Lorain, Ohio

Transforming from Rust Belt Relic to High-Tech Hub on Lake Erie

Ohio’s “International City” leverages its diverse population and waterfront location to attract solar panel manufacturers, Future Tech Companies, and urban agriculture while preserving its cultural heritage.

On the shores of Lake Erie, where the Black River meets the vast expanse of freshwater that forms the world’s largest collection of lakes, is a city that defies easy categorization. Lorain, Ohio, with its population of 65,211, has earned a distinctive moniker since its founding as Black River Village before 1834. “The city of Lorain is known as the international city and that is because our city is made up of at least 55 different nationalities,” explains Mayor Jack Bradley. 

This diversity distinguishes the community from its regional neighbors and creates a cultural foundation that Mayor Bradley sees as central to the city’s identity and future economic potential.

The numbers tell part of Lorain’s story. As Ohio’s ninth-largest city, it maintains a significant presence in the state’s urban landscape. The community’s demographics signifies its international character, with 49.4% non-Hispanic white residents, 29.2% Hispanic/Latino, and 15.2% Black residents. But statistics only capture the surface of what makes this Lake Erie community unique. 

Mayor Bradley views the Great Lakes region as offering fundamental competitive advantages. “The Great Lakes is the third largest economy in the world, and it’s the largest body of fresh water in the world,” he states. This positioning near abundant freshwater resources becomes increasingly valuable as communities nationwide grapple with water scarcity and industrial development needs.

A Mayor’s Journey from Classroom to City Hall

Jack Bradley’s path to Lorain’s mayor’s office began in the very community he now leads. His connection to the city runs deeper than political ambition and represents a lifetime of investment in a place that shaped his career and values. “I taught school in the city of Lorain for five years, and then I went to law school at night and got my law degree and I practiced law in the city for 42 years and had my own private practice,” Mayor Bradley explains. 

The decision to seek public office emerged from personal gratitude rather than political calculation. “Being the mayor has given me the opportunity to give back to the community that’s been so good to me,” Mayor Bradley states. “I was born in Lorain, raised in Lorain, and this is my home and it’s really a nice opportunity to give back to a city that I treasure.” His perspective mirrors the experience of many successful professionals who return to their hometown communities to contribute their expertise to local governance and economic development initiatives.

Mayor Bradley’s legal background provides practical advantages in municipal administration, particularly in areas like contract negotiation, regulatory compliance, and economic development partnerships. His teaching experience offers additional insight into community needs and public communication. The combination of local roots, professional expertise, and long-term residence creates a leadership profile common among effective mayors in mid-sized American cities. 

Downtown Streetscapes and Community Anchors

Lorain’s downtown transformation began with infrastructure improvements that created the foundation for broader economic revitalization. “A ribbon cutting was done on a streetscape in downtown Lorain in 2019. That was just prior to my taking over as the mayor,” Mayor Bradley explains. “That streetscape goes from Erie Avenue, which runs along Lake Erie, southbound down Broadway (our Main Street) to 10th Street in Lorain.” The project established enhanced pedestrian walkways, improved lighting, and updated utilities that make the corridor more attractive for businesses and visitors.

Expansion plans build on this initial success. “Now we’re hoping to extend that corridor from 10th Street all the way down to 28th Street with bike lanes and walking paths and an extension of that streetscape to make that area safer and more desirable for not only automobile traffic, but also for bikers and pedestrians,” Mayor Bradley says. These infrastructure investments address multiple objectives: improving public safety, encouraging alternative transportation, and creating environments that support retail and entertainment businesses.

The Lorain Palace Theatre anchors downtown’s cultural identity. Built in 1928 as part of the city’s rebuilding after the devastating 1924 tornado that killed 72 people in Lorain (85 total including Sandusky), the historic venue originally seated 1,720 patrons and was Ohio’s largest single-floor theater. “Our main attraction is the Lorain Palace Theatre and Civic Centre that’s been restored through the help of a committee of women in our town,” Mayor Bradley notes. The theater survived near-demolition in the 1970s when local advocates, including First Lady Rosalynn Carter, supported preservation efforts. Today, it houses community events, professional performances, and the city’s international princess pageant while maintaining its original Wurlitzer organ.

Industrial Evolution from Steel to High-Tech

Lorain’s economic transformation centers on repurposing industrial infrastructure for modern manufacturing and technology applications. The former Republic Steel site now offers opportunities for high-tech development. “We’ve been working with Republic Steel. They were a steel producer in our community for several years and stopped production a few years ago, and we’ve been able to establish a relationship with them,” Mayor Bradley explains. “They are now reaching out to developers to bring in some high-tech development in our city.”

The site’s advantages go further. “We’re not just looking at data centers, but we’re looking at maybe production of solar panels, chips because we have the advantage there of having access to our Black River. We also have rail access, and we have sufficient power that comes into that facility,” Mayor Bradley states. First Energy is conducting a comprehensive load study to determine electrical capacity, a process that will cost Republic Steel approximately $250,000 but could unlock significant development potential across the 460-acre property.

Urban agriculture is another growth sector. Mayor Bradley describes plans that expand beyond traditional community gardens: “We’re also working on urban agriculture to have production of agricultural products in greenhouses, vertical farming, hydroponics.” A specialized group has expressed interest in developing commercial-scale agricultural production within city limits, potentially creating jobs while addressing food security concerns and reducing transportation costs for fresh produce distribution throughout the region.

Waterfront Transformation and Cultural Legacy

The Pellet Terminal is Lorain’s most ambitious waterfront redevelopment project yet. “It is an area in the city of Lorain right off of the mouth of the Black River as it goes into Lake Erie where ore boats would come into the city of Lorain and drop off these pellets for the production of steel,” Mayor Bradley explains. “Of course we don’t produce steel in Lorain anymore, so there was no need for this pellet terminal, and they left us with a huge brownfield, like 50 plus acres of brownfield across from Lorain City Hall.”

“We applied for federal and state grants and got about six plus million dollars to remediate that property. We remediated the brownfield last year and now we’re doing the infrastructure improvements this year,” Mayor Bradley states. The city has issued requests for proposals from developers interested in mixed-use development that could include residential units, commercial space, and public amenities.

The waterfront project includes plans to honor Toni Morrison, Lorain’s Nobel Prize-winning author. Born in 1931 as Chloe Ardelia Wofford, Morrison became the first Black woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993 and won the Pulitzer Prize for “Beloved” in 1987. “We hope to develop one of those piers into a park dedicated to Toni Morrison,” Mayor Bradley says. “Her actual sorority has been in contact with me, and they’re interested in putting a bronze statue of Toni Morrison in that park and then having a walking path with maybe quotes from some of Toni Morrison’s books.”

Housing Growth and Community Building

Lorain’s residential development strategy addresses market-rate housing demand and affordable homeownership opportunities. The Meister Road project will be the city’s largest new construction initiative. “That is an exciting project. It’s going to be focused basically on two income households, two-bedroom units, but with some amenities there for young professionals or retirees that want to transition from home ownership to something that they can still own, yet a little less maintenance,” Mayor Bradley explains. The 260-unit townhouse development targets residents seeking ownership alternatives with reduced maintenance responsibilities.

Municipal policy changes further enhance housing options. “Just at our last council meeting on Monday we passed an ordinance to permit manufactured homes to be built and placed in the city of Lorain. They had been previously outlawed in the city, but we know that manufactured homes have come a long way since that ordinance was originally passed,” Mayor Bradley states. Modern manufactured housing differs significantly from earlier mobile home designs, featuring permanent foundations and construction quality that often exceeds site-built homes in similar price ranges.

Federal funding supports homeownership initiatives after years of administrative challenges. “Our Building Housing and Planning Department was able to secure some funds from HUD that had been frozen for about seven or eight years because of some mismanagement in prior administrations,” Mayor Bradley notes. “These resources will support home rehabilitation projects and provide down payment assistance for first-time buyers.” The programs particularly target residents who have been excluded from homeownership opportunities. “We’re going to give them that chance with some down payment assistance,” Mayor Bradley adds. Habitat for Humanity partnerships complement these efforts through infill housing construction on vacant city lots.

Looking Forward: Infrastructure and Tourism Vision

Lorain’s infrastructure investments focus on supporting current residents and anticipated growth. “We’ve been looking at constructing a new water purification plant here in Lorain. Our water purification plant needs to be updated, and so we’re currently working on trying to find a location. We have the engineers working on a design, making it energy efficient and hopefully maybe reducing some of the costs of water,” Mayor Bradley explains. The facility will serve existing customers while providing capacity for industrial and residential expansion.

Sports and recreation facilities drive tourism revenue while serving residents. Mayor Bradley collaborated with Lorain City Schools to transform Campana Park into a regional attraction. “We put over six million dollars into that facility. We have synthetic turf on our baseball field; we have synthetic turf on our softball field. We’ve improved all the fields, put in concession stands,” he states. The complex now attracts teams from across Ohio and neighboring states, generating economic activity for local restaurants and businesses during tournaments and competitions.

Moreover, the city converted underutilized tennis courts into multiple-use facilities. “We expanded the tennis courts into eight pickleball courts with eight pickleball nets. We have lighted courts and people are playing pickleball and tennis, and that’s bringing a lot of people to our community,” Mayor Bradley notes. 

Looking ahead, Mayor Bradley sees Lorain positioned to capitalize on regional economic trends. The combination of freshwater access, transportation infrastructure, workforce development programs through Lorain County Community College, and available industrial sites create competitive advantages. His administration focuses on building partnerships that leverage these assets while maintaining the community character that has sustained the city through previous economic transitions.

AT A GLANCE

Name: Lorain

What: “The International City” transforming from steel manufacturing hub to diversified economy focused on high-tech development, cultural tourism, and sustainable growth

Where: Ohio 

Website: cityoflorain.org