University of Cincinnati

UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI Date:___________________ I, _________________________________________________________, hereby submit this work as part of the requirements for the degree of: in: It is entitled: This work and its defense approved by: Chair: _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ Suburban Commercial Corridor Revitalization: A Study of State Route 4 in Fairfield, Ohio A thesis submitted to the Division of Research and Advanced Studies of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF COMMUNITY PLANNING in the School of Planning of the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP) June 21, 2007 by Gregory A. Kathman B.A. University of Cincinnati 1995 Committee: Chair: Dr. Chris Auffrey Advisor: Frank Russell Reader: Tim Bachman ABSTRACT Suburban commercial corridors, also called strips, are facing increased challenges, including vacant or underutilized storefronts, lower quality businesses entering the market, aging buildings and infrastructure, increasing traffic delays, and increased regional competition. The 4.5 mile long commercial corridor along State Route 4 in Fairfield, Ohio is facing many of these same challenges. This report studies the market conditions within the Route 4 corridor, researches other similar corridors, and ultimately makes eight recommendations aimed at improving the vitality and competitive position of Route 4. ii iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank Chris Auffrey, Frank Russell and Tim Bachman for serving on my committee. I truly appreciate the guidance and help that you all have given me. I would also like to thank Dr. David Edelman and, especially, Connie Dean for assisting me on the atypical path I have traveled on the past 11 years. Thank you to my parents, friends and co-workers for encouraging and prodding me to finish. Special thanks to my wife Kristy and my children Noah, Josh and Leah, for without your love and support, I never would have been able to accomplish this. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Background 2 Thesis Goals 4 Chapter 2: Methodology 6 Chapter 3: Literature Review 9 Local Economic Development Process 9 Suburban Commercial Corridor Articles 12 First Suburbs 18 Summary of Literature Review 20 Chapter 4: Current Situation 21 Overview of Fairfield 21 Fairfield Planning and Economic Development Efforts, 1960s-1980s 24 Fairfield Planning and Economic Development Efforts, 1990s-Today 28 Route 4 Existing Conditions 34 Opinions of Key Stakeholders 46 Chapter 5: Summary of Similar Suburban Commercial Corridors 51 Colerain Avenue, Colerain Township, Ohio 52 Beechmont Avenue, Anderson Township, Ohio 58 Comparing the Corridors 64 Chapter 6: Recommendations 67 Recommendation 1: Strengthen Public-Private Partnerships 67 Recommendation 2: Develop an Array of Redevelopment Programs 69 Recommendation 3: Concentrate on a Few Key Properties 71 Recommendation 4: De-Emphasize Right-of-Way Improvements 72 Recommendation 5: Support Existing Key Businesses 74 Recommendation 6: Support Ethnic Businesses 76 Recommendation 7: Investigate Multi-Family Housing Improvements 78 Recommendation 8: Investigate TIF District Creation 80 Comparing the Corridors (post recommendations) 82 Chapter 7: Conclusion 86 Bibliography 89 Interviews 91 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Fairfield Regional Map 21 Figure 2: Fairfield Population Growth 22 Figure 3: Developed Land Uses in Fairfield 22 Figure 4: Fairfield Land Use Development Map 25 Figure 5: Map of Route 4 Corridor 35 Figure 6: Building Types on Route 4 37 Figure 7: Retail Building Types on Route 4 38 Figure 8: Route 4 Building Inventory by Year Built 39 Figure 9: Route 4 Building Permit Data 40 Figure 10: Map of Competing Regional Retail Areas 43 Figure 11: Corridor Comparison Chart 65 Figure 12: Corridor Comparison Chart (post recommendations) 83 vi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION There is a growing consensus amongst planning and development professionals that current patterns of growth and development along suburban commercial corridors in the United States are unsustainable. While these suburban corridors often represent incredible economic vitality, they are being challenged by ever changing market conditions. Created in a laissez faire environment well suited to post World War II suburbia, they are no longer suited to the denser, more complex environment found in metropolitan America. As challenges increase in these older corridors, and as consumer shopping patterns change, the future for these areas is becoming less certain (Beyard and Pawlukiewicz 2004). Unfortunately, even as the challenges with these corridors continue to emerge and intensify, these places “have largely been ignored as places for serious study, and their fate usually has been left to the marketplace with few models of how future growth should be… coordinated comprehensively to make communities more livable” (Beyard and Pawlukiewicz 2004, p. iv). There is a scarcity of detailed development strategies in the available literature to help guide local government officials as they seek to retain the economic vitality of their communities. An additional problem is that while many of the challenges these corridors face are similar, the environment in which these corridors are located vary widely. What might have proven effective in one suburban community in a particular metropolitan area may not be effective in another community. Factors such as economic vitality of the metropolitan region, local real estate activity, residential growth patterns, geographic location, regional competition, 1 transportation networks, etc… are so variable that it is difficult to generalize development strategies. There is no one size fits all strategy available for communities. Background The commercial corridor along Ohio State Route 4 in Fairfield, Ohio is facing many of the same challenges being faced by other suburban corridors across America. Challenges include vacant or underutilized storefronts, lower quality businesses entering the market, aging buildings and infrastructure, increasing traffic delays, and increased regional competition. Fairfield business leaders and elected officials are increasingly speaking out about what they see as undesirable changes. “We need to enhance the shop-ability of Route 4”, said “Jungle” Jim Bonaminio in May, 2006 (Kiesewetter, C1). “The cancer’s started. When you start seeing Goodwill coming, check cashing places coming, when you start seeing that stuff coming this way, its cancer. This is most serious” (Mike Pitman, 2006, A1). Ginger Shawver, President of the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce, was quoted that Route 4 “needs to be revitalized to compete with newer, state of the art areas. We have to make Route 4 competitive now or we’ll have problems in the future” (Kiesewetter, December 2006, B1). Route 4 is an important commercial and transportation corridor in Fairfield, a suburban community approximately 25 miles from downtown Cincinnati. Stretching approximately five miles from Springdale to Hamilton, the corridor is home to an estimated 500 businesses and handles approximately 40,000 automobiles per day. Businesses and properties along the corridor make up a significant percentage of the earnings tax and property tax revenues that 2 fund the city, county and local school district. For many visitors to the city, Route 4 forms the image that they have of the entire city of Fairfield. For all of these reasons, the economic health and visual appearance of the corridor are of vital importance to the community (Donovan 2006). Route 4 was developed as a paved road in Fairfield in the early 1960s. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the street was expanded several times from two lanes to five lanes to handle the ever-increasing traffic load. Development along the street intensified during the 1970s and early 1980s and the corridor was generally regarded as an economic success. Today, the street is facing some of the same challenges as other “first suburb” communities. In 1999, the city adopted a comprehensive plan for the Route 4 area. Shortly after adoption, however, intense criticism developed against several components of the plan. In the face of rising political pressure, the city declined to pursue many of the components of the plan (Donovan 2006). Since then, a number of factors have developed or intensified that endanger the continued success of the Route 4 business corridor in Fairfield. First, the building stock along Route 4 continues to age. Many structures were built in the 1970s and 1980s and may need significant redevelopment to remain attractive and viable as business locations. Second, regional competition for consumer dollars has intensified. New developments at Union Centre in West Chester Township and Bridgewater Falls in Fairfield Township and major redevelopments at Tri-County Mall in Springdale, Northgate Mall in Colerain Township, and Cincinnati Mills at the Fairfield/Forest Park border geographically surround Route 4 and attract significant 3 enthusiasm from shoppers. Third, consumer shopping patterns have changed since the corridor began developing. Lifestyle centers and Internet shopping are examples of trends that are gaining in popularity, while Route 4 is primarily an automobile oriented commercial district filled with locally owned businesses. While there are serious issues that are facing the Route 4 business corridor, there are also a lot of

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