Hamilton officials have focused on building a strong foundation for the past two years, despite tighter budgets and a narrowing revenue stream due to the closing or departures of major manufacturers.

The city is looking to reverse course and head for a different trajectory that includes job growth through a reinvestment in its current assets and infrastructure and developing stronger and more collaborative public/private partnerships, according to City Manager Joshua Smith.

What were once industrial sites that manufactured paper and other products, may well become the foundation of a clean technology corridor.

“I’d like to see Hamilton become a national leader in green manufacturing products by creating a clean technology corridor in green energy,” Smith said.

The city is also moving forward with the construction of a liquid natural gas fueling station along Ohio 4 next to the city garage.

Smith also cited a number of projects that are already in progress or may be completed in 2013.

The South Hamilton Crossings Project will create access over railroad tracks in the city’s southeast side. This construction will allow public safety vehicles to reach homes and businesses more quickly and will also open up access to Miami University Hamilton, Vora Technology Park and other industrial parks that are ripe for development.

“The city will be working with the Butler County Transportation Improvement District and the Butler County Engineer’s Office to make sure we have all the resources in play for the entire project,” Smith said.

Environmental work is done and property acquisition for the project will continue in 2013, Smith said. Construction is expected to start in fall 2015.

The East High Street Gateway will begin to get a serious makeover in 2013 in an effort to move traffic more efficiently and to improve the appearance of that gateway for outside visitors coming from Interstate 75 into the city.

The creation of the CORE fund will provide gap funding for developers who are willing to invest in the city as well as Hamilton Inc., a new business recruitment and attraction entity that will work with the city and other private and nonprofit partners to relocate to the city.

The city bought the entire former SMART Papers site, including the structures along the west bank of the Great Miami River, last spring. Earlier this month, the city sold the west side section of the site to Green Reclamation, who will be renovating the office building as well as demolishing portions of the former paper mill in 2013 to create a business incubator and a business accelerator.

The city has not sold the remaining section of the site between the east side of North B Street and the river so it can control how that portion will be developed in the future. Smith said a development plan is needed because the property has unique possibilities and opportunities.

The Artspace project downtown is expected to move forward in early 2013 when the property closing is completed. The metal facade, fondly called the “radiator grill” by some city leaders, is also expected to come down in early 2013.

The RiversEdge outdoor amphitheater project on the former Mercy Hospital site is also expected to be completed in early 2013.

The creation of the Land Bank with Butler County and the city of Middletown to acquire vacant and blighted properties and prepare them for new residential, commercial or industrial uses will also continue in 2013.

Smith said the city expects to announce one industrial expansion during the first quarter of 2013 and two more by the end of the second quarter of 2013.

The downtown area will continue to be a focus for city leaders. In addition to the East High Street Gateway and the Artspace projects, Smith said successful ventures — such as the Historic Mercantile Lofts and the Butler Tech Performing Arts Academy in the former JournalNews building — will continue to spur more development and re-purposing of the city’s older buildings.

“These projects have a positive multiplier effect,” Smith said. “People in downtown Cincinnati made the transition 10 years ago. Hamilton is on a similar arc.”

“The activity level we have in new business inquiries have been staggering over the last six weeks and it’s coming from a lot of sources,” said Jody Gunderson, Hamilton’s economic development director.

Those sources include the state, partnerships with metro Cincinnati economic development organizations, and the real estate industry.

“There’s a lot of interest ramping up to 2013,” Gunderson said. “The city is also working to create a quality environment by improving the business districts and investing in its infrastructure. I’m very bullish on 2013.”

Mayor Pat Moeller agrees.

“I think it’s going to be a good year for Hamilton,” he said. “Our efforts in job attraction will pay off because we have many companies interested in coming to Hamilton and we hope to turn them into jobs while we continue to work with those for job retention.”

Moeller said the East High Street Gateway project and efforts being launched such as the CORE fund and Hamilton Inc. going from a concept to a reality will be very helpful to keeping and attracting companies and growing more jobs.

“It’s like watching an old Polaroid picture develop and see the finished picture,” Moeller said. “The more clearer the focus, you’ll be able to see, not hear, what we’ve developed.”