2022-23 City of Green Ohio Magazine

PROSPEROUS

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PROGRESSIVE

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PROMISING

2022-23

Celebrating

30 YEARS

Get a closer look at the makings of the prosperous, vibrant community we call home.

Meet four of the city’s highly successful businesswomen

Sneak peek at new residences coming to town

Check out the new Mindful Walk at Southgate Park

SPONSORED BY THE CITY OF GREEN

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Builder Builder Developer Developer Real RealEstate EstateBroker Broker 330.896.3253 330.896.3253

Building BuildingRelationships Relationshipsininthe theCity CityofofGreen GreenSince Since1984 1984

SERVING SERVINGTHE THECITY CITYOF OFGREEN GREEN GREAT GREATFOOD FOOD~~SINCE SINCE1987 1987 1687 1687Sandy SandyKnoll KnollDrive Drive• Green, • Green,Ohio Ohio

| CONTENTS |

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MESSAGE

FROM THE MAYOR Learn how roundabouts keep our city safer and less congested.

CITY

NEWS See how Green started and has evolved over the last 30 years.

PROSPEROUS

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PROGRESSIVE

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PROMISING

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PARKS

& RECREATION Check out Southgate Park’s new Mindful Walk.

MAP

& LOCATION INDEX Find out more about Green, including city demographics.

MORE PLACES TO CALL HOME Residential development is booming in Green.

SCHOOLS

Get the scoop on plans for new and updated buildings.

GREEN SCENE Discover sustainability initiatives throughout the city.

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: LAURA WATILO BLAKE A PUBLICATION OF THE CITY OF GREEN. FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL 216-377-3693.

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WOMEN OF GREEN Meet four local businesswomen.

LESS WORRY. MORE WHIMSY. THIS IS LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE. NOT FOR PROFIT

When your plan for the future includes a full continuum of care and support to address whatever comes your way, planning joyful moments in your day becomes routine. At The Village of St. Edward, we invite you to learn more about a lifestyle of convenience and security for those seeking purpose and promise.

FAITH BASED

LOCALLY OPERATED

INDEPENDENT & ASSISTED LIVING MEMORY CARE • NURSING CARE

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| C O N TA C T I N F O | CITY OF GREEN ADMINISTRATION

330-896-5500

cityofgreen.org

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

1755 Town Park Blvd., Green, OH 44685 GENERAL MAILING ADDRESS

P.O. Box 278, Green, OH 44232 INCOME TAX MAILING ADDRESS

P.O. Box 460, Green, OH 44232 @CityofGreen GENERAL PHONE NUMBERS Mayor’s Office 330-896-6602 City Council 330-896-6604 Engineering Department 330-896-5510 Finance Department 330-896-6603 Highway/Stormwater Division 330-896-6607 Human Resources 330-896-4138 Income Tax Division 330-896-6622 Law Department 330-896-6615 Parks & Recreation Division 330-896-6621 Planning Department 330-896-6614 Public Service Department 330-896-4176 Zoning Division 330-896-6605 Emergency 911 Fire Division Non-Emergency 330-896-6610 Summit County Sheriff/ 330-643-2181 Non-Emergency GREEN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS Cleveland Clinic Akron General Health 330-896-5011 & Wellness Center 1940 Town Park Blvd., Green, OH 44685 Summa Health Center 330-899-2400 Emergency Room 1825 Franks Pkwy., Green, OH 44685

GREEN LOCAL SCHOOLS greenlocalschools.org, 330-896-7500 Physical Address Mailing Address 1755 Town Park Blvd., P.O. Box 218 Green, OH 44685 Green, OH 44232 PORTAGE LAKES CAREER CENTER plcc.edu, 330-896-8200 4041 Shriver Road, Green, OH 44685

OTHER COMMUNITY SERVICE PROVIDERS Green Area Chamber of Commerce 330-552-5066 3700 Massillon Road, Green, OH 44685 Akron-Summit County Library-Green Branch 330-896-9074 4046 Massillon Road, Green, OH 44685 UTILITY PROVIDERS NATURAL GAS Dominion East Ohio 330-794-0790 ELECTRICITY FirstEnergy/Ohio Edison 800-633-4766 ELECTRICITY Report a Street Light Outage 800-646-0400 ELECTRICITY Report a Power Outage 888-544-4877 SANITARY SEWER Summit County 330-926-2400 Department of Sanitary Sewer Services ON-SITE WELL & SEPTIC Summit County 330-926-5600 General Health District CABLE TV Spectrum Cable 330-633-9203 TELEPHONE AT&T 800-660-1000 REFUSE COLLECTION Republic Services 800-247-3644 POST OFFICE Green residents are served by six post offices.

Green 4735 Massillon Road, Green, OH 44232 North Canton 2201 E. Maple St., North Canton, OH 44720 Uniontown 11230 Cleveland Ave. NW, Uniontown, OH 44685 Ellet (Akron) 2390 Wedgewood Drive, Ellet, OH 44312 Firestone (Akron) 2001 Brown St., Akron, OH 44319 Clinton 2733 W. Comet Road, Clinton, OH 44216

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Message from the Mayor » AS GREEN CELEBRATES 30 YEARS AS AN INCORPORATED CITY, we have seen growth in businesses, housing and with that, road improvements and connectivity.

We’ve also seen the addition of a dozen modern roundabouts.

In 2009, we installed our first roundabout — one of the first in the county and the region. Now roundabouts are popping up everywhere. Green is set to open its 10th roundabout in 2022 at Greensburg and Arlington roads. In 2023, two more roundabouts will open as part of a major reconstruction project on Massillon Road, south of Interstate 77.

So why roundabouts when signalized intersections worked just fine for years?

With every road project, we evaluate design options, and roundabouts are almost always the right choice because they move traffic efficiently and are safer than traditional signalized intersections.

Case in point: Using roundabouts for the Massillon Road South improvement project was an easy choice. To build traditional signalized intersections at Boettler Road and Corporate Woods Circle, nine lanes of traffic would be required, including designated turn lanes. Building nine lanes of traffic would have created an unsightly sea of asphalt at the gateway to our city and impacted dozens of businesses, causing many to close.

By using modern roundabouts, we could reduce the number of lanes on Massillon Road to four. This is possible because roundabouts are much more efficient and don’t require designated turn lanes at intersections. Four lanes with landscaped roundabouts versus nine lanes also makes for a much more attractive entrance to our city.

Add in the safety inherent in the design of roundabouts and the choice is clear.

A study by AAA in 2017 suggested that 30% of traffic deaths and serious injuries could be avoided by converting key intersections to roundabouts. Over 90% of traffic accidents are caused by human error. And while we cannot eliminate human error, accidents in roundabouts rarely result in serious injuries or death because traffic patterns are simplified, and speeds are significantly reduced.

Some other advantages of roundabouts include not having to stop and wait at traffic lights, so you get there quicker, save gas and reduce emissions.

So why did we choose roundabouts for the Massillon Road Corridor Improvement project, as we have for many of our other recent projects in Green?

We chose the option that moves traffic faster, more efficiently and safely, that is cheaper to build and maintain, more fuel efficient and more attractive.

— Mayor Gerard Neugebauer

Prosperous | Progressive | Promising

Green, Ohio.Where Business is Growing.

Prosperous

• Great location — along I-77 • Equal distance between Akron and Canton • Home to Akron-Canton Airport

Progressive

• Business-savvy City leadership • Embraces development and industry diversity • High quality of life for those who live and work in Green • City has more than 2,000 acres of parkland

Promising

• Focused on business retention, expansion and attraction • Close proximity to universities • Local access to world-class healthcare • Available land for commercial/ industrial use in multiple business parks

Investment is happening every day in the City of Green.

Contact us to find out why.

330.896.6614 | PO Box 278 | Green, OH 44232 planning@cityofgreen.org | cityofgreen.org | facebook.com/cityofgreenohio

| CITY NEWS |

Celebrating 30 Years Get a closer look at the makings of our prosperous, vibrant community.

By Rachel Hagenbaugh

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“The founders set aside income tax specifically for parks capital — that shaped our city. We were a big square block of land, and preserving green space for public use was key,” Wolford says. “Today, if you move here, there are great parks, and you think they’ve been here forever. But they haven’t — they were very deliberate.”

On the horizon, plans are in the works for infrastructure improvements, including two roundabouts on Massillon Road south of Interstate 77 (one that intersects with Boettler Road and another at Corporate Woods Circle) that will be completed by fall 2023. Plans also are in progress to add new amenities to Kreighbaum and Kleckner parks.

“Everything we do, we do it to improve the quality of life for our residents,” Wolford says. “We hope that in the end, they see the hard work that goes into it and the value that it gives back to them.”

Share Your Story Whether you’re a native of Green or moved here last year, take a moment to visit cityofgreen.org/Memories and share your fondest memory of the city. We will capture the memories as a part of our 30th anniversary celebration and share select ones on social media and on the City’s website.

COURTESY CIT Y OF GREEN

» WHEN GREEN BECAME A CITY IN 1992, the founders wasted no time creating a strong foundation for a bright future. Now, as the city celebrates its 30th anniversary, there’s a sense of pride surrounding how far Green has come and the opportunities that lie ahead.

To shape the city, work needed to be done by local leaders and administrators to create the various departments and set the city up for success.

“Our founders understood the economic potential of this community,” says Valerie Wolford, the city’s communications manager. “Over the last 30 years, our leaders have fostered growth by investing in our infrastructure, making our roadways more efficient even as we grow, improving connectivity and making the city more pedestrian friendly.”

Among Green’s proudest accomplishments is its dedication to creating a magnificent parks system. During the past 30 years, Green’s parkland has grown from 5 acres to more than 700.

| PA R K S & R E C R E AT I O N |

Mindfulness Matters

Discover ways to relax and connect with nature at Southgate Park’s new Mindful Walk.

By Rachel Hagenbaugh » MINDFULNESS IS ALL ABOUT relaxing the mind and muscles, engaging the senses and focusing on the present, and there’s no better destination to practice those calming techniques than a local park.

The idea for the Mindful Walk arose from the city’s Mental Health Committee, a subcommittee of the Green Drug Task Force.

“One of our goals as a drug task force and mental health subcommittee is to remove the stigma surrounding both of those

issues and the need to address them and treat them,” says Andy Platt, chair of the Green Drug Task Force. “We thought a mental wellness initiative would be a good complement to what we were already doing.”

Members of the task force joined a group of student municipal representatives from Green High School, including Eric Wolford, Edgar San Jose, Michael Reik and Aaryan Qureshi, to bring the concept to life.

The Mindful Walk features 10 stations along 1.1 miles of an existing nature trail at Southgate Park. Each station includes a sign suggesting a mindfulness activity.

“I really had no experience with mindfulness before this experience,” Wolford says, adding that the students were responsible for researching what other mindfulness trails were like, as well as coming up with the language and creating the artwork for the signs. “It’s such

PRAISE FOR THE PARKS

Come Celebrate with Us!

ASSISTED LIVING | MEMORY CARE

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Year Anniversary Open House

Thursday, October 20th 4 pm- 6 pm Appetizers & Champagne will be served Enjoy live violin music

gablesofgreen.com 2045 Franks Pkwy.

Uniontown, OH 44685 330-252-8188 10

Please send your “Yes” RSVP to LSwansiger@gablesofgreen.com

COURTESY CIT Y OF GREEN

The city of Green encompasses more than 700 acres of parks and green space.

Construction is underway on a new parking lot at Kleckner Park, and the city is considering new baseball/softball fields at Greensburg Park. The city also is in the consulting phase on concept plans for improvements to Kreighbaum Park, which could entail walking trails, a bicycle path, restroom pavilion and more.

Green is encouraging residents to attend parks and recreation board meetings, which are held the first Wednesday of every month at 6 p.m., to provide input.

a broad term and can be interpreted in many ways. I’ve learned that it’s really about slowing down your brain and taking in the world around you. People are so busy and stressed, and mindfulness is a way to combat those issues.”

Bob Bender, a volunteer for the Green Drug Task Force and a retired mental health professional, says there’s a clear relationship between the Mindful Walk and good mental health.

“There’s a nice pond on this trail, and one of the signs directs people to various aspects of the pond,” he says. “The signs emphasize breathing and various senses — simple things such as taking a moment to look at a tree and the shade it provides. The goal is to get someone to focus on the here and now, and nature is very good at that.”

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City of Green Central Administration Building 8G City of Green Highway Division 8G City of Green Recycling Center

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FIRE/POLICE 5F 2C 3I 2C

Fire Station No. 1 Fire Station No. 2 Fire Station No. 3 Sheriff’s Office

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SCHOOLS 4F 5F 5F

Green High School Green Intermediate School Green Local Schools Board of Education 5F Green Middle School 4H Green Primary School 4H Greenwood Elementary School 4H Mayfair Christian School 5F Portage Lakes Career Center

PARKS 6H 8F 5F 2C 7G 5F 7E 1B 3J 2I 6B 9E 9F 2E 5F 8C

Ariss Park/Dick Goddard Dog Park Boettler Park Central Park East Liberty Park Greensburg Park John Torok Community Center Kleckner Park Knapp Recreation Area Kreighbaum Park Myersville Fen Nimisila Reservoir Metro Park Singer Lake Preserve Southgate Park Spring Hill Sports Complex Veterans Memorial Park YMCA Camp Y-Noah

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GOLF COURSES 1E 2H 3H 5H 2A

Chenoweth Golf Course Mayfair Golf & Country Club Ohio Prestwick Country Club Raintree Golf and Event Center Turkeyfoot Lake Golf Links

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CEMETERIES 2D 7E 6D

East Liberty Cemetery Greensburg Cemetery Klinefelter Cemetery

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OTHER 5F

Akron-Summit Public Library Green Branch 5G Cleveland Clinic Akron General Emergency Department/Health & Wellness Center 6G Post Office 4G Summa Emergency Department 4F YMCA

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CITY OF GREEN

BY THE NUMBERS

LOCATION Southern Summit County with three interchanges along I-77.

AKRON ➤ 11.4 mi CANTON ➤ 14.6 mi CLEVELAND ➤ 47.1 mi COLUMBUS ➤ 130 mi PITTSBURGH, PA ➤ 116 mi WHEELING, WV ➤ 99.4 mi YOUNGSTOWN ➤ 56.4 mi

POPULATION

27,475 50% Male 50% Female

24.4% Families with

Children Under 18 Years Old

Residents with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher

18%

39.8%

Persons 65+

INCOME $ 81.9k Median Household Income

PROPERTY Median Value Owner-Occupied = Units Average Household Size = Total = Housing Units

206,300

$

2.54 10,055

FORM OF GOVERNMENT STRONG MAYOR/COUNCIL SOURCES: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, 2020 U.S. CENSUS; AND AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY 2016-2020

CityofGreen.org ✦ 330-896-5500

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SCHOOLS

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Groundbreaking Success

Support for Issue 3 to build new schools will change the face of education in the city, with plans already underway.

By Kristen Hampshire » EDUCATION AND HIGH-QUALITY SCHOOLS ARE A PRIORITY for Green residents, who showed their support by passing a 37-year, $68-million bond issue. It will help fund construction, additions, renovations, remodeling, furnishings, equipment and other improvements. The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission will fund 25% of the projects.

The levy was a well thought-out ask based on need, not want. “Our buildings are 50-plus years old, and it was an absolute necessity that we get this levy passed,” says Jennifer Doerrer, levy campaign chairperson.

Doerrer explains that the state conducted extensive inspections of Green’s schools, and the district determined it would be more financially viable to replace than to renovate. “We respect our voters and taxpayers, and we knew inflation was on the rise and labor costs are up, along with building expenses, and the administration was

adamant that we did not want to ask for any more money than we needed, and we stayed true to that promise,” she says. » WHAT’S THE STATUS? So far, the district completed a series of interviews and requests for proposals and selected North Canton-based SoL Harris/ Day Architecture, which is conducting small and large group exercises to gather insight. With school in session, the firm is consulting with all staff, from transportation to food service, janitorial, teachers and administrators.

“The administration was adamant that we did not want to ask for any more money than we needed, and we stayed true to that promise.”

— Jennifer Doerrer

“Schematics will be completed by Thanksgiving, and the design review team will be put in place in January — and we hope to break ground on June 1,” Julie McMahan, coordinator of communications, community outreach and student wellness at Green Local Schools, says.

Plans include demolishing Greenwood school, as well as the intermediate and middle schools, and replacing them with two new buildings, while Green Primary School will get an addition/renovation to house prekindergarten through first-grade classes.

The new Greenwood elementary school will house second through fifth grades and will be situated just north of the existing building.

“It’s an exciting time, and we want to thank voters for changing the trajectory for this community,” McMahan says. “In three years, the Green schools will not look the same as they do now, and our residents have shown overwhelming support.”

At a Glance Green Local Schools Green High School Class of 2022

Green Local Schools is categorized as a suburban district of 33 square miles and is one of Green’s largest employers with more than 525 employees.

2022–2023 Preliminary Enrollment* (K-12)

4,001 *At time of printing

2021-2022 Report Card information for Green Local Schools is available from the Ohio Department of Education at education.ohio.gov/Topics/ Data/Report-Card-Resources

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Juniors from Green: 91 Seniors from Green: 119 Inducted into the Green High School Academic Wall of Fame.

Students must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.8 or above and have scored 30 or above on the ACT, 1350 on the SAT, or have achieved National Merit Finalist status.

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Portage Lakes Career Center 2022–2023 Enrollment

Graduated with a Seal of Biliteracy.

Student athletes representing football, soccer, golf, lacrosse, cheerleading, bowling, tennis and basketball committed to continuing their athletic careers at colleges and universities.

Athletic Academics 58% of Scholar Athletes carried a 4.0 or higher

Class of 2021-2022 14 Graduates (5.4%) Entered an apprenticeship

86 Graduates

(33.7%) Enrolled in postsecondary education

12 Graduates (4.7%) Joined the military

198 Graduates

(77.8%) Employed related to their program

Open to the Public:

Neon Lime, the Culinary Arts student-run restaurant, as well as two salons, open October – April.

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Prices may not include lot premiums, upgrades and options. Community Association and golf fees may be required. Prices, promotions, incentives, features, options, amenities, floor plans, elevations, designs, materials, and dimensions are subject to change without notice and may not be available on all homes or in a particular community or may be unavailable due to an individual home’s construction schedule. Square footage and dimensions are estimated and may vary in actual construction. Community improvements and recreational features and amenities described are based upon current development plans which are subject to change and which are under no obligation to be completed. Actual position of house on lot will be determined by the site plan and plot plan. Floor plans, interiors and elevations are artist’s conception or model renderings and are not intended to show specific detailing. Floor plans are the property of PulteGroup, Inc. and its affiliates and are protected by U.S. copyright laws. For further information, see our terms of use. This is not an offering to residents of NY, NJ, CA or CT or where otherwise prohibited by law. Pulte Homes of California, Inc. is a licensed California real estate broker (lic. #02023929) CityofGreen.org ✦ 330-896-5500

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GREEN SCENE

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Green space and green intentions — the city’s commitment to a healthy environment, fiscal health and quality of life for its people is a commitment to sustainability.

One of the city’s partners in realizing a sustainable way of life is the Living Green Task Force. Celebrating 10 years this year, the Task Force is made up of city staff, residents and business representatives who are committed to promoting practical stewardship of the resources Green has in abundance.

The Task Force has championed such projects as the Growing Green Wetland, located in front of the Green Middle School, that offers natural stormwater treatment and serves as a living classroom providing habitat for wildlife and native plants.

The rain garden at the historic Lichtenwalter Schoolhouse in Boettler Park is another green infrastructure project consisting of native plants and flowers designed to temporarily hold and soak in the rainwater runoff while providing food and shelter for butterflies and other wildlife.

This year, the city installed two Level 2 EV (electric vehicle) chargers at the Central Administration Building as part of the city’s commitment to practical clean energy solutions and with a future view to being EV ready. These chargers joined others already operating in the community at Fred Martin Nissan, Cambria Hotel, the Shops of Green and the Akron Canton Airport.

Also this year, through the efforts of the Living Green Task Force, the City of Green became the 39th Ohio community to join “Power a Clean Future Ohio,” a nonpartisan coalition dedicated to working with local communities to develop equitable clean energy solutions to benefit the well-being of residents, the environment and the economy. “Local governments have a unique opportunity to provide awareness around clean energy,” says Terry Hogan, Living Green Task Force chair.“ Being a Power a Clean Future Ohio community gives us the flexibility to implement clean power in ways that make sense for Green and connects us with the funding opportunities that allow us to move our ideas forward.” —KH

COURTESY CIT Y OF GREEN

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A Green Community

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HELPING HANDS

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Paying It Forward Building a community for the future — that’s the purpose of the Green Community Foundation, an initiative that will launch in 2023.

A community foundation is a publicly supported nonprofit organization that aims to build permanent, named funds for other entities and projects within a specific geographical area.

“The bigger purpose is that you can build a foundation and an endowment, and that’s how you provide grants back to your community,” says Valerie Wolford, the city’s communications manager. “Communities that are thriving and growing have community foundations because they fulfill the needs that a government or single organization can’t.”

The city realized the need for a community foundation during the pandemic, when people wanted to donate to those in need but didn’t know how.

“The pandemic exposed this hole that we weren’t able to fill the needs of those suffering from some of these unforeseen issues that arise,” Wolford says. “Community foundations fill these holes.”

To create the Green Community Foundation, a group of community members will work with the Akron Community Foundation. Money will go into the Green Community Foundation fund, but management of those funds will be handled by the Akron Community Foundation.

“They assist with grant making, set everything up and make it really seamless,” Wolford says. “A community foundation is really about leaving a legacy, and the residents of Green are taking steps to pay it forward for the future of Green. That’s really the intent.” — RH

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Get Involved Civic-minded, committed individuals who are willing to help with this philanthropic endeavor should reach out to Margaret Medzie, vice president and chief development officer for the Akron Community Foundation, at 330-436-5610 or mmedzie@akroncf.org.

CityofGreen.org ✦ 330-896-5500

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F E AT U R E

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Women Green of

From a doctor and business owner to marketing experts, meet four hardworking businesswomen who have risen to the top of their respective careers.

By Rachel Hagenbaugh

Senior Vice President of Marketing, Wayne Homes

Dr. Alexsandra Mamonis Internal Medicine Physician, Summa Health

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Akron General before opening her primary care practice in Green in 1996. At the time, there weren’t a lot of businesses located in the city.

“A lot of it was still farmland,” she says. “It’s been amazing to see the growth.”

She chose Green as the location for her practice because there were no female internal medicine physicians between Akron and Canton and she saw a niche that she could fill.

She also was drawn to the city’s small-town charm.

“I have patients who’ve been my patients for 25

Township with her husband and two young children to take on a leadership role at the company, which at the time was on Arlington Road in Green.

“It’s so great to see how Green has grown and being a part of that,” she says.

“When we first came here, we were the only ones on our cul-de-sac. Now, there’s places to go to lunch and things to do. It’s a really nice area to be in.”

As Jones approaches retirement in April, she looks back at her time at Wayne Homes with fondness.

“I’m really proud of the brand and culture we’ve created,” she says. “It never would have been a job I looked for after college, but it fit perfectly after my experience at my family’s ad agency and my psychology degree.”

Jones attributes her success to her mentors and bosses and encourages other businesswomen to find a career that offers similar support.

“You spend more of your life at your work than you do at home, so don’t you want to love what you do since you’re doing it more than you’re doing anything else?” she says. “Loving your job happens through relationships. Look for mentorships — that’s where you’re going to get your satisfaction. But also don’t let anyone short-change you. Know what your value is and go for it.”

COURTESY MAURIE JONES / COURTESY ALEXSANDRA MAMONIS

» DR. ALEXSANDRA MAMONIS wanted to be a doctor from the time she was 5 years old. Ironically, visits to the doctor’s office were not positive experiences for her, but she admired her pediatricians. One day, she was complaining to her doctor that the shots he was administering were painful, and he said, “If you think you can do better, then do it better.”

Challenge accepted. Mamonis attended medical school at NEOMED and completed her residency at Cleveland Clinic

» WHEN MAURIE JONES was considering her future, child psychology was the plan. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from DePaul University. Then, she realized she would have to go to school for four more years to accomplish her goal. She switched gears and started working at her dad’s advertising agency. She spent 10 years as an account executive before applying for an assistant position with Wayne Homes.

“My interview with the owner lasted three hours. He told me he wasn’t going to let me go until I agreed to work for him,” Jones reveals, adding that the owner was particularly drawn to her background in psychology. “There were other jobs that offered more money, but Wayne Homes was the only place that made me feel comfortable,” she says.

Wayne Homes is an on-your-lot builder that has been in business for 49 years, and Jones has been there for 36 of them. During her tenure at the company, she’s taken on many roles, including salesperson, sales manager, director of sales and marketing and vice president of marketing. She’s participated in the National Association of Home Builders International Builders’ Show and spoken at various events about online marketing and sales.

In 1998, Jones moved to Jackson

years,” she says. “You get to know them and their children and now their children’s children. It’s kind of its own little family.”

Initially, Mamonis thought most of her patients would be women. But it’s pretty much an even split. “It’s been a very positive experience,” she adds.

Mamonis is an internal medicine physician, which means she treats everything from cuts and bruises to pneumonia, heart disease, diabetes and anything in between. She chose the field because she

Vice President of Marketing, DRB Systems

COURTESY TARYN CHMIELOWICZ

» AS THE VICE PRESIDENT of marketing, Taryn Chmielowicz and her team of 11 are responsible for product marketing, collateral, trade shows and events, digital marketing, websites, sales collateral, public relations and some internal communications. As DRB Systems reorganizes to scale for growth, everyone wears multiple hats; Chmielowicz wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I love that my job is different every day,” she says. “There’s always a new challenge or opportunity, which makes things interesting.”

Sue Spargo Owner, Sue Spargo Folk-art Quilts Inc. » TWENTY-YEARS AGO, SUE SPARGO discovered a way to turn her passion into a successful business. Born in

gets to work with all of the body systems and enjoys putting pieces together to figure out how to best treat someone.

Mamonis says the biggest challenge of her career was navigating the pandemic.

“It’s a relief that we got through COVID-19,” she says. “The beginning was so difficult because there were no resources or information available, and people were scared. We couldn’t even get masks, gloves, gowns or disinfectant.

We were so busy just trying to provide the best care that we could.”

Chmielowicz graduated from John Carroll University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. She worked for a couple of distributors, one of health and wellness products and one of tire supplies, before joining DRB Systems, which focuses on providing technology for the car wash industry.

“Watching our customers succeed is very rewarding. We’re in a growing industry, especially in Northeast Ohio, where there’s a lot of car washes being built,” Chmielowicz says. “One of the other things I like most is being able to develop a team. We’re really building our skill set, and that’s definitely the most rewarding part of my job.”

For Chmielowicz, a career is something you spend your life building upon. She emphasizes the importance of making connections, finding a mentor and creating a work-life balance.

“My career is something that I can’t imagine doing anything else at this point. When I’m outside of work, I’m always thinking in those terms. There’s marketing everywhere,” she says, adding that she’s passionate about spending time with her husband, two sons and other family and friends attending sporting events, boating on Portage Lakes, hiking and paddleboarding. “Here at DRB, people work very hard for each other and want to work hard for the business. At the same time, it’s also important to have a work-life balance — whatever you think that should be.”

Zambia, Spargo grew up in South Africa, where she was a nurse. When she moved to the U.S. in her early 30s, she didn’t have the credentials to continue her career in the medical field. She needed to find a way to support her four children. She loved sewing and decided to make a living from it.

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“Back when I started the business, I was really the only person working in wool, so that was one of the big challenges — that and growing my business from the ground up as a single mom,” she says, adding that she started the business in the basement of her home. Now, she has 22 employees and works closely with three of her children. “It’s hard work, but very rewarding.”

With a focus on folk art, Spargo’s retail store, located in Green, offers makers an array of hand-dyed wools, embroidery threads, textile fabrics and more.

“We support women in business and have a lot of handmade things and do co-ops, and it’s a very colorful place,” Spargo says. In addition, she hosts sewing and embroidery classes — not just in Green, but all around the world.

Her travels have taken her from Australia and Vietnam to Italy, Portugal and many other countries.

“Traveling gives you a much broader outlook on life and appreciation for what you have,” she says. “I’m grateful that I found something in my life that I’m so passionate about and have been able to influence people all over the world and teach them some sort of handicraft.”

In addition to traveling and teaching, Spargo is passionate about giving back.

Her business’s Create for a Cause charity project has created fidget blankets for GreenView Senior Assisted Living, as well as heating pads, pillowcases and drawstring bags for other local organizations.

“I feel strongly that you need to give back in many ways, so we give back to the country I came from and also to the local community,” Spargo says. “For me, it’s just part of having a business.”

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

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More Places to Call Home

Green’s expanding variety of residential housing caters to young professionals, experienced buyers and active empty nesters — and affords residents an opportunity to upsize and downsize while staying in town.

COURTESY BRIER CREEK / COURTESY PULTE HOMES

BY KRISTEN HAMPSHIRE

Greenfield Plan by Pulte Homes

» THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE GREEN for Mary Jane Falcone, a 60-year resident who worked as a local school secretary for 26 years. So, in 2018 when she lost her dear husband, the condo she loved in the city’s Prestwick development was just too much to manage. “I just knew I could not keep up with it by myself,” she says.

Her son, who lives in town, suggested visiting Brier Creek, which has an independent living lodge of one- and two-bedroom apartments, and low-maintenance ranch homes. The community offers amenities including a theater room, private dining room, fitness center with classes, cooking exhibitions with the executive chef, a coffee bar, walking paths and more.

Falcone agreed to take a tour, and she immediately knew she found a sweet spot to accommodate her lifestyle while enjoying her later years close to family in Green.

“It’s like a dream — almost like living in a hotel,” she says, adding that she enjoys the nightly three-course dinner and occasionally chooses to order a milkshake in the restaurant that is open for breakfast and lunch. Services like housekeeping, linen cleaning and access to an “ambassador” who is there to help if needed make living easy, she says.

Brier Creek Independent Living by Pulte Homes is just one of the many expanding residential options in Green. From singlefamily homes accessible to first-time buyers to newly constructed residences that afford more space and high-end apartment homes with plug-and-play amenities like on-site gyms and social events, the city’s variety of housing inventory is growing and evolving to accommodate residents’ needs.

John Warmus, a longtime resident and builder in Green who is also president of

Warmus Builders Inc. and owner of Brier Creek Senior Living, says the up-and-coming community “just keeps getting better.”

“I started off doing single-family homes and now that I’m older myself, I am building houses for differing needs,” he says.

Warmus was co-developer of Green’s first assisted living facility, GreenView, and saw a gap in the market. “There is a need for senior independent living, so we purchased an 80-acre farm about eight years ago and have been developing it ever since,” he says.

Room to Move Up “We’re making housing available for people who want to stay in Green and want to move up and get new construction,” says Jim O’Connor, director of planning for Pulte Homes.

Jacobs Ridge, a new development, is the third Pulte Homes development in Green, including Brier Creek. “The city of Green is an excellent place to live in terms of the vibrancy of the city, and access to major transportation and employment corridors,” O’Connor says. “We see a lot of couples that work in dual markets, so this is a great location for them — plus the combination of excellent schools, city services and park amenities.”

Pulte Homes studied the Green market and discovered a shortage of available

new homes and a strong desire for higher-end housing. Jacobs Ridge, currently in the initial groundbreaking stage, will begin selling properties in early 2023 with the first families moving in next summer.

The starting price is in the $400,000 to low $500,000 range.

O’Connor says, “In our outreach survey of realtors, this is the price point they identified where there is a gap in the market. So, families are faced with a decision — you can go to a different city with new construction available or get a house that is the right size but 20 years old and the features don’t cater to today’s lifestyle.”

There are two series of homes available in Jacobs Ridge. The first is 2,600 to 2,900 square feet, and the more executive moveup is up to 3,200 plus additions that can take the homes to over 4,000 square feet.

“The community will have a walking path for pedestrian circulation and connecting with the community,” O’Connor adds, noting that a park area with play equipment is another amenity for families.

Pulte’s floorplans cater to the needs of today’s families, too. “There have been

significant changes in how people live in their homes, so we have a Pulte Planning Center, which is central to the living area of the house so kids can be there doing their homework while a parent is working in the kitchen, and it’s visible as opposed to the segregated spaces you see in plans that are over 20 years old,” O’Connor describes.

Each Pulte development has a “unique identity,” O’Connor says, relating how Brier Creek caters to the downsizing empty-nester while Jacobs Ridge affords more family and flexible space.

Another development — the Summit at Forest Lakes, from K. Hovnanian Homes — is also helping to fill the new construction void, offering limited maintenance options and a community park.

Suited for Active Lifestyles As the city’s resident base grows, so does the availability of housing that extends beyond the traditional singlefamily setting. Metropolitan Holdings is developing Parkview at Spring Hill, a new rental multifamily community that will offer maintenance-free, amenityrich living. The community will include CityofGreen.org ✦ 330-896-5500

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Parkview at Spring Hill a clubhouse with fitness center, pool and artificial turf area for outdoor games.

“A lot of people like the mobility of being able to come and go when they want,” says Matt Vekasy, founder and CEO. “There is a demographic that is looking for higherquality multi-family options that do not exist in the Green market. With the potential for corporate headquarters growth, a big part of any company’s relocation decision is having good housing availability

— Jim O’Connor

The community will include a large open space for recreation and dog walking, a volleyball court, clubhouse with Starbucks and outside tiki bar, pool and grilling stations, a dog wash station, a CrossFit gym in a stand-alone building, business center and private party space.

“We do a fair amount of resident events so they can get to know each other, and the vision we strive for is, we do not build communities, we build community,” says Brent Wrightsel, president of Vision Development. He adds that a number of residents have met and actually married. “I would say that’s building community,” he quips.

The key is to provide modern options that suit today’s lifestyles. Wrightsel says, “We have great residents, and I think those are probably the future homeowners in Green.”

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“The city of Green is an excellent place to live in terms of the vibrancy of the city, and access to major transportation and employment corridors.”

and choices for potential workers, and we think this will fill that need very well.”

Units include one-bedroom garden and carriage house apartments, one-bedrooms with dens, two-bedroom garden, two-bedroom townhouse layouts and three-bedroom homes. Square footage ranges from 742 to 1,882.

Apartments feature stainless appliances, hard-surface counters and 9-foot ceilings. “It’s a high-quality product that is well-managed and maintained,” Vekasy says. “Multi-family living has changed so much over the last 15 years, and this gives younger folks and families more flexibility.”

Vekasy expects the first units to be available in late 2023.

Vision Development Inc. is embarking on its second Green development called VC Station that will include about 220 units.

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You’ll Feel Right at Home at Warmus Senior Living Communities

Luxury retirement living at Warmus Senior Living Communities is all-inclusive and affordable. Whether you live independently or need extra care, your monthly living fee includes amenities like fine dining, housekeeping, a fitness center, scheduled events, and much more.

Live in a community that cares.

Independent and Assisted Living, and Memory Care for Seniors.

Brier Creek

GreenView

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Senior Assisted Living

4020 Brier Creek Parkway

4000 Massillon Road

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330-899-0404

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