August 2026 – More than 30 community and economic development leaders from across Ohio gathered in downtown Bellefontaine on August 19th for the Greater Ohio Policy Center’s Reinvention Cities Network Roundtable, hosted by Small Nation at the Syndicate.

The roundtable brought together representatives from communities including Mansfield, Sandusky, Piqua, Youngstown, and others, alongside organizations including Heritage Ohio, the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, American Structurepoint, and the Lake to River Economic Development. The Reinvention Cities Network (RCN) provides an opportunity for leaders from Ohio’s smaller legacy cities to exchange ideas, discuss shared challenges, and learn from strategies being implemented in communities across the state.

Led by the Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC), the roundtable began with community updates and conversations surrounding the opportunities and challenges currently shaping Ohio cities. Discussions focused heavily on housing, downtown revitalization, infrastructure, placemaking, economic development, and the policies and resources available to help communities move projects forward.

Throughout the morning, attendees shared projects and lessons from their own communities. Sandusky discussed efforts to increase homeownership and accelerate housing development, while Richland County shared updates on new housing projects, downtown building restoration, and its ongoing Main Street streetscape improvements. Other conversations explored trail development, public spaces, infrastructure challenges, and strategies for creating activities that support downtown businesses.

The discussion demonstrated that while every community faces different circumstances, many are working through similar questions. How can cities create more housing? How can downtown investment generate additional activity? How can public and private partnerships work together? And how can communities turn individual projects into long-term momentum?

Following lunch, provided by American Structurepoint, Bellefontaine Mayor David Crissman, Service Safety Director Wes Dodds, Logan County Chamber of Commerce President Ben Vollrath, and the Small Nation Founder and CEO Jason Duff presented Growth and Opportunity in Bellefontaine, sharing how public-private relationships and continued investment are contributing to growth throughout the community.

Housing was a major focus of the presentation. Bellefontaine issued just three zoning permits for new homes in 2017, compared with 133 in 2025, and another 85 through August 14, 2026. The presentation highlighted several housing developments underway or recently completed throughout the city, alongside investments in parks, infrastructure, downtown redevelopment, and other quality-of-life amenities supporting continued growth.

The afternoon transitioned from conversation to firsthand exploration as Duff and the Small Nation team led attendees on a walking tour of Downtown Bellefontaine. The group explored specialty retail businesses, redevelopment projects, placemaking efforts, and active construction within the Historic Opera Block.

Alison Gobel, Executive Director of the GOPC, stated, “A core purpose of the Reinvention Cities Network Roundtable is to connect community leaders and create opportunities for them to learn directly from one another. While every community represented in the network has its own assets and challenges, sharing successes, lessons learned, and new approaches helps leaders think differently about what may be possible in their own cities.

Bellefontaine provided a valuable opportunity to take that learning beyond the meeting room, and Small Nation was an important part of making that experience meaningful. Through Small Nation’s downtown insight tour, attendees saw how individual investments in business, buildings, and public spaces can work together to create broader momentum throughout a downtown. The experience demonstrated that successful revitalization does not depend on one transformative project, but on consistent progress, strong partnerships, and a willingness to build on a community’s existing assets.

Attendees left with practical and replicable ideas they could adapt to their own communities, along with a broader perspective on how incremental projects can contribute to long-term economic growth and a stronger sense of place. Jason Duff brings a unique ability to connect Bellefontaine’s revitalization story with practical lessons, challenging community leaders to think differently about what is possible and giving them ideas they can put into action.”

The tour also provided context for how dramatically Downtown Bellefontaine has changed. Approximately 15 years ago, much of downtown faced vacancies and blight, with roughly 80% of storefronts sitting vacant. Through entrepreneurship, redevelopment, public-private partnerships, and a long-term commitment to creating a destination, downtown has grown into an active business district.

Small Nation was proud to welcome the Greater Ohio Policy Center and Reinvention Cities Network to Bellefontaine and provide attendees an opportunity to experience the community firsthand. By bringing leaders together to exchange ideas, share lessons, and see projects in action, gatherings like the RCN Roundtable help strengthen the relationships and collaboration necessary to continue moving Ohio communities forward.

The Greater Ohio Policy Center Reinvention Cities Network supports Ohio’s smaller legacy cities by creating opportunities for peer learning, collaboration, and shared problem solving. Through roundtables and other resources, the network helps local leaders explore strategies that advance revitalization, economic development, and long-term community growth.

For more information about the Greater Ohio Policy Center, please visit greaterohio.org.