By Susan Vela
The Cincinnati Enquirer

NORWOOD - Their numbers are shrinking, but residents fighting a blight designation that would leave their properties vulnerable to eminent domain proceedings are digging in their heels.

Citizens Against Eminent Domain Abuse, which has shrunk from about 30 members to 25 in recent weeks, announced Tuesday it would conduct its own blight study rather than let City Council rely solely on one financed by Anderson Real Estate and the Miller-Valentine Group.

At an evening session, they showed council members pictures of the homes and businesses standing in the way of the developers' dreams of building Rookwood Exchange, a $125 million project of offices, apartments, condos, shops, restaurants and a 2,500-space parking garage.

The documentation, they said, should convince council members not to pursue an "urban renewal study." Council is considering the developers' request to move ahead with the study that would determine whether the neighborhood bounded by Interstate 71 and Edwards and Edmondson roads can be deemed blighted.

If the study is pursued, any blight designation would allow the city to purchase holdout properties for market values by using eminent domain. Citizens Against Eminent Domain Abuse has said it's not interested in the developers' offers, which are ranging up to 40 percent more than the properties' $130,000 to $175,000 value, because they have sentimental attachments to the homes and aren't ready to sell.

"We're trying to derail this whole thing. The pictures are going to speak for themselves. This area is not blighted," said Nick Motz, co-leader of the group. "We're not trying to fight development. We're trying to fight government's intervention."

At Tuesday's session, he announced that the group had built its own Web site, which posts pictures of targeted properties and definitions of blight, slum and urban renewal areas, according to Ohio state law.

J.R. Anderson of Anderson Real Estate said it doesn't really matter what the group does. In the end, he said, it's all up to council members. He's frustrated with their "wishy-washy" comments on the project that could generate $2.5 million to $3.5 million a year in earnings taxes and another $400,000 in property taxes for city schools.

"Tell me we're going to do something or tell me we're not going to do something. If Norwood's not behind it, tell me so I can do something else.

"Everybody likes where this is going. You just have a handful of people who aren't interested in selling," he said, noting that about 55 of 79 home and business owners have agreed to sell.

Rookwood Exchange already has caught the attention of Closson's. The elite furniture and interior design retailer has said that it may pursue a flagship home in Rookwood Exchange.

Council members have agreed to review the urban renewal study request at a special Jan. 25 session. It will begin at 1 p.m. in Norwood High School's mini-auditorium, 2020 Sherman Ave.

E-mail svela@enquirer.com