ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Welcome to the City of North Olmsted's Division of Economic Development.  The primary purpose of the Economic Development Division is to significantly enhance the quality of life for city residents by advancing job retention and creation and capital investment within the existing industry base as well as through attraction of new businesses. 

Our goal is to serve the business community by providing creative, custom services that they may need to successfully grow or locate their operations in the City of North Olmsted.  We are here to help your business succeed. 

Key initiatives of the Economic Development Division include the following: 

    • Business retention and attraction
    • Development of underutilized or unused properties
    • Advancing development opportunities along the Crocker-Stearns corridor
    • Infrastructure improvements

2009 Economic Development Highlights 

The City of North Olmsted was not immune to the widespread effects of the global recession in 2009.  Even in the face of these extensive economic challenges, the City has remained focused on its economic development efforts to support existing businesses and advance economic diversification by attracting new businesses.  Here are the economic development highlights of 2009:  

    • North Olmsted secured the largest office lease of 2009 in northeast Ohio with the United Transportation Union (UTU) taking approximately 38,000 square feet of office space at the Great Northern Corporate Center.  The UTU will occupy space vacated by GMAC in 2008.  The UTU will bring about 90 high paying, full-time jobs to North Olmsted.  These new jobs and payroll are anticipated to support approximately 65 additional indirect jobs in the City, including retail and other service related jobs.  The new lease will take occupancy of the Great Northern Corporate Center complex will be 96% occupied with this new lease, according to officials from Duke Realty, the owner of the building.
    • Westfield Corporation proposed plans to undertake a major upgrade to Westfield Great Northern Mall that will include interior renovations for a new big-box tenant within the main building.  The project is expected to begin in 2010 with portions of the redevelopment to be completed before the 2010 holiday shopping season kicks off.
    • The City initiated a comprehensive business retention and expansion strategy in 2009 that began with a survey of local businesses.  The goal of the survey was to hear from local business owners about the strengths and weaknesses associated with operating a business in the City of North Olmsted.  Moreover, the survey responses will help guide our efforts as we aim to create policies and programs to provide customized business support, while also supporting the growth of the entire business community.
       

Key Strategies for 2010 

The City of North Olmsted will continue to pursue targeted strategies to advance business retention, expansion and attraction in North Olmsted in 2010.  Here are some of the strategies that we will continue to use this year to foster economic development in the City. 

    • Target business attraction and retention efforts on stable and/or growing industry sectors where the City can be competitive.  Those industries include health care and high tech (software, engineering, research).
    • Promote areas of potential future development including the I-480/Stearns Road interchange and corridor and the I-480/Lorain Road interchange area.
    • Use technology tools (e.g. interactive maps) to better market available commercial properties for sale and/or lease.
    • Assist retailers, including auto dealers, to market North Olmsted as a destination to shop.
    • Continue to stay engaged with business and government leaders from across the state and region to identify project opportunities and promote North Olmsted as great place to locate.
    • Remain responsive to needs of prospective businesses. 
    • Continue to respond to leads from State, County, and Team NEO. 
    • Continue to identify opportunities to secure economic development related funding assistance from County, State, and Federal governments.

For more information, please contact us:

Kimberly Wenger, Planning Director
wengerk@north-olmsted.com
(440) 716-4118

Greg Myers, Economic Development Representative
myersg@north-olmsted.com
(216) 407-7025