Following the definition of an urban Downtowns economic development challenge, companies and communities need to implement an action plan based upon focusing on the opportunities for the Downtown and the region based upon the building block of all successful economies- focus on creating a diverse market from growing industries. Downtowns can continue to thrive by […]

Guest Column by Retail Strategies Retail and restaurants play a big part in a vibrant downtown, but it can be challenging for city and community leaders to understand their downtown real estate and how you can be proactive in its development. Whether you have a completely vacant Main Street or have recently had positive momentum

Rising interest rates, bank collapses, and potential additional federal regulation have created substantial challenges for communities and developers hoping to create new housing opportunities.  Housing studies, streamlined zoning regulation, and parking subsidies can all help develop housing in urban, suburban, and rural markets but larger public subsidies in the near term are likely to be

The urban Downtown office market is facing a crisis which is only going to get worse.  The Downtown office vacancy rates from Cushman and Wakefield’s 2023 analysis as outlined in the chart below in the major urban markets throughout the Great Lakes illustrate substantial struggles with the current Downtown office markets.  This data is of

The Great Lakes region’s housing stock is a critical corporate site location advantage. Housing is joining workforce development to become a major corporate site location issue.  Regions not growing are failing to develop substantial residential growth.  Finally, rural regions are losing population at an alarming rate and desperately need new residential products to retain existing

The Great Lakes states remain a manufacturing powerhouse. Manufacturing remains at the center of the Great Lakes economy.  An important measure for these regions is their concentration in the company’s industry.  Industry clusters are regional concentrations of related industries.[i] Clusters consist of companies, suppliers, and service providers, as well as government agencies and other institutions

Growing economic markets are prime targets for companies considering economic expansion. Growing markets illustrate a healthy economy that attracts large pools of skilled workers.   The Great Lakes states are a growing economic market. The five Great Lakes States including Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin have a total economic output as measured by

The Great Lakes states are primed for an economic renaissance. The Great Lakes Region includes eight states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania) and two Canadian provinces (Ontario and Quebec) that surround the five interconnected freshwater bodies known as the Great Lakes. The area is home to 107 million people, 51

Ohio is getting back into the venture capital business.  Ohio’s Third Frontier Program, launched in the early 2000s under Governor Bob Taft pushed Ohio into the technology-based economic development world through the creation of the Third Frontier Program.  The result of that program was the funding of regional venture capital programs throughout the state.  Ohio

State of Ohio capital budget community projects and federal budget earmarks may appear to be similar funding sources but there are clear similarities and differences.  Ohio capital budget community projects and federal budget earmarks are both similar and different—and not just based upon which city provides the funding.  On the same side, both involve legislative