Tuesday, October 05, 1999
Growth like a 'runaway train'
Monroe in path of I-75 surge
BY RICHELLE THOMPSON and JANET C. WETZEL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Monroe Mayor Elbert Tannreuther, left, chats with Councilman Bob Youtsler at Monroe's new city building.
(Michael Snyder photos)
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In the recipe for rapid growth, the 12-mile stretch of Interstate 75 from West Chester to Monroe has all the right ingredients.
A prime location between two metropolitan areas. Available land. Booming economy. Expanding schools. And accessible roads.
The area's reputation as one of the hottest development spots in the Tristate went from a simmer to a boil with the disclosure last weekend of a proposal for a possible mega-mall in Monroe.
The problem for community leaders now is making sure the end result is palatable to residents and developers alike.
“It's like a big runaway train. You can stand out in front of it yelling, "We don't want this,' and it will just run you down. Or you can throw the switches and control that train,” Monroe Mayor Elbert Tannreuther said.
“That's what we're trying to do.”
On top of the 13,000 jobs projected at the mega-mall, General Motors Corp. reported last week it plans to relocate its parts distribution center to near Union Centre Boulevard, bringing 172 jobs.
Add to the mix a move by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati to expand and relocate Middletown's Fenwick High School at an undetermined site closer to the epicenter of the population boom. The Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati expects to break ground in January on a $3.5 million International Academy just south of Cincinnati-Dayton Road.
Several transportation projects are on the front burner for state funding approval, including a new, $22.4 million interchange at Kyles Station Road and a $19.3 million upgrade and expansion of a portion of Ohio 63.
Just three years ago, there were only three interchanges off of I-75 from I-275 to Ohio 63. The fourth interchange at Union Centre Boulevard opened in late 1997. A fifth, onto the Butler Regional Highway, is to open by the end of the month.
And planners hope to hear in December if the Ohio Department of Transportation will approve money for a sixth interchange at Kyles Station Road.
Butler County plans to start a $14 million construction project next year to widen Cincinnati-Dayton Road from two to five lanes at the interchange.
The area is growing so fast that maps can't keep up, said Chris Petrocy, spokesman for the Butler County Engineer's office.
He plans to start working on an updated map this fall.
“By the time it rolls off the presses (in the spring), it will already be outdated,” Mr. Petrocy said. “Things change very rapidly in Butler County because of the growth.”
Since the Union Centre Boulevard interchange opened in late 1997, crops of corn and soybeans have given way to office buildings and industrial complexes.
Development at the interchange already is projected to generate 2,500 to 3,000 jobs, said Curt Arulf, Butler County's economic development director. The projects have pumped millions of dollars into the local economy.
The proposed mega-mall in Monroe could become a bigger draw than Paramount's Kings Island. Preliminary plans include 340 shops and an entertainment complex with theaters and restaurants.
“I think this mall can be a terrific shot in the arm for the city of Monroe,” Mr. Tannreuther said. He projects the city, the school district and the county will reap a financial windfall from sales, income and property taxes.
But news of the proposal received mixed reviews from residents and area employees.
“There will be just traffic tie-ups from hell,” said Dave Hilton, who works at Ohio Transmission in Monroe.
Another resident, Bunny Fielder, worried Monroe could lose its small-town feel with a big-time mall.
But others said the trade-off is worth it. Tax revenue from the mall could help pay for new buildings and renovations, should voters approve splitting the Middletown-Monroe school district.
Suzi Rubin, who has spearheaded the effort to create a separate Monroe district, cautioned against touting the proposed mall as a cash cow for the schools.
But, she added: “I can sure say it won't hurt us any.”
None of the communities is surprised by the rapid growth. With the borders of Cincinnati and Dayton spreading like a middle-aged paunch, Monroe and other communities along I-75 have been preparing for it for years, Mr. Tannreuther said.
Realtor Michael Combs, president of Coldwell Banker, Oyer Inc., has sold houses along the I-75 corridor for 25 years. All the growth is bringing “more buyers right to my doorstep.”
His prediction for the area in the next decade:
“I think when you leave Cincinnati and go into Dayton, you won't know it,” he said. “They'll grow together.”
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