The Hamilton County Development Co. is often thought of as a center for small-business assistance, but it was our work with two major automakers that had a lot to do with how we’ve evolved over the last two decades.
The start of our incubator, the Hamilton County Business Center, came about with the pending closure of a fixture in this community – the General Motors plant in Norwood. By 1984, it was clear the plant was destined to be shut down, as it was an outdated facility making cars that were declining in popularity. We decided to respond to the pending layoffs by providing workers with a way to start their own ventures. When GM closed the plant in 1986, HCDC acquired and renovated an old manufacturing site on Mentor Avenue in Norwood for our business incubator. The Ohio Department of Development provided operating capital to help get it going. In 1989, our first incubator tenant moved in – Brace Technologies, a company that became profitable in three years. Now, we have 50 companies working in the center. In 2007 alone, the revenues of the incubator tenants totaled nearly $24 million.
It was our work with GM rival Ford Motor Co. in the 1980s led to the creation of our Economic Development Office. Ford’s transmission plant in Sharonville had a reputation for quality, but its chief product was for a soon-to-be discontinued line of cars. The plant needed new machinery and equipment so it could stay open and build four-speed truck transmissions. We worked with the state of Ohio and the municipalities of Lincoln Heights, Glendale, Woodlawn and Sharonville to create a multi-jurisdictional enterprise zone, the first of its kind in Ohio. This and other state incentives enabled Ford to make the investments, keep the plant open and save more than 2,000 jobs.
Ford’s experience here led it to hire a consulting firm to find ways to promote sustainable economic development for the enterprise zone communities, in particular, the city of Lincoln Heights. The consultant recommended hiring an economic development coordinator, employed by HCDC, to focus on that city. Our work led Hamilton County officials to expand our role by establishing the Economic Development Office in 1992.
Whether it be big business or small, the Hamilton County Development Co. is committed to encouraging investment and keeping jobs in this region.
