Toledo, Ohio
Downtown Toledo Strategic Plan

Camiros, Ltd., in association with Economics Research Associates, Barton-Aschman and Associates, and the Collaborative, Inc., prepared a downtown strategic plan for the City of Toledo, Ohio.

The prime objective of the project was to generate awareness of the downtown and interest in its future. Camiros worked with the local print and television news media to have them follow the plan proceedings (in essence, keep a running journal). This cooperative effort, which ran the length of the planning period, was intended to generate and maintain residents' interest in the downtown plan and their future use of the area.

Camiros joined together city staff, ToledoVision (the project steering committee) members and the consulting team for a week long "vision charette workshop" to establish a desirable future for the downtown. The charette's purpose was to put all the options for the downtown on the table and then identify those that are most attractive, acceptable and possible. This intensive week of discussion and design focused on creating a vision of downtown, as well as strategies to achieve that vision.

The recommendations of the plan were built around a set of seven initiatives for downtown revitalization (500 day plan, vacant office space, education and training, small businesses/enterprises, a regional center, arts and entertainment, and downtown neighborhood). A series of actions and target dates aimed at achieving the vision were attached to each initiative. Key actors in the city and downtown were assigned to undertake those actions, providing a broad base of support for the downtown plan. Of particular note is the 500 day plan initiative, which established a series of short term actions intended to create confidence in the downtown and strategic plan.