDS REPORT 9 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

10 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

CEDS CHAPTER 4: Existing Conditions

Within this chapter are maps, tables, and charts with accompanying text that paint a picture of Hamilton County’s economy. They identify trends and projections related to demographic, economic, and educational conditions that can serve as a starting point in deciding in what directions the County can grow to become a more vital place.

Originally prepared as a separate document, the existing conditions report was provided to members of both the Oversight Committee and the Advisory Group as a tool to help facilitate the CEDS process and assist in compiling the strengths and weaknesses of the County, as well as goals for the future.

FIGURE 1 Jurisdictions Hamilton County, 2007

Springfield Township ¦¨§75 ¦¨§71 Sycamore Township Harrison Township Forest Springdale 74 Crosby Park ¦¨§ Township Sharonville

Glendale Greenhills Loveland Harrison Colerain Woodlawn Evendale Township Lincoln Montgomery Heights Blue Ash Harrison Mount Township Healthy Lockland Symmes North Wyoming Reading Township Whitewater College Arlington Hill Township Springfield Heights Sycamore Township Township Amberley Deer Village Park Silverton Elmwood Golf Indian Hill Place Manor Columbia Madeira Miami Green Township Township Township Saint Milford Bernard Cleves Columbia North Cheviot Norwood Township Terrace Bend Park ¦¨§275 Miami Township Addyston Fairfax Mariemont Cincinnati

Newtown

Delhi Township

¦¨§275 ¦¨§471 Anderson Township

¦¨§71 ¦¨§75

Source: Cincinnati Area Geographic Information System

2007 CEDS REPORT 11 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

FIGURE 2 Population, Households, Housing Units, and Jobs Hamilton County, 1970 - 2000

While population is de- Jobs have been created at Hamilton County 1970 1980 1990 2000 clining, there has been a faster rate than house- Population 924,017 873,224 866,228 845,303 an increase in households have been formed Households 295,269 322,238 338,881 346,790 Housing Units 311,289 343,322 361,421 373,393 holds, housing units, or dwelling units have Jobs4 495,960 548,943 633,624 679,586 and jobs. been built. One reason for this is that Hamilton Sources: US Bureau of Census, Regional Economic Information System County serves as a job jurisdictions were estimat- magnet, drawing in worked to have grown. ers from the region to ﬁ ll the increasing number of jobs. Based on U.S. Cen- sus data, the 2000 daytime population in Hamilton County is 1,054,765. In terms of population, 2005 Census estimates show the County with a population loss of 4.4 percent since 2000. During that same ﬁ ve year time frame, only 7 out of the County’s 49

FIGURE 3 Consolidated Land Use Vision Concept Hamilton County, 2004

A snapshot of future land 75 uses reﬂ ects the urban 71 intensity in the I-75 and 74 I-71 corridors with more rural patterns in the western third and along the eastern borders of 275 the County.

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&RPPHUFLDO 471 ,QGXVWULDO 75 71 3DUNV 3XEOLFDQG,QVWLWXWLRQDO /DQGILOO $LUSRUWV

Sources: Hamilton County 2030 Plan and Implementation Framework

12 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Change in Developed, Vacant, and Residential Land FIGURE 4 Hamilton County, 1960, 2000 & 2006

In the last 46 years, de- Percent Percent While central urban veloped land in Hamilton 1960 2000 Change 2006 Change counties are expected County has more than 1960-2000 1960-2006 to experience develop- doubled along with a cor- Total Vacant Land in Square Miles 248.30 86.00 -65.36% 50.24 -41.58% ment, Hamilton County’s responding decrease in Total Developed Land in Square Miles 159.10 305.60 92.08% 341.16 11.64% growth over the last de- Developed Land in Acres/100 Persons 11.80 23.10 95.76% 27.07 17.18% cades has occurred at vacant land. In 1960 for Residential Land Use in Acres/100 Persons 5.60 11.89 112.32% 12.93 8.77% low densities. every 100 persons, an av- Residential Gross Density in Persons/Acre 18.00 8.41 -53.28% 7.73 -8.06% erage of 5.6 acres of land was used for residential Sources: 1964 Hamilton County Master Plan, Cincinnati Area Geographic Information Sys- tems, Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission, US Bureau of Census development. By 2006, 12.93 acres were con- and ﬁ re protection. Ad- distributed in part over the sumed to accommodate ditionally, operation and whole population. 100 persons. A recent maintenance costs of in- study by the Metropolitan frastructure, such as water Area Research Corpora- and wastewater, increase tion (MARC) concludes signiﬁ cantly as the den- that low-density devel- sity of development de- opment can increase the creases. In the absence of cost of providing public cost recovery tools such services such as transpor- as impact fees, infrastruc- tation, schools, police, ture development costs are

Environmentally Critical and Sensitive Areas FIGURE 5 Hamilton County, 2004

75 Open space and environ- 71 mentally sensitive and 74 critical areas are subject to development as population moves outward to remaining undeveloped 275 lands.

275

471 6ORSHV 75 6ORSHVDQG*UHDWHU 71 +LJK/DQGVOLGH3RWHQWLDO 1DWLRQDO:HWODQG,QYHQWRU\ )ORRG=RQHV $TXLIHUV

Sources: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency, US Geological Survey, Hillside Trust, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission

2007 CEDS REPORT 13 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

FIGURE 6 Percent Change in Population Cincinnati CMSA Counties, 1990 - 2000

Though population in 75 the central city and older suburbs is declining, the Cincinnati metropoli- 71 tan region continues to grow.

*UHDWHUWKDQ 71 WR WR WR

/HVVWKDQ 75 Sources: Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission, US Bureau of Census

FIGURE 7 Net Population Loss Hamilton County to Cincinnati CMSA Counties, 1993 - 2004 Gallatin, KY Out-migration of Ham- The population decreases 0 Ohio, IN Grant, KY Pendleton, KY Brown, OH Campbell, KY ilton County residents in the City of Cincinnati Boone, KY Kenton, KY to other CMSA coun- and Hamilton County are -5000 ties, especially the adja- fundamentally connected Dearborn, IN cent Ohio counties, is a with the increasing “sub- -10000 key factor in population urbanization” of the Cin- loss. -15000 cinnati metropolitan re- Net Migration

gion. This ﬁ gure shows Warren, OH Clermont, OH the cumulative population -20000

loss of Hamilton County Butler, OH to the other counties of -25000 the region between 1993 Counties

and 2004. The most popu- Sources: Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission, Internal Revenue Service lar counties for Hamilton County residents to move to have been the adjacent Ohio counties of Butler, Clermont and Warren.

14 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Reasons for Moving or Considering Leaving FIGURE 8 Hamilton County, 2000

For people moving out of Find new housing Housing needs are a Hamilton County, nearby opportunities prime concern of resi- suburban counties remain Live in safer community dents who are leaving Live closer to the County. their favorite destina- new/existing job tions. Hamilton County’s Live in more rural area net loss of population to Live where less traffic the surrounding counties congestion Live in better school is and continues to be an district expanding trend. Figures Live in community with from the Internal Revenue lower tax rate Live closer to family or Service show the great- friends est losses are not to inter- 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% regional migration, but to Percent of Respondents Source: Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission, October 2000, Based on 1,159 intraregional movement, Completed Households Surveys movement within the met- jobs are rated near the top ropolitan region. of the list, the top concern Some explanations as to of out-migrants regards a why Hamilton County desire for more housing residents consider moving options. are shown in this ﬁ gure. While safety and access to

FIGURE 9 Population Projections Hamilton County, 2000- 2030

Typical population projec- 900,000 A reversal of Hamilton tions (using cohort-com- REMI County’s population de- ponent analysis) continue 850,000 cline is expected after the path of a community’s 2014 according to the REMI model forecast. growth or decline. Using 800,000 this method, the Ohio De- HCRPC partment of Development

Population 750,000 (ODOD) and Hamilton County Regional Planning ODOD 700,000 Commission (HCRPC) predict a continuing decline in Hamilton Coun- 650,000 2000 2010 2020 2030 ty’s population through Sources: OKI 2030 Regional Transportation Plan, US Bureau of Census, Hamilton County 2030. However, using an Regional Planning Commission, Regional Economic Model Inc., Ohio Department of Develop- econometric model known ment as REMI (Regional Eco- factors. According to the competitive advantages of nomic Model Inc.), rather REMI analysis, a reversal industries in the County than building a projec- of the County’s population relative to the U.S., which tion based on past trends, will occur around 2014. will improve after the “bad a forecast is created that The rationale for this posi- years” have reduced the considers a wide range of tive upturn is based on the costs of production.

2007 CEDS REPORT 15 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

FIGURE 10 Percent Population Gain/Loss by Age Group US, Cincinnati CMSA, and Hamilton County, 2000 - 2004

Hamilton County is in- Hamilton County has in- 30.0% creasing its percentage creased its share of per- 25.0% of older generations, sons aged 45 to 64 years, 20.0% while losing entrepre- as well as those over 79 15.0% neurial age residents. 10.0% years. It has decreased its 5.0%

share among all other age 0.0% Percent Change 5-9

-5.0% 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 34-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 groups. The group be- 10 - 14 Under 5

tween the ages of 20 and -10.0% 85 and over 34, the so-called “entrepre- -15.0% -20.0% neurial cohort,” is likewise Age Group in Years on the decline. This group Hamilton County US Cincinnati CMSA is most likely to accept the Source: US Bureau of Census risk of establishing new of the nation increasing its economic ventures. They percentage of 20 to 34 year are also the most techno- olds by about 4.5 percent. logically savvy, an important fact in an economy that is more service than manufacturing-based. The loss of members from this group occurred in the face

FIGURE 11 Largest Employers Ranked by Total CMSA Employees Hamilton County, 2005

Hamilton County is the CMSA economic hub of the region and home to seven Employer Employees Fortune 500 Companies. University of Cincinnati 15,400 This table shows the Kroger Company 15,100 County’s largest Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati 13,750 employers. Proctor & Gamble Company 12,250 TriHealth Incorporated 8,900 Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center 8,875 Fifth Third Bank 8,850 GE Aviation 7,100 Mercy Health Partners 6,750 Hamilton County 6,180

Source: Business Courier, December 2005

16 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Largest Shopping Centers, Suburban Ofﬁ ces & Industrial Parks FIGURE 12 Hamilton County and Adjacent Counties, 2005

75 Interstates are shaping commercial and industrial development patterns in Hamilton County and 71 the Cincinnati metropolitan region. !( *# Industrial Parks *# !( *# *#!( *# *# *# ") *# 150 - 500 Acres 74 *# ") (!")!( (!") )" ") (! *# 501 - 1,300 Acres (!") )" !( !( ") Suburban Office ") ") *#*# *# )"!( !( (! ") 300,000 - 750,000 Sq Ft *# ") )"!( !( )" 750,001 - 1,000,000 Sq Ft *#*# *# Commercial Centers

!( 319,248 - 1,000,000 Sq Ft

(! 1,000,001 - 1,500,000 Sq Ft Source: Business Courier, October 2005

Ofﬁ ce Square Footage and Vacancy Rates by Class FIGURE 13 Downtown Cincinnati and Suburbs, 2000 and 2006

Fourth Quarter 2000 First Quarter 2006 Suburban Hamilton County is greatly in- Downtown Suburbs Downtown Suburbs creasing ofﬁ ce space, while Cincinnati’s cen- Class A: 6,578,832 Class A: 4,827,604 Class A: 6,971,622 Class A: 7,278,926 tral business district is Net Rentable Class B: 6,195,437 Class B: 3,222,335 Class B: 6,627,604 Class B: 5,197,445 remaining stable. Area (sq. ft.) Class C: 890,240 Class C: 1,040,908 Class C: 379,785 Class C: 1,251,430

Vacancy Rate Class A: 4.48 Class A: 12.16 Class A: 16.87 Class A: 13.55 (%) Class B: 9.19 Class B: 13.97 Class B: 15.66 Class B: 24.17 Class C: 15.66 Class C: 18.97 Class C: 23.25 Class C: 23.23

Sources: CB Richard Ellis

2007 CEDS REPORT 17 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

FIGURE 14 Percent Change in Total Employment Ohio Neighboring and Urban Counties, 1999 – 2004

Hamilton County and the 5.00% The 2001 recession caused Warren other Ohio metropolitan 4.00% a downturn in employ- Clermont counties are not grow- 3.00% ment in Ohio’s metropoli- Butler ing jobs as well as sub- tan counties. Two other 2.00% urban counties adjacent 1.00% factors have contributed Franklin Hamilton to Hamilton County. 0.00% Cuyahoga to the plight of these coun- Montgomery ties: the change in types of -1.00% jobs – from manufacturing -2.00% -3.00% to service sectors – and the 1999 - 2000 2000 - 2001 2001 - 2002 2002 - 2003 2003 - 2004 loss of population and jobs Source: Regional Economic Information System to neighboring suburban counties.

Hamilton County, with the third largest employment in the state, has lost about 30,000 jobs from 2000 to 2004. Its neighboring Ohio counties, as can be seen on the graph, have gained jobs over the same period however.

FIGURE 15 Unemployment Rate Ohio Urban Counties, 2000 - 2005

Hamilton County’s fairly All urban counties in Ohio 7.00% low unemployment rate experienced rising unem- Montgom ery Cuyahoga compared with other ployment following the 6.00% Ohio urban counties is recession in 2001, with Hamilton slightly higher than that Franklin each county experiencing U.S. of the U.S. for the last 5.00% an increase of more than two years. one percentage point that 4.00%

year. Since then, though, Unemployment Rate the increase has been less drastic. 3.00%

Because of high overall 2.00% 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 demand for labor, the Source: Ohio Department of Job and Family Services average Hamilton County unemployment rate, prior tional average until 2004 rates than the U.S. to 2002, had been low for when it rose above the na- several years. Only six tional average of 5.5 per- years since 1990 has the cent. By 2005, the Ohio County’s unemployment urban counties shown rate gone above 5 percent. above had experienced It remained below the na- higher unemployment

18 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Percent Share of Jobs FIGURE 16 Cincinnati CMSA Counties, 1987 and 2004

From 1987 to 2004, Ham- Hamilton, OH Hamilton County’s ilton County’s share of Butler, OH share of jobs in the jobs in the metro area Boone, KY region is decreasing. dropped from 63 percent Warren, OH to 52 percent. While Ham- Clermont, OH ilton County remains the Kenton, KY dominant employee pro- Campbell, KY vider in the 13 county met- Dearborn, IN ropolitan region, its share Brown, OH is shrinking. Every other Grant,KY county in the metropolitan Pendleton, KY Gallatin, KY region, with the excep- Ohio, IN tion of Pendleton County, 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% has seen an increase in its 1987 2004 share of the region’s jobs. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Regional Economic Information System Two counties, Boone and Warren, experienced a near doubling of their numbers, while most counties have had modest job growth over the same period.

Total Labor Force vs. Total Jobs FIGURE 17 Cincinnati CMSA Counties, 2004

The total number of jobs Hamilton County de- Hamilton, OH pends on the region to available in Hamilton Butler, OH ﬁ ll its workforce gap. County in recent years has Boone, KY outperformed the civilian Warren, OH labor force. This is in con- Clermont, OH trast with other counties of Kenton, KY the CMSA region, where Campbell, KY there are fewer employ- Dearborn, IN ment opportunities than Brown, OH employees. In fact, in only Grant,KY two of the region’s coun- Pendleton, KY ties - Hamilton and Boone Gallatin, KY Ohio, IN - does the number of jobs exceed the labor force. 0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 600,000 700,000 This underscores the role Total Jobs Total Labor Force played by Hamilton Coun- Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Information System ty in providing work for much of the metropolitan population.

2007 CEDS REPORT 19 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

FIGURE 18 Employment: Percent Share by Sector Hamilton County, 1998 and 2004

While manufacturing Health care and social assistance employment has de- Manufacturing clined by 1.3 percent Retail trade since 1987, health care Accommodation & food services and other service indus- Professional, scientific & techn services tries continue to gain in Admin, support, waste mgt, remediation numbers. Finance & insurance Wholesale trade Other services (except public admin) Construction Management of companies & enterprises Information Educational services Transportation & warehousing Real estate & rental & leasing Arts, entertainment & recreation

0.0% 2.0% 4.0% 6.0% 8.0% 10.0% 12.0% 14.0% 16.0% 18.0% Percent Share

1998 2004

Sources: Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Information System, US Bureau of Census County Business Patterns

FIGURE 19 Industry Employment Projections Hamilton, Warren, Butler, & Clermont Counties, 2002 - 2012

Regional job growth 2012 Change in Percent over the next six years is 2002 Annual Projected Employment Change anticipated to be strong Industry Employment Employment 2002-2012 2002-2012 in business, education, Total Employment 849,700 948,900 99,200 11.7% and health sectors with Professional & Business Services 121,300 148,500 27,200 22.4% a decline in manufacturing. Education & Health Services 102,800 124,800 22,000 21.4% Leisure & Hospitality 73,500 83,300 9,800 13.3% Trade, Transportation, & Utilities 157,600 176,500 18,900 12.0% Financial Activities 54,100 59,600 5,500 10.2% Government 93,300 102,200 8,900 9.5% Self-Employed, Private Household & Unpaid Family Workers 49,900 50,500 600 1.2% Manufacturing 106,400 101,800 -4,600 -4.3% Natural Resource and Mining 4,300 4,000 -300 -7.0%

Source: Ohio Department of Job & Family Services, Bureau of Labor Market Information, April 2005

20 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Median Family Income FIGURE 20 Ohio Urban Counties, 2000 - 2004

Although 2004 saw an ap- $65,000 Hamilton County’s medi- proximate $3,000 decline an income is higher than $62,500 for Hamilton County’s most of the peer counties. median family income, $60,000 the County still ranks high Franklin compared to the four peer e $57,500

Hamilton Ohio urban counties. This $55,000 drop in income, in the face Montgomer y of escalating home prices, Family Incom $52,500 may put home ownership Cuyahoga $50,000 further out of reach.

$47,500

$45,000 2000 2002 2003 2004

Source: US Bureau of Census, 2004 American Community Survey

Median Home Value FIGURE 21 Ohio Urban Counties, 2000 - 2003

$145,000 Hamilton County’s medi- Home values for Ohio’s Franklin an home value is second urban counties have been $140,000 steadily increasing with an Hamilton among urban counties. average gain of $20,225 $135,000 in the short period from $130,000 Cuyahoga 2000 to 2004. Hamilton $125,000 County’s median home value reached $137,000 $120,000 in 2004. As the median Home Value $115,000 value of homes increases, Montgom ery however, home ownership $110,000 becomes more difﬁ cult $105,000 for moderate (80 percent $100,000 of median) to low-income households. $95,000 2000 2002 2003 2004

Source: US Bureau of Census, 2004 American Community Survey

2007 CEDS REPORT 21 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

FIGURE 22 Housing Unit Change Hamilton County, 1990 - 2000

Many of Cincinnati’s and 75 Hamilton County’s ﬁ rst 71 ring suburbs saw hous- 74 ing unit stagnation or decline between 1990 and 2000, while growth was prominent on the east- 275 ern and western edges of the County. Housing units increased in the County from 239,578 in 1990 to 243,870 in 2000

- a 1.8 percent increase. 275

WR WR 471 75 WR 71 WR WR WR

Source: US Bureau of Census 2000

FIGURE 23 Housing Affordability Ohio Urban Counties, 2000 – 2004

Housing became less Ohio urban counties, affordable in Hamilton along with the rest of the 52.0%

County in 2004 more U.S., have enjoyed a hous- 50.0% rapidly than in other ur- ing purchasing and re-ﬁ - Montgom ery 48.0% ban Ohio Counties nancing boom since 1997, mainly due to low interest 46.0%

rates. However, the per- 44.0% centage of people able to 42.0% afford homes decreased in Hamilton Affordable Housing Percentage all four Ohio peer counties 40.0% Franklin Cuyahoga from 2000 to 2003. From 38.0% 2003 to 2004, Hamilton 2000 2002 2003 2004 County saw the steep- Source: Ohio Department of Job and Family Services est decline in affordable housing. While median A decreasing trend line home values increased ap- indicates that housing is proximately $25,000 from becoming less affordable. 2000 to 2004, Hamilton Many formulas determine County’s median fam- the threshold of “housing ily income decreased by affordability” as being 30 about $3,000. percent of net income.

22 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

School District Ratings FIGURE 24 Hamilton County, 2001 – 2005

With approximately Number of Districts Receiving Rating In 2005, 15 of Hamilton 110,000 students in 205 County’s 22 school dis- Rating 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 different schools, Hamil- tricts ranked Excellent ton County’s public school Excellent 78898 or Effective. All others system is responsible for Effective 13247 are under Continuous Improvement. educating the majority of Continuous Improvement 13 9 9 7 7 students in the County. To Academic Watch 11220 measure school and school Academic Emergency 01100 district achievement, the Source: Ohio Department of Education Ohio Department of Edu- cation administers annual increased as performance academic profi ciency tests in some schools improved, that result in fi ve ratings moving them out of the categories. Continuous Improvement category. In the last two In Hamilton County, the school years, no district number of Excellent (top- was ranked Academic performing) school dis- Emergency. tricts has remained steady over the last fi ve years. Districts ranked Effective

School District Ratings FIGURE 25 Ohio Neighboring Counties, 2001 - 2005

The quality of local school An increasing number of districts is an important Hamilton County school factor when people choose districts are rated in the

s Excellent or Effective where to live and raise a t c i

t category. family. School districts s have shown steady prog- lDi oo h ress in recent years both c fS

in terms of the number of er o b districts in the top rating um N categories and in the re- duction of districts on Aca- demic Watch or Academic ([FHOOHQW Emergency. By 2005, no (IIHFWLYH &RQWLQXRXV,PSURYHPHQW Hamilton County schools $FDGHPLF:DWFK received either of the two Butler Clermont Hamilton Warren $FDGHPLF(PHUJHQF\ lowest designations for Note: Bar width reﬂ ects total enrollment by county academic achievement. Source: Ohio Department of Education

2007 CEDS REPORT 23 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

FIGURE 26 Percent 18-24 Population Enrolled In College or Graduate School Ohio Urban Counties, 2000

Hamilton County ranks Greater Cincinnati sits Metro Area Central County Central City in the middle of college squarely in the middle of Columbus, 39.7 Franklin County, 43.3 Columbus City, 45.4 enrollment among its a group of four peer met- OH MSA OH OH peer counties. ropolitan regions in the Dayton-Springﬁ eld, 39.9 Montgomery 37.6 Dayton City, 47.9 number of young adults OH MSA County, OH OH attending college. The Cincinnati-Hamilton, 34.3 Hamilton County, 36.4 Cincinnati City, 40.7 percentage of 18-24 year OH-KY-IN CMSA OH OH olds enrolled in college or Cleveland-Akron, 31.8 Cuyahoga County, 30.2 Cleveland City, 22.6 OH CMSA OH OH graduate school in Hamil- ton County, at 36%, falls Note: A CMSA or Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area contains more than one Metropoli- tan Statistical Area (MSA). The Cincinnati-Hamilton CMSA includes the Cincinnati MSA and behind Allegheny and the Hamilton-Middletown MSA. Franklin Counties and just Source: Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission, US Bureau of Census slightly less than Mont- Pittsburgh area is particu- reer success and continued gomery County. larly rich in colleges and economic development in universities, and the Co- our region. Hamilton County’s mid- lumbus area is home to dle-of-the-pack situation Ohio State University, the might be explained by the largest university in the number, size and qual- state system. Higher edu- ity of the universities and cation is more important colleges in each area. The than ever for individual ca-

24 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

CEDS CHAPTER 5: Strengths and Challenges

The Oversight Committee and Advisory Group identiﬁ ed Hamilton County’s strengths and challenges. The County has a considerable number of strengths compiled below that it can build upon in promoting economic growth and development:

STRENGTHS 1. Hamilton County is the economic driver of the region 2. Wealth of cultural, arts & entertainment resources 3. Riverfront and its development potential 4. Renewed investment in downtown Cincinnati (e.g., The Banks, Fountain Square, Over-the-Rhine) for business and housing 5. Civic-minded business community 6. Strong public and private higher educational and research institutions 7. Home to six Fortune 500 company headquarters 8. Wealth of mid-sized companies 9. Diversiﬁ ed economy that is stable and less susceptible to downturns 10. Accessibility via airport, river port, three interstate highways, public transportation, and street connectivity 11. Growing industrial clusters (e.g., life sciences, chemicals and plastics, aerospace, design and engineering, and advanced automated systems) 12. Strong, diverse, established organizations such as Hamilton County Economic De- velopment Ofﬁ ce, committed to serving the whole County 13. Diversity and uniqueness of housing, urban neighborhoods, and suburban communities 14. Wide array of retail products and shopping settings 15. First suburbs and their affordable housing opportunities 16. Access to jobs, entertainment and recreation for persons moving into the region 17. Parks and recreation 18. Affordable cost of living for residents relative to other urban counties in the U.S. 19. Wealth of clean, safe suburban options, boasting excellent schools, vibrant economies, and diverse business and housing options 20. Coordinated planning 21. Increasing joint economic development districts (JEDDs) 22. Increasing shared services among communities 23. A racial, ethnic and economic diverse population 24. Strategic Midwest location, e.g. “60 minute Market” (area within a 60-minute commute), and within one-day drive of 20 major metro markets

Despite these strengths, though, the County has challenges it must address:

CHALLENGES 1. Competition – local, national, and global 2. Redistribution of jobs and population in the region with little actual growth 3. Population loss

2007 CEDS REPORT 25 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

4. Negative public perception - internal and external 5. Highly fragmented system of governance and bureaucratic complexity for regula- tions, economic development, and public services 6. Some school systems in the County are performing poorly 7. Stadia debt 8. Attracting and retaining creative class and highly-skilled workers for the “new economy” jobs with an environment that includes amenities (including public transit) for all lifestyles 9. Public safety – perception and reality 10. Infrastructure investment doesn’t keep pace with growth opportunities (e.g., Mill Creek fl ooding and I-75 congestion) 11. Infrastructure is deteriorating in older areas while infrastructure is extended to new areas 12. Hamilton County lacks incentives for regional cooperation on planning and economic development with adjacent counties 13. Aging housing stock and loss of affordable housing 14. Widening gap among economic classes: threatened loss of middle class 15. Not enough retail and housing downtown to create a livable community 16. Lack of land that is economically viable to develop and redevelop 17. How to defi ne our brand, ourselves and promote what we are good at 18. Cumulative tax burden is detrimental to attracting and retaining residents and businesses – we’re competing with adjacent counties 19. Lack of regional thinking 20. Analysis paralysis 21. Job and business retention 22. Vulnerability of legacy industries that are in mature cycle 23. Multitude of brownfi eld sites and underutilized grayfi elds

26 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

CEDS CHAPTER 6: Vision, Goals and Potential Strategies

Hamilton County’s vision over the next 10 years will help to focus economic development efforts and rally coordinated efforts to improve quality of life.

VISION Hamilton County is a globally competitive and vibrant economy that serves as the economic engine of the Greater Cincinnati area by making best use of our existing communities and resources. The County has a high quality of life with • Competitive job opportunities, a diverse, skilled, and productive workforce and • Communities that offer desirable housing choices.

The CEDS committees developed a series of goals aimed at improving economic development in Hamilton County. Along with these goals, several potential strategies were identiﬁ ed to reach them. In the following chapter, “speciﬁ c projects” are listed that are either underway or recommended for implementation of the goals.

GOALS AND POTENTIAL STRATEGIES Goal 1: Retain and expand existing businesses, while attracting new businesses Potential Strategies: Create and market a brand for Hamilton County as a whole in conjunction with Cincinnati USA brand developed by the Chamber; promote export of local products and services; retain and re-engineer maturing manufacturers; facilitate collaboration and cooperation of entrepreneurs and emerging industries and technologies; develop a globally competitive and diversiﬁ ed economy; streamline local regulatory and permitting processes; provide technical assistance to new and established businesses; partner with Ohio Department of Development to market to foreign/outside businesses that are seeking to expand or relocate; and expand infrastructure on western side of County.

Goal 2. Expand the industry clusters of advanced manufacturing, biosciences, and information and communication technology Potential Strategies: Focus expansion, retention, and recruitment efforts on growing value-added industry clusters that pay higher wages; identify opportunities for jointly ac- quiring materials and services; coordinate between businesses and educators to develop programs for a workforce to meet the needs of emerging cluster industries; collaborate with TechSolve and Cincinnati State on industry technology issues; and collaborate with partners such as YP Cincy on workforce and employment issues.

Goal 3. Develop and retain workforce Potential Strategies: Develop partnerships between business leaders and educators for workforce preparedness; develop incentives for high school graduation and college completion; attract workers with affordable market-rate housing; target attraction of young professionals; and encourage active participation of older persons through improvement of employment and volunteering opportunities.

2007 CEDS REPORT 27 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Goal 4. Promote entrepreneurship through education and enhanced opportunities Potential Strategies: Create satellite small business incubators; develop incubators targeted to key industrial clusters; recruit the participation of minorities, including persons with disabilities, in incubator/start-up efforts and projects.

Goal 5. Create a vibrant downtown Potential Strategies: Encourage downtown housing, with supporting services; revitalize/develop key amenities such as Fountain Square to encourage residents’ and visitors’ usage; ensure that public spaces are utilized to meet the needs of all residents; retain and attract ofﬁ ce and retail establishments; promote conventions and tourism; coordinate riverfront development; support revitalization of Over-the-Rhine; and make downtown easier to navigate by foot, bicycle, or trolley.

Goal 6. Bolster First Suburbs Potential Strategies: Support state legislation relating to incentives and enabling actions that expedite access to distressed properties as a prelude to revitalization activities; promote and develop programs to renovate housing and neighborhood business districts; address issues leading to high property foreclosure rates; identify and prioritize neighborhoods in need of revitalization; create a housing plan that assesses existing housing stock and needs, evaluates permitting processes and code enforcement, identiﬁ es housing programs and tools, and maps housing opportunity areas; promote housing alterna- tives to enable aging in place for local residents; provide incentives to improve commercial buildings and housing stock; develop neighborhood business district revitalization plans; promote the affordability, accessibility, welcoming attitude, and historic character of these communities; and encourage neighborhood residents to be active in revitalization.

Goal 7. Bring underutilized properties, including brownfi elds, to higher and better use Potential Strategies: Create action plan for turning abandoned buildings (e.g., gas sta- tions, etc.) to productive use; update Urban Land Assistance Program (ULAP) list with all current underutilized land; expand the RedevelopmentSites.com website to include areas outside the Mill Creek area; identify commercial and business district sites that have potential for in-fi ll development and greater density opportunities; use Chamber’s website to market available commercial and industrial sites; develop a master list of brownfi elds throughout the County; identify funding sources for remediation; and create a redevelopment plan for brownfi elds nearing or fi nished with remediation.

Goal 8. Ensure homeland security and public safety Potential Strategies: Adopt emergency-ready plan that ensures coordination among key agencies and all communities in the event of a natural or terrorist disaster; identify ways to reduce crime and lower recidivism rates.

Goal 9. Increase coordination among economic development organizations Potential Strategies: Develop and update website containing demographics, information on economic needs, assistance programs, and development potential on countywide basis; call summit of economic development organizations to share information, resources and collaboration while striving to eliminate redundancies; conduct an annual update of this CEDS plan.

28 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Goal 10. Improve linkage between transportation improvements and economic development Potential Strategies: Support all Major Investment Studies (MIS) conducted by OKI; develop an intermodal transportation network that is accessible to all as a resource for economic growth; and promote Cincinnati’s role as a river port.

Goal 11. Develop new housing choices in the County Potential Strategies: Encourage development of accessible, inviting neighborhoods that are walkable communities; support mixed-income communities; promote energy-efﬁ - cient homes; provide guidelines for conservation subdivisions.

The CEDS goals are directly aligned with several Community COMPASS initiatives as follows:

• regional image through destination downtown/24 hour downtown (initiative) • new opportunities for downtown living • business attraction, retention, expansion, startups, and spin-offs • regional development initiatives • collaboration and integration of higher education • creating partnerships for workforce preparedness • collaboration on countywide issues • enhancing neighborhood livability • affordable housing • revitalization including ﬁ rst suburbs

2007 CEDS REPORT 29 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

30 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

CEDS CHAPTER 7: Action Plan: Speciﬁ c Projects

The Oversight Committee and the Advisory Group identiﬁ ed several projects related to the CEDS goals. It is expected that these projects will enhance Hamilton County’s potential for retaining, expanding, and attracting new businesses. The projects are not intended to form a comprehensive list of all projects underway in the County, but capture those considered key. Future projects should be put to the following tests:

• What are the activities and what are their expected beneﬁ ts? • Which activities address the area’s greatest need or best enhance the region’s competitive advantages? • Do these activities represent the best use of limited resources? • Will the activities have positive economic, environmental, and social impacts?

As projects are prioritized, those selected should be accompanied by an Implementation Schedule that contains the following:

1. Desired Results/Outcomes What outcome is to be accomplished? What will be seen or observed when complete? 2. Outcome Indicators How will we recognize the results in measurable terms? 3. Outputs/Products What outputs or products will be produced? 4. Potential Partners and Commitments (building relationships for implementation) Who needs to be invited? What are the internal assets and resources? What external resources can be leveraged? 5. Research Agenda What are the best practices? How have others accomplished this? 6. Tasks (steps, sequence, deliverables, and speciﬁ c requirements) What measurable components work to turn the curve? 7. Responsibility (persons and partner agency agreements) Who is the primary or lead agency? Who are the support agencies? 8. Schedule How long will this take? When will we begin and end? 9. Budget and Funding What is the total cost? What are the funding sources including potential grants? How much is budgeted? 10. Implement 11. Evaluate per indicators; revise plan as needed How long will this take? When will we begin and end?

2007 CEDS REPORT 31 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

REETAINTAIN AANDND EEXPANDXPAND EEXISTINGXISTING BBUSINESSESUSINESSES, WWHILEHILE AATT- GOOALAL 1: TTRACTINGRACTING NNEWEW BBUSINESSESUSINESSES

Project 1-A Lincoln Heights industrial park on Shepherd Drive Clean-up of site began in January 2007 with funds from an EPA brownﬁ elds program. The Village is working with current tenant, Cincinnati Auto Recycling, to consolidate operations on a ﬁ ve acre area which would provide 10 to 12 acres for development. Pro- spective tenants include expansion of Fiero Industries.

Project 1-B Springdale retail redevelopment In the highly competitive retail arena, Springdale has identiﬁ ed the need for its retail malls to have character improvements (such as streetscape), operations improvements, and a beltway road from I-275 at SR 747 to Kemper Road. The retail area includes Tri- County Mall, Princeton Plaza, and Springdale Beltway Commons.

Project 1-C Carillon Business Park in Forest Park Situated at I-275 and Hamilton Ave, the 120 acre business park has 2-20 acre sites available with ofﬁ ce, high tech, and light industrial uses permitted.

Project 1-D Retail center for Xavier University The 20 acres to the east of Xavier is being planned for entertainment, retail, ofﬁ ce, and housing in addition to more academic buildings.

Project 1-E Sharonville Convention Center expansion Expansion of the Sharonville Convention Center is planned to triple its present capacity. Funding is expected to be determined in 2007. The expansion calls for an increase from 27,000 square feet to 69,000 square feet. Also, a recent designation of a portion of Chester Road in Sharonville as a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district increases likeli- hood of development. Parking at the facility has seen growth from 196 spaces in 1994, to today’s on-site and adjacent lot capacity of up to 1,000 vehicles.

Project 1-F Ancor Industrial Area in northeast Anderson Township The 500 acre Ancor Area, scheduled for improved access and installation of sewer lines, is one of the largest greenﬁ elds within the I-275 beltway. Anderson Township anticipates applying for Job Ready Site Funds in the next round to develop the site for ofﬁ ce and light industrial uses.

Project 1-G Northgate Mall renovation and expansion Colerain Township’s largest mall (1.1 million square feet) is in the process of adding $25 to $40 million of improvements with an outdoor retail component, new streetscape, bike trails, cinema and restaurants.

Project 1-H Stone Creek Towne Center and Ofﬁ ce Park in Colerain Township This 65 acre development is planned for 500,000 square feet of retail space and will include several new tenants such as J.C. Penney, Meijer, Bed Bath & Beyond, Old Navy, and Starbucks. The retail portion is scheduled to open in 2007.

Project 1-I Harrison Commerce Park in Harrison Township This 160 acre site is ready for development with all utilities and is zoned for light industrial uses. It has immediate access to I-74 with recent completion of the public access

32 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY road. With a Special Public Interest District zoning classiﬁ cation, design standards are ensured for landscaping, setbacks, underground utilities, hidden docks, ofﬁ ces oriented toward the road, etc. The City of Harrison and Harrison Township are in the process of establishing a Joint Economic Development District (JEDD).

Project 1-J Crosby Township land sites The 200 acres accessible off Paddy’s Run Road and the 300 acre Knollman Farm 300 are commercially zoned tracts that represent opportunities for stimulating signiﬁ cant commercial development in the I-74 corridor.

Project 1-K Chester Road corridor redevelopment in Sharonville Chester Road is planned to become the I-75 gateway to Sharonville. In the master planning stage for streetscape and corridor improvements, bids will go out in 2007 with construction beginning in 2008.

Project 1-L Vine Street corridor in Avondale The 38 acre Uptown Crossings project is intended to jump-start development along the Vine Street corridor in Avondale. It’s planned for a variety of housing for local employees, pedestrian pathways and connectivity to surrounding neighborhoods, zoo expansion, and approximately 50,000 square feet commercial and retail space. The site is bordered by Vine, Jefferson, and Ruther, with the Zoo and UC as major land owners.

Project 1-M Vine Street corridor in Over-the-Rhine Vine Street in Over-the-Rhine is experiencing redevelopment north of Central Parkway with new housing, improvements to the Ensemble Theatre, and new retail and restaurant uses. Approximately $2.5 million in streetscape improvements are planned for Vine Street in Over-the-Rhine and for Short Vine in Corryville.

EXXPANDPAND TTHEHE IINDUSTRYNDUSTRY CCLUSTERSLUSTERS OOFF AADVANCEDDVANCED MMANUANU- GOOALAL 2: FFACTURINGACTURING, BBIOSCIENCESIOSCIENCES, AANDND IINFORMATIONNFORMATION AANDND CCOMOM- MMUNICATIONUNICATION TTECHNOLOGYECHNOLOGY

Project 2-A Life Sciences Center expansion in Reading The expansion of the Life Sciences Center will be on the adjacent 10.4 acre Nivison Weiskopf Co. site. Reading has obtained $2.5 million in Job Ready funds to be used for acquisition, demolition, infrastructure, and construction of 154,000 square feet of lab space for the contiguous Reading Life Sciences complex. The three year project can create 300 to 400 new jobs.

Project 2-B Children’s Hospital Medical Center expansion Construction has begun on a $50 million ofﬁ ce space and 2,000-space garage at Burnet Avenue and Kasota Street. Expansion is also underway for the College Hill Campus with a three story addition that will allow for a 50 percent increase in outpatient psychiatric patients.

Project 2-C iSpace/Challenger Center in Sharonville This science center on the Scarlet Oaks Campus is designed to provide educators and students with unique science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning experi-

2007 CEDS REPORT 33 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

ences. It is expected to serve 10,000 students yearly, and to be self-sustaining after the ﬁ rst two years.

Project 2-D Cincinnati State Technical and Community College technology program expansion With the biosciences clusters being promoted in Hamilton County, Cincinnati State’s new technology programs will provide excellent training opportunities. Medical related ma- jors include: Biomedical Equipment and Information Systems Technology, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Surgical Technician, Respiratory Care/Therapist, and Paramedic.

Project 2-E BIO/START support and expansion BIO/START is a biomedical, bioengineering, and biotechnology start-up business incubator founded in 1996 and is located near the University of Cincinnati campus. As part of Ohio’s Edison Incubator Program, BIO/START provides laboratory facilities, business expertise and a supportive environment for entrepreneurs and their newly formed life science companies.

Project 2-F Southern Ohio Creates Companies Pre-Seed Fund The University of Cincinnati received $1.1 million from Ohio’s Third Frontier Project FY 06 for its Southern Ohio Creates Companies Pre-Seed Fund project, which will invest in pre-revenue and low revenue technology start-up companies with novel, enabling and potentially useful ideas across all high technology areas. Collaborators include: BIO/ START; Blue Chip Venture Company, Ltd.; Ohio University; Fort Washington Capital Partners Group; and the Miami University Center for Innovation and Commercializa- tion.

Project 2-G SoundingBoard support SoundingBoard is a program for aspiring entrepreneurs to receive coaching from investors, seasoned entrepreneurs, and business advisors to assist in preparation of business plans. Since its start in December, 2001, SoundingBoard has provided an “Entrepreneur- Focused” forum for Greater Cincinnati’s and the surrounding region’s entrepreneurs. To date in 2006 SoundingBoard presenters have raised over $2 million in early stage funding, two presenting companies were acquired, and several companies were accepted to present at regional/national venture conferences.

Project 2-H Barrett Cancer Center Request has been made by the Greater Cincinnati Partnership to the Ohio Department of Development for $6 million for facility improvements and equipment acquisition needed to help the Center reach National Cancer Institute designation.

DEEVELOPVELOP AANDND RRETAINETAIN WWORKFORCEORKFORCE . G OOALAL 3:

Project 3-A Strive Program in the City of Cincinnati The Strive Program is a new venture to ensure that every student will succeed in Cin- cinnati and Northern Kentucky. Through collaboration among superintendents, college presidents, elected offi cials, business, non-profi t and civic leaders, the program has fi ve key aspects: preparing children for school through early childhood education; Com- munity Learning Centers for academic, art, and other programs; existing teacher train-

34 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY ing and professional development programs; and removing ﬁ nancial barriers for higher education. Strive will focus on the urban core of Cincinnati, Covington, and Newport, and has received $1 million from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation and $200,000 from United Way.

Project 3-B Southwest Ohio Workforce Development System’s Super Jobs Cen- ter The Southwest Ohio Workforce Development System is a collaborative approach to strengthening and expanding the region’s workforce resources by consolidating many publicly funded employment services into one coordinated system. The system is primarily supported by federal funds authorized by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. With three locations in Hamilton County, the Super Jobs Center provides a broad range of assistance to individuals conducting a job search and customized training for current employees while providing businesses with new sources for job applicants. The Cen- ter has access to locally and nationally listed jobs, résumé development assistance, employment testing and assessment, job skills workshops, listing of state-approved eligible training providers, and employer information. Job seekers can receive assistance with unemployment insurance, adult education, GED testing, and ﬁ nancial aid information.

Project 3-C Co-op Student Programs Co-op programs provide an opportunity for students to gain experience working in their ﬁ eld and provide employers with reasonable cost assistance. At the University of Cin- cinnati, co-ops are mandatory for students in the College of Engineering and the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning. It is an optional program for those in the College of Business, Arts and Science, and the OMI College of Applied Science. The OMI College of Applied Science, Clermont College, and Raymond Walters College also have individual programs where co-ops are mandatory. Most Cincinnati State associate degrees include co-op opportunities, clinical practice or internships, including Business, Engineering, Health, and Information Technologies, as well as the Humanities and Sci- ences division.

PRROMOTEOMOTE EENTREPRENEURSHIPNTREPRENEURSHIP TTHROUGHHROUGH EEDUCATIONDUCATION AANDND GOOALAL 4: EENHANCEDNHANCED OOPPORTUNITIESPPORTUNITIES

Project 4-A Hamilton County Business Center, Inc. HCBC assists local aspiring entrepreneurs launch and build successful companies. Since its inception in 1989, HCBC has hosted over 215 business start-ups. The Center has suc- cessfully graduated 105 businesses into the Southwest Ohio business market. Unassisted businesses typically have a 10-15 percent chance of celebrating their 5th anniversary. HCBC’s client businesses have experienced a 70 percent rate, making HCBC one of the most productive incubator facilities of its kind nationwide. It conducts a range of programs that include “SoundingBoard,” a coaching program; “Morning Mentoring,” which brings young ventures together with experienced business professionals and potential venture capital investors; and “Regional Entrepreneur Forum”, which provides an opportunity for HCBC tenants to meet with their peers and leading business “thinkers” on a broad range of issues affecting their development.

Project 4-B Grow Cincinnati Fund expansion In partnership with the Grow America Fund, this is the City of Cincinnati’s new small

2007 CEDS REPORT 35 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

business loan fund with $2.4 million for small business assistance services that is intended to create and retain jobs.

CRREATEEATE A VVIBRANTIBRANT DDOWNTOWNOWNTOWN GOOALAL 5:

Project 5-A One River Plaza in Cincinnati This $140 million complex will include 150 condominiums at the foot of the Purple People Bridge on the Ohio side of the river. Miller-Valentine Group is developing the two phase condo project with two towers (12 and 9 stories) and 140 units, with construction starting late spring 2007. Commercial tenants with restaurants will occupy 20,000 square feet. Completion of the ﬁ rst tower is slated for 2008. The ﬁ rm is marketing the units, expected to sell from the mid-$400,000s to more than $2 million, mostly to empty nesters and corporate executives.

Project 5-B Over-the-Rhine revitalization, including creation of an arts district Over-the-Rhine, a 360 acre district on the National Historic Register, is undergoing a major transformation with improvements made by the Art Academy of Cincinnati, Me- morial Hall, Music Hall, the Ensemble Theatre, and the Know Theatre. Plans are underway for construction of a new K-12 School of the Creative and Performing Arts and major renovations to Washington Park. Construction is underway for 107 new housing units, with 100 more planned per year over the next four years. The City of Cincinnati has passed legislation with some funding encouraging artists to live and work in Over- the-Rhine.

Project 5-C The Banks on downtown Cincinnati’s riverfront The Banks Working Group is in discussion with preferred developer, Atlanta-based Carter, which expects to break ground in early 2008. The fi rst phase of development is expected to have 225 residential units, 70,000 square feet of retail, 300,000 square feet of offi ce, and a riverfront park. Ultimately, The Banks anticipates 1,800 condominiums, 300,00 square feet of retail, 1 million square feet of offi ce, and one or two hotels with 500 rooms. A new street, Freedom Way, will be built to connect Paul Brown Stadium and the Great American Ball Park. It is anticipated that The Banks will be a “green” project, built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards.

Project 5-D Support services (e.g., grocery stores) to enhance downtown housing While downtown Cincinnati is experiencing a housing boom, support services that can beneﬁ t new residents – grocery stores, dry cleaners, etc. are lagging.

Project 5-E Fountain Square renovation Reopened in October 2006, the $43 million renovation includes a 24x42 foot video board, restaurant, ice skating rink, and garage renovations. Additional activity in the vicinity has included Westin Hotel improvements, new Carew Tower tenants, Fifth Third Center improvements, and an expansion at the 580 Building.

Project 5-F Trolley routes that connect riverfront and Over-the-Rhine Connecting riverfront entertainment venues with Over-the-Rhine could encourage more businesses and housing in the latter. Three potential trolley routes are being studied at

36 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

OKI. The City of Cincinnati has hired a consultant to conduct an economic development study of the trolley routes.

Project 5-G Bicycle/pedestrian path along Ohio River A path from downtown Cincinnati to New Richmond is being constructed in sections, and will tie in to the Little Miami Scenic Trail. Approximately one half of the trail from Lunken Airport to downtown Cincinnati is complete. Construction of the remaining half has several obstacles including acquisition of property and conﬂ icts with trucking and rail lines.

BOOLSTERLSTER FIIRSTRST SUUBURBSBURBS GOOALAL 6:

Project 6-A County-wide land bank A land bank is a governmental or non-proﬁ t entity that focuses on conversion of vacant, abandoned, and tax-delinquent properties into productive use. Land banks are created and operate primarily to clear title to tax-delinquent abandoned properties and make sites available to the market once again. ORC 5722 is the statewide enabling legislation that allows counties, townships, and municipalities (“electing subdivisions”) to establish land banks through an ordinance or resolution. Currently in Hamilton County only Lincoln Heights and Cincinnati have active land banks. First Suburbs Consortium of Southwest Ohio is working with its member communities to create additional land banks and to improve state enabling legislation and coordination among county agencies.

Project 6-B HIP for residential and business improvements The Hamilton County Home Improvement Program (HIP) allows property owners in Hamilton County communities to borrow money to repair or remodel their home or rental property at interest rates 3 percent below the lowest rate a bank would normally offer. HIP funds can also be used for energy efﬁ ciency improvements. In 2005 there were 294 HIP loans for a total of $4.8 million; 251 loans were approved for $4.3 million in 2007. A similar program for renovating commercial buildings was made available in late 2006.

Project 6-C Community Business District Revitalization Program This program, operated by HCDC, identiﬁ es strategies to improve neighborhood business districts. Through this program, a market study was conducted in Reading for the Bridal District and an implementation plan was developed. Other business districts HCDC has worked with to increase economic development are: Chester Rd. (Sharon- ville), Main Street /Reading Road (Sharonville), Winton Road (Springﬁ eld Township), Ridge & Highland (Columbia Township), and Red Bank Road/Wooster Pike (Fairfax). Other projects include: study of Vine Street between Galbraith Road and the southern border of the City of Wyoming, the Greenhills Shopping Center, the City of Forest Park, and the City of Harrison.

Project 6-D Project Impact program for community revitalization The Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission (HCRPC) initiated Project Im- pact to assist First Suburb communities in dealing with challenges of population and job loss, inadequate housing stock, aging infrastructure, shrinking tax bases, obsolete commercial and industrial properties, and increasing social service costs. This approach

2007 CEDS REPORT 37 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

is a community-driven process for results-oriented community building to create place- based partnerships that accelerate community revitalization. Communities HCRPC is working with are: City of Cheviot, City of Silverton, Village of Elmwood Place, Village of Fairfax, Village of Golf Manor, Village of Lincoln Heights.

Project 6-E Valley Homes redevelopment in Lincoln Heights The Board of Valley Homes Mutual Housing Corporation is completing a redevelopment plan for new mixed-income housing, with assistance from the Lincoln Heights Commu- nity Improvement Corporation and the Village of Lincoln Heights.

BRRINGING UUNDERUTILIZEDNDERUTILIZED PPROPERTIESROPERTIES, IINCLUDINGNCLUDING BBROWNROWN- GOOALAL 7: FFIELDIELD SSITESITES, TTOO PPRODUCTIVERODUCTIVE UUSESE

Project 7-A MetroWest industrial park in Cincinnati The City is planning an 18 acre urban industrial park, MetroWest, in Lower Price Hill on the Queen City Barrel Company site that burned in 2004. Plans call for 250,000 square feet of light industrial, fl ex, and offi ce space, with developers estimating the creation of 400 jobs. Sale of the property to the MetroWest I, LLC development company is contin- gent on receiving funding for brownfi eld remediation from the Clean Ohio Fund.

Project 7-B Center Hill Landﬁ ll site in Cincinnati Closed in the early 1970s, the 60 acre Center Hill Landﬁ ll (owned by the City of Cin- cinnati) has recently had a site assessment and is expected to be ready for development as a commercial business park. Neyer Inc. is negotiating with the City to purchase the property.

Project 7-C Stearns and Foster site in Lockland This 14 acre site received Clean Ohio funds for brownﬁ eld investigation. It is currently undergoing environmental investigations to determine site redevelopment cost.

Project 7-D Vacant GSA site in Sharonville This 40+ acre site is owned by the Federal government and previously leased by the De- fense Logistics Agency for storage of raw mined materials (but is not considered heavily contaminated). An RFP has been distributed to identify candidates for Phase I and II evaluation to determine remediation.

Project 7-E Clarke Incinerator site in Sharonville The privately owned 15 acre site on East Kemper Road operated as a trash incinerator for 25 years until 1986. It is listed by the EPA as scheduled for investigation, clean-up, and/or long-term monitoring. High levels of vinyl chloride were detected on site by the EPA in 2000 by well monitoring that continues today.

Project 7-F Queensgate South in Cincinnati In 2003, Cincinnati was awarded $3 million for the 17 acre Queensgate South redevelopment west of downtown from the Clean Ohio Fund. Currently, a plan is in place to begin capping the contaminated area sometime late 2006, pending the approval of the EPA. Development of a $50 million ofﬁ ce and light industrial complex is expected to begin soon after.

38 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Project 7-G Former Municipal Incinerator and Redwine site in Reading The site consists of three sites totaling 17 acres. Reading’s Public Works facility sits on 6.4 acres of the Municipal Incinerator site, General Tool owns fi ve acres, and the Redwine site, which is a possible brownfi eld location, is 5.8 acres. A Phase I brownfi eld study has been conducted on the Redwine site. HCDC has helped fund additional investigations on this site through the ULAP program.

Project 7-H Former Turnbull Construction site in Reading This 15 acre property has been sold, but still continues as a ready mix concrete plant. Currently managed by Turnbull Concrete, the site is still listed as a prospective site for redevelopment by ULAP.

Project 7-I Millworks Town Center in Oakley This 72 acre mixed-use project, near the Cincinnati Milacron site, is planned for 1.3 million square feet to include restaurants, a movie theater, additional retail, 700,000 square feet of housing, and 600,000 square feet of class A offi ce space. Over $10 million will be used from tax increment fi nancing of public improvements. Construction of the $25 million Kennedy Connector will be important to this project and is being requested by the City to help ease traffi c on I-71 and the Norwood Lateral. The project is expected to generate $1.7 million from earnings tax for the City.

Project 7-J Capped landfi ll cells around Rumpke Landfi ll Approximately 100 acres of landfi ll cells (areas designed and prepared to accept waste) on Struble and Hughes Roads have reached their waste capacity and have been capped with soil. Colerain is proposing converting the landfi ll cell area to a park with walking and bike trails.

Project 7-K Area around Rumpke Landfi ll Colerain Township is planning to pursue increased tipping fees to support re-use of brownfi elds and underutilized properties in areas adjacent to the Rumpke Landfi ll.

Project 7-L American Can Building in Northside This six acre parcel with a 180,000 square foot blighted building previously used for production of aluminum cans is proposed for a $22 million conversion to loft apartments and ofﬁ ce space. HCDC has partnered with the City of Cincinnati for a Phase II environmental assessment of the property.

Project 7-M Vacant ODOT property in Sharonville This 20 acre vacant site owned by ODOT on Chesterdale Road at the northwest corner of I-275 and I-75 in Sharonville is targeted for Class A ofﬁ ce development.

Project 7-N Mill Creek Psychiatric Center for Children site in Bond Hill This 25 acre site on Paddock Road (with frontage on I-75) is the former home of the Mill Creek Psychiatric Center for Children. The site is currently owned by the City of Cincin- nati, which has applied for Job Ready Sites funding through the State of Ohio. One pro- posal is for a TechSolve development site, adjacent to the built-out original TechSolve.

Project 7-O Summit Behavioral Center in Bond Hill The 25 acre Center on Seymour Avenue is currently still in use and is owned by the State

2007 CEDS REPORT 39 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

of Ohio. Located adjacent to Mill Creek Psychiatric Center and TechSolve, it could be a site for future expansion of TechSolve Park.

Project 7-P Hamilton County Fairgrounds redevelopment options The fairground site is located in the Cincinnati suburb of Carthage on nearly 30 acres of green space amid a sea of industry and commerce. Fronted by the Vine Street thorough- fare and less than a mile from I-75, this site could be considered as prime development land. If the fair halts operations, development options will be explored.

Project 7-Q 28 acre Cincinnati ﬁ ring range site in Evendale This 28 acre property in the southwestern corner of Evendale adjacent to Lincoln Heights and Woodlawn is owned by the City of Cincinnati and is still utilized as a ﬁ ring range. There has been informal discussion over the past two years on redevelopment of the area.

Project 7-R Standard Publishing site in Springfi eld Township The 40 acre site is currently vacant and has previous Standard Publishing structures present. The site is zoned for manufacturing, but less intense uses are allowed, such as retail and offi ce use; may be redeveloped as an industrial park. Wal-Mart recently purchased the 26 acre Rinks property, which houses a fl ea market, directly north of the property.

Project 7-S Swallens and Quebecor World in Fairfax The 27.5 acre former Swallens (leased to short-term lease tenants) and the 9.6 acre Que- becor World (vacant) sites are in close proximity. They are ripe for redevelopment with the nearby Ford Plant site under construction for ofﬁ ce and retail, as well as substantial Red Bank Road improvements.

Project 7-T Oakley Drive-In and Southwestern Publishing site in Oakley Located at Madison and Red Bank Road, Madison Circle, a 30 acre mixed-use development, is planned for 492,000 square feet of retail services, ofﬁ ce, health care, restaurants, medical, ofﬁ ce condominiums and community services. In addition, a public access road through the site is proposed; TIF money is being sought for its construction. The project is projected to draw approximately 500 employees daily and additional shoppers and restaurant patrons.

Project 7-U Ridge and Highland Business Corridor in Columbia Township As the main commercial node for Columbia Township, this area is undergoing transformation with an inﬂ ux of sidewalk and streetscape improvements. Additionally, a recently adopted Special Public Interest District zone district for the area provides architectural and site plan guidelines.

Project 7-V Former swim club redevelopment in Amberley Amberley Village is conducting an ingress/egress study to determine capacity of the site for future ofﬁ ce and research park, as the site is one-half mile from the Genome Research Institute.

Project 7-W Former Stillpass property in Reading The 7.8 acre site is owned by the Stillpass car dealership. Although the site is vacant, it still has the car dealership building on the site. There are no current development proposals.

40 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Project 7-X St. Rita School for the Deaf and Landmark Christian School in Evendale Both the 40 acre St. Rita and the 60 acre Landmark Christian School properties in Even- dale are still in use, but are considered underused and hold potential for redevelopment.

Project 7-Y Keystone Parke in Evanston This 7.5 acre site at Dana Avenue and I-71 is planned for a three phased ofﬁ ce complex with 460,000 square feet of space. Construction began on phase one in November 2006 and will end with phase three in January 2010. The Class A ofﬁ ce campus will have a park and walking trails incorporated into the design.

Project 7-Z Blue Ash Airport and park The City of Blue Ash recently approved a 0.25 percentage income tax increase that will generate funds to purchase 130 acres of the 257 acre Blue Ash Airport for $35.7 million from the City of Cincinnati for a large-scale park which includes gardens, trails, performing arts center, retail, and an aviation museum. Both cities are pursuing Federal Aviation Administration dollars for airport maintenance. Cincinnati will continue to operate the airport.

Project 7-AA Losantiville Golf Course This is a privately held active golf course (one third is in Golf Manor and the remainder in the City of Cincinnati) with no immediate plans for redevelopment. However, both communities have discussed the site’s possible development for housing.

Project 7-BB Site adjacent to Rumpke landﬁ ll in Colerain Township This 46 acre site at Struble Road and Colerain Avenue is privately owned. It is targeted for light industrial development by the Township.

Project 7-CC Jordan Crossing in Bond Hill Formerly the Swifton Shopping Center built in 1956, this 34 acre site now houses the Allen Temple Methodist Episcopal Church along with ofﬁ ces and retail stores.

Project 7-DD Hotel redevelopment in Sycamore Township The 35+ acres occupied by the Carousel Inn & Suites, the Armada Inn, and the Royal Crown Hotel and Convention Center are being considered for redevelopment. Owner- ship of all three properties would provide the most expeditious option.

ENNSURESURE HHOMELANDOMELAND SSECURITYECURITY AANDND PPUBLICUBLIC SSAFETYAFETY GOOALAL 8:

Project 8-A Expanded jail facilities In April 2007 the Board of County Commissioners set public hearings to consider a sales tax equal to one-half of one percent for eight years followed by one-quarter of one percent for seven years. The proceeds of the sales tax would fund the construction and operation of new jail facilities, inmate diversion and treatment programs, public safety and judicial administration measures to reduce jail overcrowding, and crime prevention measures. A previous sales tax level for a new $230 million jail was defeated in Novem- ber 2006.

2007 CEDS REPORT 41 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Project 8-B New technologies to fi ght crime The City of Cincinnati is considering several new crime-fi ghting technologies: • Cameras and shot-sensor program – A gunshot triggers the video and transmits the location to a 911 center (possibly to police cruisers as well). The sensors cover an area of 12 to 20 blocks and are planned for up to 20 high-incident neighborhoods. Costs estimates are $2 million. • CopSmart – System that allows offi cers to use laptops in their cruisers to search local, state, and federal databases and fi le a fi eld report that is then accessible to anyone else doing an investigation. • Cell phone recognition: Police dispatchers can get the location of people calling on cell phones. • Records management system – Integrates the more than 12 police databases to fi nd information more quickly.

Project 8-C Safety enforcement For the past three years, $100,000 has been provided for off-duty City of Cincinnati police patrols to target gun and drug crimes in Over-the-Rhine. In early 2006, additional funding was approved for Sheriff’s deputies to patrol the area.

Project 8-D Mutual aid agreements with nearby communities A mutual-aid agreement was signed by the mayors of Cincinnati, Louisville, and In- dianapolis in October 2006. In the event of a natural or man-made disaster, these cities will assist with ﬁ rst responders, equipment, sewer repair workers, or communications equipment.

Project 8-E Homeland Security measures The Hamilton County Emergency Management Agency (HCEMA) coordinates and administers countywide all-hazards emergency management and disaster preparedness functions for Hamilton County and its 49 jurisdictions.

The Southwestern Ohio-Southeastern Indiana-Northern Kentucky (SOSINK) region receives Urban Area Security Initiative grant funds to develop, exercise and validate, through the use of a full-scale exercise, their tactical interoperable communications plans. The ﬁ rst full-scale County exercise (called SOSINK 1) was held in September 2006 at Great American Ball Park to evaluate emergency responses by ﬁ re, police, hospi- tals, etc. Over 37 local, state, federal, and private agencies, along with many volunteers, participated in this exercise.

The Terrorism Early Warning Group (TEWG) was formed as a regional cooperative effort among public safety and health agencies through the Greater Cincinnati area as a means to combat potential terrorist activity. This group takes proactive measures to de- tect, prevent, deter, or respond to a terrorist act, or the documented threat of such an act, and minimize the effects in the event of a terrorist act. The general public, business and industry are key players in reporting suspicious persons and activities.

INNCREASECREASE CCOORDINATIONOORDINATION AAMONGMONG EECONOMICCONOMIC DDEVELOPMENTEVELOPMENT OOALAL : G 9 OORGANIZATIONSRGANIZATIONS

42 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Project 9-A One-Stop Economic Development website A one stop economic development website could be an effective economic development tool by locating in one place information on demographics, economic needs, assistance programs, and development potential in Hamilton County. Several organizations currently provide information and links for local economic development on their websites. A one-stop resource could serve as a central information center for communities, residents, business owners, and developers.

Project 9-B Government Cooperation and Efﬁ ciency Project (GCEP) This Project will assist local communities to examine ways to improve service delivery and control costs through cross-jurisdictional cooperation and possible service con- solidations. The GCEP is not a project to create a regional government. All Hamilton County municipalities and townships are invited to join in the process. Technical expertise will be provided to help identify the true costs of providing services and the ability to provide lower cost and better services through cooperative arrangements. Funding partners are Hamilton County, City of Cincinnati, and the Cincinnati Business Commit- tee.

IMMPROVEPROVE LLINKAGEINKAGE BBETWEENETWEEN TTRANSPORTATIONRANSPORTATION IIMPROVEMPROVE- GOOALAL 1100: MMENTSENTS AANDND EECONOMICCONOMIC DDEVELOPMENTEVELOPMENT

Project 10-A Cincinnati riverfront upgrade to accommodate increased shipping Port Cincinnati is the ﬁ fth largest inland port; 52.3 million tons pass annually through Cincinnati on the Ohio River. The Port Authority is coordinating an Ohio River Com- merce Study to identify ways to support local businesses via waterways and to address highway capacity that is expected to become overburdened by 2014.

Project 10-B Ancor Connector in Anderson Township (Eastern Corridor Proj- ect) The Ancor Area of Anderson Township is one of the community’s major nonresidential development areas with a focus on economic development. The Ancor Connector (recommended in the Eastern Corridor study) between Ohio 32 and Broadwell Road will provide a critical link to major highways. It is anticipated for completion by 2010.

Project 10-C State Route 32 relocation through Anderson Township (Eastern Corridor Project) State Route 32 relocation would bypass Newtown’s business district and connect Inter- state 71 in Fairfax to I-275 near the Eastgate Mall in Clermont County’s Union Town- ship. This relocation is expected to trigger economic development in east side Cincin- nati neighborhoods, ﬁ rst-ring eastern Hamilton County suburbs, and western Clermont County.

Project 10-D Kennedy Connector in Cincinnati (Eastern Corridor Project) The $25 million Kennedy Connector, which would link Duck Creek Road and Kennedy Avenue with Ibsen Avenue at Ridge Road and with ramps to I-71 south and the Norwood Lateral, is expected to be completed by 2008. This roadway would make the Millworks project in Oakley more feasible as well as relieve trafﬁ c pressure from the major highways.

2007 CEDS REPORT 43 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Project 10-E Brent Spence Bridge The Brent Spence Bridge is listed as functionally obsolete due to capacity, sight distance, and safety concerns. The double-decker bridge carries twice the 80,000 vehicles it was designed to carry when built in 1963. Five alternative plans are being considered to either replace or renovate the existing bridge. The cost of the 6 1/2 mile interstate project is estimated between $900 million and $1.5 billion. A ﬁ nal decision for the project is not expected until 2009 with construction to begin in 2015.

Project 10-F I-75 interchange modifi cations The North South Transportation Initiative (a Major Investment Study under the direction of OKI) has several proposed recommendations for I-75 modifi cations that will impact Hamilton County and its communities: • one lane will be added northbound and southbound • closing of Northside’s Spring Grove and Elmore exit ramps • closing of Central Avenue ramp to north I-75 • closing of Towne Street ramp • reconfi guration of “Lockland Split” • fl yover ramp for Galbraith rather than closing the left-hand exit ramp • modifi cations Neuman Way (northbound) and Shephard (southbound) in Lincoln Heights

Project 10-G Western Hamilton County 2006 Transportation Plan Projects in this plan are grouped into three types of transportation projects: road (61 projects), transit (8 projects), and bike/pedestrian (31 projects). The two highest priority projects are improvements to Colerain Avenue and the Cheviot/North Bend Roads corridor. Both projects include access management, signalization, and road widening.

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Project 11-A Housing in the Uptown Area The Uptown Consortium is a non-proﬁ t organization made up of Uptown’s ﬁ ve largest employers: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, The Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, TriHealth, Inc. and the University of Cincinnati. Uptown generally includes the neighborhoods of Avondale, Clifton, Clifton Heights, Corryville, Fairview, Mt. Auburn and University Heights. Among the residential projects initiated by the Consortium are: • University Park – $54 million project for 291 one- and two-bedroom apartments on Calhoun; opened in 2005 • Stratford Heights Project - $67 million project completed in 2005 on Clifton Avenue opposite the University of Cincinnati with 14 residential buildings for students • Charlton Place - $3.5 million development consisting of 12 townhouses at Charlton and Jefferson; completed in 2006 • The Village at Stetson Square - $74 million project nearing completion with 82 condos and 200 apartments in the hospital vicinity of Corryville centered around a village square and community park

Project 11-B Riverside Drive condominium projects Riverside Drive, previously Eastern Avenue, follows the Ohio River from downtown

44 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Cincinnati to Delta Avenue and is experiencing a renaissance of residential redevelopment. • Twain’s Point – 26 units, • Captain’s Watch at Adams Landing – 40 units; this is the ﬁ rst of three low-rise towers on the western edge of Adams Landing, a 30 acre residential development • Riverwalk – ﬁ rst phase with 28 units and the second phase with 21 units • Riverfront Terrace – 15 units • Waterfront East I and II – 31 units • The Residences at RiverWalk – 28 units • Foster’s Point – 18 units

Project 11-C Over-the-Rhine housing as promoted by 3CDC 3CDC is involved in numerous residential projects in Over-the-Rhine including Gateway Condos, Gateway Arts Building, Vine Street Condos, Urban Legacy, and Bremen Lofts. With 107 new housing units underway within one block of the corner of 12th and Vine Streets, 100 more are planned each year for the next four years in the Washington Park area.

Project 11-D Crosby Township residential and light industrial development The former 420 acre Fort Scott camp in the vicinity of New Haven and River Roads is being developed with 404 single-family homes, 586 attached dwellings, and 62 acres of light industrial uses, a small retail area, recreational areas, and 170 acres of dedicated open space. Realignment of New Haven Road has occurred to accommodate the development.

Project 11-E Rehabarama projects To showcase the potential for housing rehab projects, the Homerama new home concept has been revamped to “Rehabarama.” At a smaller scale, urban Rehabarama projects in Carthage and Price Hill showcase contractors and suppliers.

2007 CEDS REPORT 45 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

46 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

CEDS CHAPTER 8: Partners and Resources for Economic Development

Hamilton County is blessed with a multitude of public, private, and non-proﬁ t organizations that are dedicated to enhancing the County’s economy. While this is not a complete list, several of the key partners listed below are actively involved in the projects identiﬁ ed in Chapter 7.

Key Partners

• BIO/START Incubator • Blue Chip Venture Capital • C-Cap (leadership development program for young professionals) • Cincinnati Business Committee • Cincinnati Business Incubator (CBI) • Cincinnati City Center Development Corporation (3CDC) • Cincinnati Development Fund • Cincinnati Empowerment Corporation (CEC) • Cincinnati Tech USA • Cincinnati Works • The Circuit • City of Cincinnati Department of Community Development and Planning • City of Cincinnati Economic Development Department • City of Cincinnati Employment and Training Center • Downtown Cincinnati Inc. (DCI) • Fifth-Third Bank Community Development Corporation • Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) • Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce • Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau • Greater Cincinnati Foundation • Greater Cincinnati Microenterprise Initiative (GCMI) • Greater Cincinnati Venture Association • Greater Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce • Hamilton County Department of Community Development • Hamilton County Department of Human Services • Hamilton County Development Company • Hamilton County Emergency Management Agency • Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission • Home Ownership Center of Greater Cincinnati • Jobs Plus Employment Network • National Business Incubation Association • Neighborhood Development Corporations Association of Cincinnati • Ohio – Kentucky – Indiana Regional Council of Governments • Ohio Department of Development (ODOD)

2007 CEDS REPORT 47 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

• Ohio Economic Development Association (OEDA) • Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) • Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries • Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority • Queen City Angels (QCA) First Fund • Queen City Vocational Center • Service Corps of Retired Executives of Cincinnati (SCORE) • Small Business Development Centers of Ohio • Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) • Southern Regional Education Board • Southwest Ohio Work Force Development System • TechSolve • Uptown Consortium, Inc. • Urban League • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)

Tools and Sources for Economic Development

• Brownfi eld Grants – Examples are: USEPA Assessment Grants, Clean Ohio Re- vitalization Funds, Targeted Brownfi eld Assessment program, and HCDC’s ULAP grants for preliminary assessments. • Cincinnati Creates Companies - Led by the University of Cincinnati with BIO/ START, C-Cap, Cincinnati Business Incubator, and HCBC, this is a hands-on business development program. • Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) – Funds from the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development for local community development activities such as affordable housing, anti-poverty programs, and infrastructure development. • Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) – Can be designated by a political jurisdiction with the ability to sell and acquire properties and to borrow money for fi nancing improvements. • Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) – Area designated by local government for revitalization in which tax exemptions can be realized up to 100 percent on new real property investments. • Foreign Trade Zones (FTZ) – Areas designated as FTZs are considered outside the U.S. Customs territory, thereby eliminating Customs duties or payment of federal excise taxes. The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber serves as the grantee for the FTZ program. The County’s current FTZs are identifi ed as the Harrison Commerce Center and Avon (Springdale). • Fund Isabella - Cincinnati-based Isabella Capital, LLC. is an investment fi rm in- spired by Queen Isabella of Castile, who was the patron of Christopher Columbus’s venture to the Americas. Fund Isabella focuses on early stage, women-led companies or those operating in the women’s market. • Housing Improvement Program (HIP) - A “HIP” loan allows property owners in Hamilton County communities to borrow money to repair or remodel their property at interest rates 3 percent below the lowest rate a bank would normally offer. Loans may be used for residential and commercial improvements. • Infrastructure grants and low interest loans - Available to assist communities with infrastructure improvements for new and expanding industry. • Job Creation Tax Credits - Allows companies to apply for state income or corporate

48 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

franchise tax credits. • Joint Economic Development District (JEDD) – An arrangement where one or more municipalities and a township work together to develop township land for commercial or industrial purposes. The municipality gets a portion of the taxes levied in the JEDD without having to annex it, and the township does not lose prime development land, can still collect property taxes, and can receive a portion of the municipality’s levied earnings tax. • Linked Deposit Program - Encourages low-interest fi xed asset and working capital loans to businesses with fewer than 150 employees. • Local Enterprise Zones (EZ) – Allows exemption up to 75 percent on new real estate and personal property taxes. • Main Street Program – Established by The National Main Street Center in 1980, this program has worked with hundreds of communities across the nation to help revitalize their small business districts. • New Market Tax Credits – This federal program is intended to stimulate economic growth and new jobs in low-income communities by allowing investors to receive a credit against federal income taxes for investing in such neighborhoods. • Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) loans and grants * 166 Direct Loan – Provides loans for land and building acquisition, expansion or renovation, and equipment purchase; regional program managed by HCDC. * Industrial Site Improvement Fund (ISIF) Program – Available since 2004 to assist geographically and/or economically disadvantaged counties in the expansion and modernization of buildings, remediation of environmentally contaminated property, and infrastructure improvements for commercial or industrial activities. * Innovation Ohio Loan Fund Program – Awards competitively priced loans to Ohio companies to support the commercialization of innovative products and services. This program can fi nance up to 75 percent of a project’s qualifying costs through loans in the range of $250,000 to $5 million. * Ohio Enterprise Bond Fund - Provides loans for land and building acquisition, construction, expansion or renovation and equipment purchases for eligible businesses. * Ohio Investment in Training Program – Provides fi nancial assistance and technical resources for customized training involving employees of new and expanding Ohio businesses. * Research & Development Investment Loan Fund Program - Promotes economic development, business expansion and job creation by encouraging private- sector R&D investments. This program provides assistance in the form of a low-interest loan, partnered with a tax credit. * Urban Redevelopment Loan – Removes development barriers from urban core property so that private sector job opportunities can be created. • Ohio Department of Job and Family Services programs * Ohio Training Tax Credit Program - Provides nonrefundable tax credit for training programs that improve skills of employees at risk of losing jobs. • Ohio Department of Taxation programs * R&D, Warehouse, and Manufacturing Equipment Sales Tax Exemption - Al- lows equipment used in Ohio to qualify for an exemption from state and county sales tax. • Ohio Qualifi ed Small-Issue Bond Program - Provides low-interest fi nancing for small manufacturing facilities locating or expanding in Ohio.

2007 CEDS REPORT 49 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

• Ohio Third Frontier Project – Created by the Ohio Legislature in 2003, this project is a 10 year, $1.1 billion initiative designed to: 1) build world-class research capacity, 2) support early stage capital formation and the development of new products, and 3) fi nance advanced manufacturing technologies to help existing industries become more productive. • SBA 504 Loan Program - Through HCDC this loan provides fi xed asset fi nancing at below market rates. HCDC has written 166 loans for the State. • Special Improvement District - A designated district in which property assessments are made for funding business recruitment and retention, special community events, and any other public works improvements. • Storage Only Warehouse Exemption - Provides exemption on property taxes on inventory held for storage only. • Tax Increment Financing (TIF) - Allows redirecting of new taxes on the value of real property improvements (captures the increased tax revenue generated by a private development and uses the tax revenue to pay for public improvements and infrastructure necessary to enable development). • TechConnect – Entrepreneurs in the biotechnology, technology, and life sciences fi elds can access information on available resources in the region online at Cincy- TechUSA.com.

50 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

CEDS CHAPTER 9: Performance Measures

For any projects selected for implementation, an action plan with outcome indicators should be prepared as outlined in Chapter 7. Performance measures should be simple and direct. Progress on outcomes and outputs should be evaluated by the designated indicators. As data is collected and progress made on the actions, a feedback process can evaluate success; and revisions can be made where necessary for course corrections.

Each update of the CEDS plan should document performance measures for selected projects.

2007 CEDS REPORT 51 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

52 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

CEDS Appendix A: Status of 1997-98 OEDP Goals

Hamilton County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy: Update of 1997-98 Overall Economic Development Plan (OEDP) Goals

I. Deliver sites to the market place through redevelopment of brownﬁ eld sites and underutilized facilities, and through the development of greenﬁ eld sites.

Priority One - Redevelopment of the 10.1 acre Plainville Concrete site in the City of Reading

Update: Property has been sold, but still continues as a ready mix concrete plant. Cur- rently managed by Turnbull Concrete, the site is still listed as a prospective site for redevelopment by the Urban Land Assistance Program (ULAP)

Priority Two - Continued redevelopment of brownﬁ eld sites located along I-75 in the Village of Lockland, (i.e., the 20 acre former American Tissue and Jefferson Smurﬁ t paper mills, the 70+ acre Celotex property, and the 15 acre Sterns property)

Update: Petro Environmental plans on converting part of the Celotex site into the Ham- ilton County Regional Business Park containing a 30 acre ofﬁ ce and light industrial site with 250,000 square feet of space. They intend to spend $15 million on a nine-building complex with assistance from the Clean Ohio Fund and TIF funds through HCDC and the Village of Lockland. Easy Way Leisure Corporation relocated to the Jefferson Smurﬁ t plant with the assistance of an Enterprise Zone agreement with HCDC and the Village of Lockland, $83,000 from job-creation tax credits, and $30,000 from the State of Ohio. Verwandt Properties is developing an additional 27 acre site across the street from the Petro development in Lockland.

• In 2000, the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County collaborated to create the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority. One of its main objectives is the redevelopment of brownfi eld sites. Over the last fi ve years, the City and County have jointly invested an average of $652,000 a year in the work of the Port Authority, which in turn has generated $575.7 million of investment in economic development projects (both brownfi eld and fi nancing), most of which is private investment attracted from outside the Cincinnati area. Collectively, this private development is expected to generate $645.8 million in business activity annually, which will produce an annual economic impact of $1.396 billion, generating $484.3 million in household earnings and 15,861 jobs. The annual fi scal impact of these projects will total $18.5 million in local tax revenue. • In May 2006, HCDC was awarded $500,000 from the Industrial Site Improvement Fund (ISIF). HCDC plans on assisting the developer, Verwandt Properties on the acquisition, demolition, and remediation of one of the largest brownfi elds in Hamilton County, 27 acres in Lockland.

2007 CEDS REPORT 53 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

• In the last decade, more than $32 million and more than 700 jobs have been attracted to Lockland, according to HCDC.

Priority Three - Redevelopment of the nine acre site known as the Vine Street Dump, located at 7725 Vine Street across from the Hamilton County Fairgrounds in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Carthage.

Update: The Vine Street Dump is currently still in need of remediation for environmental issues. The site also poses severe geotechnical issues. At this time, it is under private ownership.

Priority Four - Undertake planning studies to identify obsolete and/or decaying commercial districts and facilities throughout the County which could be renovated and re-utilized for industrial and service uses.

Update: One of the services provided by HCDC on a contract basis is their Business District Revitalization service. Through this program, they assist communities in identifying the issues that their business districts face, while providing development solutions to assist in their recovery. Additionally, HCDC has developed the Urban Land Assistance Program (ULAP) with the goal of encouraging the redevelopment of vacant and underutilized commercial and industrial sites in targeted Hamilton County inner-ring suburban communities. HCDC also manages a web site, www.RedevelopmentSites.com, to help Hamilton County communities market these sites to developers and businesses. It is currently in the process of being upgraded.

Priority Five - Completion of the infrastructure improvements proposed at the Tech- Solve Research Park. This project was also identiﬁ ed in the 1995 and 1996 OEDP Update as a high priority goal.

Update: TechSolve, previously known as IAMS, is headquartered at 6705 Steger Drive in Cincinnati. Previously situated with 140 developable acres, today they are left with 20 acres of available space. There remains the possibility for expansion on locations that may become available in the future. One is the Mill Creek Children’s Psychiatric Center which has been closed for ten years and is currently owned by the City of Cincinnati, and the other is Summit Behavioral Healthcare, which is controlled by the state.

II. Retention and re-engineering of maturing manufacturers

The 1997-1998 OEDP did not specify any priorities in this category. They did recom- mend the continuation and expansion of the Program of Regional Improvement Services for Small Manufacturers (PRISSM) and Cinergy Competitiveness Center programs at TechSolve. Currently, the PRISSM project is no longer recognized as a separate program but as involved in standard business operations. The Cinergy Competitiveness Center, however, has been discontinued.

III. Support of entrepreneurs and emerging industries and technologies

Priority One - Implementation of Phase II construction of the BIO/START bio/medical start-up center which consists of building 12,200 square feet that remains on the third ﬂ oor of the existing facility.

54 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Update: BIO/START currently houses ten tenants and has graduated ﬁ ve more. It has created 158 jobs and raised more than $100 million from equity investments, research grants & contracts, and sales revenue. It currently occupies the third ﬂ oor of the Hox- worth Blood Center building with 31,500 square feet of space. This includes specialized technical support, a video conference room, and a library.

Priority Two - Capitalization of a business revolving loan fund (RLF) with future EDA funds and a Department of Energy (DOE) grant which may be awarded to the Fernald Community Reuse Organization (CRO) in April 1999.

Update: Fund was not created.

Priority Three - Development of a satellite small business incubator in Hamilton County to complement the existing Hamilton County Development Company small business incubator in Norwood.

Update: HCDC conducted a study to determine the need for a satellite incubator and it was decided at that time that one was not feasible.

IV. Development of the work force to encourage long-term sustainable economic development

Priority One- Secure funds to implement the “Project Focus Hope” sponsored by TechSolve and the Baptist Ministers Conference. Speciﬁ c funding needs include renovation of the project facility, purchase of equipment, and working capital.

Update: Project Focus Hope, a program securing apprenticeships as machinists for inner city youth, was discontinued.

Priority Two - Secure funds to implement reverse commuter programs to remove transportation as a barrier to gaining employment. Particular emphasis should be placed on funding the new welfare to work program.

Update: The Metro ﬁ xed-route bus service, managed by the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA), operates seven “Job Connection” routes that transport inner city residents to jobs around the I-275 loop, along with other reverse express routes. Sev- eral of these routes operate opposite of the express routes, eliminating any “dead-head” travel time. o Route 3 – Montgomery, to Bethesda North Hospital & Harper’s Station o Route 28 - Milford, to Milford Shopping Center o Route 42 - West Chester, to Marriott Hotel & Meijer Park & Ride o Route 62 - Fairﬁ eld, Tri-County Assemble of God o Route 66 - Blue Ash, Various Hotels o Route 67 - Sharonville, Various Hotels & Champion Windows o Route 72 Direct & 72 Job Connection - Kings Island Direct, Paramount’s Kings Island; 72 Job Connection, Harper’s Point, Montgomery Crossing & Kings Island

2007 CEDS REPORT 55 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

• Route 72 was funded by Kings Island until recently when, after a change in ownership, they declined to further sponsor the service. The Cincinnati Empowerment Zone assumed ﬁ nancial responsibility for the route, but without a permanent sponsor, the route may be terminated. • In 1999-2000, SORTA implemented the Job Bus program after receiving grant money through OKI. The program was a reverse commute service that traveled between downtown and a location in Warren County, with Warren County continuing service with routes running throughout their county. It was funded for one year with the intention of attracting local industry to continue ﬁ nancing after that point. This did not materialize and the program was discontinued. • SORTA is currently awaiting possible funding through the Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) program. JARC is a national grant program administered by the Federal Transit Administration that provides states and communities with funding to expand employment transportation programs and services. The grant requires a 50 percent match. • Metro has a network of 23 park & ride locations throughout Greater Cincinnati. Tank operates a system of 19 Park & Ride locations throughout Northern Kentucky. (Tank operates on a limited basis in downtown Cincinnati.)

Additional Work Force Development Programs

City of Cincinnati Employment and Training Division • ABE/GED, Vocational, Life and Pre-Employment Skills Training and Job Placement Employment Initiatives.

Cincinnati Works • Cincinnati Works focuses on four service areas: job readiness, job search, retention and advancement.

Great Oaks Center for Employment Resources • Great Oaks Customized Training and Services are planned to meet the needs of companies. Services and programs include: comprehensive vocational assessment, employee assessment, employment services, professional development, job proﬁ ling, return to work services, workplace programs and customized training.

Hamilton County Department of Human Services • This site contains program descriptions, phone numbers and addresses of the many services HCDHS offers. You'll ﬁ nd up-to-date statistics for research reports, funding proposals and can learn how welfare reform affects the agency.

TechSolve • TechSolve is a not-for-proﬁ t organization for manufacturers, offering respected, solution focused implementation of change in manufacturing operations. Training programs are provided to maintain a high performance workforce.

Jobs Plus Employment Network • Jobs Plus is a 90-day program focusing on pre-employment counseling and training support during the job search process, and support in sustaining and upgrading employment. An agency or church refers employment ready persons.

56 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries • Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries provides vocational training assistance and job support services for persons with disabilities and other conditions in an effort to maximize their economic independence.

Queen City Vocational Center • Adult vocational school with training programs in areas such as LPN certiﬁ cation, childcare, and personal computers.

Southern Regional Education Board • This site provides information on the Region V High Schools That Work program (STW). STW is an effort to combine challenging academic courses and modern vocational studies to raise the achievement of high school students.

Urban League • Workforce Development Programs: Computer training, Employment Assistance Services, GED, Project Advance, Project Stay, and YouthWorks.

Southwest Ohio Work Force Development System • The Workforce Investment Board (WIB) oversees the Southwest Ohio Workforce Development System, which in turn allocates money from the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) that the public can access via services at the Super Jobs Center. The Center provides a broad range of assistance to individuals conducting a job search or looking to enhance their workforce skills. Jobseekers can visit the Center for access to locally and nationally listed jobs, résumé development assistance, employment testing and assessment, job skills workshops, listing of state-approved eligible training providers, and employer information. Jobseekers will also be able to receive assistance with unemployment insurance, adult education, GED testing, and ﬁ nancial aid information. The Center offers customized programs for jobseekers with disabilities, veterans, mature workers, and migrant/seasonal workers. There are three centers, with the main one located at 1916 Central Parkway, and two satellite centers at 110 Boggs Lane, and 1740 Langdon Farm Road.

V. Encouragement of conventions and tourism

Priority One - Continued support for the Sharonville Convention Center.

Update: The Sharonville Convention Center has not expanded since its opening in 1994. However, since the completion of the Duke Energy Center, the Sharonville Convention Center may receive funding from the hotel bed tax that was previously allotted to Duke. Planned expansion calls for an increase in the current space of 27,000 square feet to 69,000 square feet. Another factor to consider is the recent designation of a portion of Chester Road in Sharonville as a TIF district and the increased development likely to occur. Park- ing at the facility increased from 196 spaces in 1994, to today’s on-site and adjacent lot capacity of up to 1,000 vehicles.

Priority Two - Continue pursuing funding for the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and other riverfront development projects undertaken jointly by the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.

2007 CEDS REPORT 57 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Update: In April 2003, the Port Authority issued its fi rst fi nancing in the amount of $50 million in tax-exempt bonds to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center for the construction of the museum. On August 23, 2004 the $110 million Freedom Center opened. It is organized into three fi ve-story pavilions totaling 158,000 square feet with greenspace south of the facility connecting the Freedom Center to the Central Riverfront Park. The Freedom Center drew more than 280,000 in its fi rst year of operation and em- ploys more than 100 people.

The Banks Working Group’s discussion with the preferred developer has been placed on a temporary hold as a replacement for the AIG component of Atlanta-based AIG/Carter is formalized.

Priority Three - Implement expansion of the Albert B. Sabin Convention Center as outlined in the 1996 study conducted by Price Waterhouse for the City of Cincinnati to study the need to expand the Convention Center.

Update: In 2006, work was completed on a $35 million expansion and renovation of the new Duke Energy Center, previously the Albert B. Sabin Cincinnati Convention Center. It will be able to accommodate 75 percent of the existing U.S. convention, conference, and meeting market, as well as generating an estimated incremental increase of $122 million annually in regional economic impact. It features nearly 200,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, more than 100,000 square feet of meeting space that includes 37 meeting rooms, and a 40,000 square foot Grand Ballroom, one of the largest in the Midwest.

Additional Convention & Tourism Issues

Sister Cities Association of Greater Cincinnati • The City of Cincinnati currently has seven sister cities with which it participates. These are Liuzhou, China; Gifu, Japan; Munich, Germany; Kharkiv, Ukraine; Harare, Zimbabwe; Nancy, France; and Taipei-Hsien, Taiwan. The 2002 semi-annual report listed 98 exchanges facilitated through the program, which translated into a local economic impact of $142,357.

Blue Ash Performing Arts and Convention Center • The City of Blue Ash passed a one-quarter percent earnings tax to purchase 130 acres of the Blue Ash Airport at a cost of $37.5 million over 30 years from the City of Cincinnati. Construction of a $21 million, 1200 seat performing arts and a 37,000 square foot conference center is planned, bringing in an estimated 134 shows a year, including 24 stage productions, 45 concerts, and 20 family holiday shows.

VI. Expansion of Export Trade

Foreign Trade Zone number 46 is currently designated as the southwestern Ohio foreign trade zone. Hamilton County currently contains one active subzone and two sites in the general zone. The Avon Products facility in Springdale and the Harrison Commerce

Center in Harrison are both located in the general foreign trade zone. Subzone 46A is the General Electric Aircraft Engines plant.

58 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

VII. Commercial Business District Revitalization

Priority One - Secure funds to implement the remaining scheduled phases of the Findlay Market redevelopment project.

Update: It was renovated and expanded in 2002 and 2003 with more than $12 million in investments.

Priority Two - Conduct a planning and design study for commercial business districts.

Update: One of the services that HCDC provides is a Business District Revitalization study, where they provide communities with plans for improving the economic condition of the local business district. Recent communities and areas involved are the Chester Road Corridor and Main Street & Reading Road Corridor in Sharonville, Winton Road Cor- ridor in Springﬁ eld Township, and Ridge Road and Highland Road Corridor in Columbia Township. Currently, they are working in conjunction with the Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission on the Red Bank Road and Wooster Pike district in Fairfax. Other projects include: a study of Vine Street between Galbraith Road & the southern border of the City of Wyoming, the Greenhills Shopping Center, City of Harrison, City of Forest Park, and an advisory role in Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission’s work in Cheviot through Project Impact.

Priority Three - Secure funds to implement the City of Harrison’s Main Street Pro- gram for the revitalization of the historic downtown district.

Update: Harrison’s Main Street received ofﬁ cial accreditation in the Main Street Program in 2005 through the National Main Street Program. Downtown Harrison is currently home to over 60 businesses.

Harrison City Council recently approved the location of a 185,000 square foot Wal-Mart in Harrison, located on a 54 acre plot. This could have an impact on Harrison’s Main Street district.

VIII. Improve Region’s Transportation Network to Contribute to Overall Economic Development

Priority One- Continue to support the development of light rail or other selected modes of high-density transport for the Greater Cincinnati market.

Update: The Eastern Corridor – see separate document on MIS studies in Hamilton County.

Priority Two- Continue to support the reconﬁ guration and reconstruction of Fort Wash- ington Way and the redevelopment opportunities which will subsequently result.

Update: Fort Washington Way carries I-71, U.S. 50, and provides access to downtown and riverfront from I-75 and I-71 - see document on MIS studies in Hamilton County.

2007 CEDS REPORT 59 COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

60 HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO 1776 Mentor Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio 45212

(513) 631-8292 1-888-504-HCDC toll free FAX: (513) 631-4887