We are jumping right in to our #OHCommunitySpotlight series in 2022, and we are starting up in Northeast Ohio with a visit to Warren, the county seat for Trumbull County and a city older that the state itself.

Not on Twitter? The thread is available online, as well as below.

Greater Ohio Policy Center Read on Twitter

This #OHCommunitySpotlight is dedicated to @WarrenCityOhio, located about halfway between Cleveland & Pittsburgh in the Mahoning Valley. @uscensusbureau estimates Warren has over 39k residents today. Photo Source: @WarrenCityOhio #GOPCThread

.@WarrenCityOhio really grew in the early 20th century with several large steelworks opening, which attracted European immigrants.

After WWII, Warren got heavily involved in auto manufacturing. The Lordstown plant, which GM closed in 2018, is taking on a new life as an electric vehicle maker @LordstownMotors.

.@WarrenCityOhio is located w/in 500 miles of 50% of the US pop. It has museums, multi-use trails, parks, public-owned golf course, awarding-winning hospital system, healthy business industry, & cost of living (1 of the lowest in Ohio) #GOPCThread

.@TNP_Warren, a CDC, serves @WarrenCityOhio, providing critical community development expertise and support to the city’s four quadrants.

Since 2013, @TNP_Warren has managed the Trumbull County Land Bank. The Land Bank helps @WarrenCityOhio return vacant/blighted properties to productive use, increase property values, support community goals, & improve residents’ quality of life #GOPCThread

Additionally, @TNP_Warren offers programs, like GROW, an urban ag program to address food deserts; a program financing public art; & the Community Challenge Project that created revitalization plans for the city’s neighborhoods #GOPCThread

In 2021, @TNP_Warren announced a collaboration w/Black-owned Urban Micro Farms & Watu Market to provide fresh, local produce in Warren. Watu was able to expand its product offerings because of @FinanceFund’s Healthy Food for Ohio Grant #GOPCThread

.@TNP_Warren was a catalyst for Dave Grohl Alley, paying homage to the Warren native/@foofighters front-man & serving as space to showcase local artists. Modern Methods Brewing is also in the alley; both attract people to Warren’s downtown #GOPCThread

.@TNP_Warren was created by #TheRaymondJohnWeanFoundation, a family foundation. The Foundation is currently located in downtown Warren and focuses much of its philanthropy and partnerships in Warren & Youngstown.

Another family heavily associated with Warren is @CovelliJobs, which is the largest franchisee of @panerabread in the US. Previously, @CovelliJobs had been the biggest franchisee of @McDonalds. The HQs for Covelli Enterprises is still located in Warren.

As a legacy city, Warren is working hard to reinvent its economic base. Warren Redevelopment & Planning Corp leads the city’s economic dvlpt efforts, including: commercial property & biz development, design review, parking, consultation, & loans #GOPCThread

Warren Redevelopment & Planning Corp. administers @WarrenCityOhio‘s Revolving Loan Fund that provides low-interest loans for entrepreneurs starting/expanding a business; loans are often paired w/other financing & fill gaps between what a borrower already has & needs #GOPCThread

Warren Redevelopment & Planning Corp. manages the Warren Business Exchange, a WBE, hybrid business incubator providing guidance & support for existing early-stage & start-up businesses in @WarrenCityOhio, learn more #GOPCThread

There are a lot of exciting things going on in Warren. Downtown is thriving.  And an abandoned hospital in Warren, St. Joseph, will be demolished soon, under a pilot program through @OhioDevelopment. The site will become a greenspace by 2023.

To learn more about .@WarrenCityOhio, visit https://warren.org/. Also, stay tuned to see which place will be featured in GOPC’s next #OHCommunitySpotlight #GOPCThread