By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
For years, Kati Thompson has been talking about the vibrancy of Bowling Green. She got confirmation of that perspective recently in the form of a $487,000 JobsOhio Vibrant Communities Grant to turn an empty downtown storefront into a mixed-use hub for business development, coworking and downtown living.
“This really is an incredible project,” Thompson, director of Bowling Green Economic Development, said to a packed annual meeting Thursday morning.
The goal of the restoration work is to transform a vacant building which formerly housed CycleWerks, into a center of activity downtown, Thompson said. The grant will fund a significant portion of the renovations at 250 S. Main St., transforming the site into the Four Corners Center and COWORK.
Renovations have already begun at the property purchased by BG Economic Development last year. The storefront has been vacant for several years.
When completed, city leaders hope the Four Corners Center and COWORK will become an integral part of Bowling Green, sparking job growth in the community.
The project, led by Bowling Green Economic Development with support from the Regional Growth Partnership, will return a key downtown property to productive use while expanding access to flexible, professional workspace for local entrepreneurs, remote workers, small businesses and community organizations.
The project includes approximately 8,000 square feet for office and working space on the first floor, plus four one-bedroom residential units on the second floor.
“Receiving the JobsOhio Vibrant Communities Grant is a major milestone for this project and for downtown Bowling Green,” Thompson said. “This investment allows us to accelerate the revitalization of a long-underutilized building, while creating a collaborative space that supports job retention, business growth and community connection.”
Part of the new space will become offices for the Four Corners Center, which is currently renting space behind the downtown Huntington Bank. The hub will be home to Bowling Green Economic Development, the Chamber of Commerce, Downtown BG Special Improvement District, and Visit BG.
Four Corners Center and COWORK will expand the center’s role as Bowling Green’s hub for business support, Thompson said. The site will feature a new coworking model that offers dedicated private offices, dedicated desks, shared amenities, and large training and meeting rooms.
Coworking members will be able to benefit not only from a modern, technology-enabled workspace, but also from direct access to the expertise, programming and networks of the Four Corners organizations, Thompson said.
The space will be designed to support a wide range of users, including freelancers, startups, satellite teams and local professionals seeking a stable alternative to home offices or short-term meeting locations, she added.
The project aligns with the city’s Downtown Forward Plan and the city’s Community Action Plan, which prioritize mixed-use redevelopment, walkable downtown investment and innovation-driven economic growth.
“This perfectly aligns with several of our community goals,” Thompson said.
The JobsOhio Vibrant Communities Grant played a critical role in closing the project’s financing gap and reducing upfront renovation costs, allowing the project to move forward, according to Thompson.
