For decades, the city of Lorain has fell victim to crumbling infrastructure, poverty, low performing schools and crime.
Now the city has a plan to turn things around.
"Lorain has got unbelievable potential, unitized potential," said 53-year-old resident Jerry Donovan.
The city hired OHM Advisors, an architecture, engineering and planning firm based in Columbus.
Over the past couple of years, residents gave their input and OHM toured the city and did research.
At Monday's city council meeting, the group shared their vision with residents for the first time. They are advising Lorain to capitalize on its two waterfront assets.
"Lorain has really the thing no one else has in this area and that is an enormous amount of accessible lakefront along with a really thriving river," said Jason Sudy, a principal with OHM Advisors.
They also think revitalizing the downtown will do great things for the city, and they brought visual renderings for the residents.
Lorain has come up with other revitalization plans in the past, but members of council say they know this one will work.
"This time is different because those plans have been just for certain spots of the city," said Lorain Councilman at Large Mitchell Fallis. "This plan is comprehensive and so when you have a comprehensive plan it takes into account all aspects of the city."
The folks at OHM say they made the plan flexible, so when the city does attract developers to make these dreams a reality, they can also use some of their own creativity.
City Council expects these plans to turn into actual buildings and attractions in the next five to 10 years.
