Mount Vernon, Ohio

MOUNT VERNON, OHIO some vacant industrial spaces within the city’s two industrial parks. Currently, they are working to bring in businesses who may be looking for a smaller space. Starr notes, “I look at it sort of like an investment portfolio, where, rather than going with one big company, we are trying to diversify with several different smaller companies to help weather those economic downturns, where we don’t have a big hole that happens should one of them no longer be in business. That’s really what our strategy is here - creating a diverse industrial and business development and a diverse mix of opportunities.” With a growing population, Mount Vernon housing is at a premium. As developers eye up available land, the city is also seeing an increase in house-flipping, with buyers taking on buildings that need attention and turning them into beautiful high-end homes for resale. By improving existing properties and infilling empty lots, the city plans to maintain its small-town charm, while meeting the needs of current and future residents. “When we talk about attracting jobs, at the end of the day, people have to be able to go home, and we want them living in our community, rather than by sprawling out,” says Starr. “We want to maintain our rural character here in Knox County, and so that is going to be a happy balance between looking at infilling and different zoning approaches to making that happen.” Housing in the downtown core is also on the agenda, with developers transforming old buildings into quality living space that is close to restaurants, shopping, and entertainment. Starr believes that, “When we get more people living downtown, that increased market will drive the retail.” Downtown Mount Vernon is home to the Woodward Opera House, the oldest 19th century opera house in America. This historic, downtown treasure has been beautifully restored to reflect the original design, offering retail store fronts on the ground floor, office spaces on the second floor, and entertainment in the original opera house on the top two floors. With the decline of