This past month, our staff spent a few days in Athens with our peers from around the state in economic and community development at the Ohio CDA’s annual conference. The theme of this year’s conference was “Rooted in Place.”

Due to our work being hyper-focused on the Hilltop, it’s easy to forget that our community’s challenges are being faced by similar communities all over Ohio (and elsewhere). Among many other things, we learned how other communities are addressing their challenges, about creative funding solutions for redevelopment projects, and the statewide advocacy the Ohio CDA is working on. It was exciting to see examples of great work being done throughout the state, particularly in and around Athens.

Back in Columbus, our Executive Director participated in a Zone In Gallery event hosted by Council Member Melissa Green for District 6 residents. You can learn more about Zone In Phase II and how to visit the in-person Zone In Gallery here. Don’t forget to submit public comments for Phase II by October 24th.

We had a busy and rainy August! Our staff and Board Chair kicked off the month by attending 2026’s third CDC Thinktank hosted by Eastland Development for Growth & Equity (EDGE) along with Columbus Redevelopment Corporation (CRC), Linden Economic Development Alliance (LEDA), and the City of Columbus Department of Neighborhoods. We learned about the redevelopment efforts taking place in the Eastland area and collaborated with the other partners. Later in August, EDGE celebrated its official launch event to the community which we also attended.

We had a busy month! Our Historic Preservation Committee hosted its first Historic Walking Tour on July 15th. It was a great success. 35 community members braved the heat and joined us to learn about the Hilltop’s early history and several Hilltop landmarks, including St. Aloysius Church, Old Fire Station 17, Highland Elementary School, Highland Youth Garden, Hilltop UMC, and the J. Ashburn Jr. Youth Center. Our committee plans to offer additional tours in the future.

Then on July 25th we partnered with the Westgate Neighbors Association and North Hilltop Neighbors Association for a West Broad Street clean-up and weeding event.

We hope our neighbors are staying cool in this heatwave. We have two featured business spotlights: Purified Beauty Bar and Krown Construction. Continued is our series introducing our Board of Trustees. Read on for a behind-the-scenes look at the past month as well as details for upcoming events.

As we prepare for summer, we have been busy behind the scenes. Interior demolition wrapped up at our Broad & Westgate properties, with construction beginning very soon. In May, we spent the afternoon in Linden learning and networking with other CDCs across Central Ohio. Beard and Blades Barbershop on Sullivant Ave is our featured business spotlight. We included a new series below introducing our Board of Trustees. And, last but certainly not least, our Historic Preservation Committee has planned its first walking tour for mid-June!

Read on for a behind-the-scenes look at the past month as well as details for upcoming events.

We hope you celebrated Earth Month by beautifying your community. Our staff participated in three Hilltop neighborhood clean-ups in April. Last month, we shared details about the Power of One grant application and we have good news: the deadline has been extended until May 29th! If your business is looking for an exterior refresh, the Power of One application is live.

Read on for a behind-the-scenes look at the past month, 2 business spotlights, as well as details for upcoming events and business resources.