Location, location, location a favorite for 2011

Location is commonly cited as the most important consideration in buying real estate, and geographic location was the reason that Cleveland once was tagged as being — or occupying — “the best location in the nation.”

The slogan was coined in 1944 by the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co., now part of FirstEnergy Corp., to help build post-war business.

“The claim was based on the fact that within 500 miles of the city lived half the people of the United States and Canada; that Cleveland was the natural meeting place of iron ore, coal, copper, gypsum, stone, sand and other vital raw materials; and that efficient water, rail, highway and air transportation facilitated delivery and reduced costs,” wrote historians Carol Poh Miller and Robert Anthony Wheeler.  

The slogan has fallen into disuse, but geography hasn’t changed.

Gov. John Kasich touted the concept in May when he spoke to the Ohio Chamber of Commerce about making Ohio more competitive for business growth:

“We’re to the point now where location matters because logistics matters again,” he said. “Cost of shipping things matters again. We’re within 600 miles of 60 percent of America. We’re in a perfect location.”

We checked out the governor’s claim and rated it True. It became one of our favorites for the year.