City of Worthington gets positive news on growth

• City of Worthington

Worthington City Hall (Brian Korthals/Daily Globe)

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WORTHINGTON — Economic conditions still may be difficult for many, but that doesn’t appear to be slowing development in the city of Worthington.

Statistics released earlier this month by the city show a total valuation of nearly $20.6 million in permitted work during 2010. While that figure represents a 4.2 percent decline from 2009, the total valuation is still markedly higher than the five-year, annual average of $15,842,339.

“Given the broader economic downtown, this is very good news for Worthington,” Craig Clark, Worthington’s city administrator, said last week.

There have been a number of commercial building projects taking place over the past several months, Clark noted. Among them are the new Hy-Vee grocery store on Oxford Street and the downtown Sterling Drug location, both slated to open this spring.

Other 2010 projects include Worthington’s Memorial Auditorium Performing Arts Center, the New Castle Townhomes complex and expansion at Bedford Industries.

A Jan. 6 memorandum written by Worthington Director of Community/Economic Development Brad Chapulis also indicates that, in addition to building permit valuation greater than the five-year average, Worthington experienced an estimated .5 percent population growth in 2010. There was approximately 4.5 percent growth from 2001 to 2010, he added, stressing the figures were estimates only.

The city’s estimated 2011 population of 11,837 will be revised upon the release of the 2010 Census data, which is scheduled to take place in May. The projected growth is reflected in an increased number of total housing units in the city — from 4,573 in 2000 to 4,803 in 2011.

The total housing units number is multiplied by an occupancy rate of 94.3 percent (a figure from the 2000 census) to arrive at the number of households (occupied housing units) in the city. According to the city’s data, households have grown from 4,311 in 2000 to 4,528 in 2011.

The number of households are then multiplied by 2.61 (an average number of person per households; also from the 2000 Census) to get the total estimated population. Changes in both the occupancy rate and number of persons per household figures in the 2010 Census will almost certainly bring change to the city’s 2011 population estimate, Chapulis explained.

Both population and building trends are poised to remain positive, Clark and Chapulis agreed.

A long-anticipated events center and hotel complex — which, like the Memorial Auditorium project, will be funded through a half-cent sales tax referendum approved by voters in 2008 — is likely to have its groundbreaking this year. Renovations of the former Worthington Area YMCA, now owned by the city, are also expected to begin; the structure will be converted into a senior center facility.

Another significant project in the works, said Clark, is an addition to the business incubator in the city’s bioscience park on U.S. 59 that would create a testing and training center. Another potential construction site is the former Campbell Soup Co. property, where a new fire station could be built starting sometime this year.

“We’re helping our existing businesses but also growing new opportunities,” Clark said.

“There’s a lot of enthusiasm, and I hope it comes to fruition,” Chapulis added.

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