SOUTHGATE — When the 78-acre hilltop site of the deadliest fire in Tristate history was left undeveloped five years ago, Carol Beddie was happy.

        But after learning that a Cincinnati nonprofit development company had, on Thursday, purchased the former Beverly Hills Supper Club site where 165 people perished in 1977, the Southgate resident began to worry.

SPECIAL SECTION

• The Fire That Still Rages: The Enquirer's special report on the legacy of the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire.

        “That's a sacred point,” she said. “Whatever goes up there should be a celebration of life. I would love to see something more uplifting go up there.”

        Twin Towers, which operates a high-rise retirement facility in College Hill and is building a retirement community in Montgomery, announced Thursday that it intends to build a “continuing care retirement community” on the property.

        It purchased the site from Sencorp, a Newport-based holding company that operates a maker of industrial and medical fasteners, for $3.65 million, according to a deed filed in the Campbell County clerk's office..

OTHER PROPOSALS

Previous development proposals for Beverly Hills site:    • One late 1980s hotel and corporate meeting center plan died after the developer couldn't finance the project.    • Citicorp inspected the property in 1995 before deciding to build a credit card processing and collection center on Houston Road in Boone County.    • In 1996, Cincinnati-based Mayerson-Anderson Development Co. unveiled plans for a $90 million project that included two six-story office towers, more than 480,000 square feet of retail space in eight large buildings, and a memorial to victims of the 1977 fire.    Those plans fell apart after vehement opposition from a group of Southgate residents, including many from a residential development — Fairway Crossing — that abuts the property.

        “Twin Towers does things well,” added Mrs. Beddie, a 20-year resident of the neighborhood next to the site. However, she said, “I'd want to see some plans.”

        Attracting well-known performers and big-money players, the club was considered Northern Kentucky's best replication of the bright-lights, big-city glamour that is the Las Vegas strip until the May 28, 1977, fire that was ultimately attributed to faulty wiring.

        Since the fire, the site has remained undeveloped. It has a stunning view of downtown Cincinnati and easy access to U.S. 27 and Interstate 471.

        Its frontage includes a medical office building along U.S. 27, while the rear abuts Highland Country Club, a neighborhood and an upscale landominium development.

        It is an overgrown haven of flora and fauna that some believe should be left alone.

        “It has been allowed to rejuvenate itself,” Mrs. Beddie said, adding she has she has only walked on the land once.

        “I got a distinct feeling that said: "You do not belong here,'” she said.

        Nevertheless, to some who survived the blaze, a retirement community is not a bad idea.

        “The property would be a wonderful setting for such a facility,” said Michael Marmer of Morrow. “It would be appropriate to place a monument on the site somewhere to remember those who died. ... A retirement community is really about helping people and carrying for them. If its a nice, comfortable, clean environment, it would be appropriate.”

        Mr. Marmer was 22 when he accompanied a female friend to a dinner at the supper club. When the fire broke out, he was able to escape and helped drag others from the burning establishment.

This bluff above I-471 in Southgate was the site of the Beverly Hills Supper Club. (Enquirer photo) | ZOOM |

        Marguerette Spinks, 50, of Oakley, who lost two friends in the fire, also escaped the club.

        She vividly remembers being locked in a hallway with at least 15 others. “We thought it would be our tomb,” she said Thursday. But her group escaped when a door at the end of the hall was suddenly unlocked from the outside.

        “It is not hallowed ground. It's just dirt,” Ms. Spinks said of the land. “Granted, a lot of people lost their lives there. But you can't penalize the city for that. A lot of other people can benefit from development. ... Something should be done so that those who died — it wasn't in vain.”

        Originally founded by members of the Methodist Church, Twin Towers bills itself as a Christian organization that will erect a “fitting tribute and memorial to those men and women who passed away the night of May 28, 1977,” said Scott McQuinn, president.

        No decisions will be made on the type of memorial, however, until Twin Towers can meet with the family members of some of those who died in the fire.

        Several developments have been proposed at the site but none has ever come to fruition.

        Mr. McQuinn said the company wants to develop a “continuing care retirement community” on the property but it could be several years before any work begins.

        “This will be a high-quality residential retirement community offering patio homes, apartment residences, assisted living units and nursing care,” Mr. McQuinn said.

        However, because the company plans to proceed slowly with development, the full scope of the project has not been finalized, said Michael Vilardo, a vice president with Twin Towers.

        Development of the site, now zoned for professional offices, would require a zone change from Campbell County and and approval from the city of Southgate, Mr. McQuinn said.

        Mr. McQuinn said he intends to spend the summer meeting with officials from Southgate and Campbell County as well as neighboring residents.

        “We want to be a good neighbor,” he said. “We believe that a residential retirement community will mirror the character of the neighborhood,” Mr. McQuinn added.

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