The new developer of the former Hamilton West Shopping Center property has paved its parking lot, which pleases nearby residents and city officials.
Mayor Pat Moeller liked what he saw with the paving, which city officials last year said they wanted to see from the developers before anything else happened.
“I had the opportunity to drive through the Plaza parking lot and I am pleased to see progress in improving the condition of the lot,” Moeller said. “Many of the ‘craters’ were filled. Current patrons and tenants have to be pleased. Potential tenants must be encouraged by the developer’s actions.
“The developers informed Planning Commission that the lot would be improved. As a result of this visual early step, I feel more confident about the future success of this redevelopment of an important sector of our West Side.”
Luke Williams, co-founder and general partner of developer Construction Design Management, based in Bowling Green, Ky., said plans for the 27.3-acre property the company bought for $2.3 million are “pretty much the same — just finally we were able to get stuff going.”
He said crews are starting to work on demolition inside buildings. The company envisions a self-enclosed, mini-self storage warehouse, with plans to clear most of the existing strip center for future development. Other possibilities include two commercial with street-level retail, offices on the second levels and maybe third-level condominiums above there. Plans also call for a drive-through restaurant and full-service car wash.
City Manager Joshua Smith also saw the paving as a sign of positive things to come.
“We believe the right developer is at the reins of the reinvention of the Hamilton West Shopping Center,” Smith said. The developer has been “marketing the property aggressively and I am excited to see the beginning stage underway as they look to execute their overall vision of a complimentary mixed-use development, that will provide desired amenities to area residents.”
That could spark other development, Smith said.
“We have been very encouraged regarding the recent investment on the far west-side of Hamilton,” he said. “Community First Solutions, Kettering and Aldi invested a combined $20 million in the past few years on West Main Street. This investment has caught the attention of other developers, and is a large reason Chipotle is under construction and the Brookwood corridor is starting to see significant investment.”
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