Any Areas In Ohio Growing And Thriving (Columbus, Cleveland: for sale, real estate)

[rainlady]

Native Ohioan here. Have not been back in 34 yrs. Have family still there. Have been reading about the amount of home foreclosures and job outsourcing/jobs going offshore.

I'm originally from NE Ohio. The economy sounds fairly dismal. Are there any areas growing and thriving in the state? Who are the good companies to work for and that will be around for the next 15 years? I'm looking for something in call center or in customer service. Any ideas or suggestions?

[boardmanite]

Yeah the economy in NE Ohio is pretty bad at the moment. Seems like Cleveland is really taking a hit. I'd say Columbus is doing fairly well and Cincinnati is better off than Cleveland. Toledo and Dayton are iffy. But thats just my thoughts. Maybe someone else could give you a more expert opinion...

[the_pines]

I doubt anyplace in Ohio is thriving if you're making general comparisons with faster growing states and areas.

[hectorector]

I'd say Cincinnati and Columbus are doing fairly well. Both cities are growing, but Cincy has a vibrancy and urban quality not seen in many cities that are growing fast (i.e. the South). The skyline is fantastic and the neigborhoods are well planned. Columbus is seeing major construction in and around its downtown area. Condo construction and sprawl are booming in this city.

[smile42]

Dayton itself has plenty of issues. Its suburbs, however, seem to be growing like wildfire. Trendy new shopping areas, housing booms, new school construction, etc. Tipp City and Troy are growing, the Clayton area is booming, Beavercreek just keeps sprawling, and Springboro is outgrowing its schools again. There seems to be a push here for new technology oriented jobs. In fact, NCR just spun off Teradata, and Teradata is building its HQ in Miami Township across from Lexis Nexis.

So, yes, Ohio in general is bleeding manufacturing jobs and appears to have a terrible outlook. But, specific pockets are alive & well.

[IDTwinsMom]

I'd say Columbus is thriving. Plus, I think with all the Les Wexner businesses (i.e. Limited Brands, etc.) and major insurance headquarters you'd be able to get a customer service job no problem. Also, a lot of large store chains have warehouses in Columbus, so that might be a good job also.

[dayton_ohio]

Parts of all cities in Ohio are thriving. The ones with the most exposure to the domestic auto industry and steel (Dayton, Toledo, Youngstown, Akron) have the most weakness in manufacturing jobs, but you probably can find customer service jobs almost anywhere. In Dayton, for example, General Electric has a fairly big operation that employs customer service people.

[the_pines]

Ohio doesn't need unnatural growth. Those who want to move there because they like it should, and those that just want lower prices can find areas with as low or lower prices outside Ohio. The state will have plenty of births in its future. Booms cause inflation to soar. Ohio doesn't need anymore of that. There is plenty of housing to fix up. Plenty of space in our downtowns to fix up. Still plenty of existing small towns to make more livable. Every little bit its fixed up, the more people would love this place and the things they love about it could be gone. That can create problems. Ohio has not been spared from soaring housing costs. In the last ten years housing prices have probably risen by %40+. I'll disown my state that I feel like is a big part of me if it cant find practical solutions for people to actually be able to own their homes and live comfortably. Ohioans have historically shown generosity and compassion, those things are more important than money. As soon as people thin they can turn a good buck from Ohio, they will come in droves and just make it the next boom to pad their pockets. You know how much trust that would violate and how much resentment would resonate from Ohioans if we finally turned it around through hard work to have it succumb almost overnight to thieves?

I like the idea of our state being a true pioneer and thinking for itself. Forget the world around you and keep clear of all the labels and drama. Try to localize our economy, turn our public schools into very good schools, get our minorities out of the ghettos and people mixed around better. Keep and strengthen our faith that someday the world will be better when it has a righteous king that wont fail men like their hearts.

Instead of worrying about a ton of things we could be creating unique things for us to enjoy. Different architectures, more things to do. Getting our kids to make it all the way through school and get into college immediately after so people aren't taking advantage of us in the world. So they can go out and multiply and bring their dreams from Ohio to fruition.

Even helping our communities turn it around and people coming together is something to behold in itself. For those that are part of it its probably just as cool being part of it as seeing the work all done. Ohio has a long way to go. We don't want it to be a trendy state or up for sale to just the highest bidder. At least I know I don't. I want Ohio to take care of its poor, less fortunate, and sacrifice things for others. Quality in that case is better than quantity.

We've grown bitter throughout the years with our state feeling neglected and in disrepair. Waiting for someone else to come help us. We could be working together and doing it ourselves the whole time. Though politicians will probably be out for the short term to save face in their political careers. They could very well kill our state if they sell us on th global block again. Thats the entire reason why Ohio went into such disrepair. Companies with no loyalties just packed up and moved in huge numbers. So our local economy should be important. Ohio's future it should be striving to be self sufficient and independent. Securing its childrens future and dreams of living a wholesome life not for sale to corporations like the the past.

Ohio State has been a blessing and a pain at the same time. On one hand its helping fuel some growth and charging the state a bit. On the other hand its opening the door to inflation and all kinds of small problems that could rapidly become bigger problems for the entire state.

Ohio's farmers should help us try and support our own state. Not have thing shipped in from elsewhere. Also Ohioans shouldn't be building things for Russia and China and stuff. It isn't a service state there to serve everyone else while we hang in the balance of these businesses who have no loyalty. They should be dealing with the people where they live. Global market or not, no strategy is failsafe but some are certainly more common sense than others.

Once our education system picks up( not sure how its going to work), our grads who actually love our state and have loyalty can begin to help our state more. They're our future. Part of our hope is in them, the other part in Jesus to take care of the things we cant change.

If I were a billionaire, Dayton would be the coolest city on earth hands down, bar none. It would have the best public school system. Its minorities would all be given places they only dreamed of. And I would give things away while building. We don't need to store up all kinds of things to be happy here. It would have the coolest most tasteful architecture. Housing would be way more affordable. I would build speed of sound underground car systems to connect it to Ohio's other cities. My imagination runs wild constantly. My brain was made for creating things. I'm not much good at anything but creating, dreaming, and envisioning, and playing music. Which is useless really. And boring sometimes.

If we wanted more diversity in mass we could bring the Shawnee back to their homeland and maybe some other tribes. Get them on city councils and things like that. Get them off the ugly Kansas landscapes they're congregated on. Ohio has plenty of diversity really. Especially if it weren't all segregated. It just needs mixed up better.

Lastly our universities should work on profiling companies that have existed in Ohio since a certain time period. Found out data on them, where they're from, where they have been exct. I get the feeling Ohio's economy has some pull strings in it, even from other states that abuse Ohio. If any hooks are found they should be pulled out and the strings cut off.

If you're growing in your heart and soul, then you're growing plenty. Humans weren't created to be slaves to a system. I don't like to think of my Ohioans being born with an economic mark on them, or anyone else for that matter. To little is better than to much. It can build character and make you have a great appreciation for life and all things. To much and the spoiled rotten don't come back. They put their faith in their materials.

If our kids still dream and have good hearts and pursue to make dreams a reality then we're doing okay. Genuine Faith is important. You don't want your kids being fearful of everything, and letting the world tell them whats right and wrong. You don't want to teach them the little they may have is worth less than the multitude some others have.

Its a shame to us we haven't reached our minorities better. Empower them and give them the things everyone else. People see decay and they are so quick to run away. We're always running, never finding a good ground to stand on. I just let it all go and try and live by faith. It takes my fear away. It gives me a reason to dream. I know when I go away i'm not taking anything with me.

Fill your hearts will love Dayton. A lot can be done if we work in numbers. I'm not giving up on Ohio, and ill do my part to make a stand. I'll easily sacrifice beaches, mountains and whatever else for a pure heart and a righteous lifestyle if I can. The world around us can go to hell, as long as we have our faith and love. The sky can fall, ill watch it falling. Ohio is my home. A part of me. The grime, the rust, all of it. I find beauty in ugliness sometimes. I'm not asking for a lot. So it is plenty enough for me. I would just like to see a lot more landscaping and prettier trees and things around the state. I love natural beauty, harmony, and functionality together.

We could go around pointing fingers and blame forever. And things could change temporarily, but there will always be that constant man cant get rid of. Make Jesus our rock. Let Ohio have its Kings and Queens in a better world. Love and help each other. Its worth more than money and it has just as much gratitude. Making sacrifices and giving your life for another is the most someone can give. Feed, clothe and shelter our homeless. It doesn't matter if anyone else sees it. Someone else does.

Anyway sorry if I rambled to much.

[ClevelandRocks!!]

I think Cleveland right now is turning around. It currently has one of the fastest growing bio-tech industries in the nation and are capturing about 35 percent of the new high-tech jobs in ohio. Tourism continues to grow in Cleveland and attracting visitors to downtown along with the continues growth of population in the downtown area which is still the fastest growing downtown population in the midwest. There are currently over 3.5 billion dollars in improvements and construction going on in and around the downtown area which is one of the largest investments in a city in the nation and have more invested in the city than any other city in Ohio.

Many new projects are taking place and regionalism is finally taking place and is actually organized for once - thank god. A new medical mart headed by Chicago is going forward along with a new convention center. Euclid Avenue is finally almost done and business and condos continue to pop up everywhere on that street with 5 new projects opening up in the coming month. Cleveland Clinic is running out of room from expanding and is averaging 100 new employees every week.

The Flats are seeing vast improvements. Much of the east bank has been demolished for the multi million mixed complex which includes condos, restaurants, night clubs, workout gyms, cinema complex and marinas along with 3 new condo projects set for the east and west bank of the flats district.

Many area leaders including Cleveland Clinic, Case, University Hospitals and many others have already created a vast amount of high tech jobs and continue to do so and are going to build a technology park. Many buildings already along Euclid Avenue are slated to open as technology centers and selling or leasing of land is only available to High Tech Companies. There are about 100 companies – not high employers though but good pay – are opening in Cleveland and Beachwood. Most of the companies deal with biotech and are coming from around the world but mostly from Israel.

New sources of energy have been sprouting around with the use of Solar Energy and a study is currently under way to see if a multi-billion operation using wind energy off of Lake Erie would be feasible and so far it is. It would be the first fresh water wind energy in the world.

We are improving our infrastructure and our arts. The Cleveland Museum of Art which is ranked as a top ten art museum in the world is currently undergoing a huge renovation which will make it more competitive and gain even more attention.

There is plenty of construction going on and if I were to mention all of them I will be here forever so here is a preview of some of them.


Stark Enterprises Project

Robert Stark, of Robert Stark Enterprises, spoke of assembling a coalition of developers to redevelop large areas of downtown and to inject a large number of residents, workers, and retail into the long-languishing district. Phase I will be a $1 billion multi-building, mixed-use development of retail, offices, housing, and structured parking.[86] Stark has plans to open the development by 2009. Stark has secured the majority of land needed for the project and is working to secure retailer interest in the project.[87] The next phase of the plan includes extending the downtown street grid from the Warehouse District to the lakefront, developing a large section of waterfront land currently in use by the Port of Cleveland.


Lakefront
The Cleveland City Planning Commission recently completed plans for a lakefront revitalization to stimulate national interest in the City of Cleveland as an exciting place to live. These include thousands of housing units, retail shops, public parks, connections to the light rail waterfront line, an 18 hole golf course, office buildings, a boardwalk, and other amenities. Cleveland's current industrially-oriented lakefront is slated to become a thing of the past, and a new, public-minded and recreational lakefront will rise in its place. The chief roadblock to the implementation of this plan is the relocation of the Port of Cleveland to an area west of the river, as well as converting of Ohio Route 2, better known as the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway to a low-speed, at-grade boulevard. The Shoreway is currently an expressway that currently blocks downtown from the lakefront, separating lakefront developments and reducing pedestrian access. The boulevard will enable substantially more intersections with north-south streets stretching from Edgewater Park at the city's western border through downtown and east to Gordon Park.

Avenue District

Cleveland is also slated to add to its higher income downtown housing with the Avenue District. Located immediately east of Erieview Tower on the site of several parking lots on East 12th Street, the development is slated to include over 400 condominiums, including lofts, townhomes, penthouses, street-level retail, garage parking, and pedestrian friendly sidewalks and streets. The developer is touting this as downtown's new upscale, quiet neighborhood with easy access to the attractions and amenities of downtown. The development is a project of Zaremba, Inc., and construction has begun as of Fall 2006, with plans to open the buildings in 2007 and 2008. The Avenue District will be built in phases, with future surface lot development based on market demand


East 4th Street

MRN Ltd has bought most of the buildings along East 4th Street and is currently installing street retail such as high-end clothing, restaurants and coffee shops with outdoor seating, hundreds of loft apartments in the upper levels, and an upscale martini bar/bowling alley/restaurant created by the founders of Gameworks, called the Corner Alley. East 4th Street is home to Pickwick and Frolic and the Hilarities 4th Street Theatre, a comedy club / restaurant, and the House of Blues Cleveland, located in the former Woolworth's Building. Lola Bistro, a well-known local restaurant, has recently opened a downtown location here, and an East Coast-style "ultralounge", known as View Nightclub, recently opened as well. MRN will be adding more apartments to the area in conjunction with the Corner Alley martini bar / bowling alley, with funding assistance from the City of Cleveland.


image courtesy of clevelandskyscrapers.com


THE FLATS

The Flats is planned to be reborn in a proposal put forth by Scott Wolstein of Developers Diversified Realty, Inc. Wolstein's plans include a complete demolition of the current east bank, realignment of Old River Road, and the construction of hundreds of apartments, townhouses, and retail over parking, connections to the RTA Waterfront Line, and a new office building that is being pitched as the new home for the local Defense Finance and Accounting Service office, scheduled to add over 500 jobs in Cleveland over the next two years. The development will also include a boardwalk and marina, and is part of a larger plan to develop the lakefront and river shores of downtown that has included a large number of apartments built on the west bank of the flats, in an area called Stonebridge. The east bank redevelopment plan was approved and the developer is currently demolishing properties on the riverfront. Wolstein expects the development to be ready for residence by late 2008 or early 2009. Recently Wolstein has announced that former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar will be developing a steakhouse in his development, as well as a bookstore and movie theater. He also said he is close to getting a "gourmet" grocery. The latest East Bank plan also incorporates a formerly-separate project on land at West 10th Street, called "Lighthouse Landing". The former owner of this parcel, currently a surface parking lot, sold the property to Wolstein's group previously.
On May 22nd, 2007, Wolstein and Bob Corna, developer of the West Bank's Stonebridge neighborhood, announced a partnership to unite Wolstein's East Bank plan with Corna's Stonebridge Development, and debuted a new development plan for the neighborhood (pictured). There will be several large pedestrian bridges built over the Cuyahoga River, and the developers intend to market the area as "The Flats", without regard to east/west, as they have stated the rest of the country still knows the area by its full name. Home to condominium towers known as Stonebridge, the developers of this project wish to extend high-rise towers throughout the west bank area on current surface parking lots, eventually building out to several thousand housing units on the West Bank, in addition to the several hundred included in Wolstein's East Bank Proposal.
Flats rendering.


Euclid Corridor
One of the city's major projects, the Euclid Corridor Transportation Project will connect downtown Cleveland through Midtown Cleveland with University Circle, by introducing bus rapid transit (BRT). The project is a total reconstruction of Euclid Avenue from Public Square to beyond University Circle, located approximately 4 miles east of downtown, and will include bus-only lanes with center-median station boarding, priority signaling, and fast commute times. In addition to transit and road improvements, the transportation project will also invest heavily in the streetscape of Euclid Avenue, rebuilding the street from storefront to storefront, removing old vaults and streetcar tracks, and building new sidewalks, lighting and landscaping. The project includes a large public arts component, with different areas of the Euclid Corridor route being addressed by local and national artists.The project expects to spur investments in residential, retail, office, and mixed-use redevelopments, including over 4,000 residential units along the corridor. Construction of the $200 million dollar project has begun, with full bus/rapid service slated for 2009. In addition to the BRT line, the Downtown Cleveland Alliance has funded a study on retail feasibility on the avenue. The study will focus on the area between CSU and Public Square.
Current construction picture

New Buses which are 60ft diesel-electric buses which is about 1.5 times the normal rta buses and a capacity of 120 standing and sitting.

More pics available at Welcome to The Euclid Corridor Transportation Project



These are just some of the many projects going on which are all slated to open in the next 3 years or so. Condos are sprouting everywhere and are being sold before they are finished most of them ranging from $250,000 – $1,250,000 and hotels are also popping up every where as well more entertainment districts and restaurants and they are all being sustained. Many museums, restaurants, and hotels continue to thrive and places like the Rock Hall continue to see higher attendances which follows suit with most of our museums and entertainment venues. Downtown continues to thrive and I can’t wait for the next couple of years to see even more exciting projects. I’ll update more on why Cleveland is thriving and many more projects and details in the Cleveland section once I have more time. For now I’m gonna enjoy my home town.
Cleveland Rocks!

[QuiltRR]

Think hard before you make that move and do some SERIOUS research! I mean GO there and DIG in. Get that good job before you move. Check the costs, real estate, taxes etc. We moved back after 25 years and we both regret it but we're sure stuck in OH, for now. There is a LOT of Real Estate for sale... has been for quite a while and they are reducing prices. Enough said?