Urbana’s downtown business district is centered around Monument Square which is at the central crossroads of Champaign County where US Route 68 and US Route 36 intersect. At the center of Monument Square is the iconic “Man on the Monument” which sits prominently within the roundabout that funnels approximately 25,000 vehicles per day through the downtown area. Long-time anchors within the central business district of Urbana include Guild Galleries Interiors & Gifts which has operated as a retail merchant and interior decorator for over 40 years; Mumford’s Potato Chips and Deli which has operated since 1932 from different locales downtown; Mike Major Fine Art and Sculpture which has had a presence in the downtown for over 30 years and today encompasses a downtown studio space; Carmazzi’s, a candy store and general store which has served the community since 1893; Teabaggers, a cafe, coffee shop, and wine bar which has operated downtown since 1990; and Mayflowers Chinese Restaurant which has been a community staple since the late 1980’s. Outside of the downtown area, a long-time fixture of the community is Crabill’s Hamburger Shop which originally opened in Urbana back in 1927.
In addition to these long-time community anchors, the downtown business district has experienced a renaissance over the last decade due to renewed investment within the district. In 2021, the City of Urbana completed a $2 million project that resulted in a safer, more pedestrian friendly roundabout and Monument Square area. This project also included water main replacements within the downtown area.
A year after completion of the roundabout project by the city, the long vacant Douglas Inn which occupies one-eighth of Monument square reopened as a completely renovated structure with seventeen units of affordable senior housing that was part of a larger project known as Legacy Place that repurposed the Douglas Inn, former South Elementary, and former North Elementary as fifty-one units of affordable housing. This project culminated from community partnerships to repurpose these buildings, and this project was awarded an honorable mention award from Heritage Ohio in 2022 for Best Public-Private Partnership. In addition to the Legacy Place project, the Urbana Lofts project opened on Monument Square in 2023 with nine new residential units on the second and third floors. Furthermore, in late 2023, construction started on the Willman Sellman project to repurpose a former furniture store with a new co-working space and another nine loft apartments with occupancy anticipated in late 2024.
Beyond residential development, the downtown business district is anchored by the Scioto Inn, a boutique hotel, and the Gloria Theatre, a revitalized movie theater and performing arts venue. In addition to these anchors, downtown has seen a resurgence of new restaurants and retail shops. New businesses have included a microbrewery, wine bar, Venezuelan restaurant, ice cream shop, fresh food market, dog bakery, and clothing boutiques. In addition to these downtown businesses, a designated outdoor refreshment area (DORA) was established downtown in 2023.
Due to its equidistant location to the larger Dayton and Columbus Metropolitan areas and the city’s strong employment base, the community continues to attract and retain residents. With Urbana only being forty-five to fifty minutes to downtown Dayton or downtown Columbus, residents are close to the larger cultural and employment centers while being able to enjoy the quality of life offered in a smaller city. Residential growth is occurring within the central business district and a new housing development to be known as Dugan Place has been proposed for the eastern side of the city. In addition, the local housing market is proving strong with residential property values increasing and the sale prices of existing home inventory trending upward.
Since 2020, over $105 million dollars has been invested locally within the City of Urbana by local manufacturers and warehousing facilities which has only boosted and built upon manufacturing being Urbana and Champaign County’s main employment sector. Manufacturing locally is diversified across different industry sectors, including an international presence. On a daily basis, an estimated 4,766 workers are coming into the city to their place of employment. In 2024, Sutphen Corporation, the family owned fire apparatus builder completed their new 185,000 square foot facility in Urbana which currently employs over 225 workers. Other Major manufacturers with a presence in the Urbana area include: Honeywell Aerospace, Rittal, Bundy Baking Solutions, Navistar, ColePak, Orbis, The Ultra-Met Company, The Hall Company, Weidmann Electrical Technology, Parker Trutec, Sarica Manufacturing, and Hughey and Phillips. Beyond manufacturing growth, other recent commercial developments include a new Cobblestone Hotel, a new Aldi store, a new Dunkin’, and a new Starbucks.
The community’s larger employers anchor the community by providing employment and by supporting causes within the community. For example, Urbana High School recently sponsored a senior service day, and the t-shirts for each student were donated by local manufacturer, Orbis. Furthermore, many local companies support the community fireworks at Grimes Field Municipal Airport and Second Saturdays held downtown.
In addition to these long-time community anchors, the downtown business district has experienced a renaissance over the last decade due to renewed investment within the district. In 2021, the City of Urbana completed a $2 million project that resulted in a safer, more pedestrian friendly roundabout and Monument Square area. This project also included water main replacements within the downtown area.
A year after completion of the roundabout project by the city, the long vacant Douglas Inn which occupies one-eighth of Monument square reopened as a completely renovated structure with seventeen units of affordable senior housing that was part of a larger project known as Legacy Place that repurposed the Douglas Inn, former South Elementary, and former North Elementary as fifty-one units of affordable housing. This project culminated from community partnerships to repurpose these buildings, and this project was awarded an honorable mention award from Heritage Ohio in 2022 for Best Public-Private Partnership. In addition to the Legacy Place project, the Urbana Lofts project opened on Monument Square in 2023 with nine new residential units on the second and third floors. Furthermore, in late 2023, construction started on the Willman Sellman project to repurpose a former furniture store with a new co-working space and another nine loft apartments with occupancy anticipated in late 2024.
Beyond residential development, the downtown business district is anchored by the Scioto Inn, a boutique hotel, and the Gloria Theatre, a revitalized movie theater and performing arts venue. In addition to these anchors, downtown has seen a resurgence of new restaurants and retail shops. New businesses have included a microbrewery, wine bar, Venezuelan restaurant, ice cream shop, fresh food market, dog bakery, and clothing boutiques. In addition to these downtown businesses, a designated outdoor refreshment area (DORA) was established downtown in 2023.
Due to its equidistant location to the larger Dayton and Columbus Metropolitan areas and the city’s strong employment base, the community continues to attract and retain residents. With Urbana only being forty-five to fifty minutes to downtown Dayton or downtown Columbus, residents are close to the larger cultural and employment centers while being able to enjoy the quality of life offered in a smaller city. Residential growth is occurring within the central business district and a new housing development to be known as Dugan Place has been proposed for the eastern side of the city. In addition, the local housing market is proving strong with residential property values increasing and the sale prices of existing home inventory trending upward.
Since 2020, over $105 million dollars has been invested locally within the City of Urbana by local manufacturers and warehousing facilities which has only boosted and built upon manufacturing being Urbana and Champaign County’s main employment sector. Manufacturing locally is diversified across different industry sectors, including an international presence. On a daily basis, an estimated 4,766 workers are coming into the city to their place of employment. In 2024, Sutphen Corporation, the family owned fire apparatus builder completed their new 185,000 square foot facility in Urbana which currently employs over 225 workers. Other Major manufacturers with a presence in the Urbana area include: Honeywell Aerospace, Rittal, Bundy Baking Solutions, Navistar, ColePak, Orbis, The Ultra-Met Company, The Hall Company, Weidmann Electrical Technology, Parker Trutec, Sarica Manufacturing, and Hughey and Phillips. Beyond manufacturing growth, other recent commercial developments include a new Cobblestone Hotel, a new Aldi store, a new Dunkin’, and a new Starbucks.
The community’s larger employers anchor the community by providing employment and by supporting causes within the community. For example, Urbana High School recently sponsored a senior service day, and the t-shirts for each student were donated by local manufacturer, Orbis. Furthermore, many local companies support the community fireworks at Grimes Field Municipal Airport and Second Saturdays held downtown.
