NORWOOD — Residents reiterated Tuesday that they're anxious to see one of Hamilton County's worst brownfields transformed into a $35 million medical office development that will include a grocery store and other office, retail and restaurant uses.

        “That part of Norwood has been run down. It needs to be revitalized. This will go a long way toward revitalizing it,” said 72-year-old Oliver Howard, one of three people who urged City Council members to approve a planned unit development application submitted this spring by Al Neyer Inc.

        For years, city officials have said they'd like to see the former General Motors Corp. parking lot become something more than acre upon acre of cracked concrete and weeds. But, after Tuesday's hearing, council members unanimously agreed to send the application back to planning commissioners.

        Council President Jane Grote said that council needs more information about the application's inclusion of a gas station before they give the green light to Neyer, which would like to begin construction on the dilapidated parking lot this winter and complete the project by the end of 2003.

        To bring its plans to fruition, the company is working to purchase the 15 acres still owned by General Motors on the northwest corner of the Norwood Lateral and Carthage Avenue, plus 7 adjacent acres owned by Newman Properties. The planned unit development application encompasses both pieces of property.

        At Tuesday's hearing, Ken Schon, Neyer's vice president, promised that trees and landscaping ultimately will cover a quarter of the project's acreage.

        “It'll be a great improvement and a great addition to the neighborhood,” he said.

        Kroger and the prestigious Mayfield Clinic & Spine Institute have said they'd be interested in being part of Neyer's plans.

        In June, planning commissioners agreed to support Neyer's application with some conditions. The project is to have one main entrance on Montgomery Road instead of the three originally proposed. And, should a gas station be built, the pumps must not be on Montgomery Road.

        Susan Roschke, the city's planning director, said commissioners will revisit the application and possibly review more conditional uses about the gas station within weeks.

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