The building will house the $28 million operations center for Kemba but local officials said the new record-holding facility also provides a looming symbol of one of Butler County’s fastest growing townships.
“This shows the community that West Chester Twp. is continuing to grow and we’re not just growing in population and we’re not just growing in businesses — we are literally growing upward,” said Township Trustee Ann Becker.
The previous tallest township building was the Marriott Hotel about a quarter of a mile east on Union Centre from Kemba. The Marriott held the record since the late 1990s, standing high over decades of business and commercial development around the Interstate 75 and Union Centre Blvd area.
But the new operations center for Kemba sports an expansion office penthouse atop its eight floors making it the new king of the hill, said West Chester officials.
Butler County’s tallest building is the 12-story Judith A. Shelton Government Services Center in downtown Hamilton.
Kemba’s current headquarters is on an adjacent property in a four-story building.
Kemba plans to move in 180 employees into its new tower during the first quarter of 2022. The company’s original and current facility houses 70 workers.
The company will be going from 32,000 square feet to 147,00 square feet of office space.
Joe Hinson, president and CEO of the West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance, said the business future near the I-75 growth corridor will include more lengthy buildings.
Kemba tall structure symbolizes the upwardly mobility of opportunity in the community, said Hinson, where companies feel comfortable putting down deep roots for expansive growth.
“We were here for the ground-breaking of Kemba (first headquarters) in 2006 and (later) they decided to stay and build this eight-story building. They could have gone anywhere but they decided to stay right here and build next door,” he said.
Dan Sutton, president and CEO of Kemba, said it was easy decision.
“The West Chester community has welcomed us from day one. When we outgrew our current headquarters, we looked around and we had options but given the love and support we have gotten from this community” the about 200-yard move west was a natural expansion, said Sutton.
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