What sets NKY apart?

How would you like to work in a convent? 
 

You don't need to be a nun – just a company with an appetite for one-of-a-kind space and the vision to locate your business in one of the region's most creative real estate offerings. And with Northern Kentucky's access to top-notch tech talent – not to mention the beauty of rivers, countryside and scenic wineries (yes, wineries!) just five minutes from your door – you'll be poised to grow and thrive.

 

Re-purposed convent not your thing? Maybe you could use something on the waterfront or an urban core location close to Cincinnati. With its diverse spread of innovative solutions, Northern Kentucky owns a reputation as a flourishing business-friendly region with a unique real estate market.
 

"We're able to match the business environment to quality of life," says Karen Finan, senior vice president of Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corporation. "Companies are able to find the workforce and the real estate for their business in our community. We have such a wealth of talented developers, and that helps Northern Kentucky continue to grow." 

 

Northern Kentucky's master plan – in concert with the development community and tied into target industry attraction – is a major factor in attracting and retaining businesses to the region. Finan specifically credits NKY developers for their investment in the region – which, in turn, has helped draw more businesses as well as local and regional developers to the area. 

 

"Northern Kentucky developers have a stake in the game," she says, noting how rare it is for national and international development companies to take so keen an interest in the cultivation of a particular region. "Many communities can't claim that."

 

Coming attractions
 

Northern Kentucky has access to 400,000-square-feet of Class A office space on the waterfront alone, as well as some surprising new locations.

 

A prime example is Saint Anne's Convent in Melbourne, Kentucky, home to the Sisters of the Divine Providence. Although it is, in fact, a convent (and, famously, a backdrop in the movie Rain Man), Saint Anne's next life may be as an architecturally unique space for a forward-thinking office or business.

 

Another draw for NKY, in the spirit of Kentucky's renowned Bourbon Trail, is the Northern Kentucky Back Roads Wine Trail, a tour of five wineries that snakes along the picturesque Ohio River. Winery owners and Campbell County officials as well as Tri-ED expect the Back Roads trail to become a tourist attraction – in addition to delicious and varied home-grown wines, the scenery along the way is spectacular. 

 

And nature lovers appreciate Northern Kentucky as a world away from urban sprawl, Finan says. The Boone County Arboretum at Central Park, for example, offers an escape from city life. It also represents one of NKY's biggest advantages: its diverse settings.

 

"You can literally go five minutes away [from the city] and be in the country," Finan says. "It's an immediate turnaround."

 

Back to business
 

For future growth, Finan says Tri-ED is pursuing the emerging high-tech industry market, with a competitive incentive environment and investment in start-ups and small businesses.

In 2011, the overall economy was driven dominantly by the advanced manufacturing sector. As the first quarter of 2012 closed, however, Finan says she began to notice office deals beginning to blossom — and the high-tech sector is perfectly suited for those 400,000 square feet of waterfront property.

That's not to say manufacturing growth is slowing down. And Northern Kentucky is still aggressive in burgeoning fields such as life sciences, aviation, distribution/logistics and water technology. But economic diversity is key to the region's growth, and Northern Kentucky Tri-ED is covering all its bases. After all, there's something for everyone here.

 

Of the momentum NKY is rapidly gaining, Finan says: "It's not happening by accident."

For more information, contact Karen Finan, Senior Vice President, Northern Kentucky Tri-ED. 859.344.0040 / 888.874.3365 or [email protected].