Topic Workshop #3 Recap
What We Did…
On Wednesday, May 22, 2024, the Eastland community came together again at Barnett Community Center to discuss entrepreneurship, small businesses, and retail & services. We had 40 participants who heard a presentation from the Eastland Planning Team and participated in engagement activities. The information below is a high-level summary of what was discussed during the workshop.
Please visit the documents page to download the full presentation.
What We Heard…
Retail and Services
First, we discussed retail and services, which included key findings from the primary market area study and information about existing retailers in the area. The market analysis by Development Strategies provided insights into topics such as the existing retail supply-demand, current retail rent rates, and other relevant factors. Our discussion and activities focused on these elements, helping the community identify the strategies and resources they felt were necessary to address the findings.
Results from the community survey on ideal businesses and services within a short distance from home
This image compares retail rent rates in the Eastland area to the City of Columbus.
This image highlights the growth in retail demand that additional households would create in the Eastland area.
This image highlights the oversupply of retail compared to the demand in the Eastland area.
Describe your ideal retail environment.
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Next, Development Strategies provided insights into small business and entrepreneurship. During this discussion, stakeholders learned about the benefits of small businesses and opportunities in the area. Our discussion and activity for this topic centered on creating a more supportive environment for small businesses in the Eastland area.
This image highlights the economic benefits of small businesses on the economy.
This image describes the idea mix of retail to meet the community’s needs.
How can Eastland’s retail environment better support small businesses?
How to Stay Involved
This was the third of five workshops that will be held to address priority topics identified by the community. We still need your voice and your ideas represented at the upcoming Topic Workshops—see below for registration and other ways you can stay involved over the next few months. We’ll continue to post updates and share other opportunities to engage as they arise.
Register for the Topic workshops to be held over the course of the spring and summer.
Share your ideas or open ended thoughts about Eastland’s future on the Vision Wall.
Tell us a bit about the places where you go or avoid in Eastland.