Earth-moving equipment has leveled and carved acreage just south of the adjacent GE Aviation North Pointe campus — bordered by Union Centre and Cincinnati-Dayton Road — clearing the way for two apartment complexes totaling $86 million in construction, according to a township leader.
But other portions of the 99 acres plotted closer to I-75 remain free of construction as township officials told the Journal-News the original $265 million proposed project — which predicted retail, restaurants, entertainment, a hotel, corporate offices, residential and a public park and trail system that runs along the east fork of the Mill Creek — is currently in limbo.
A combination of factors has played into the delay and alteration of the original 2021 preliminary plan, said Barb Wilson, spokeswoman for the township.
Any current predictions for the properties besides the land on where the two apartment complexes are being constructed — bordered by Aviation Way and Imagination Blvd. across the street from two, long-standing GE Aviation professional buildings — are problematic, said Wilson.
“The property will be developed piece by piece as market conditions allow and property is sold and developed. This is an important high-profile piece of property yet to be developed in the Township’s Union Centre area,” she said.
“It has been challenging to develop because of the stream (east fork of Mill Creek) that passes through it and the protection of the natural floodway. It can be costly to address these types of issues.”
“Market conditions are also a driver of development,” said Wilson.
“There is a misconception that the township can just say what we want developed and make it so. The project has to fit the property, be a good investment for the developer and meet the expectations of the community.”
But, said Wilson, the 99-acre total outline of the property remains “accurate and a mixed-use development is likely to happen here, but it will happen more in stages over time.”
West Chester Twp. Community Development Director Katy Kanelopoulos said, “Other than the two apartment complexes under construction, we have no other solid developments.”
Kanelopoulos echoed Wilson, saying, “This piece of land is highly visible and very important to the township. We are working towards the highest and best uses of the remaining land.”
While preliminary earth-moving is underway, no projected completion date for the two apartment complexes has been made public by the developer.
But West Chester Twp. Trustee Vice Chair Mark Welch said the coming two apartment complexes, next to the GE Aviation offices, will include a total of more than 300 luxury apartments as part of an $86 million residential development.
Welch said the hope is for the stalled portion of development — adjacent to and visible from I-75 north — will become active in the future and would eventually mirror and support the popular Streets of West Chester, multi-attraction destination – with Top Golf, Bass Pro Shops, restaurants, retails, cinema and upscale apartments – on the other side of Union Centre Blvd.
“What we need with all the new people coming in is the services, the entertainment, the restaurants, and hopefully what happens is that space on the other side (west) of the creek (next to I-75) turns into that and it will be an extension of the Streets of West Chester.”
“But it has to be done right,” said Welsh.
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