Norwood mayor touts $10M+ carryover, $24.5M factory investment and $2.3M flood fix in State of the City

Mayor Victor Schneider delivered an extended State of the City address at a Norwood Together community gathering, saying Norwood has a carryover of more than $10 million and outlining private investments, housing projects and infrastructure work designed to reduce flooding and update aging water lines.

Schneider highlighted a $24.5 million reinvestment by United Dairy Farmers, the remediation and redevelopment of the former Factory 52 (a PLK project), and several housing proposals including Sherman Oaks (108 units) and a proposed 205-unit multifamily project on the Pond Realty/Walsam Way site. He also described a planned Elm Avenue flood mitigation project budgeted at about $2.3 million, and a pilot program to remove lead service-line connectors developed in cooperation with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

The City’s fiscal position and why it matters

Schneider said the city has not had a carryover of the current size since “before the actual General Motors days,” reporting what he called “over $10,000,000” in carryover funds. He said the administration is using that position to leverage grants and low-interest loans (including Ohio EPA funding) rather than spending general fund dollars directly.

“Right now, the city is sitting pretty good financially,” Schneider said. “We’ve got a pretty major carryover of funds this year.”

Private development and downtown projects

Schneider described several private investments and redevelopment projects moving through planning and permitting. He said United Dairy Farmers is investing $24,500,000 and that PLK’s Factory 52 redevelopment — a brownfield cleanup and renovation of about 328,000 square feet — has progressed rapidly after cleanup. He said Uptown Properties received favorable guidance for developing the western portion of the Pond Realty lot at Walsam Way into roughly 205 multifamily units with ground-floor retail, and that the Sherman Oaks project will convert the old Fun Factory/bread factory site into about 108 units, with added park access to Millcrest Park.

He also discussed a proposal to convert the old Allison School (Central High building) into about 21 condominiums and roughly 17 townhouses, noting the need to upgrade a 4-inch water main serving that area to an 8-inch main to support the development and fire protection needs.

Infrastructure and water system work

Schneider outlined ongoing and planned infrastructure work: remote water meter readings have been installed, older water towers will be removed, and the city has a pilot program to use grant funding to remove lead service-line connectors. He said Ohio EPA staff visited Norwood to review the city’s lead-line removal approach and called the local methods a model that could be duplicated across the state.

He described the Elm Avenue flood mitigation project as a decades-long flooding issue for which Norwood obtained additional Hamilton County funding; the total package he cited was about $2.3 million with the city contributing roughly $1,000,000. The mayor said easement work has begun, a contractor has been selected, and the project should be completed in 2025.

Transportation, sidewalks and streets

Schneider said Montgomery Road improvements — narrowing lanes, adding bump-outs, landscaping and upgraded lighting — are moving forward and that Norwood expects to receive a portion of transportation-tax funds allocated through Hamilton County. He estimated the Montgomery Road improvement program at about $3,000,000 and emphasized the upgrades will not come from the city’s general fund. He also described resurfacing and connector street work around State Route 561 (Smith Road/Carthage) and other arterial repaving to keep traffic off residential streets.

Parks, recreation and community facilities

The mayor described the city’s purchase and renovation of the former YMCA building (acquired for $1) into a recreation and community center offering a gymnasium, fitness equipment and year-round pool programming. He reported the senior center was renovated and reopened, with about 40 seniors attending weekly lunches and trips. Schneider said the city added a playground and zip line at Lower Millcrest Park and has improvements planned for walking and bike-path connections, including work related to Wasson Way and negotiations with Norfolk Southern over rail trestles with potential rails-to-trails interest.

Operations and administration

Schneider credited staff hires — including a permanent safety service director, an HR director and a community development director — for improving capacity to deliver projects. He mentioned operational upgrades such as a heated trailer for pothole repairs, enterprise fleet practices, adoption of radio-read water meters and ongoing efforts to improve CRA ordinances and benefit management. He said healthcare cost increases were constrained to about 5 percent in city plans after larger increases in prior years.

Public questions and fiscal oversight

During a brief Q&A, Schneider confirmed Norwood remains under oversight by the state auditor’s office but said the administration is working to normalize the city’s procedures and forecasts so the auditor’s office will conclude its involvement. He described the auditor’s oversight as an ongoing review of whether Norwood’s new financial practices will be sustained.

No formal votes or council actions were recorded during the event; Schneider’s remarks were a mayoral presentation to a community-hosted meeting. Several Norwood Together announcements and a request for donations after a recent residential fire were presented at the start of the gathering by the event host.

Why this matters

Taken together, Schneider said, the projects and fiscal plan aim to keep Norwood competitive for jobs and investment while addressing long-standing issues such as flooding and lead service lines. Many projects described are contingent on final permits, easements, grant approvals and private developer decisions, Schneider said.

Looking ahead

Schneider said some projects should be completed in 2025 and that the city will continue working with county, state and federal partners to secure grant funding and complete infrastructure work. He closed by thanking volunteers and staff and inviting residents to contact Norwood Together or the city for more information.