Wednesday, June 23, 1999
N. College Hill seeks game plan for progress
BY LEW MOORES
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NORTH COLLEGE HILL — Take a walk along Galbraith Road with Mayor Daniel Brooks and he sees the possibilities.
A pleasing vista looking west from near the Hamilton Avenue intersection, with newly mulched peninsulas at each intersection, brick pavers defining sidewalks and crosswalks, replica gas street lamps and hanging plant baskets. An artery coursing through the city's business district.
Not more than a mile away, the Ronald Reagan Highway interchange, completed in 1997, makes centrally located communities like this city even more accessible.
“There's a lot of interest being shown in the area,” says Mr. Brooks, citing both the Galbraith Road improvements and the Reagan Highway.
“We're in competition, let's face it. The challenge to North College Hill is to provide growth and expansion of services to the community while keeping taxes low.”
Galbraith Road and the Reagan Highway are the impetus behind the city hiring an economic development consultant — the first time in recent history the city has turned to one person whose exclusive responsibility will be keeping an eye on development.
Curt Paddock, who runs a private consulting firm, has come aboard to do just that.
“In many ways they have wonderful assets and advantages over other communities,” said Mr. Paddock, who was hired last month to help the city. Foremost was the completion of Reagan Highway and the investment in Galbraith Road.
First, said Mr. Paddock, whose one-year contract is a little more than $30,000, data must be gathered on available and potential sites in the city for development, looking at the tax base and what businesses are contributing to it, as well as studying how well current businesses are doing in their particular markets.
“We can use that as a basis for developing market plans for how we're going to promote North College Hill both as a shopping destination and as a potential site for new commercial businesses of various types,” said Mr. Paddock.
Mr. Brooks said that is the reason Mr. Paddock was hired.
North College Hill knows Galbraith Road improvements and Reagan Highway will help, but a game plan is needed.
“We think we know but there's no data,” said Mr. Brooks.
“Who are our customers? Where do they come from? What are they looking for? Is there a market there? What services and products can they provide to increase business? What would make local customers want to shop here and how do we accomplish that? He's (Mr. Paddock) going to find all that out.”
Mr. Paddock said the city also must look at incentives to attract business.
“I think the city can be regarded as a stable, safe community, with a fairly diverse retail base that with appropriate action could make it even more attractive as a retail destination,” Mr. Paddock said.
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