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Young city attracts big business
The city of Green has10 parks and more than 530 acres of parkland. Boettler Park is perhaps the most visited park with 62.5 acres. It features two picnic pavilions, tennis courts, soccer fields, the 30,000-square-foot Heritage Hill playground, sand volleyball courts and a 1.2-mile walking path. It is also the site of Green’s annual FreedomFest, a celebration of community and country in late June, and art-A-palozza, a fine arts event in August. Pictured here is Heritage Hill Playground. (Photo courtesy of the city of Green).
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: April 25, 2013
It may be just 21 years old, but the city of Green is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with, as it attracts big-name companies and continues to expand its offerings to residents.
“My goal is to make Green one of the top 10 places to live in the country,” said Mayor Dick Norton, who was elected in 2007. “We have a plan in place that lays out how we are going to earn this designation.”
Norton said his vision could be summed up in a few words, “controlled growth that does not interfere with residents’ quality of life.
“A lot of people are afraid of growth,” said Norton. “The key is to build on what is already here, so that we are not saying ‘yes’ to everything but instead deciding what makes sense for us.”
There are currently around 25,600 residents, and the city spans 33.5 square miles. Green began as a township in 1809, and was part of Stark County, until Summit County was created in 1840. A three-mile section of the township became a village in 1988, but voters approved a merger of the two in 1991. The next year Green became a city.
“Those first few years of being a city were really about setting up the structure of the government and converting from a township to a municipality,” said Valerie Wolford, Green’s communications coordinator. “It has really been over the past 15 years that Green has emerged as city.”
Although the population has increased, it is the business sector that has expanded the most. There are about 1,200 companies ranging from mom-and-pop stores and home offices to large employers like Diebold, FedEx Custom Critical and ASC Industries. More recently businesses are setting up along the Massillon Road corridor.
In 2012, Akron General opened two facilities on Town Park Boulevard and Massillon Road, a standalone emergency department and its LifeStyles Health & Wellness Center. The healthcare institution is building a medical office pavilion that is expected to open this summer. It is projected to have a 75 percent occupancy rate by the end of the year, with practices ranging from urology and endocrinology to rheumatology, podiatry, and hand surgery as well as primary care.
Summa Health System also opened an emergency department in July 2012. The mayor said the traffic from these healthcare institutions is driving development at two new commercial, retail and business parks––Heritage Crossings and Union Square, which combined, have 247 acres of property.
“We are strategically located between Akron and Canton, right off I-77,” said Norton. “The city has invested heavily in infrastructure improvements to make the area more accessible and attractive to businesses and residents. When you combine all this with our outreach efforts, we are able to generate new business.”
This summer Acme will break ground on a 68,000-square-foot grocery store in the Heritage Crossings development at Graybill and Massillon roads.
“There will be a small wing attached that can be leased for high-end retail space,” said Norton. “Heritage Crossings has a lot of history. It is the site of Franks Farms. The woman who lives there is a graduate of Green High School and was a librarian for The University of Akron. The land is the most desirable piece of property in the city.”
The mayor said the developer of the business park, Albrecht Incorporated, has had inquiries from several small shop retailers and restaurants but it is too soon to announce the tenants.
In addition to the healthcare facilities, in 2012, Dollar General built a new facility on Main Street and Conrad’s Tire Express also constructed an operation on Massillon Road. Twenty-four other businesses moved to Green as well, ranging from Great Clips, Pat’s Computer Rescue and Attending Angels to Whitebridge Financial and Smokey’s Dyno & Performance.
Some existing businesses expanded in 2012 as well, with both Doug Chevrolet and Toth Buick renovating their showrooms, and the Hampton Inn on Arlington Ridge adding 23 new rooms.
Best Mold and Manufacturing on E. Turkeyfoot Lake Road, built a large warehouse, and Giant Eagle is increasing its size by 23,748 square feet and will have new features like expanded wine, beverage and fresh food sections.
The GreenView Inn at Town Center, an assisted living facility, has completed phase two of a project that encompasses a new front entrance and amenities for residents like a pub room, coffee café, media center and theater.
Other businesses under construction are a Residence Inn on Arlington Ridge East behind Bob Evans and a CVS Pharmacy on Massillon Road. A new road named CVS Drive is being built in conjunction with the new building. It will provide access to the pharmacy as well as other businesses from Franks Parkway.
In addition, a medical and general office building is expected to go up at the corner of Massillon Road and East Turkeyfoot Lake Road, housing tenants like Akron Children’s Physician Associates and Paragon Health Associates.
The Akron-Canton Airport, which is located in the city, is giving a major boost to Green’s economy as it proceeds with its CAK 2018 capital improvement plan. Last year it opened a new TSA security checkpoint, adding 25 percent more space, a new economy parking lot with 800 spaces, and it will soon open its new aircraft rescue and firefighting facility.
In addition Southwest Airlines has begun offering service at the airport, with lower fares to places like Chicago and Denver. More than 1,000 people are employed directly by the airport and its many service providers inside the terminal building on the airfield.
“For the last 15 years, the airport has experienced record breaking customer traffic,” said Kristie VanAuken, senior vice president and chief communications officer for Akron-Canton Airport. “The reason is simple, the airport offers the lowest average fare of any airport in the five-state region.”
She said while lower fares are the hook, officials are working to make sure customers have an enjoyable experience so they return.
“Shorter lines, friendly frontline staff and a sparkling clean facility make the airport a favorite to travelers from throughout the Northeast Ohio region.” In addition, she said the airport offers big airport food brands to travelers.
“We have an Arby’s, Subway, Great Lakes Brewing Company and we recently added a Cinnabon. We have a great mix of high quality, well-known food options as well as healthy offerings that travelers enjoy.”
VanAuken said the airport is also expanding its CAK International Park. “We have been working with the city and the county on this project,” said VanAuken. “Phase one and two are completed and we are making great progress on phase three. The expansion of the park, which has about 142 acres, will add jobs and income to the city of Green.”
Diebold, Walmart and ASC Industries are already leasing property in the park for their distribution centers. “We hope the park attracts companies that would be synergistic with our airport operations,” said VanAuken.
Still the news is not all good. Longtime Green employer, Diebold, which has four facilities in the city, suspended plans to build a new world headquarters in the Union Square business park.
“It is a good news, bad news situation,” said Norton. “We worked hard to be the site for the headquarters and won the competitive battle. Even though the project is not going through they will still remain in Green and now we have other companies that will be able to set up at Union Square instead.”
Diebold remains the largest employer in Green, followed by FedEx Custom Critical, Harry London, InfoCision Management Corporation, ASC Industries, Kovatch Casting, Standard Jig Boring, ComDoc and Goodrich.
Last summer, the Arlington Road construction project was completed, widening the lanes and adding a center turning lane, and the Green Auto Mile was established. The consortium includes six auto dealers along Arlington Road and Interstate Parkway that have joined together to market themselves under the banner name. Infiniti of Akron is constructing a new dealership on the Green Auto Mile, which will open in October.
All the business activity and the variety of companies and industries that they serve provided a cushion helping the city to escape the negative impact from the recent downturn. There were no service cuts or layoffs, however, Green did have some foreclosures and is receiving some Moving Ohio Forward money, but the amount of the funding is minimal.
Norton said proper management and collaboration with the county also played a big role in avoiding problems.
While Green has its own fire department, it contracts with the county to provide police, building and health department services.
“The Green school system shares our administrative building with us, and that saves a few million dollars. Our collaboration with the county means we are not duplicating any services,” said Norton.
“Our credit rating has been upgraded four times since 2008, which allows us to borrow at a low cost,” said Norton. “The hotel expansion will also provide more bed tax, especially when events like the Soap Box Derby and the Bridgestone Golf Tournament come to town and the hotels are packed.”
Green may be filled with businesses, but there are also plenty of recreational opportunities.
“We have ten parks with more than 530 acres of parkland,” said Wolford. “When Green incorporated as a city, there was one park with six acres of space. Since that time Green has spent a lot of time developing our parks. Green also has five golf courses and a portion of the Portage Lakes is located in Green as well.”
She said most of the parks are designed for mixed use with ball fields, playgrounds and picnic areas.
Boettler Park is perhaps the most visited park with 62.5 acres. It features two picnic pavilions, tennis courts, soccer fields, the 30,000-square-foot Heritage Hill playground, sand volleyball courts and a 1.2-mile walking path. It is also the site of Green’s annual FreedomFest, a celebration of community and country in late June, and art-A-palozza, a fine arts event in August.
The city also hosts a Memorial Day parade and ceremony, concerts, haunted hayrides in October, and other events. Green has an annual farmers market, which generally takes place on Tuesdays from June to early October. This year it is being moved right next to the central administration building on Town Park Boulevard.
This year the newest event is, “A Taste of Green,” on Memorial Day weekend from May 25-27, showcasing some of the city’s restaurants. It will take place primarily along Town Park Boulevard and Town Park Crossing, and will also feature entertainment and family activities.
Green has several well-known restaurants including the Bistro of Green, Menches Bros. and the 356th Fighter Group Restaurant (Bombers).
“We have a lot of restaurant choices but only a handful of family-operated businesses,” said Norton. “Over the next couple of years we would like to see more high-end restaurants. One is currently in the works and will provide a first-class experience that you won’t find anywhere else.”
“It is a great place to raise a family,” said Wolford. “The Green Local School District is rated excellent and there are activities for every age group from children to seniors.”
Most recently the city acquired 5.9 acres of land near the central administration building that is slated to become Green Central Park in the future. Although it will have a number of traditional park amenities, it will be just one component in the mayor’s overall vision for Green’s own unique central location.
“It will not be like an urban downtown,” said Norton. “But its proximity to local businesses make the location a perfect gathering place where people can come together after work or on the weekend to enjoy community activities.
“It will be anchored by the park, and will be an open environment. We want to encourage socialization but not forced socialization like the kind which takes place in a large crowded city.
“Our star is pretty bright now,” said Norton. “In the next 10 or 15 years I anticipate our population growing to about 40,000 and more new businesses opening up.”