Lunch & Launch Recap: Insight 2050 – Emerging Opportunities for Entrepreneurs in Central Ohio

Written by Innovate New Albany@InnovateNA10 years ago

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Have you ever wondered what Central Ohio communities might look like 30+ years from now? The Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) knows, and shared it at SunDown RunDown’s Lunch & Launch at Innovate New Albany on May 8.

The presentation, “Insight 2050: Emerging Opportunities for Entrepreneurs in Central Ohio,” reported phase one results of the Insight 2050 project. Insight 2050 is a collaborative initiative between MORPC, Columbus 2020 and the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Columbus.

Kerstin Carr, Director of Planning and Environment at MORPC, and Jung Kim, Research Director at Columbus 2020, both presented information about Insight 2050 and the implications and opportunities for Central Ohio business owners.

Insight 2050’s goal is to help Central Ohio communities plan for the population growth and development that is expected to occur over the next 30+ years.

Kerstin said phase one of Insight 2050 predicted that future growth in a seven-county region would result in the following:

• 300,000 new residences
• 1 billion square feet of new or redeveloped non-residential building space
• 300,000 more jobs
• 500,000 more people.

She said demographics would change as well. Most of the growth between 1990 and 2010 was among the 35-64 year olds. By 2040, 44% of the growth will be in the 65 and older age group, and 19% growth will be in the under 35 age group.

This demographic shift will have implications for the types of homes and communities these groups of people will want. There will be an increased desire for walkable neighborhoods, shorter commutes and smaller residences. They will want more mixed age, mixed income communities, more mixed-use environments, and more transportation options.

Kerstin showed before and after photos of abandoned spaces in other communities. These abandoned spaces have been transformed into quaint, tree-lined, walkable town centers that many people are looking for.

Following Kerstin’s presentation, Jung Kim spoke to the group about Columbus 2020, the economic development organization for the 11-county Columbus Region. He discussed how Insight 2050 impacts their future planning and recommendations.

Columbus 2020’s goals are to

• Enhance the quality of life for residents and businesses, by attracting talent and companies through new development (such as the Scioto Mile and Columbus Commons).
• Reduce commuter traffic, keeping highways moving for manufacturing and logistic companies.
• Mitigate fiscal impacts for local government, creating a more stable business environment and lower tax burdens.
• Not waste land on sprawl residential and retail, saving the large sites for major industry projects.

Jung reported on Columbus 2020’s 10-year goal progress, 2014 activity and successes, and how technological innovation is affecting business growth.

For more information about Insight 2050, Columbus 2020, or MORPC, please visit their websites, or contact Kerstin at KCarr@morpc.org, or Jung at jung_Kim@columbus.org.

Innovate New Albany, the city’s incubator for technology startups, entrepreneurs and small businesses, features 16,000 square feet of space within the New Albany Business Park’s Signature Office Building, 8000 Walton Parkway.