CHILLICOTHE – In the scorecard of economic development, Chillicothe has put some more points on the board.
For the third time in the last five years and the second straight year, Chillicothe has been named to Site Selection Magazine’s list of the Top 100 Micropolitan Areas in the U.S. for its development performance in 2015. In order to be considered for the list, a locality must have completed individual projects that involved at least $1 million in capital investment, 20,000 square feet of space or created at least 20 new jobs.
In the Chillicothe area during 2015, a trio of projects — involving Mancor Industries, TYKMA Electrox and Vitatoe Industries — met the criteria and contributed to the city’s placement in a tie for 39th on the magazine’s list. Because that criteria involves only manufacturing, distribution, office and technology projects, the large investments in the Carlisle Building restoration and the Guernsey Crossing development did not contribute to the ranking but certainly have impacted the region, said Chris Manegold, CEO of the Economic Development Alliance of Southern Ohio.
Site Selection is a trade publication for those involved in helping business and industry decide where to locate facilities. Chillicothe was ranked 74th in 2014 and 21st in 2011.
Manegold said the local area already has three projects in the works for 2016 that if they come through may fit the criteria for next year’s rankings release, in addition to the completion of the Murphy-Hoffman Road Readiness Center off Ohio 159. Manegold couldn’t discuss specifics of the projects in the hopper, but said that the listing in Site Selection — which he said is a scorecard of sorts for how an area is doing — should help keep buzz about the area going.
“This is Chillicothe’s second consecutive appearance on this competitive list, the third time in the last five years, and that momentum is continuing into 2016,” he said. “Our good news is being shared with a regional, national and international audience of site selection consultants, brokers, investors, corporations, media outlets and other influential contacts.”
Nearby Jackson also made the list as the only other Ohio micropolitan area in the top 100, and the State of Ohio placed second in the magazine’s Governor’s Cup competition in 2015. A micropolitan area, under a designation by the U.S. Census Bureau, is defined as being a non-metropolitan county that has a core urban population of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000. It also must have a surrounding area that is well integrated with that core urban center socially and economically, which is measured by commuting ties.
Under the definition, there are 575 micropolitan areas in the United States.
Manegold said the ranking and Chillicothe’s return trip to the Site Selection list provides bragging rights that can be used to help sell the local area to companies looking for sites to locate facilities, but it also should create a pride factor closer to home.
“It also, hopefully, has a positive feedback on this community in the fact that people get an impression that things are actually going on for people who may be wondering that ‘nothing happens here,'” Manegold said, adding that the criteria to make the list is very rigorous.
From Chillicothe Gazette | March 3, 2016
