Ludlow

It doesn’t get much more quaintly picturesque than the quiet riverside town of Ludlow. Located along Highway 8 in northwestern Kenton County, Ludlow offers ample opportunities for enterprise and fun on the river, which factors prominently in the town’s history and economy. It's easily accessed from Cincinnati via I-75/Covington and the nearby Anderson Ferry. Taverns and eateries that once provided respite for traveling boatmen are experiencing a renaissance as revelers from all over Greater Cincinnati flock to more offbeat spots like the popular Ludlow-Bromley Yacht Club. Affordable cost of living and plentiful green spaces make Ludlow an increasingly attractive option for families. On summer nights the air is thick with barbeque smoke and the crack of baseball bats from nearby parks, which range from untouched nature to fully outfitted playgrounds. Available real estate includes historic homes, multi-unit buildings, condos, townhouses and commercial properties with substantial acreage.

NKY locks up $10 million for Catalytic Fund

By Newsroom

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General

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May 25, 2012

It's official: The Catalytic Development Fund Corporation of Northern Kentucky has reached its initial $10 million funding goal, thanks to recent investments by PNC and Fifth Third Bank. Launched in 2007 with an initial $1 million pledge from Corporex CEO Bill Butler, Northern Kentucky's first-ever development fund will be used to leverage as much as $100 million in the region's river basin communities -- Covington, Newport, Dayton, Bellevue and Ludlow. Read the full story here.

CVG repeats as best regional airport

By Newsroom

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Business + Innovation

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May 25, 2012

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is "Best Regional Airport in North America" for the second year in a row -- a designation awarded by London-based air transport research organization Skytrax. The award is based on surveys of more than 12 million air passengers in 388 airports. Rankings are based on 39 different airport service and product factors, including check-in, arrivals, transfers and gate departures. "This award is a testament to the 10,000 professionals who make up the CVG community, creating an exceptional experience for our customers. We congratulate our employees, airlines and business partners on this prestigious honor – two years in a row. We thank every passenger who chooses to fly through CVG," Candace McGraw, CEO of the airport, said in a news release. Read the full story here.

Leaps and bounds toward livable communities in NKY

By James Sprague

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Business + Innovation

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April 27, 2012

Northern Kentucky is making strides toward more livable neighborhoods. From funding for urban revitalization to the creation of a business-attracting life science corridor to a riverfront trail project that links our region's communities, here's a progress report.

Twenty-eight companies add 1,303 jobs in NKY

By Newsroom

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Business + Innovation

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April 27, 2012

In 2011, 28 companies either expanded or relocated to Northern Kentucky, creating 1,303 high-paying, full-time jobs. That tops the 22-company goal the region's Tri-County Economic Development Corporation set for last year, and marks the highest number of companies moving to or investing in Boone, Kenton and Campbell County in several years. In addition to direct job creation, 1,536 indirect jobs were also created. Tri-Ed has spent the last half-dozen years recruiting companies in specific sectors including advanced manufacturing, life sciences and technology, says Tri-Ed Senior Vice President Karen Finan. "We've done very aggressive marketing. Even during the downturn, folks were out talking about Northern Kentucky to a very targeted group. Now that we're having an economic upturn, we are seeing some of the results of that," Finan says. Nearly two-thirds of new jobs were in advanced manufacturing. Other growth sectors include office/tech, life sciences and e-commerce. The largest investment came from advanced manufacturing company, ZF Steering in Florence. The company, which makes steering components for passenger cars and SUVs, is planning a $95.8 million expansion. ZF Steering will build two 175,000-square-foot buildings and hire 374 employees in two years. Healthwarehouse.com, a growing online, mail-order pharmacy, relocated to Northern Kentucky from Loveland, Ohio, bringing nearly 50 jobs and its large medication warehouse. Healthwarehouse.com sells only FDA-approved and legal-for-sale drugs, and is licensed in all 50 states. It's one of only 24 Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS) accredited pharmacies in the country. The company plans to create 220 jobs in the next two years. A bright spot for the struggling Cincinnati International Airport (CVG) is the growth of international shipping company, DHL Express. The $47 million airport cargo hub expansion, in Hebron, will take about 14 months, creating 285 jobs, including 120 full-time positions. "CVG has been such an asset for us," Finan says. "It's a highly efficient airport in our backyard. The growing DHL air cargo hub is really a positive for companies in the area." In addition to airport services, state economic incentives, local infrastructure and the region's distribution workforce have many fast-growing startup companies looking at Northern Kentucky, Finan adds. "Smaller, but impactful, companies are coming in, 10,000 to 20,000 square feet at a time," she says. Written by Feoshia Henderson Follow Feoshia on Twitter

What sets NKY apart?

By Gin Ando

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General

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April 27, 2012

Creative real estate solutions, an aggressive incentive environment and an unparalleled quality of life that blends urbanity with country serenity, waterfront vistas with scenic wine trails, and a fast-paced high-tech start-up scene inclusive of life sciences and muscular advanced manufacturing.

KY among top states for business start-ups

By Newsroom

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Business + Innovation

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April 27, 2012

Kentucky has been listed among the states with the highest number of startup businesses in 2011, says the Governor's office. A statement says the state tied for the eighth-highest number of new companies in the latest Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity report. Kentucky had a 27 percent increase in entrepreneurial activity over the previous year. Read the full story here.

Uptown Consortium boosts business retention through quarterly seminars

By Newsroom

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Architecture + Design

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April 3, 2012

After visits to dozens of uptown businesses, the Hamilton County Development Company (HCDC) has launched a series of seminars designed to meet the immediate needs of local businesses. It's part of the Consortium's business retention efforts. The first workshop, on business redesign, came after one-on-one meetings in Clifton, Mt. Auburn and Clifton Heights, University Heights and Fairview (CUF). The Consortium will meet with business owners in Avondale and Corryville, says Janelle Lee, director of business and community affairs at Uptown Consortium. "We've decided to hold quarterly workshops on different topics, based on our meetings. Our next one is on marketing, and how to best reach your customers. What keeps our communities thriving, safe and clean are our small businesses, and we want to keep them in business," she says. The Uptown Consortium is a non-profit community development corporation supported in part by some of Uptown's major employers, including Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, UC Health, TriHealth, the University of Cincinnati the Cincinnati Zoo. Those organization employ more than 50,000 people and have an annual economic impact of $3 billion. HCDC is nonprofit business incubator and economic development agency aimed at retaining and creating jobs. The design workshop featured local expert Andrew McQuilkin, chief strategic design efficer at BHDP Architecture, which specializes in retail design, store planning and branding. He was joined by Diane Agricola, an experienced interior redesigner and owner of Agricola Redesign LLC. "They gave tips and trends on revitalizing your storefronts and entrances, and making small changes like updating hardware or painting. They also talked about branding concepts, or changing your awnings or windows to attract customers," Lee says. Afterward, a local business, jewelry store D Raphael in Clifton, was chosen for a free redesign. The redesign took an afternoon and gave the business a more updated, sophisticated look, which better highlights owner David Raphael Brine pieces, he says. "I've been in the store for so long that I no longer had a good perspective, and I was willing to trust in them to change things for the better," says Brine, who has been in is current location since 1981. "Right away people who owned stores nearby told me how great it looked, and another young man on his way to a yoga class came in specifically to tell me how much he liked it. It was totally unsolicited and gratifying." To find out more about the outreach, go the the Uptown Consortium website. By Feoshia Henderson Follow Feoshia on Twitter.

2012 Northern Kentucky Thoroughbreds

By Gin Ando

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General

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March 30, 2012

At the fourth annual Northern Kentucky Thoroughbreds celebration, the Tri-County Economic Development Corporation (Tri-ED) honored 28 new and expanding businesses for their contribution to the region.

Impact study demonstrates “rising tide” of NKY economy

By Amy Elliott Bragg

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Business + Innovation

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March 30, 2012

In 2011, 28 companies expanded or located in Northern Kentucky, creating 4,127 jobs and impacting the region's economy to the tune of $685 million. But the greatest testament to Northern Kentucky's strength may not lie in a single number. Here's a closer look at the 2011 economic impact study, and what it means for the region.

Office and tech sites for your business expansion

By Northern Kentucky Tri-ED

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Business + Innovation

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March 30, 2012

Looking for the next office/tech site for your business expansion? Northern Kentucky is surrounding your company with the perfect business environment. Review a sampling of available sites.