COLUMBUS, Ohio — Central Ohio is growing, and a million more people are on the way. The region's population is expected to reach 3 million by 2050.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther says that boom could come quicker as new industry moves into the region, including two Intel chip factories currently under construction in Licking County.
"I think quite honestly with Intel and Honda LG and some of the major economic development announcements of the last couple years, we may see that as early as 2040," Ginther said.
That rapid growth is already creating challenges that impact our lives every day, from increased traffic and construction to the critical need for affordable housing.
Welcome to Boomtown
10TV is committed to covering every angle of central Ohio's rapid growth, and to accomplish that we launched our "Boomtown" initiative. These stories will shine a light on the growing pains and seek solutions to issues in your everyday life.
Monday on 10TV, we discussed topics around Boomtown that included development, jobs, education, housing and transportation. Some of the stories featured on Monday included:
- Hunger on the rise in central Ohio: At 6:15 a.m., 10TV anchor Tracy Townsend explained how local organizations are managing the higher demand for food assistance.
- How Columbus compares to Austin, Texas: At 5:30 p.m., 10TV anchor Angela An explained what worked for Austin's rapid growth and how leaders in central Ohio can avoid some of the missteps.
- Land Bank Housing Program: At 6:15 p.m., 10TV anchor Doug Petcash showed you how to find out if you qualify for the city program that is building and selling homes for $150,000-$200,000.
And if you are someone with a vested interest in Columbus and central Ohio — whether you've been here your entire life or just moved to the area — you'll want to watch our original program "Welcome to Boomtown," now available to stream on 10TV+ or in the player below. We look back at the evolution of Columbus from "cow town" to Boomtown and look forward to how continued growth is sure to change our city even more. "Welcome to Boomtown" is essential viewing for everyone connected to central Ohio.
Challenges for a growing city
"It's good, but it also creates some challenges," Gov. Mike DeWine said. "You have to be prepared for those challenges."
Leaders say now is the time to prepare for the boom and tackle central Ohio's most pressing issues: affordable housing and transportation.
"I really believe that we are blessed to have the Goldilocks version of growth. It's not too slow and it's not too fast," Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin said. "We have just enough time. Just enough time to do the big things."
What led to Columbus' growth
Becoming a Boomtown didn’t happen overnight.
We spoke extensively to community leaders from the past and present in our 10TV+ original program "Welcome to Boomtown." We asked them to relive the pivotal moments that shaped the metro, like the revitalization of Downtown Columbus and the expansion of professional sports in the region.
"To me, Columbus defines Boomtown. This isn't an overnight success. This has been a generational success," Columbus Chamber of Commerce President Don DePerro said.
We also asked them about plans to prepare the region for the future, including recently changed zoning laws in Columbus and the LinkUs transportation initiative on the November ballot.
"What it comes down to now for Columbus is will we be bold enough? Will we do it?" Hardin asked. "Will we take the steps ourselves to make sure ... we will get to shape (the growth that is coming) and make sure it's good for all of us?"
You can see those important conversations in the 10TV+ original program "Welcome to Boomtown." Make the time to watch it on your big screen via the free 10TV+ streaming app for Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV.