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Several years ago, I began visiting relatives who moved to Apex, N.C. It didn't take many visits to realize Apex is something special.
Walkability. New housing starts. Quaint retail. A robust park system. A historically preserved downtown. A noticeable amount of infill where, during a difficult past, many houses were torn down.
So I did some digging. Sure enough, publications like Money magazine consistently rank Apex as one of the best places to live due to its balance of rapid modern growth and small-town historic charm.
In 1990, Apex had 5,000 residents. Today, it has 85,000.
By the end of the decade, it will have a development called Veridea, a $7 billion master-planned community spanning 1,100 acres. It will include 8,000 homes. All those homes will be within walking distance of the state's first free-standing children's hospital, a new community college and millions of square feet of retail and dining options.
I repeat: 36 years ago, Apex was a town of 5,000.
This year the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber began working closely with the Columbiana Area Chamber of Commerce. While returning from one of my many visits to the city of Columbiana, it hit me -- Columbiana has much in common with Apex.
Columbiana has driven a powerful economic and civic turnaround, transforming the city into a regional success story. Columbiana has gained national and even international attention with its population growth, near 100% downtown business occupancy, large investments in retail and social hubs like TownCenter at Firestone Farms, cutting-edge green projects like Arrowhead One, the nation's first fully operational solar-powered nanogrid residential community, beautiful community spaces and updated historic alleyways.
Since 2019, residential and commercial investment in Columbiana has totaled more than $167 million. Over that time, 186 new businesses and development projects have appeared before the city's Planning Commission.
The parallels between Columbiana and Apex are striking.
Both towns were quiet, historic railroad stops. Both are now regional economic boom towns.
Both built their modern identities around fully restoring their turn-of-the-century, pedestrian-friendly downtown railroad corridors. Both have taken advantage of the "perimeter escape surge," as nearby employment hubs became prohibitively expensive.
The cities have almost identical list-to-sale housing ratios. The cities' home sale prices are heavily outpacing their respective county prices.
Each community used tax abatements to stimulate growth. Each community faced political friction over that method.
One conversation after this year's Harvey Awards put those similarities into perspective.
The 73rd annual "Harveys," named for Harvey Samuel Firestone, the prominent American industrialist and the founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. who grew up in Columbiana, is the Columbiana Chamber's signature event.
This year it took place at The Barn at Firestone Farms. Right where Mr. Firestone grew up. Right where Firestone, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford would frequently camp out and discuss how they were changing the world forever.
After the event, I was approached by a representative of a high-end retail establishment. He told me he was helping his client buy property for its next location. He told me after spending some time in Columbiana, including time at the Harvey Awards, he would be advising his client to abandon those plans and seek property in Columbiana instead.
If Columbiana stays the course, those conversations will occur more and more frequently.
Let's go back to Apex. Thirty-six years ago it was a small, quaint town of 5,000 trying to preserve its railroad stop, walkable community.
I hope I'm around to see Columbiana in 2061.
Guy Coviello is president and CEO of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber. This column originally appeared in the Fall 2026 issue of Valley Business magazine.