By Susan Vela
The Cincinnati Enquirer

NORWOOD - Staunch resistance by residents standing in the way of the proposed $125 million Rookwood Exchange project has prompted developers to seek help from city officials now instead of later.

Representatives from Anderson Real Estate and Miller-Valentine Group urged planning commissioners Monday to recommend that council members pursue an "urban renewal study" to determine whether the wedge of property between Interstate 71 and Edmondson and Edwards roads is blighted.

Commissioners unanimously agreed and now City Council is determining when to discuss the matter. A determination of blight will be needed if several residents keep refusing to sell their properties and, for the overall good of the community, council members opt to claim the properties by eminent domain. The study, which the developers will finance, would examine the properties' conditions, age, tax status and other factors.

Brian Copfer of Miller-Valentine said council should pursue the study now so that developers can raze homes this summer and open Rookwood Exchange - an extension of Rookwood Commons - by winter 2004.

The developers hope to get 79 business and home owners to sign purchase agreements by the end of the year. Right now, only 40 percent of the owners have agreed to sell and a handful of people are promising a "last stand."

The developers are offering homeowners 25 percent more than their houses' appraised values, which range from $130,000 to $175,000.

If council pursues eminent domain, a Hamilton County Common Pleas Court jury would decide how much money the city should pay residents for their homes. A jury would weigh the market values provided by the residents against the market values provided by an independent appraiser hired by the city.

E-mail svela@enquirer.com