February JumpStart Elyria Meeting Videos Now Available!

JumpStart Elyria Designed to Revitalize Elyria’s Downtown, Midway and Cleveland Street Areas

The City of Elyria has received a $93,000 federal grant to conduct a market analysis and create redevelopment plans for its commercial business districts, including Downtown, Midway and Cleveland Street. The City has hired some of the top urban planners and market analysts in the country to help us figure out how to best position Elyria for success in the region. The entire process will take about 12 months.

The first two JumpStart community meetings were held November 12 and 13 at the Elyria Transportation and Community Center and Council Chambers of Elyria City Hall. The Mayor shared the City’s redevelopment strategy; the City’s planning consultants from the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative of Kent State University and Streetsense of Bethesda, Maryland made a presentation of local, regional and national market indicators and what they mean for Elyria; and Elyria business owners and residents were offered an opportunity to ask questions and comment on the process. There were 120 participants at the meetings.

The second set of community meetings were held February 12, 2015 in morning and afternoon sessions at Elyria City Hall. The focus of these meetings was to present and discuss proposed connection development opportunities and infrastructure enhancements in and between Elyria’s three commercial business districts. The videos for the first two sets of meetings are viewable below. Collectively, there have been 180 participants at all the meetings.

The third and final set of community meetings will be set in late March and early April. Look back here for final dates, locations and times. At these meeting the consultants will bring forth the Economic Development Strategy and Marketing Recommendations based on the completed Market Analysis for the three business districts. We will also see how the consultants recommend linking physical improvements to economic opportunities for the areas. For more information, or if you would like to be included on our meeting invitation mailing list, contact Mayor Holly Brinda at (440) 326-1402.

2015 State of the City of Elyria

Despite our financial challenges, with efficient government practices and hard-working employees, the City of Elyria is maintaining its momentum for positive change. To learn more, tune into Elyria’s Cable Channel 12 and view the Mayor’s State of the City address below. See first-hand how Elyria is open for business with a revised, business-friendly Design Review Process; new business development incentive programs; a new Economic Development Plan informed by a Market Analysis; and a new Elyria Community Improvement Corporation – all to help us better retain, attract and expand businesses and create new jobs.

Thanks largely to government grants, Elyria had over $30 million of infrastructure improvements completed or started last year. Among them: the Midway area SR57-49th Street Bridge reconfiguration; roadway improvements on 21 streets; bidding for the replacement of Middle Avenue; and the repair of 3500 feet of sanitary sewers.

Elyria’s strengthened Narcotics and Neighborhood Impact Unit is breaking the cycle of drugs and burglaries, with over 179 drug related arrests – including the largest single heroin seizure in Lorain County history.
Elyria’s neighborhoods are safer with the demolition of 43 additional nuisance properties for a total of 151 housing demolitions in the last 24 months.

Quality of life programming is back with free summer camps, fireworks, summer concerts, expanded holidays lights and a new agreement with the Lorain County MetroParks to benefit Cascade and Elywood parks. With your continued support, Elyria will continue to move forward.

Holly C. Brinda, Mayor

Warming Shelters in Elyria - Week of February 23, 2015

Once again, we are grateful to have the support of our community leaders in providing shelter to those in need during the current spell of frigid weather:

• St. Mary’s (320 Middle Avenue) will be open tonight (Monday, 2/23) from 8:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• St. Andrew’s (Third Street and Court Street) Church  will be open starting Tuesday, 2/24 at 7:00 p.m. through Wednesday 8:00 a.m.; this  schedule will continue (open from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.) through Sunday, March 1, at 8:00 a.m.
• St. Mary’s will be closed after tonight to give their crews a break and St. Andrew’s will be open nightly Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday this week.

Please call St. Mary's (440-323-5539) or St. Andrew's (440-322-3126) with any questions.

 

St. Andrew's Warming Shelter Open Friday Night

Please be advised that St. Andrew's Episcopal Church (303 3rd Street) will open its doors as a warming shelter starting Friday night at 7pm and will stay open to those in need until 9am Saturday morning.  For more information, contact St. Andrew's at 322-2126.

Warming Shelter Open Tuesday and Wednesday Nights

Once again, St. Mary’s Parish will be opening its warming shelter today (Tuesday, February 17, 2015) at 9:00 p.m. through tomorrow morning (Wednesday) at 8:00 a.m. They are reopening Wednesday night at 9:00 p.m. and will remain open until 8:00 a.m. Thursday morning. Additional days are being considered depending on weather conditions.

Please call the Mayor's Office at 440-326-1402 or St. Mary's at 440-323-5539.

Elyria Warming Shelter Open Thursday Evening

Warming Shelter Update: The subzero temps are coming Thursday instead - so St. Mary Parish, 320 Middle Avenue in Elyria, will open the warming shelter Thursday evening, February 5 at 9pm until Friday morning February 6 at 8am. Please share this change in schedule with anyone who may benefit. Because of the warmer temperatures, the warming shelter will not be open on Wednesday.

ELYRIA BUSINESS DISTRICT REVITALIZATION MEETING - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Dear Elyria Stakeholder,

As someone who has a significant interest in the vitality of Elyria’s business districts, I am inviting you to participate in the second of a three-part initiative designed to jumpstart Elyria’s downtown, Cleveland Street and Midway areas.  Thanks to a federal grant, the City has commissioned a market analysis and re-development planning process for these areas.  We have hired some of the top urban planners and researchers in the country (Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative and Streetsense of Bethesda, Maryland) to help us figure out how to best position Elyria for success.  The entire process will take about 18 months, but your input is important as the plan becomes more refined.      

One of the City’s partnering consultants on this project, Terry Schwartz, Director of the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative, will be in Elyria February 12, 2015 and will hold two meetings for interested parties.  Please try to attend one of these two meetings.  They will be held from 8:30am – 10:00am, and 6:30 – 8:00pm, in the second floor Council Chambers at Elyria City Hall – 131 Court Street – Elyria, Ohio  44035.   

The agenda will include:

1)      Welcome and Introduction – Mayor Holly Brinda (5 minutes)

2)      Recap of previous community meetings – Terry Schwartz & Below (5 minutes)

3)      Summary of Findings from the Market Analysis (15 minutes)

4)      Connection Development Opportunities and Infrastructure Enhancements (30 minutes)

• Downtown
• Midway
• Cleveland Street

5)      Discussion Groups (30 minutes)

6)      Next Steps (5 minutes)

• Economic Development Strategy Recommendations: March Meetings
• Linking Physical Improvements to Economic Opportunities

Please be part of the solution and mark your calendar to attend one of these two meetings.  Your advanced reservation is encouraged, but not required, to help us plan for set-up.  Please make your reservation by calling the Mayor’s Office at (440) 326-1402 by Tuesday, February 10. 

Thank you in advance for your consideration.  I look forward to seeing you on February 12.

Sincerely,

Holly C. Brinda

Mayor