Debunking Myths: Downtown Lima and millennials
– An Id “Community of Place”
Word Count: 847
Chad Stearns
Millennials have overtaken baby boomers as America’s largest generation, and we’ve been informed ad-nasuem about the trends of America’s more mobile youth. Researchers are tracking and analyzing where they want to live, what they want to do, their habits, and their goals. It’s not just curiosity driving all this attention. This information is being tracked because the health of local economies indeed depends on these patterns. So, where does Lima fit in?
Some studies show millennials (those born between 1981 – 1997) want to live in big cities to start careers and center themselves “in the mix.” Other reports highlight the fact that young professionals desire to be in the suburbs to further establish themselves and grow their young families. Despite opposing reports and varying opinions about where young people want to be, downtown Lima is an ideal community of place.
Communities of place are generally described as locations where people live, work, and shop. These areas attract a range of individuals and families because of their convenience and palpable sense of identity. Think: walking to work, hitting the gym afterward, and eventually swinging by the market for dinner ingredients on the way home. What makes a community of place healthy and vibrant are elements of culture, recreation, value and civic engagement – features that Downtown Lima proudly boasts.
I moved to Lima six years ago in order to open a business in Downtown Lima. Part of Modo Media’s mission is to help improve the Downtown area and in order to do that I felt that it was imperative that I also lived in Downtown Lima. I wanted the option to walk to work; to live in an urban environment; be close to the action when events in Downtown Lima were taking place.
Downtown Lima provides the cultural appeal and convenience of a bigger city coupled with the civic engagement and community feeling found in smaller municipalities. I enjoy walking to great restaurants like Vivace and Old City Prime. The historic Ohio Theatre is just a few blocks north of these eateries. I was fortunate enough to produce the musical Cabaret through Octopus Productions last summer at The Ohio Theatre and it was amazing how the Downtown businesses rallied behind the production. Restaurants held themed dining and drink options, helped promote the show and I was able to walk to rehearsals and the performances. The Civic Center’s Crouse Performance Hall exemplifies the growing cultural draw of Downtown Lima – the theater hosts musical concerts and theatrical performances throughout the year in a spacious 1700 seat house. There’s also no “cookie cutter architecture” in downtown Lima because the city has undergone an effort to protect and restore historic buildings to maintain and celebrate their charm as it welcomes in a new era of revitalization such as The Met Block that houses Nitza’s and The Met.
But these amenities and characteristics can be found in many other cities in Ohio and across America, so what else does Downtown Lima offer young professionals and why is Downtown Lima the perfect place for our region’s college graduates to call home?
With the cost-of-living 10 percent below the national average, millennials and young professionals can establish roots and achieve financial security faster in Lima. Renting an apartment is more than six times cheaper compared to coastal cities, the median sales price for a home is $120,000, and childcare is 13 percent below the national average. Additionally, traffic is minimal, allowing young professionals to spend less time in the car and more time on recreation and community activities like frequenting the Farmer’s Market or spending time with friends and colleagues at The Met or Rally in the Square by ArtSpace, or taking advantage of the beautiful Rotary River Walk.
But Downtown Lima’s best feature is far and away its community atmosphere. In Lima, neighbors become family and business owners know you by name. This intangible quality is what so many larger cities lack and is one of the big reasons why America is experiencing a resurgence in smaller cities and communities. Many of the first people I met and became friends with in Lima were fellow Downtown Lima business owners. We meet on a monthly basis through Downtown Lima Inc’s Promotions Committee where we collaborate and share ideas of how to drive traffic into the Downtown. This resurgence is also happening now in Downtown Lima with the $20 million project from Rhodes State College, Dominion project and the National Bank Building project. It’s a great time to be in Downtown Lima.
Many Americans do find larger cities appealing due their convenience, culture, and character. Others are drawn to the suburbs for affordability, civic engagement, and areas to call their own. Downtown Lima has an energy right now that I’m very grateful to both work and live in. We need more opportunities for living spaces in Downtown Lima and many buildings that would be ideal for modern loft options. I believe it is a case of “if you build it, they will come.” I did, and I know many more will too if the opportunity is available.
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