Kimberly Marrone: Creating a Business Community
Story by Ingrid Sjostrand
If you’re an Oak Park business owner – or aspiring to be – and you don’t know Kimberly Marrone, it’s time you should. As the Director of Economic
Development & Communications, she works to provide the tools businesses need to thrive and to promote Oak Park as a sustainable community.
“We work with new and current business owners from inception through development to meet business timelines, provide market research data, site selection, and site plan process. We provide the best customer service from beginning to end,” Marrone says. “We help connect business owners and entrepreneurs to resources and incentives to help their business startup, grow and expand.”
Oftentimes, these resources are free. There are opportunities on which businesses are missing out. As Economic Development & Communications Director, Marrone also oversees the Zoning Board of Appeals, Brownfield Authority, Corridor Improvement Authority, the Economic Development Authority, and Planning Commission for the City of Oak Park – where she is focused on creating a better business market.
“New this year, we will be adding all licensed businesses to an online database on our City web site, connect them to resources that are available, counsel businesses when needed, provide invitations to business seminars, and publish bi-monthly newsletters,” Marrone says.
Not only does she help businesses, she works with residents, property owners and surrounding communities to make sure that Oak Park continues to succeed. This includes following the City’s Strategic Development Plan and finding the best way to implement key initiatives and build a stronger tax base for the city.
Since 2014, she has led the Economic Development team in improving the economic outlook for the city of Oak Park. Marrone and her team have been instrumental in several recent projects totaling over $65 million in development since 2014 – including the FedEx Ground distribution center, the largest development deal in the city’s history. Oak Park also became a One Stop Ready Community through Oakland County’s program, and are working toward completion of Redevelopment Ready Certification through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
A Michigan native and graduate of Oakland University, Marrone previously worked as Executive Director of both Imlay City’s Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Development Authority. She has a background in local government and the private sector, including real estate. For her work, Marrone received the Rotarian of the Year Award in 2012 and the City’s prestigious Employee of the Year Award in 2015. She’s also been instrumental in the City being awarded the eCities lab Best Practices Community honor in 2015 (Marrone also received this award for Imlay City in 2012 and 2013); the Five and Four Star eCities Top Performing Community Award; and the Main Street Oakland County Vision Award in 2016.
Marrone is a member of the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce, International Council of Shopping Centers, Eight Mile Boulevard Association Board, Michigan Economic Development Association Board, and other organizations that are beneficial to the economic development of Oak Park.
2018 plans are already looking bright, with a variety of projects in the works. The much-anticipated 8MK restaurant rehabilitation of the historic WWJ building will include Oak Park’s first banquet space. The Jefferson Oaks mixed-income housing development offering 60 housing units will open in the Spring, and the 9 Mile Redesign Project will also begin this Spring. A portion of 11 Mile Road was recently rezoned from light industrial to mixed used. This new zoning allows for a variety of uses in one building.
Business and residents interested in taking advantage of the resources available through Oak Park’s Economic Development & Communications Department can reach out to 248-691-7404.
