Johnston Economic Development Corporation
Johnston is not just a fantastic place to grow your business, it's a place where you will find helpful and invested partners in the process. To avoid the typical red-tape pitfalls, city leaders work together with a public-private partnership known as the Johnston Economic Development Corporation.
"The economic strength of Johnston depends on the ability of several players to work together with the city for the good of our community and residents. Key among those players is the Johnston Economic Development Corporation. JEDCO, as it is commonly referred to, is critical in helping city officials and staff identify opportunities to recruit new businesses and retain and expand existing ones. Additionally, JEDCO assists the city in finding ways to improve our business climate, whether it is in providing the services that businesses need, or offering incentives to attract the kind of businesses we want in our community," said Mayor Paula Dierenfeld.
It's a successful partnership that has been around since 2004. JEDCO helps developers find the ideal property, plat, or building in which to invest, while city leaders ensure a smooth development process.
Johnston Community Development Director David Wilwerding oversees an expert staff that will see that your project moves through the process with ease. "The city strives to ensure all regulations are competitive and all review times are streamlined to ensure the development review process is completed in an efficient and timely manner. Staff stands ready and willing to work with developers on engineering solutions to assist in reducing the time and costs involved in developing a project," said Wilwerding.
It is this proactive approach to helping developers succeed that has led to more than $292 million worth of commercial construction and 117 new structures since 2000, an average of more than $22.5 million per year. During that same time period, more than 700 new townhome units, 1,057 condo/apartment units and 2,387 new single-family residential dwelling units have been constructed. That's an average of more than 319 new dwelling units per year.
"The success of our relationship with JEDCO over the years is evident in the great employers and many high quality, good paying jobs we have in Johnston," says Mayor Paula Dierenfeld.