"Is the worst of the suburbs

the best we can hope for?"

Shuttling a finite amount of disposable dollars up or down the street is NOT economic development.  It is economic displacement.

The goals of an economic development engine are:

1.          Secure the best paying jobs possible

2.          Retain the existing businesses/jobs

3.          Grow the existing businesses/jobs

4.          Lastly, attract complementary businesses/jobs.

WHY THE BEST PAYING JOBS?

Because you want to employ individuals who will then further invest into our community by:

• buying homes
• paying income tax
• sponsoring sports programs
• purchasing goods
• supporting our charities
• maintaining the highest possible quality of life

Part-time and minimum wage jobs offered by a development like the ones enabled with ISSUE 25 will not provide the strong backbone Hudson needs for legitimate growth.

ISSUE 25 will introduce 50,000 SF competitors to existing 5,000 or 10,000 SF businesses. 

• 50,000 SF stores that are highly unlikely to join ANY chamber of commerce.

• Stores that do not use local banks, local accountants, or local suppliers. 

• Stores that don't support school athletic programs, sponsor band booster events, and other community events.

CITY OF HUDSON

Seasons Road Interchange Fact Sheet: 4-13-04

The Seasons Road Interchange has been an important part of Hudson's plans for economic development in the Southern section of the City.  Over a number of years, the City of Hudson has made a significant financial commitment in anticipation of the construction of the interchange in order to realize the highest and best return for that section of the City.

The Seasons Road Interchange is crucial to future growth of Hudson for the following reasons:

• It provides increased access to the southern portion of the City which is zoned for industry.
• It will help decrease the emergency response time of Fire, Police and EMS to businesses and homes in that area.
• As economic growth continues in that portion of the City, the Interchange will provide a better means of access for businesses and industry in the area.
• It will provide needed traffic alternatives to motorists, thereby helping to lessen congestion at the intersection of S.R. 91 and S.R.303.

In anticipation of the eventual Seasons Road Interchange, the City of Hudson has:

• Extended Norton Road to Seasons Road.
• Built an electrical substation and run electrical lines in the area to provide electricity for future development anticipated from the Interchange.
• Extended water lines into the area in anticipation of future growth.
• Performed environmental studies to answer ODOT concerns regarding potential primary and secondary impact to the wetlands.
• In addition, residents and business owners in the area made a commitment to the future of the area by agreeing to volunteer assessments to help fund running water lines into the area.

Financial Impact To Date for the City of Hudson:

• Norton Seasons Road Connector ($1.3 million Hudson portion is of total $2.7 million).  Norton Road was extended to Seasons Road in Stow to make way for the Interchange project.
• Environmental Studies ($50,000)For the Mud Brook Watershed Study to determine any secondary environmental impact to the wetlands.  ODOT has given verbal approval for the project, indicating that the Interchange project will not significantly impact the wetlands.
• Season Road Substation ($2.2 million) electric substation built to accommodate future electrical needs in the area in anticipation of the Interchange.  Powered up in March of this year.
• Seasons-Sullivan Pole Line Electrical Improvements ($450,000)Lines were run into area to transport electricity.
• Southern Industrial Water Line ($1.6 million) water was run into area for future growth anticipated from the Interchange project.

Approx. total City financial expenditures made in anticipation of the interchange: $5,600,000.

Other Economic Development News

Economic Development Plan Initiated

Acting on the recommendation of the Comprehensive Plan, the City of Hudson will contract with an outside professional firm to help develop the City's Economic Development Plan.  The Economic Development plan will outline the highest and best use of land and community resources in order to attract the highest possible return.

Summa Breaks Ground

Summa is rapidly building its 80,000-square-foot, three-story medical center, the first of three phases planned for the Corporate Drive location.  Phase 2 is a medically based fitness facility.  Phase 3, announced during the groundbreaking ceremony, is a plan for an ice rink.  The facility is a joint venture between Summa Health Systems and Akron Children's Hospital.  Construction is scheduled to begin in May, and is expected to be completed early in 2005.  Average annual pay for the employees of the 80,000 sq. ft. medical center is reported at $85,000.  (Compared to avg. annual retail pay of $18,000)  Couple the Summa Health Systems/Akron Children's Hospital commitment with the complementary health and fitness work of Lifecenter Plus - and Hudson has the beginnings of a strong health care/medical research complex in that quadrant of town.

Hudson's Economic Development Program

Economic Development Director Bernardine Matava van Kessel was recently appointed to the Marketing Committee of NEOTEC, the Northeast Ohio Trade and Economic Consortium.  NEOTEC is an economic development partnership formed to promote trade, business growth and economic opportunities throughout Northeast Ohio.  It was founded in February 1996 as a Joint Office of Economic Development (JOED) and includes the following seven counties: Ashtabula, Columbiana, Mahoning, Portage, Stark, Summit, and Trumbull County.  NEOTEC manages Foreign Trade Zone 181 and conducts regional economic development activities on behalf of the seven-county JOED.  NEOTEC serves as administrator of FTZ 181, while promoting the benefits of the Zone to businesses within the region, works to develop Northeast Ohio's logistics infrastructure resources into a seamless transportation system which offers time, cost and flexibility options to firms shipping to and from Northeast, and works with entities within the region to improve the competitive position of the region and enhance the regions capability to support business.  The appointment will help strengthen the City's presence in the region in terms of economic development and should aid in the process of developing a Foreign Trade Zone in the Duke-Weeks property.  (Note: This is the FIRST, full-time economic development director in the history of Hudson!)