FREMONT, Ohio — Leaders in Fremont said they have made a lot of progress in their current economic development plan and that has led to improvements downtown, but there's still more work to be done.
Announced in late 2018, the 10-year "Think Fremont" plan has been the economic development roadmap for the city over the last five years.
Mayor Danny Sanchez said in only half the time, the city has already accomplished 75% of its laid-out goals, including improvements to the downtown and establishing a new industrial park.
"We're taking a step back and looking at what could we have done better, what can we do different and what are some goals that we have for the city to continue all of the positive momentum that we've had the last five to seven years," said Sanchez.
One of the biggest needs identified five years ago was offering new housing.
Economic development director Bob Gross said the city has helped build more than 100 homes over the last three years, which is the most since the mid-70s.
"I went back through our records 50 years, and we built more homes in the last three years than any other three-year period in the last 50 years," said Gross.
With other quality-of-life improvements like brand new elementary and high school buildings and a recently renovated public library, leaders believe continuing their work on the back half of this 10-year plan will make Fremont a more marketable place to live and do business.
"We're still focused on not only attracting new jobs but retaining and expanding here," said Sanchez. "Our local manufacturers are just as important as, if not more important than the new businesses that we look to attract in here."
"We focus on work, we focus on housing, we focus on small business," said Gross. "But we really want to give an overall good feeling that you would want to call us home."
Mayor Sanchez said one of the main goals that they still have yet to accomplish in this 10-year plan is to get the majority of the city's streets repaired or repaved in Fremont.
That means getting voters to approve a new levy or increase income tax with more residents.