January City Council Message
By: Mayor Gerri Harbison, Contact this Councilmember
Return to City Council Listing
A Time to Reflect on the City's Promising Future
As this year comes to a close and we look forward to the bright and shiny promise of 2007, it is exhilarating to look at the many diverse projects our city has on the horizon. The dynamic growth we are involved in is exciting! While some nearby communities struggle just to survive, we are not only surviving, we are growing and thriving. This is a great time to share the many wonderful projects happening along the Montgomery Road corridor that are beneficial to our residents.
The Downtown Heritage District offers a diverse mix of restaurants including Pomodori’s Pizza, Montgomery Inn, Germano’s, European Café, Neon Lites (which also offers ice cream and frozen yogurt), Jimmy D’s Steakhouse, Village Tavern, Starbuck’s and Perkin’s. There are many unique shops and businesses that are a draw for not only our residents, but for our neighbors in surrounding communities. We have made a significant investment in the Triangle development and have been told by the developer, Montgomery Gateway Partners, they will feature a mix of restaurants, office and retail when they have finished construction. In regards to the retail mix, it is important to note that most neighborhood business districts must resort to entertainment and specialty stores to survive. “Big Box” retailers have taken away a huge chunk of the retail market that small stores just can’t compete with. Frequently we hear of small stores and retail establishments that cannot compete with the large chains and internet. Our commitment is very strong to the Downtown Heritage District. It is the Crown Jewel and heart of our city.
Driving north on Montgomery Road there are a variety of small shops, restaurants and businesses that can provide just about any service you need. Montgomery Square Shopping Center offers a delightful mix of retail and businesses.
As many of you know, the Bethesda North Hospital is now a level 2 trauma center offering critical emergency as well as other medical services to the citizens of Montgomery and the Greater Cincinnati region. Imagine having those services so close when your family needs it most! The benefits to be derived from a facility of this nature as well as the associated medical offices in the vicinity of the hospital are immeasurable and part of what makes our community so desirable to residents and businesses alike. The medical community is a very important resource to our city, both in terms of services to our community as well as a source of tax revenue to sustain our city operations.
At the north edge is the newest addition to our city, The Vintage Club. This community will makes its debut in Homearama 2007. It will offer a variety of exciting housing, retail and office for our current residents as well as drawing new residents and visitors into our community.
I hope you will take some time in the upcoming year to visit some of these great businesses that help keep Montgomery such a vibrant community. It is an exciting time for our city – let’s enjoy it together!