Mark Peluso, executive director of Town Center Associates, talks about revitalization goals and business planning for Columbiana County’s walkable downtowns during a recent workshop for community officials. (Photo by Mary Ann Greier)

LISBON — Officials in Columbiana County’s seven walkable downtowns now have individual statistics on dynamics, business structure and vacancy, along with an online database of available properties.

“Now you have to think about where you want to be” Mark Peluso, executive director of the Town Center Association, said.

Peluso and Town Center Associates program director Mara Dowdy presented the information to officials in Salem, East Liverpool, Wellsville, Leetonia, Columbiana, East Palestine and Lisbon, based on research by the center firm Pennsylania.

The Port Authority of Columbiana County contracted with Town Center Associates to collect downtown statistics, analyzing vacancy, building stock, building availability, facades, signage and building conditions, all with the goal of increasing the vibrancy of downtowns. The firm previously worked with the Village of Lisbon, the City of Salem and the City of Columbiana in the downtown area.

During a pitch meeting earlier this summer, Dowdy estimated that potential downtown businesses could total 400 to 500, and if those businesses create six jobs each, that’s 2,400 to 3,000 jobs.

During the more recent workshop, she shared the results of the company’s data collection, including current business mix, downtown vacancies, available properties and developable land opportunities. A Downtown Vitality Indicator revealed the percentage of retail, food/beverage, personal services and arts/entertainment businesses in each downtown. A higher level of these types of businesses leads to a more vibrant downtown.

During the kickoff, she reminded officials that their first look showed only six buildings for sale and two available for rent. This time, she said the number of buildings available for sale or lease was 27. All 27 buildings are listed on the website at downtown properties.net/ColumbianaCounty.

Across the seven cities, she said there are 484 total units, with 124 vacancies, for a vacancy rate of 26 percent. Of the 124 vacancies, she said 25 are available, with two more available but unvacant, leaving 99 vacancies not available for sale or lease. She said that makes it difficult to increase the vibrancy of downtown when there are so many vacancies that are not available for a new business to fill.

She also broke down the mix of businesses at street level, with 20% retail, 11% food/beverage, 6% personal services, 1% arts/entertainment, 3% government/community, 14% office, 10% miscellaneous , 9 percent residential and 26 percent vacant. The ideal mix would be 0 percent for vacation, residential, miscellaneous and office, 5 percent each for government/community and arts/entertainment, 20 percent for personal services, 25 percent for food/beverage, and 35 percent for retail the detail.

As it stands now, Dowdy said the seven cities have a combined vitality rate of 41 percent, a number that can increase if some of that business mix is ​​changed to less vacancy, less office, less housing and less diverse at street level.

“A vibrant business district strengthens the entire community,” she said.

Talking about why it matters, Dowdy said it boils down to this: Homes in communities with a high vitality index sell for higher prices. The higher the vibration score, the higher the home values, she said.

Peluso talked about suggested next steps for center officials to use the data, focusing on five strategies to consider.

These strategies include: reviewing the current business mix and considering priority areas; consider the current vitality index for your centers. and reasonable goals for increasing vitality; review the list of vacant properties and inform TCA of any changes; promote available properties by adding a link to the city or village website; and share this information with the council, planning commission and zoning commission.

Peluso explained that some of that information can be used to formulate policies, such as a vacant property ordinance. He said there are plenty of things that can be done to reduce vacancies, suggesting that property owners should at least put a sign in the window with contact information if they want to sell. He also talked about enforcing maintenance codes.

The next workshop will look at improving buildings and signage.

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