The Columbus Downtown Development Corporation and Capitol South Boards of Directors have named Greg Davies chief executive officer and Amy Taylor president of the organizations. Davies and Taylor will assume their new roles on June 14, succeeding Guy Worley, who retired on May 31.
Davies has a depth of experience in civic roles that have helped advance Columbus as a community of opportunity including:
- As Vice President of Planning and Development for the Columbus Partnership, Davies was the point person for the business community on several critical issues, including affordable housing, while serving as the liaison with the City of Columbus for key projects like The Peninsula development and Ohio State University’s Innovation District.
- As Chief of Staff, he built Mayor Andrew J. Ginther’s first cabinet and staff after he was elected in 2015. Davies was instrumental in the city’s successful bid to be America’s Smart City and, in tandem with the Columbus Partnership, helped create Smart Columbus. He also served as point person for numerous projects, including the ongoing redevelopment of The Peninsula, the Save the Crew effort and the development of the downtown Hilton expansion.
- As Director of Public Utilities, Davies was responsible for providing water and sewer services to 1.1 million people in Central Ohio, as well as for 1,200 employees and an annual budget in excess of $600 million.
- In his role at the Development Department, Davies oversaw the City’s housing program and created Home Again, a $25-million program designed to rehabilitate vacant and abandoned properties across the City. The program was the initial investment for the ongoing redevelopment of Franklinton.
Taylor has been with CDDC and Capitol South for more than 14 years, serving as Chief Operating Officer. Equipped with significant experience in operations, public policy and project management, Taylor led the development of transformational projects in downtown Columbus, including:
- The restoration of the Scioto River and creation of Columbus’ premier riverfront destination, The Scioto Mile, with its elaborate network of greenways and public parkland.
- The transformation of City Center Mall into an 18-hour urban neighborhood anchored by an award-winning greenspace known today as John F. Wolfe Columbus Commons.
- Scioto Mile and Columbus Commons are both nationally recognized projects that have leveraged more than $400 million in private investment in the surrounding blocks, adding more than 900 residential units and 300,000 square feet of office.
- The development of the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, the nation’s first and only memorial and museum dedicated to celebrating the stories of veterans from every era and branch of service.
- Working with the City of Columbus and development partners to bring 231,000 square feet of modern office space, a 191-key lifestyle hotel, 329 resort-style residential units and signature dining and shopping experiences to The Peninsula in Downtown Columbus.
Prior to her role at CDDC and Capitol South, Taylor held leadership positions with the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health (ADAMH) Board of Franklin County, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and the City of Dublin. Since 2013, Taylor has served as an adjunct professor in the graduate program at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University.
CDDC and Capitol South are private, non-profit development corporations; they share a mission to lead catalytic, transformative developments in the heart of Ohio’s capital city. While CDDC traces its roots to the implementation of the Downtown Strategic Plan in 2002, Capitol South has been supporting a re-emerging Downtown since 1974, when it launched a modest mission to redevelop the area just south of Capitol Square. The two organizations are aligned, sharing a common Board of Directors, comprised of business and industry leaders united to help shepherd progress in Downtown Columbus.
