The City of Centerton and FUSE are working together to help Centerton catch its commercial development up to its fast-growing population. Residential growth has surged, but businesses haven’t followed at the same pace, so many residents leave town for everyday shopping, dining, services, and work. That gap hits hardest for people with limited mobility, lower incomes, or inflexible schedules. The City has launched downtown and comprehensive planning, engaged developers, and strengthened ties with the Chamber of Commerce, and those efforts have sparked interest while also revealing the need for local market data, sharper commercial positioning, and more internal capacity.
Starting in Fall 2026, FUSE Executive Fellow Enia Sampaio will spend 90 days meeting with the Mayor’s Office, Planning staff, Council members, the Chamber, business and property owners, and regional partners, while reviewing plans, zoning, and market data. In Year One, Sampaio will lead retail and market analyses, translate findings into a recruitment and positioning strategy, and build tools that help staff evaluate proposals and respond to business inquiries. Year One deliverables include a market and retail gap analysis, developer-ready demographic profiles, a commercial recruitment strategy, decision-support dashboards, and staff training resources. By Fall 2028, the goal is for Centerton to run an institutionalized, proactive economic development approach that sustains a lively downtown and supports small business growth.
