Citizens offer economic development suggestions for Covington

Citizens participating in a forum on Covington’s economic development came up with the following when asked for suggestions on how to build a lasting economy, examples of businesses that fit with the city, and unique opportunities for Covington:

How to build lasting economy?

Continue to diversify new businesses

Develop professional office buildings

Develop meeting or banquet space

Keep money local

Become a regional “center”

Develop more arts and entertainment

Grow compact/taller, not wider

Get people out of their cars

Create family-wage jobs

Expand retail tax base

Affordable housing

Create reasonable commute patterns

Live and work close together

Infrastructure supports development

Need public transit

Examples of businesses that fit?

Cycle shops, furniture stores, appliance stores, REI, Trader Joe’s, golf shops, Oxford Suite Hotel (meeting rooms), Town Center like Kent Station, hotel (Conference rooms), restaurants (upscale/not expensive), miniature golf/paint ball, plumbing and repair companies, movie theater, bowling, bookstore, professional (insurance), car lots, boat sales, breakfast restaurant, light manufacturing or assembly, City University, boutique stores, arcade, high tech, bakery, pub, motorcycle store, kitchen store, gift shop.

Unique or special opportunities?

• City purchase Covington Elementary School for city hall and town center

• Develop Costco land (behind it) with community center park

• Police station and fire station with children’s playground in between

• Create sense of self

• Secondary access off of Highway 18

• Develop bike paths and trails; parks and athletic fields

• Business by-pass loop (separate community from visitors coming to shop)

• Farmer’s market

• Ground-floor retail with housing or office above

• Trolley services

• Park-and-ride lot/public transit

• Condo and apartments

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