What will Toledo, Ohio look like...in say 10, 15 or 20 years ? (Maumee: real estate, 2010)

[LiptonGuy]

I often wonder what Toledo will be like down the road. Say 10, 15 or 20 years. And when I say Toledo, I'm talking about the TOLEDO-METRO area, as a whole.

Seems like A LOT HAS CHANGED in the last 15 to 20 years. I wonder how the Toledo area will change in the next 15 to 20 years.

Seems like every couple weeks, I'm reading a story in the paper, about a small local employer, that's moving jobs south or closing a facility all together.

I seem to be noticing A LOT more VACANT commercial real estate in Toledo. Half empty strip malls and storefronts. But a good number of Cash Advance places going up. The Big Box stores that come to town, seem to just SUCK MONEY from Toledo and send it back to its corporate offices. In my opinion, small business owners are more inclined to re-invest the money locally.

I'm just a single guy in his early 30's,.....debating if I should move someplace else. I realize that the cost of living is decent here. Toledo is getting a new Sports Arena (downtown). Rossford is getting Bass Pro Shops. The new I-280 bridge (spanning the river) is almost completed. Toledo's Mud Hens stadium is relatively new. I think this is all good-n-well, but it's like window dressing.

For anybody that has ALREADY left the Toledo area, I would like to hear your commentary or opinion. How do you see the future of Toledo ?

Also, if you could say something about WHERE you moved to, and how it compares to Toledo, that would be great.

[GTM4188]

I'm actually moving to the area as a new hire and wondering the same thing myself. I know that the city has made strides in the past 10 years, but I still wonder how it "fell" during the past years. Seems like the leaders tried too hard to hang onto the old guard instead of diversifying the economy (like other come-back rust belts).

I was really surprised to learn that The City of Toledo is the biggest landlord in the Downtown area. One wonders who thought city management of land was a good idea in contrast to collecting property tax on it if it were owned by the private sector. Mis-management if you ask me.

My two cents when I visited the city was that it seems have so much potential for a come back. It's an important shipping port, major highways run through. Only thing stopping it maybe how people (city leaders) run it. The new ballpark, and arena under private management is a step in the right direction. So is the notion of selling property that the city can't lease out to private owners for investment.

Should be interesting living there, especially downtown in the next couple of years.

[dodeca]

I'm in the same situation - moving to the area for a new job. I know very little about Toledo, but was pleasantly surprised when I was there. A lot of it will depend on local leadership, positive leadership, and coordination among a lot of people in the community to turn it around. I think that unless there is a big downturn in housing prices along the coasts, cities like Toledo with affordable housing can prosper again. I'm looking forward to moving there in a few months and getting to know the city.

[streetcreed]

because tennesse is so much better? right?

[Paddington]

Toledo is a stagnant, unchanging kind of place. The metro population has been flat since the 1960's, which I always like to point out. The city is not doing terribly, but not that great either. It's just OK. I think in the future, Toledo could win an award for "least changed place", because I don't see a whole lot changing.

[SCBeaches]

I was born in Toledo but grew up in outlying Waterville on the Maumee River. Back in the 1960's - early 1980's downtown Toledo was still somewhat active. I remember shopping downtown at Tiedtke's, LaSalle's, the Lion Store, and Lamson's with my mom and Grandma when I was little....loved eating at the lunch counter at Woolworth's too! Going to the Art Museum and zoo were a real treat. Later they built the riverfront shopping complex (can't remember the name of it) but it never quite seemed to get off the ground...was always pretty empty. I moved away in 1984 (to coastal SC) and was shocked to see what Toledo had become when I went back for visits in the later 80's and 1990's. Downtown, which used to be full of life and excitement, was/is now pretty much a ghost town. Franklin Park Mall seems to be the only real place to shop anymore. And, according to my cousins who still live there, there isn't anything to do there unless you go to bars or like bowling. The only family I have left there are soon planning to move to FL.
It's sad to see an entire city drying up and withering away...

[LiptonGuy]

Something to consider:

At one time, the Toledo-metro area was able to support 4 LARGE (indoor) Shopping Malls. And all 4 had movie theatres too !

1. Northtowne Mall
2. Woodville Mall
3. Southwyck Mall
4. Franklin Park Mall

Franklin Park (now called Wesfield Shopping Center) is doing well.

Northtowne Mall is closed. The parking lot space filled with thousands of Jeep vehicles, fresh off the assembly line. The former Montgomery Wards wing, is occupied by 21st Century Fitness (health club).

Southwyck Mall has about 70% vacancy.

Woodville Mall has about 80% vacancy.

[vader]

If Toledo was a stock you had to either buy, sell, or hold..I think I would hold. By that, if you live there you may want to wait another 2-3 years for a comeback and if you havent moved there Id wait about 2-3 years before I move to see what direction the place is going.Id like to see what the new sportscomplex and the Marina district does for downtown first. Its like everytime 25 jobs are created another unrelated company elimintates 25 jobs..So the place is literily stagnant at this point. Another thing to watch is the REAL census results in 2010..Is Toledo really losing all the people its claiming to lose? Or is it the same ol gloom and doom from the Toledo Blade. If the population (i.e. tax base) drops again Id get out of there.

[amandak]

And of all the things built in the past 12 months, my husband,a union carpenter, has had to take work in FL and TN to support his kids! This place is stagnant, and I can't wait to leave!

[SCBeaches]

So, in say, 20 years, Toledo may either be a ghost town or an Ohio suburb of Detroit?