Columbiana County Looks to Add Vibrancy to Downtowns

LISBON, Ohio – Having a vibrant downtown improves quality of life and attracts others, so Columbiana County towns are working with an organization to make some changes.

Mara Dowdy, program coordinator for Town Center Associates of Beaver, Pa., gave a presentation Thursday at the Columbiana County Port Authority to officials of cities and villages about what can be done to help their downtowns.

“Walking downtowns are a huge asset,” Dowdy said. “They are not just a big deal for residents, but also for attracting manufacturers and a workforce to your community.”

In what was described as a kickoff meeting, Dowdy said business district specialists have begun walking through the downtowns of seven towns in Columbiana County and touted their historic architecture and features. She talked about the six jobs on average that a small downtown business supports.

Then Dowdy turned the discussion to ways Town Center Associates can provide additional resources to help the towns improve.

Columbiana Mayor Rick Noel said that when he walked around Columbiana with someone from Town Center Associates, they pointed out things he had not noticed before, and he has lived there for more than 50 years. A new set of eyes with a fresh perspective can make a difference, he said.

Dowdy said she noticed huge flower baskets in one small town, which proves someone is taking the initiative to invest in the downtown with both time and money.

Town Center Associates will provide maps of the downtown buildings to municipal leaders, showing which buildings are occupied and by what types of businesses; which storefronts are sitting vacant; which have changed hands or were in use in the past year; and which are for sale. 

Dowdy said instead of relying on the internet, walking through towns allows them to look for those little signs in the windows that list a space as available, even if it’s not currently listed with a real estate agent.

Additionally, Dowdy said there is a list of the 40 types of businesses that most vibrant communities have lining their downtowns, which can be compared with the businesses there and give leaders a way to consider what types of businesses they need to attract to their area. 

Town Center Associates can help the municipalities plan and even suggest ways they can use grant money to incentivize hesitant business owners.

“What we’ve found is that when someone wants to open a muffin shop, they are really good at running a muffin shop but may have no idea how to restore their façade or what their signage should look like. Or they don’t know anything about historic properties,” Dowdy said, noting that Town Center Associates has design guideline resources that can help business owners find things to consider.

Dowdy said going forward, there will be strategy workshops where the towns can learn about their data and how to use some of the resources for their needs. Some topics may include uses for public space, parking, placemaking and student engagement.

“We hope you’re as excited about this as we are,” Penny Traina, executive director of the Columbiana County Port Authority, said to the leaders at Thursday’s meeting.

In other matters:

• Bobbie Ritchey, recovery coordinator, asked for suggestions where electric vehicle chargers could be added in the county, noting there is federal money available but the county will need to merge projects together to meet the $500,000 minimum needed to apply.

• Haedan Panezott, private sector group specialist, announced the launch of the new website for the port authority.

Pictured at top: Mara Dowdy, program coordinator for Town Center Associates.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.