01 OC Mag 01-24
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Commercieel Centrum purchased three<br />
years ago. To provide access to the first<br />
chunk of lots in the business development,<br />
a set of new roads was put in: Tallahassee<br />
Avenue Southeast and Eighth<br />
Street Southeast.<br />
McEwen said that projects like Commercieel<br />
Centrum represent the city’s<br />
commitment to communicating with<br />
local businesses and growing the local<br />
economy. Of course, such work brings<br />
about other needs in communities, such<br />
as housing and other services that workers<br />
and their families need when they<br />
consider moving someplace.<br />
“I hear that all the time, affordable<br />
housing and assistance with day care,”<br />
McEwen said. “We are always working<br />
to improve our day care, making it sustainable<br />
and expanding it. It makes life<br />
easier when you have a consistent and<br />
strong day-care presence.”<br />
As for housing, considerable market<br />
changes have altered what affordable<br />
means for the average homebuyer.<br />
“With interest rates and everything<br />
going up, that old idea of affordability<br />
from even a year ago might not be<br />
so affordable anymore. We’re actually<br />
exploring ways to have houses that are<br />
in the lower $200,000, not the upper<br />
$200,000,” McEwen said.<br />
As the city facilitates growth in business<br />
and housing, it seeks simply to be<br />
prepared.<br />
“It’s a matter of time before you have<br />
some of these other dominoes start to<br />
fall,” McEwen said. “We’ll have to take<br />
it as it comes, but we are ready. We are<br />
ready for growth.” <br />
SPRING 20<strong>24</strong> | <strong>OC</strong> MAGAZINE 11
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