Toledo Area-wide Plan, Toledo, Ohio

Vita Nuova helped take fragmented efforts conducted by individual groups and help build a strategy that many could invest in and work collaboratively toward revitalization. -Karen Rogalski, Neighborhood Outreach Coordinator, St. Vincent’s Hospital

Vita Nuova was selected to complete the USEPA Area-wide Plan for the Overland Park area of the City of Toledo. As the area that served the former Jeep plant, it had a 43% vacany rate and 25% loss of population over the last 10 years. In addition, the area suffered from blight, signficant number of brownfields, crime and a lack of commercial services. While the challenges in this area are significant, Vita Nuova led a process to accurately understand the underlying issues and help create teams of public, private, and community organizations to address them. Significant momentum and investment was created through the process where over a dozen brownfields were identified and several are moving toward redevelopment. In addition, a focus on economic development, reinvestment in the community, and on youth outreach has led to a steady stream of efforts to rebuild the community.

For more information visit: www.toledoawp.com