This weeks #GOPCThread takes a closer look at the proposed state transportation budget, debate on which got underway this week in the Ohio House of Representatives Finance Committee.
Not on Twitter, the thread is available online, as well as below.
Greater Ohio Policy Center Read on Twitter
Today’s #GOPCThread will feature #VanWertOhio as the sixth city in our #OHCommunitySpotlight series
Van Wert is in the NW corner of the state, just 15 minutes away from the Ohio-Indiana state line with ~11k residents #GOPCThread
Van Wert | Google Maps (click image for link)
Van Wert was established as the county seat in 1835 and incorporated as a town in 1848. It built its economy around timber in the mid-1800s and by the late 19thC, farming had become an important industry #GOPCThread
Today, Van Wert and the surrounding county continue to be a mix of manufacturing and farming #GOPCThread
Workforce | VWAECD (click image for link)
Like many downtowns in Ohio, Van Wert’s had begun to show wear & tear. Many of the buildings were built in the 1880s and investments in upkeep and repair had slowed in the last 3 decades #GOPCThread
. @MainStVanWert had done a great job programming downtown events and coordinating businesses, but they lacked the capital needed to stabilize and breath new life into buildings. #GOPCThread
City/regional leaders realized that making downtown Van Wert a destination for returning residents and new ones would help spur investment throughout the city & region #GOPCThread
Google Maps | Van Wert, Ohio (click image for link)
In 2018, the Van Wert Business Development Corporation decided to buy a critical building in downtown, at sheriff’s sale. This purchase got town leaders comfortable w/ the idea of buying downtown real estate for the good of the community. #GOPCThread
At the same time, staff and board members of @VWCF1925 were seriously talking about the importance of downtown Van Wert to the future prosperity of the city & county. How could they move from being transactional to transformational? #GOPCThread
In consultation with local leaders, @VWCF1925 realized it could endow downtown and its prosperity to the citizens of Van Wert forever by coordinating, executing, and managing a master real estate effort for downtown #GOPCThread
Of their $80M-$85M in assets, @VWCF1925 said “let’s take some of our money off of Wall Street and invest it in our own Main Street”. #GOPCThread
By 2019, @VWCF1925 had begun to acquire properties in downtown. As of today they hold or have majority stake in 40+ key buildings that will go into a Downtown Trust. #GOPCThread
Van Wert County Foundation Leading the Way for Downtown Development Project | Van Wert Times Bulletin (click image for link)
. @VWCF1925 captured the interest of @The_Model_Group & #PagoUSA, who agreed to help Van Wert thru the real estate redevelopment process... #GOPCThread #OHCommunitySpotlight
Model Group & Pago are also doing property management for the Downtown Trust. Eventually local property managers + other staff will be hired #GOPCThread
VW Downtown Project Moving Forward | Van Wert Independent (click image for link)
The effort is now branded Van Wert Forward ( @vwfwd) and it is an ambitious plan to revitalize and restore downtown Van Wert #GOPCThread
Van Wert Forward (click image for link)
Right now, @VWCF1925 projects this will be an $80M project, split into 4-5 phases. Van Wert plans to go after #HistoricPreservationTaxCredits, #VibrantCommunities grants from @JobsOhio & grants from @OhioDevelopment + other state/fed agencies #GOPCThread
Low Income Community Investment | JobsOhio (click image for link)
Leadership at @VWCF1925 is convinced other communities can replicate this model. But as @GreaterOhio often talks about, it requires shared agreement around priorities and process. #GOPCThread
Revitalizing America’s Legacy Cities | Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (click image for link)
Many thanks for @VWCF1925 for sharing their story with @GreaterOhio last summer and to @MontroseGrpLLC for their recent podcast on these amazing efforts underway in Van Wert! #GOPCThread
Podcast | The Montrose Group (click image for link)
