 |
| Dan Lorek |
Dan Lorek, Whitehall’s new Deputy for Administration and Development, is no stranger to the city.
He previously served in the same position between 1996 and 2000 under Mayor John Wolfe, before becoming development director in Bexley. In 1996 he created the Whitehall Business Development Office, focusing on area-wide revitalization.
The mission of the office was to facilitate development opportunities, increasing local investment while marketing the city.
Primary goals were to retain current businesses, attracting new interests, and utilizing vacant commercial and industrial buildings.
Thanks to his expertise Whitehall was able to receive grants and tax abatements for growth.
Lorek, who hails from Buffalo, N. Y., received his bachelor’s degree in design from the School of Architecture at Arizona State University, and a master’s degree in urban planning from State University of New York. He is also a licensed Ohio real estate professional.
During his time in Whitehall, Yearling Road received a facelift via a $2 million streetscape project. Four Community Reinvestment Areas were established, making $4 million in new development possible through state legislation.
Other highlighted projects he saw to fruition include:
•Defense Supply Center Columbus’s $90 million, seven-story office building. Defense Finance Accounting Services then brought over 3,000 jobs with a $91 million payroll. DLA opened an operations center bringing 200 jobs and a $14 million budget after consolidation.
•Ohio Health transformed a former Kroger grocery on Main Street into a surgical center.
•Town and Country Shopping Center on Broad Street received a $2.5 million facelift.
•A $3.5 million renovation to the former Quality Inn at Hamilton and Broad took place.
•Langport became the first subdivision built in two decades in the landlocked city.
•Children’s Hospital opened a health center.
•Whitehall Manor opened a $4.5 million, 99-bed nursing facility, and in recent weeks opened an additional wing.
•A $3.5 million indoor golf range on Broad opened.
Lorek brings versatile experience to the table. After leaving Whitehall, he was Director of Planning and Economic Development in Bexley from 2000-2006, where he laid the groundwork and oversaw the beginning of much of the commercial development on Main Street.
He left Bexley for a private partnership in real estate development.
He has also worked as a business development specialist in former Columbus Mayor Greg Lashutka’s administration in the Columbus Department of Trade and Development, development consultant in non-metro areas to local governments, development and regional planner in Genesee/Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, serving nine counties, 126 towns and 64 villages.
Lorek looks forward to reuniting with Whitehall.
He describes himself as a "result-oriented, skillful problem solver with hands-on experience forging public and private partnership ground with the real estate, development and banking communities, facilitating managed economic growth, and making multi faceted development opportunities reality."
