Terry DeMio

tdemio@enquirer.com

NEWPORT – City Manager Tom Fromme admits it may sound a little quirky for him to tout his personal slogan for Newport everywhere he goes, but he says he can't help himself.

"Things are happening in Newport," Fromme said. "I say it all the time. It's true."

It was in that vein that Fromme presented the Newport State of the City on Wednesday at The Syndicate to members of the Newport Business Association – pointing out what's happening in the urban core but also what yet needs to get done.

Infrastructure is key

"Newport is a 219-year-old city that has a tremendous amount of aged infrastructure and is situated in the center of the Greater Cincinnati metropolitan area," Fromme said. "This alone can create some rather challenging issues, but add a significant amount of visitors and traffic to the equation and the challenges become even more difficult."

Fromme noted that some of the oldest city streets started with dirt, then were made of wood, then brick, then asphalt. A job replacing or repairing a city street can be difficult and expensive work, he said, but the city recognizes that it has to be done.

"We anticipate spending nearly $1 million on infrastructure improvement throughout the city," Fromme said. That will include $250,000 in street improvements.

The city is accustomed to being a retail center and, Fromme said, with Newport Pavilion's continued growth has made adjustments. One example that was finished off recently is the city's improvements to Carothers Road where the road was widened and utilities put underground.

"However, maintaining our infrastructure will continue to be a challenge for many generations to come," Fromme said.

Newport developments flourish

Last week, the city signed a development agreement with Capital Investments Group for a $60 million dollar mixed-use development adjacent to Newport on the Levee. That development, led by Capital Investment Group, which built Vue 180 apartments, will include a hotel and upscale apartment complex.

Aside from additions to Newport Pavilion, significant construction on the upscale complex Monmouth Row, the city has welcomed a different kind of entertainment with New Riff Distilling, Kentucky's newest craft distillery at 24 Distillery Way on the Party Source campus.

The city has welcomed a variety of projects, including St. Elizabeth Medical Arts Building off Grand Avenue in Newport on the cusp of Fort Thomas as well as smaller businesses, Fromme noted.

Newport Business Association members said the city has taken on the character of a community.

"People are truly engaged," said Lynne Cole, general manager of Bank of Kentucky on Fifth and Monmouth streets and president of the association. "I love it."

Fromme noted that the city ended its fiscal year June 30 with a general fund balance of $1.9 million. He told business association members that it was just in 2006 that Newport ended a fiscal year with a $3 million deficit.

"It's been quite painful, some days," Fromme said.

Tim Rolf, who owns Rolf Monument Co. on Hodge Street, which has been in business since 1895, said Newport has had its ups and downs, but the city has always bounced back.

"Newport has always been very resilient," Rolf said. "It always comes back and it's definitely making a comeback now."■