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Speaker of the Ohio House Cliff Rosenberger, R-Wilmington, points out areas for potential redevelopment in downtown Medina. He is shown with, from left, state Rep. Steve Hambley, R-Brusnwick, Medina Mayor Dennis Hanwell, state Sen. Larry Obhof, R-Montville Township, and Kimberly Marshall, Medina's economic development director.
(Ann Norman, special to cleveland.com)
MEDINA, Ohio - City leaders thanked Ohio legislators for a $1 million grant to be used toward a downtown parking deck and shared redevelopment plans for the historic district at a gathering at the A.I. Root Company yesterday.
Speaker of the Ohio House Cliff Rosenberger, R-Wilmington, was on hand, along with state Sen. Larry Obhof, R-Montville Township, state Rep. Steve Hambley, R-Brunswick, Mayor Dennis Hanwell and members of Main Street Medina, the Medina County Economic Development Corp. and the Medina and Brunswick chambers of commerce.
The grant is part of the state's two-year, $2.6 billion capital budget for improvements to community services, school facilities, roads, bridges, waterways and parks.
The money for the parking deck will become available Aug. 1 and must be used by June 30, 2018. Medina Economic Development Director Kimberly Marshall applied for the grant in January.
If approved by City Council, the parking deck would be built on the site of the old Masonic Lodge on North Elmwood Street next door to City Hall.
Hanwell said the project is estimated to cost between $3.2 million and $3.9 million. The city already owns the property.
Marshall said the parking deck would help spur redevelopment of several areas in the historic district. Two of the main areas include the block behind the businesses on the west side of the square between West Liberty and West Washington streets and the corner of West Friendship and North Court streets, where the Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce sits.
"If we can get a couple of these projects going, it might stir development around the square," Hanwell said.
Both areas are within walking distance of downtown and busy Uptown Park, and the addition of west side parking would be an asset for developers, he said.
"We want to ask developers to look at these areas and come up with a plan, then we can kind of pick and choose what's best for the community," Hanwell said.
City officials have discussed possibilities including residential units, restaurants, retail and even a hotel across the street from the proposed parking deck as part of a 2014 strategic development plan for the downtown.
Rosenberger praised that strategic plan, saying more Ohio cities and towns should follow Medina's example in preparing for the future.
"Downtown development is very important to me. We want to spur more economic development in Ohio's downtowns," Rosenberger said.
He said about $50 million from the capital budget has been earmarked for projects in rural and semi-rural counties such as Medina. He would like to see more.
"We need to educate our counties about how to better request dollars for their villages, cities and towns," Rosenberger said.
"I'm extremely impressed" with Medina's strategic plan, he said. "I urge you to share this with other cities."
Hambley and Obhof touted the economic strength and the homey atmosphere of Medina's historic district, which attracts residents and visitors alike.
"There's not a weekend that goes by without something going on in downtown Medina," Hambley said.
Obhof noted that just last weekend, visitors flocked to the square for a community band performance, a jazz concert, the Rally in the Alley behind the west side businesses, the Kids Day of Safety and Play, and the Medina County Farmers Market.
"There must have been 1,000 people there Saturday," he said.
Hambley said the proposed west side parking deck would support more events, as well as future commercial, retail and housing development. The parking deck east of the square already provides space for county government and court parking and additional event parking.
And while Medina might seem quaint and old-fashioned, it's also modern, he said, noting the fiber optic network that covers large areas of the county.
"It's all part of the overall plan," Hambley said.