Hello,

 

I am the Executive Director of an urban revitalization/downtown development company called Engwiller Properties.  I am currently writing a business plan for Engwiller Properties and researching sustainability, how to create a living city, and how to create “place” within a community, among other things.

 

Engwiller has been renovating buildings and revitalizing a neighborhood called the Carrousel District (www.carrouseldistrict.com) of Mansfield, Ohio for over 15 years.  The transformation of the neighborhood is amazing; however, the project is not what I would consider sustainable or even vital at this point.  Frankly, I’m not sure that the development (as it is positioned now) is meeting the current… or will meet the future…needs of the community.

 

I would like to start a discussion on the topic of downtown revitalization.

 

What do you feel a neighborhood, city, developer, etc. needs to provide YOU to entice you to live, work, and/or play, in the urban area of a small Midwest City?

 

What do you think a developer should do to encourage diversity in a neighborhood…and what does diversity look like to you?

 

What are a few sustainability principles a developer can add to its guiding principles and what does sustainability look like to you?

 

Where do you feel the potential for growth and vitality lay for the urban core of a small Midwest City?

 

I thought I would put my top of mind questions “out there” to see what information will come back.  I hope you don’t mind my using this forum to clarify in my mind what I am trying to accomplish and what is possible. 

Thank you so much for any and all input.  Have a great day!

 

Annamarie

 

Disclaimer: I'm no pro... but I think mid-sized cities like Mansfield could probably benefit from a "hook" of some sort.  Of course the hook used to be steel and GM.  I'm a little surprised Mansfield doesn't go further in promoting its proximity to Mid-Ohio.  But motorsports enthusiasts aren't usually urban pioneers, so scratch that for this purpose.  Although it might help Mansfield in general if a NASCAR track were built nearby.  Maybe not the crowd you're looking for, but maybe the easiest one to draw there, and it builds on an existing asset. 

 

I think a lot of Ohioans would be surprised to find that Mansfield has as much of a downtown as it does.  You can't see it from I-71, so many people assume it's much smaller.  Mansfield could probably do more to promote its overall urbanity.  Then it may be able to start gathering urban-minded people who work from home, a growing demographic.  Some may find that they like having the urban without all the suburbs, and without sacrificing "good schools," and the chance to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond.  Also, there have to be a good number of people whose business has them bouncing between Cleveland and Columbus a lot.  It's a good location to set up shop for something like that.

Hello,

 

I am the Executive Director of an urban revitalization/downtown development company called Engwiller Properties.  I am currently writing a business plan for Engwiller Properties and researching sustainability, how to create a living city, and how to create “place” within a community, among other things.

 

Engwiller has been renovating buildings and revitalizing a neighborhood called the Carrousel District (www.carrouseldistrict.com) of Mansfield, Ohio for over 15 years.  The transformation of the neighborhood is amazing; however, the project is not what I would consider sustainable or even vital at this point.  Frankly, I’m not sure that the development (as it is positioned now) is meeting the current… or will meet the future…needs of the community.

 

I would like to start a discussion on the topic of downtown revitalization.

 

What do you feel a neighborhood, city, developer, etc. needs to provide YOU to entice you to live, work, and/or play, in the urban area of a small Midwest City?

 

What do you think a developer should do to encourage diversity in a neighborhood…and what does diversity look like to you?

 

What are a few sustainability principles a developer can add to its guiding principles and what does sustainability look like to you?

 

Where do you feel the potential for growth and vitality lay for the urban core of a small Midwest City?

 

I thought I would put my top of mind questions “out there” to see what information will come back.  I hope you don’t mind my using this forum to clarify in my mind what I am trying to accomplish and what is possible. 

Thank you so much for any and all input.  Have a great day!

 

Annamarie

 

 

Welcome to the board.  It's exciting to hear from someone making it happen in Mansfield's beautiful Downtown.  I can give you my opinion, based on my time living in Downtown Cleveland, as well as my past studies in urban planning, etc.  Since I've lived in a Downtown for some time, my responses may indicate as much what does or would keep me in a Downtown as well as enticing me to move their in the first place.

 

Things that would entice me to live in a small Downtown:

-Having a job in that Downtown.  One of the biggest benefits to living Downtown is having no commute.  Sometimes the reverse commute to outlying job centers is better than going with the main flow of traffic, too, but it's not really the same thing.

 

-Being able to meet daily retail and service needs within walking distance.  That means groceries and convenience retail, household goods, basic clothing needs, inexpensive places to eat out for breakfast/lunch/and dinner, the post office, a library, a bank branch.  To me these end up being the real "meat" of the neighborhood experience, and I think most people who would live in a Downtown are going to want an urban neighborhood experience, which means being able to walk to as many of these as possible.  For a small Downtown, I think some of these things can be in walkable adjacent neighborhoods, as well.

 

-Entertainment option- dining, movie theaters, arts, bars/clubs, again in walking distance.  That stuff is fun, and what attracts a lot of Downtown residents at first.  As time wears on it becomes less important than the daily amenities though.  Of course, a nice neighborhood pub can be considered a daily amenity, too.  :wink:

 

-Safety- As much as some people insist otherwise I think it matters.  Well lit and hopefully active streets are important, as is a secured building and preferably parking.  Street level uses should have lots of glass space, so that occupants can help to monitor the street during their business hours.  Bars and late night dining are a mixed blessing- bar noise and the occasional bar fight might make them unseemly and annoying at times, but the late night activity keeps the surrounding area active.  I've always though of them as a safety boon, for the most part.

 

I'll answer some of the other questions later.  I hope we keep hearing from you on your progress with the Carrousel District.

Safety Safety Safety

 

 

 

Hello,

 

I am the Executive Director of an urban revitalization/downtown development company called Engwiller Properties.  I am currently writing a business plan for Engwiller Properties and researching sustainability, how to create a living city, and how to create “place” within a community, among other things.

 

Engwiller has been renovating buildings and revitalizing a neighborhood called the Carrousel District (www.carrouseldistrict.com) of Mansfield, Ohio for over 15 years.  The transformation of the neighborhood is amazing; however, the project is not what I would consider sustainable or even vital at this point.  Frankly, I’m not sure that the development (as it is positioned now) is meeting the current… or will meet the future…needs of the community.

 

I would like to start a discussion on the topic of downtown revitalization.

 

What do you feel a neighborhood, city, developer, etc. needs to provide YOU to entice you to live, work, and/or play, in the urban area of a small Midwest City?

 

What do you think a developer should do to encourage diversity in a neighborhood…and what does diversity look like to you?

 

What are a few sustainability principles a developer can add to its guiding principles and what does sustainability look like to you?

 

Where do you feel the potential for growth and vitality lay for the urban core of a small Midwest City?

 

I thought I would put my top of mind questions “out there” to see what information will come back.  I hope you don’t mind my using this forum to clarify in my mind what I am trying to accomplish and what is possible. 

Thank you so much for any and all input.  Have a great day!

 

Annamarie

 

 

Welcome to the board.  It's exciting to hear from someone making it happen in Mansfield's beautiful Downtown.  I can give you my opinion, based on my time living in Downtown Cleveland, as well as my past studies in urban planning, etc.  Since I've lived in a Downtown for some time, my responses may indicate as much what does or would keep me in a Downtown as well as enticing me to move their in the first place.

 

Things that would entice me to live in a small Downtown:

-Having a job in that Downtown.  One of the biggest benefits to living Downtown is having no commute.  Sometimes the reverse commute to outlying job centers is better than going with the main flow of traffic, too, but it's not really the same thing.

 

-Being able to meet daily retail and service needs within walking distance.  That means groceries and convenience retail, household goods, basic clothing needs, inexpensive places to eat out for breakfast/lunch/and dinner, the post office, a library, a bank branch.  To me these end up being the real "meat" of the neighborhood experience, and I think most people who would live in a Downtown are going to want an urban neighborhood experience, which means being able to walk to as many of these as possible.  For a small Downtown, I think some of these things can be in walkable adjacent neighborhoods, as well.

 

-Entertainment option- dining, movie theaters, arts, bars/clubs, again in walking distance.  That stuff is fun, and what attracts a lot of Downtown residents at first.  As time wears on it becomes less important than the daily amenities though.  Of course, a nice neighborhood pub can be considered a daily amenity, too.  :wink:

 

-Safety- As much as some people insist otherwise I think it matters.  Well lit and hopefully active streets are important, as is a secured building and preferably parking.  Street level uses should have lots of glass space, so that occupants can help to monitor the street during their business hours.  Bars and late night dining are a mixed blessing- bar noise and the occasional bar fight might make them unseemly and annoying at times, but the late night activity keeps the surrounding area active.  I've always though of them as a safety boon, for the most part.

 

I'll answer some of the other questions later.  I hope we keep hearing from you on your progress with the Carrousel District.

 

I started posting but looked up and realized you mentioned everything I did, and a lot more.  Good post.

 

 

Who is your target market for the properties you're developing? Empty nesters? Young professionals without kids? Families?

 

High design excellence is one factor for me, in addition to everything that has been said already. Whether it's an old warehouse that's being renovated or a brand new development built from scratch, if it doesn't LOOK relevant to what is happening in design now, I would never be interested.

 

I think this element is often times overlooked or underestimated, but for me, a new development has to be aesthetically pleasing. Without that, I lose interest immediately.

David,

 

Our target market for living is empty nesters and Young professionals without Kids.  The developement itself is multi-use.  We have 70% of the first floor space complete for retail and restaurant use.  Approximately 30% of the second floors are renovated for commercial office use.  The remaining 70% of upper story is unrenovated and is slated for residential.

 

Thank you for your post.

 

Annamarie

Palijandro7,

 

How do you define safety...I mean exactly what does that look like. 

 

Well lit streets, gated parking, doormen, web cams, security patrols, etc.

 

Thank you for helping me understand what is possible and necessary for a project like this to be successful.

 

Have a great day!

 

Annamarie

 

jpop,

 

When you talk about high design are you refering to the interior, exterior, or both?  Are you suggesting that you prefer a more contemporary environment rather than a more historical setting or is a combination of the two a satisfactory and even aesthetic compromise?

 

Our structures are all turn of the century.  The exteriors will all be renovated in a historic manner, however, the planned interiors for the condos are what I would term "Urban County" with hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, tall windows, and large open great rooms/kitchens.

 

There are no newly constructed buildings.  All buildings that were removed from the neighborhood have become brick parking areas or green space.

 

Thank you for your post and any clarification you wish to give.

 

Annamarie

Global moderator,

 

Thank you so much for your post.  You have given me some wonderful information to ponder.  I am looking forward to your next post.

 

Annamarie

327, 

 

Do you work from home?  The reason I ask is I have been considering including an office for people who work at home.  I understand that this concept of offering conference rooms, teleconferencing ability, document management, etc. to the home office professional is becoming more popular.  Do you have any additional thoughts on this part of your post?

 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

annamarie

Global moderator,

 

Thank you so much for your post. You have given me some wonderful information to ponder. I am looking forward to your next post.

 

Annamarie

 

You're welcome.  One other thought on what I wrote is that I know it isn't necessarily feasible for you as a developer to provide all or maybe even any of those amenities yourself, but I think it would be helpful for your marketing to carefully catalog and present (maps are gold) what does exist already so that you can help people to imagine how they could "live the urban life" in Mansfield. 

 

p.s.- "Global Moderator" is just my position on the website, my screenname is "X".

David,

 

Our target market for living is empty nesters and Young professionals without Kids.  The developement itself is multi-use.  We have 70% of the first floor space complete for retail and restaurant use.  Approximately 30% of the second floors are renovated for commercial office use.  The remaining 70% of upper story is unrenovated and is slated for residential.

 

Thank you for your post.

 

Annamarie

 

Empty nesters tend to want to work at home and take up crafts. Young professionals also tend to go for home office space. This is an area where design equivalencies overlap. Do any of your units have flexible office space that could also be used for alternative uses?

 

Your development isn't very far from the Mansfield hospital, is it? That could work in your favor. Older empty nesters enjoy the safety of being in close proximity to the hospital and you could market the development to YPs working at the hospital. I'm not sure how far the hospital is or how big it is, but it could be a major asset.

 

To attract YPs, one thing I think is also central, is a workout facility or gym. A grocery store in walking distance would be absolutely essential to me. As a young person, I'd want to live downtown for the experience, which means a lot of walking. A few nice restaurants, bars with live music, a coffee shop and a clothing store would be great. Young professionals have dogs so the park is a major amenity to them if dogs are permitted. A dog park would also be great. Even a pet store.

 

For empty nesters, I think book stores, craft stores, things of that nature would be a nice amenity since they focus on self improvement and have free time on their hands. A concern for a lot of older folks is having a nearby pharmacy so something like a Walgreens would be good to have.

 

Since safety is a big issue for empty nesters, I think the formation of a neighborhood block watch group is a good idea. Put up intimidating signage letting people know that they're being watched and that buildings are monitored. Like X said, increase lighting and make buildings secure. In NYC, I've seen signs that forbid you to walk through an alley after 11pm. It creates a gated community effect and gives residents a sense of safety whether the danger is real or just percieved.

 

I hope that helps a little.

The Carousel district is not really "near" mansfield general hospital.  You can drive there in about 10 minutes, but you can drive just about anywhere in Mansfield in about 10 minutes.  It's not walkable is what I'm trying to say.

 

To answer the OP's question, I think you have some challenges that anyone would face and then some that are specific to a town the size of Mansfield.  It is so much smaller than it used to be, I wonder about the ability of the city to build and maintain what would be needed to make downtown a "vibrant" place to live.

 

Hope that helps.

 

I also agree some kind of live/work space would be ideal or at least more thought/planning for some type of working space in the residences would be great.

 

All those empty storefronts need to be filled, and filled with worthwhile and useful shops such as those that were mentioned earlier in the thread - the ability to take care of your basic needs with hardware stores, some kind of grocery, restaurants, pharmacy, places to shop for consumer goods, etc. are very important.  I also agree a gym of some kind would be important, if not in the building than somewhere close by.  I think if the storefronts were filled the place would consistently have a lot more people and that would automatically bring the safety, as long as the police patrol the neighborhood regularly and the shopkeepers and the city do their part to keep their neighborhood clean.  A craft store is a GREAT idea for mansfielders, but IMO I'm not sure the young-professional-with-dog is a typical citizen for Mansfield.

I would take a look at what Oberlin has done as an example of a successful Ohio small town.  Vibrant local shops, restaurants, and movie theater.  Obviously the existence of an extremely liberal arts school in the center of town helps, but I wouldn't say it is absolutely necessary.

jpop,

 

When you talk about high design are you refering to the interior, exterior, or both?  Are you suggesting that you prefer a more contemporary environment rather than a more historical setting or is a combination of the two a satisfactory and even aesthetic compromise?

 

Our structures are all turn of the century.  The exteriors will all be renovated in a historic manner, however, the planned interiors for the condos are what I would term "Urban County" with hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, tall windows, and large open great rooms/kitchens.

 

There are no newly constructed buildings.  All buildings that were removed from the neighborhood have become brick parking areas or green space.

 

Thank you for your post and any clarification you wish to give.

 

Annamarie

 

Hi, Annamarie.

 

When I talk about high design I talk about both the interior and exterior. One should never be separated from the other, and to successfully create a strong development from an aesthetic standpoint, neither should have greater importance than the other: the interior AND exterior are both equally important, in my opinion. Also, whether a building features classical architecture (such as your development) or modern, the importance of good design is still the same, I would say.

 

The preservation of older, historic buildings is something I personally value, not just from an aesthetic point of view .. but also because I value the preservation of that historical context that older buildings provide. At the same time, though, modern architecture brings out new forms, which I think is equally important. For me, any environment that strikes a good balance between both is really ideal .. and it's something I look for in terms of where I choose to live.

 

I think, for me, the most successful project of this type (the kind that you're currently working on) would preserve the authenticity of the buildings as much as possible, but also retrofit it for a modern element (mostly to the interiors, I would say) and make it all as seamless as possible. Where possible, attention given to eco-friendly building materials would also be a huge asset, in my opinion.

I would take a look at what Oberlin has done as an example of a successful Ohio small town. Vibrant local shops, restaurants, and movie theater. Obviously the existence of an extremely liberal arts school in the center of town helps, but I wouldn't say it is absolutely necessary.

 

Honestly, I think Oberlin would just not exist as it does now without the school.  Same thing for Kent.  You can't just ignore the school and say look at it as an example of how it could be successful, trying to make an Oberlin happen in an area like Mansfield where there is no school like that is just apples and oranges, IMO.  I have had trouble trying to come up with another city that's very small like Mansfield with no "draw" like a school, that also has a vibrant downtown.

I would think that one of Mansfield selling points is that it is roughly equi-distant between Columbus and Cleveland. I wonder if there is a market for meeting space that would attract folks needing to meet, but don't necessarily need to go all the way. In a similar way, I wonder if there might be a market for business retreat space - in the current environment, going to Mansfield might be more acceptable than some other choices, and having it in an interesting neighborhood with accessible amenities could be a selling point.

rockandroller & w28th,

 

We have the OSU Branch which is experiencing amazing growth and will continue to grow.  We have been unsuccessful attracting that demographic to the area, although we work closely with many people on campus (both students and admin).  Do you have any suggestions?

 

Thank you for your insightful comments.

jpop,

 

Last year I attended the "I Love Downtown" tour in Cleveland.  The variety of living space available in Downtown Cleveland is amazing. The tour gave me some fantastic ideas on marketing and interior design; however, I left feeling confused as to the direction our project should take for success.

 

Should we build apartments, condos that we lease to own, strictly owner occupied condominiums, or a combination?

 

What is a marketable selling price for our demographics?  Will Condo owners be comfortable living next door to apartment dwellers that have a different personal investment in the area?

 

What amenities should be included?  A fitness center, a social space, etc. (all of which significantly drive the price up)

 

The projects currently in place in Cleveland are all over the map.  I saw an amazing condo overlooking Public Square that was selling for over ½ million and I saw some barely renovated warehouse apts.  In Richland County we have strict building and fire codes making it impossible for a developer to lease space that is “raw”.  Raw will cost a minimum of $100,000.00 to bring it up to codes for occupancy.

 

Thank you once again for your input.

 

The branch (which we jokingly called The Twig when I lived there) is too far away from downtown to try to pitch downtown as an area for those students.  Unless the campus moves downtown, it's just n/a in my opinion.  As far as "miles away" it's not that far, but it's not something you could walk to, you have to go out and pick up 30 to get there, don't you?  Besides, it's not a "campus" in a traditional since because it's a commuter college and nobody lives on campus, so I just think it's n/a when you talk about downtown Mansfield. And the vast majority of attendees are Mansfield natives, so they just live at home.

 

The mid-point event destination dmerkow proposed isn't a bad idea, but that's really sporadic and can't be counted on for revenue or bodies. 

Rockandroller,

 

Students at the OSU branch now have the ability to complete their 4 year degree at the campus.  This has created an influx of students from all over Ohio that want an OSU degree but would like a smaller campus atmosphere.

 

The OSU campus now has on site housing.  I don’t know how many units.  We talked to them about a housing partnership; however, there were transportation issues.  Public transportation is not very accessible in Mansfield. (It exists…but doesn’t really meet the needs of the community)

 

Thank you again for your input!

 

I'm not surprised (though am disappointed) to see that public trans hasn't changed much since I was there.  I used it to get to and from some of my jobs and it certainly wasn't great.

 

Going to a 4-year degree at the Branch is great, but I would venture to say that 99% of the students are still those who grew up in the immediate surrounding area and who likely still live with their parents to save $ while attending the Branch.  I just don't think they are a good target for you.  If there are people living on campus who are from other areas, why would they choose to live further away from campus instead of right on it?  I guess the answer would be if it were cheaper to liver there and more interesting (more things to do, etc), but you'd have to build that community first and then try to draw them there, it wouldn't work the other way around, which is likely why your efforts to lure them haven't been successful.  You're focusing on a very small group of people there (overall enrollment isn't a huge group of people to begin with, and if you narrow it down to those who actually live on campus, how many people are we really talking about here?  A couple of hundred? I seriously don't know.), and those people are the few who don't have family in the area, so they really need to live on campus unless they want to buy a car since public transit isn't an option.

 

I'd be interested to know why your company wants to focus on this area.  I'm certainly all for the revitalization of downtown Mansfield, but it seems an awfully challenging area.  Is your company local to Mansfield and that's why?

Rockandroller,

 

The company I work for owns approximately 30 buildings in downtown Mansfield.  Most of these buildings are in The Carrousel District.  Engwiller Properties was founded to create and renovate the Carrousel District.  It is owned by a family that has a history in the area, was ashamed of the decline, and wanted to give back to the community.  There is a huge philanthropic element to the project; however, for sustainability it needs to be viable for the long term.  I stress long term, because as long as the company is rebuilding the historic structures there is continued financial investment and no return.

 

jpop,

 

Last year I attended the "I Love Downtown" tour in Cleveland.  The variety of living space available in Downtown Cleveland is amazing. The tour gave me some fantastic ideas on marketing and interior design; however, I left feeling confused as to the direction our project should take for success.

 

Should we build apartments, condos that we lease to own, strictly owner occupied condominiums, or a combination?

 

What is a marketable selling price for our demographics?  Will Condo owners be comfortable living next door to apartment dwellers that have a different personal investment in the area?

 

What amenities should be included?  A fitness center, a social space, etc. (all of which significantly drive the price up)

 

The projects currently in place in Cleveland are all over the map.  I saw an amazing condo overlooking Public Square that was selling for over ½ million and I saw some barely renovated warehouse apts.  In Richland County we have strict building and fire codes making it impossible for a developer to lease space that is “raw”.  Raw will cost a minimum of $100,000.00 to bring it up to codes for occupancy.

 

Thank you once again for your input.

 

I think that, with everything that you mentioned (including design), taking a look at the area's demographics is important .. but it's also important to keep in mind the types of people you're looking to attract to your development. Are you primarily trying to attract people already living in Mansfield? If so, you have to market it to those types of people in every way. Mansfielders might not want a more modern aesthetic, so it sounds like the more "country" type of feel would be right .. though "country" can still be done in a beautiful, modern sensibility to attract the younger crowd, if that's what you're going for.

 

Unfortunately, I don't know much about the demographics in the Mansfield area, but I would assume that rents/condos are going for much less than apartments/condos in more urban areas like downtown Cleveland. I think that's important to keep in mind; you don't want to be unrealistic in what your product can yield. But if you're going for a more upscale type of feel, that's definitely something to keep in mind as well, as it might allow you to charge higher prices for better quality.

 

Also, with any successful neighborhood, I think a mixture of apartments AND condos is key. Not everyone wants the permanence of a condo and they prefer an apartment, but some people want the long-term investment that a condo brings. I would take a look at the surrounding area, and if either one is oversaturated, I would take that into consideration when determining which way you want to go. Maybe a mixture is best? I don't know.

 

In terms of social spaces, I think that also depends on how "urban" you want your product to be. For me, "urban" encourages pedestrian activity, so a mixture of open, public spaces and retail (even if it's just neighborhood amenities like a gym or laundromat, etc) would be key to the overall energy of the place. Also, I think that would help to attract a younger clientele .. again, if that's what you'd be going for.

 

I think that, with any development of this scale, the greater picture should be taken into consideration.

FYI Jpop, she's in Mansfield, Richland County, not Richfield.

amfer, I wonder if it wouldn't be worthwhile to get on the social calendar at Westbrook country club and talk to the members there and see what they think.  Attracting some of them, or their children, would be a great target for you.  Maybe people are looking to downsize in this economy from their big, old, drafty homes or are looking for places for their kids to live and get them out of the house.

FYI Jpop, she's in Mansfield, Richland County, not Richfield.

 

Oops! I combined the two .. haha. Thanks so much for the heads up. I made edits.

Here's a good resource for honing in on your potential market segment, what they make, and how many of them there are in Mansfield:

 

http://www.bls.gov/oes/2007/may/oes_31900.htm

 

It's a bit outdated ('07 data- and who knows with the current economy), so I would look at those numbers and then try to correlate what they give with what you see happening in terms of the news of job hirings/layoffs to try and guess where there may be growth, and therefore new people moving to town and looking for a place to live, or to move up.

 

I think that the OU branch may present an opportunity to you in the shape of their faculty.  They are reasonably well paid and educated, and many will be younger/single/from out of town and may appreciate the unique neighborhood you are trying to build.

 

In terms of amenities, I would look at what exists first, and try not to overlap.  If there is a gym within a reasonable walk, I would try to make a deal with them instead of building my own.  Same thing with a social meeting place.  The Downtown Cleveland complex where I live has neither built in, but the management negotiated a discount at a gym within a 5 minute walk, and we get a discount at most of the restaurants/bars/cafes on the street.  A similar strategy might be helpful to you.

x,

 

Great input!  Thank you for the link.  We have demographic information but it is from the late 90's.  2007 information will be a great help.

 

Have a great evening!

Someone who grows up in Galion always has Mansfield as a second hometown. I remember well the downtown Mansfield of the 1960s; repeated visits to Smart’s Music, Sears and the Ohio Theatre are among my early childhood memories.  Being involved in statewide preservation and revitalization efforts since the early 1990s, I have also now seen how others perceive the downtown, the Carrousel District and the city in general.

 

The comments shared here on UrbanOhio are spot on.  And, since the majority of UrbanOhioers are in the target creative class demographic that downtown Mansfield needs to attract for sustainable investment, their views are incredibly valuable.  The comments about basic amenities and conveyance of a sense of authenticity were absolutely correct.

 

I would add two quick thoughts:

 

First, one of the points where many diverge from the “Main Street” approach to downtown revitalization, at least as it has been practically applied in several states, is that it fails to include neighboring residential areas its planning and programming. I understand the need to focus on a particular, defined commercial area.  It is not as easy to divorce downtown from its own setting, however, as some would think.

 

In Mansfield’s case, one major practical challenge is the distance between major thoroughfares and downtown.  A friend tells the story of an industry executive considering bringing dozens of jobs to Mansfield who, after landing at Lahm and traveling down North Main Street to meet with local economic development leaders, told his driver to turn well before he reached downtown.  North Main looks better today, but could still be greatly improved as a gateway into the city.

 

I know by the way that Downtown Mansfield, Inc. is working on the St. Peter’s District plan, and have seen a copy of their goals -- and I am cheering them on.  To an “outsider,’ the Chamber District appears to be a tougher project, and, as it is closer to the Carrousel District, it is undoubtedly more important.

 

Second, to my mind there is a need to market downtown in languages and media that your target demographic uses.  You may well be already doing this and I am unaware of it -- but to my mind, downtown Mansfield and the Carrousel District could well benefit from an aggressive “micro” and “macro” communications and marketing strategy -- “micro” in the sense of assisting merchants with their own efforts, and “macro” for marketing investment opportunities in the district/downtown -- that uses the latest in social networking and networking tools.

 

Downtown Mansfield has amazing stories to share… and I would love to be able to read, hear or watch them being told.

PresOhio,

 

Thank you for your input.  Marketing has been extremely underfunded by the City, Downtown Development Organizations, and by my company.    I have tried to coordinate dollars to implement a downtown marketing plan with some small success.  I stress the word small because I have been unsuccessful in selling the plan for the long term.  I would love to hear your suggestions!

 

Annamarie

 

 

327, 

 

Do you work from home?  The reason I ask is I have been considering including an office for people who work at home.  I understand that this concept of offering conference rooms, teleconferencing ability, document management, etc. to the home office professional is becoming more popular.  Do you have any additional thoughts on this part of your post?

 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

annamarie

 

The reason I mention working from home is my brother's fiance works from home, which made it a lot easier for her to relocate to a smaller Ohio city with him.  These towns are harder hit by industrial decline than the bigs.  For a long time there was just no work.  But an increasing number of jobs aren't tied to location at all, and people have always enjoyed living in smaller communities.  That can be its own selling point.  Those seeking an urban experience are often kept away by school quality, but smaller cities often have more to offer in this regard.  The biggest challenge my brother reports is finding other young professionals to spend time with locally.  So anything you can do to facilitate that is a big plus.

327,

 

Great point!  Do you have ideas on how to reach that network of people through marketing or social networking venues.

 

Thank you for your input.

 

Annamarie

Annamarie:

 

I would encourage you to consider the fact that in this day and age, some forms of dynamic targeted highly marketing can occur with little expense.

 

Right now, Preservation Ohio's marketing and communications budget is approximately $500 a year.  With this amount, we:

 

- Publish online and (soon to come) print newsletters to members and friends;

- Maintain four websites that reach several thousand visitors a week, thanks to hard work in building search engine optimization;

- Have hundreds of subscribers to our blog;

- Build cooperative marketing arrangements with various partners.

 

We are now moving into area of downloadable audio and video tours of historic downtowns, neighborhoods and landmarks.

 

Glossy print display advertising, brochures and the like still have their place, to be sure -- however there is much that can be done without that level of expense.

 

327,

 

Great point! Do you have ideas on how to reach that network of people through marketing or social networking venues.

 

Thank you for your input.

 

Annamarie

 

I'm an old fogey internet-wise... I'm sure there are great networking and promotional oportunites on the internet that others could better explain.  As for local networking, people have already mentioned some ideas in this thread.  Having services like grocery, bars/cafes, and a gym nearby allow things to happen organically. 

 

Specific interests would have to be targeted the same way they are elsewhere, with the Mansfield this or that Club, and the Regional Board of Stuff.  I mean interests like visual/performing arts, bikes, cooking/brewing/wine, various forms of activism... things young professionals like to do.  A lot of these groups may already be in place.  From there it's all marketing.  Once you get any kind of critical mass, they will hopefully bring friends from elsewhere and you're golden. 

 

Also, promoting directly to the gay community wouldn't hurt.  Urban redevelopment tends to follow them around.  Case in point, Cleveland's west side.  Demographically they're right up your alley, yp's w/o kids and empty nesters.  They have money and like to shop.  They landscape and they paint things.  I realize I earlier suggested building a NASCAR track... this idea fits poorly with that one, but it would be a lot more effective in the near term, so do this instead.  Some friends of mine have had great success with this kind of marketing.           

AM,

 

Sorry for taking so long.  I think the insight and the ideas you are gaining from this forum are very impressive. 

 

Regarding safety, everyone's definition can be different, and a lot of it is based on your upbringing.  For example, if you grew up in suburbia, like I did, your sensitivities to safety are probably more heightened than one who grew up in the city.  Thus, if you are trying to relocate the suburban crowd, you will need to pay attention to this.

 

To me, safety is a sliding scale, one that is within reason.  Everyone knows, and should assume, that living in a city will come with the cost of an increased chance of being the victim of a crime.  The key is to not have the scale tip too much, and for the crime that does occur, to be more of the petty type.

 

Also, perception is HUGE.  Thus, while you do not need a cop on every corner, there needs to be visibility. 

To me, safety is a sliding scale, one that is within reason. Everyone knows, and should assume, that living in a city will come with the cost of an increased chance of being the victim of a crime.  

 

I don't want to take this too far off topic, but I have to disagree with this.  The reason this seems to be so is that we've been conditioned in the US to believe that city living is inherently less safe.  I think we have to change that expectation so that we can begin to change that reality.

X,

 

Thank you!

 

Annamarie