Kettering group moving to $3.5M arts center at Springboro crossroads

The first building to rise in redevelopment of the northwest corner of Springboro’s central crossroads is to be a $3.5 million performing arts center housing the Playhouse South Community Theatre currently located in Kettering, city officials revealed today.

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The community theatre group, which has performed for the past decade in Springboro’s Shakespeare in the Park summer theater program, is to move into the Springboro Center for the Performing Arts, a 2 1/2 story, 15,000-square foot building expected to anchor the 6-acre redevelopment.

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“They are going to move into this building and do community theater,” Springboro City Manager Chris Pozzuto said today.

On Thursday, the Springboro City Council approved agreements with Mills-Barnett Development, which has committed to investing $10 million in the development it is leasing from the city.

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The city will spend $3.7 million — including $3.2 million refunded from money set aside for acquisition of right of way for the $10 million crossroads intersection project at Ohio 73 and Ohio 741, Central Avenue and Main Street in Springboro — on roads, sewers and other infrastructure for the development.

In July, the city council is expected to approve a ground lease with Mills for the buildings on the site.

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“We will own the ground underneath,” Pozzuto said.

In addition this summer, the council is expected to approve plans for the performing arts center, envisioned as the anchor for restaurants, retail and other development also to be built around a public area in the center of the development.

Mills is expected to complete the performing arts center, to be financed through the Warren County Port Authority, by next October.

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