The familiar phrase, “If you build it, they will come,” comes to mind when thinking about economic growth in Lawrence County.

If business and industry move back into Ironton, will the people return as well?

Or, if you bring people into town with new residential apartments, will businesses follow suit?

Those are questions economic leaders are mulling over as they consider the future of Ironton’s empty apartments and storefronts downtown.

A meeting held at the Transit Café for property owners and those economic leaders from the Lawrence Economic Development Corporation and the Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization was a step in the right direction for the future of Ironton.

For far too many years, loft apartments and storefronts have been left to collect dust, when they could be collecting rent, revenue and bring a sense of pride back to the city.

Ultimately, it will be up to the owners of these empty spaces to decide what the future holds, but we hope they and county economic leaders will work together to revitalize downtown.

With all the good that is beginning to take shape with the riverfront development and Ninth Street projects, there is no reason to think downtown Ironton could not take shape and flourish once again.