Project
Southeast
Town/City/Village
Strategic Planning

Economic Development Strategic Plan for Covington, KY

September 15, 2025

Photo of a street in downtown Covington, Kentucky, features many three- to four-story historical buildings on both sides with businesses on the first floor and offices or residential space on the upper floors. Streetscaping elements like benches, planters, bollards, trees, lampposts, and a vintage street clock are visible. Photo is used courtesy of Sam Greenhill.

The Challenge

The City of Covington, located in northern Kentucky, along the Ohio River, has experienced significant growth since the adoption of its 2019 strategy, with new investment, job creation, and catalytic projects that have been nationally recognized.

At the same time, persistent challenges remain, including the impacts of remote work on office demand, vacancies in commercial corridors, housing shortages, infrastructure gaps, and growing competition for talent.

City leaders recognized the need for a new strategic plan to maintain competitiveness, attract investment, and ensure inclusive growth across all neighborhoods.

The Solution

Camoin Associates partnered with Think Place Agency to develop a forward-looking strategy for the city that builds on the progress achieved over the past five years.

The plan prioritizes sustaining funding and regulatory compliance for the City’s signature project, the Covington Central Riverfront, while recognizing its broader regional impacts. It also sets goals to strengthen and diversify businesses along commercial corridors, support the emergence and rapid growth of the Life Sciences cluster, and invest in quality-of-place initiatives that attract investment and contribute to strong, connected communities.

The Result

The planning process, conducted from November 2024 through June 2025, engaged more than 60 stakeholders through focus groups, steering committee meetings, and one-on-one interviews. Their input and feedback validated the data analysis and helped shape the plan’s priorities. The process itself generated momentum for implementation and strengthened relationships with local businesses, community organizations, and regional partners.

In June 2025, the Covington City Commission formally approved and adopted the strategy, positioning the City to advance its vision for inclusive and sustainable economic growth. The City has updated its digital marketing tools and is pursuing a refined business attraction initiative based on the intelligence from the strategy.

View the final plan (PDF)