WestChesterBuzz.com

To let West Chester and Liberty Township residents catch up with the news that they need to know, WestChesterBuzz.com will list and link to all of last week’s top local stories every Monday.

WestChesterBuzz.com also recently added a new video page last week. To view West Chester and Liberty Township related videos, visit westchesterbuzz.com/videos.

Liberty Township retail project has new look – A Columbus developer returned to Butler County Thursday with a slightly revised plan for the $300 million shopping destination spot it wants to build in Liberty Township, Sheila McLaughlin reported for The Cincinnati Enquirer. Yaromir Steiner, founder and chief executive officer of Steiner + Associates, is counting on $35 million from the county and township to make improvements around the 100-acre site, at Liberty Way west of Interstate 75.

West Chester Hospital tax status case watched closely – Butler County and the cash-strapped Lakota Local School District stand to lose a combined $43 million over the next 18 years if West Chester Hospital’s charitable tax status is upheld, Sheila McLaughlin of The Cincinnati Enquirer reported. County commissioners are appealing the case to the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals, saying the county failed to receive a hearing on the matter. School officials are keeping an eye on it.

Summer’s Homearama being delayed until July – The director of the Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati confirmed Thursday that due to unforeseen construction delays, that this summer’s Homearama at Carriage Hill in Liberty Township is being pushed back to July. It will be the latest summer Homearama, which will now take place July 13-28, in the 50-year history of the home showcase, according HBA executive director Dan Dressman. The event was previously scheduled to take place June 8-23.

Bridgewater Falls is back on the block – Fairfield Township’s upscale shopping center, Bridgewater Falls, is for sale. And this time it’s for a positive reason, Cindi Andrews reported for The Cincinnati Enquirer. Blue Ash-based Phillips Edison bought Bridgewater Falls out of foreclosure in 2010. It boosted occupancy to 97 percent and is now testing the possibility of cashing in on its investment.

Kroger Marketplace discussion to be revisited – Last month, a Blue Ash developer scrapped plans to bring a Kroger Marketplace to West Chester after local residents convinced the township’s zoning commission that it wasn’t good idea. The developer, Silverman and Company, is considering a new plan, but wanted to hear from their opposition first by hosting a public input meeting at the Wingate Inn Thursday. During that meeting, many residents continued to voice their concerns.

Larry Sykes named Lakota East girls’ basketball coach – Larry Sykes was named the Lakota East girls’ basketball coach Tuesday. Sykes, an assistant at Lakota East the past two seasons, was formerly the Purcell Marian head coach during the 2010-11 season. Sykes, 40, replaces Nikki Drew, who stepped down at the end of this past season in order to spend more time with her family.

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Tags: Tags: Carriage Hill, Carriage Hill Liberty Township, Carriage House Liberty Township, Crossings of Beckett, Home Builders Association, Homearama, Homearama 2013, Homearama Cincinnati, Homearama Cincinnati 2013, Homearama Liberty Township, Homearama Liberty Township 2013, housing, housing development, housing development plan, Interstate 75, Kroger, Kroger Marketplace, Kroger Marketplace West Chester, Kroger West Chester, Lakota East, Lakota East basketball, Lakota East Sports, Lakota school district, Larry Sykes, Larry Sykes Lakota East, Liberty Center, Liberty Center Liberty Township Ohio, Liberty Center shopping center, Liberty Town Square, Liberty Township business news, Liberty Way, Liberty Way Interchange, Liberty Way project, Libertytown LLC, Nikki Drew, Nikki Drew Lakota East, Nikki Drew Xavier, Randy Terry, Silverman and Company, Steiner + Associates, Tom Eggert, West Chester Hospital, West Chester Hospital taxes, West Chester Medical Center, West Chester Township Zoning Commission

Construction delays force latest start in the history of the home showcase

The director of the Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati confirmed Thursday that due to unforeseen construction delays, that this summer’s Homearama at Carriage Hill in Liberty Township is being pushed back to July.

It will be the latest Homearama, which will now take place July 13-28, in the 50-year history of the home showcase, according HBA executive director Dan Dressman. The event was previously scheduled to take place June 8-23.

“We made the decision to ensure that we had all the homes completed in time and that all of the builders had an opportunity to provide the high-quality show that people come to expect from Homearama,” Dressman said.

Overall, there are six homes, all presold and priced between $780,000 and $1.2 million, at this year’s event.

Dressman says the main reason for the delay was that builders were forced to get off to a late start while waiting for bank financing. Builders of the six presold homes include Daniel Hicks Homes, Wieland Builders, W.V. deStefano Homes and Justin Doyle Homes, which are building three of the homes.

When ground was broken in November, Dressman called Carriage Hill “one of the nicest locations” that has ever hosted a Homearama. The 400-acre Liberty Township community features lakes, streams and woodlands.

“People are going to see a first-class show and I don’t think this year is going to be an exception,” Dressman said. “It has been a Cincinnati summertime tradition for 50 years. It is going to be a top-notch show, which is what people expect when they come to a Homearama in Cincinnati.”

Carriage Hill co-manager Randy Terry thought it was important that the builders had ample time to compete their homes.

“It is just too important of an event, which represents the industry as a whole, to not ensure the builders the maximum opportunity to finish all the details that goes into these type of homes,” Terry said. “We didn’t want to risk in any way compromising the experience of the show.”

The HBA is currently finalizing its decision for the 2014 Homearama location. Dressman said an announcement should be coming in the next few weeks. Furthermore, the HBA is still accepting applications for its 2014 Citirama and a decision on that location will be decided in a month or so.

Posted in: Business, Events, News |

Tags: Tags: Carriage Hill, Carriage Hill Liberty Township, Carriage House Liberty Township, Home Builders Association, Homearama, Homearama 2013, Homearama Cincinnati, Homearama Cincinnati 2013, Homearama Liberty Township, Homearama Liberty Township 2013, housing, housing development, housing development plan, Randy Terry

Sue Kiesewetter reports:

A new plan for the Carriage Hill development will provide residents of all ages everything from an ice cream shop to hiking trails.

“The whole intent is not to create a subdivision, but to create a community,’’ said Jose Castrejon, vice president for landscape, architecture and planning for McGill Smith Punshon, a firm workingon the project.

The 400-acre project is located on the east side of Ohio 747, between Millikin and Princeton roads. Within its borders are the Winding Creek subdivision and the site for this year’s Homearama custom home show, put on by the Homebuilder’s Association of Greater Cincinnati.

“We want to see a community that 100 years from now we can still be proud of,’’ said Randy Terry, a managing partner in Liberty Land Company LLC, which is developing the property owned by the Terry family.

ABOUT HOMEARAMA

When: June 8-23
Where: Carriage Hill, 6306 Ohio 747, Liberty Township
Tickets: $13 at the gate or $11 at Cincinnati area Kroger store, gate discount for AAA members; free to children 12 and younger
Homes: Eight homes priced at $700,000 to $1.2 million
Information: 513-851-6300 or www.cincybuilders.com

Since the 87-acre Winding Creek subdivision opened in 2006, developers have changed and new zoning categories were added, giving Liberty Land more options, Terry said.

The economic downtown gave those involved in the project time to alter the project from its 2007 concept.

Last week, the project got the go-ahead when Liberty Township trustees agreed to rezone the property to add mixed use to the business and residential planned unit development categories.

The goal, Terry said, is to create a village-like atmosphere where residents can walk or bike to schools, shops and neighboring subdivisions.

At the center of the village is a community gathering area that includes 150,000 square feet of office, retail, and commercial space, along with 144 residential units on 44 acres.

Other areas of the property will include numerous housing options. There will be apartments for young professionals, single-family homes, luxury apartments, townhouses, condominiums and patio homes for empty-nesters.

Single-family and patio home lot widths vary from 50 feet to 120 feet.

Amenities include clubhouses, pools, playgrounds, hiking and biking trails, 10 lakes or ponds stocked with fish, and 80 acres of open space – including woods, cliffs, streams, and ravines.

Pedestrian paths will connect Millikin, Princeton and Ohio 747.

• Ground breaking: 2013 Homearama at Carriage Hill in Liberty Township, Ohio

“Our neighbors will have the opportunity to use the paths to connect to the village, VanGorden and Plains schools,’’ Terry said.

The timeline for the project is an eight-year build-out for the residential portion, three to five years for the village center and about 10 years for the overall project.

There are 25 homes completed or under construction in Winding Creek and 15 that should get approval within 90 days. That project should be finished by early 2014.

Pricing for the single family homes run $380,000 to $1.5 million for 2,100- to 7,000-square feet of space.

Empty-nester patio and other homes will range from $280,000 to $500,000 for 1,650- to 3,000-square feet of space.

Townhouses and luxury one- and two-bedroom units will rent for $900 to $1,300 per month.

VIDEO: Take a tour of the Carriage Hill property in Liberty Township

Posted in: Business, Events, News |

Tags: Tags: Carriage Hill, Carriage Hill Liberty Township, Carriage House Liberty Township, Home Builders Association, Homearama, Homearama 2013, Homearama Cincinnati, Homearama Cincinnati 2013, Homearama Liberty Township, Homearama Liberty Township 2013, housing, housing development, housing development plan, Randy Terry

Ground was officially broken Thursday on what Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati executive director Dan Dressman called “one of the nicest locations” that has ever hosted its premier home showcase.

Carriage Hill, which will have eight homes in this summer’s Homearama, features lakes, streams and woodlands spread throughout the 400-arce Liberty Township community.

“It is a one-of-a-kind location. It is really an oasis,” Dressman said. “As far as we are concerned it is one of the nicest, if not the nicest locations we have ever had at Homearama over the last 50 years.

“It is just an ideal place to live and raise a family.”

The homes featured in the 51st Homearama will be priced between $700,000 to $1.2 million. Of the eight homes in the show, two have already been sold. Dressman is also anticipating that a couple more will be sold in the next few months.

“If you are thinking about building a new home over the next year, this is a opportune time to get a lot of extras without having to pay for them,” Dressman said.

“We have a lot of suppliers that step up that want to showcase a new product or service and they will work with the builder to incorporate that product and service. You will get those upgrades without actually having to pay the price.”

In the 50-year history of Homearama, Butler County has hosted 10 home showcases. In 2011, the event at West Chester Township’s Foxborough residential development attracted more than 20,000 people.

Carriage Hill co-manager Randy Terry is hoping the 2013 showcase will bring that type of attention to his development, which began selling homes in late 2011.

“Bringing 20,000-plus folks through the community next year and giving them an opportunity to experience Carriage Hill will certainly broaden the awareness and create the kind of excitement in a community that people are looking for,” Terry said.

The development’s 5,000-square foot Carriage House will be used in the showcase. The structure, built in 1882, with 17,000 cobblestones in the flooring was moved from Port Union Road in 2000 and was used as a barley storage barn for the Windisch-Mulhauser Brewing Company in Cincinnati.

The appeal of the community has already helped sell homes. Terry said Carriage Hill has exceeded its own goals by selling 35 homes in 2012 and is projecting 40 more sales in 2013.

“Our focus today is the awareness of Homearama and the great buying opportunity for those wanting to buy a Homearama home,” Terry said. “With the 13 lots available and eight premier builders, our goal is to focus on who would have an interest in partnering with our key builders to maximize the success of the show and really feature the Liberty Township and West Chester Township area in 2013.”

Among the custom builders in the 51st Homearama showcase, which will take place June 8-23, are Daniels Hicks Homes, Justin Doyle Homes, The Leland Group, Robert Lucke Group, Potterhill Homes, Somerset Custom Homes, W.V. deStefano and Jack H. Wieland Builders.

Posted in: Business, Events, News |

Tags: Tags: Carriage Hill, Carriage Hill Liberty Township, Carriage House Liberty Township, Home Builders Association, Homearama, Homearama 2013, Homearama Cincinnati, Homearama Cincinnati 2013, Homearama Liberty Township, Homearama Liberty Township 2013, housing, housing development, housing development plan, Randy Terry

To let West Chester and Liberty Township residents catch up with the news that they need to know, WestChesterBuzz.com will list and link to all of last week’s top local stories every Monday.

Student not seriously injured after being struck by car - As many parents were on their way to pick up their children from Cherokee Elementary School last Wednesday, a car struck a student just a half-mile from the school at around 4 p.m. The female student was on her bicycle crossing from the south side of Kyles Station Road to Aspen Trails Boulevard when an Acura SUV hit her, according to Ohio Highway Patrol Sgt. Brian Bost.

Lakota East spoils Lakota West’s season with upset -Lakota East spoiled Lakota West’s season with a 33-21 upset win at Lakota West High School Friday night. The win knocked rival Lakota West out of the postseason and qualified Lakota East for the postseason for the first time in school history.

Lakota West wins second straight district title in soccer - For the second straight season, the Lakota West boys’ soccer team is making a postseason run. Last Thursday, the Firebirds won their second straight district title with a 2-0 win against Xenia at Lebanon High School. The Firebirds (16-1-2 overall) will now face Wayne (13-4-2 overall) in a regional semifinal matchup scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. at Sycamore Junior High.

Lakota East and Lakota West win district titles in volleyball - Lakota East and Lakota West clinched Division I district girls’ volleyball championships Saturday at Lebanon and punched their tickets to respective regional semifinals. Shannon Russell was there for The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Community wins in clash of the Lakotas - Michael D. Clark of The Cincinnati Enquirer reported on the real impact of Lakota East/Lakota West football week.

Time to fill up? Gas prices fall under $3 – Gas prices in West Chester fell under $3 last Wednesday and remained there through the weekend, causing long lines at the pump. For more gas prices or to search for the cheapest gas near you, visit Cincygasprices.com.

Liberty Township coat drive begins - All three Liberty Township fire stations started to serve as collection sites for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s annual coat drive last week. The goal, organizers say, is to collect 4,000 new or gently used coats by Dec. 1. Coats are need for all age groups from infants through adults. Coats can also be dropped off at 11 Gold Star Chili locations in Butler County.

Liberty Township administrator named Indian Hill manager – Administrator Dina Minneci is poised to leave Liberty Township in November to become the city manager of Indian Hill, Sue Kiesewetter reported last week for The Cincinnati Enquirer. Minneci was selected from a field of 45 applicants.

Butler County race features fresh faces, strong ideas – Sheila McLaughlin of The Cincinnati Enquirer reported last week on the Butler County commissioners race: Three political newbies are vying for a seat on the board of commissioners in Butler County, where spending is the resounding theme in a community that is steeped in debt and faces $900,000 in cuts to get through the end of the year.

Lakota Local Schools still faces financial hole - Michael D. Clark of The Cincinnati Enquirer: Lakota Schools have slowed but not stopped its financial bleeding, officials said during Monday evening’s school board meeting. The school system – impacted by three tax levy defeats in the last two years all resulting in historically deep personnel and program cuts – still faces insolvency in 2014, officials said.

Homearama 2013 in Liberty Twp. to break ground Nov. 8 – The Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati (HBA) recently announced that it would hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its Homearama 2013 location, Carriage Hill in Liberty Township, on Nov. 8 at 1:30 p.m. The homes featured in the showcase will be priced between $700,000 to $1.2 million. Of the eight homes in the show, two have already been sold.

West Chester taking submissions for annual holiday parade - West Chester Township is now taking submissions from local individuals, businesses and organizations interested in participating in the annual holiday parade on Saturday, Nov. 17. The parade, and the tree lighting to follow, is held in conjunction with the Olde West Chester Christmas Walk, sponsored by the Merchants of Olde West Chester.

Posted in: Events, News, Schools, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Administrator Dina Minneci, Butler County Commissioners, Butler County Election 2012, Cherokee Elementary, Dina Minneci, gas prices, Homearama, Homearama 2013, Homearama Cincinnati, Homearama Cincinnati 2013, Homearama Liberty Township, Homearama Liberty Township 2013, Lakota East, Lakota East football, Lakota East Sports, Lakota East volleyball, Lakota West, Lakota West football, Lakota West soccer, Lakota West sports, Lakota West volleyball, Liberty Township Administrator Dina Minneci, Ohio gas prices, student struck by car Cherokee Elementary, West Chester Ohio gas prices

The Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati (HBA) recently announced that it would hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its Homearama 2013 location, Carriage Hill in Liberty Township, on Nov. 8 at 1:30 p.m.

A few weeks ago, HBA executive director Dan Dressman announced that the home showcase would feature eight homes by the following custom builders: Daniels Hicks Homes, Justin Doyle Homes, The Leland Group, Robert Lucke Group, Potterhill Homes, Somerset Custom Homes, W.V. deStefano and Jack H. Wieland Builders.

“We are pleased to formally announce our 51st Homearama in Liberty Township,” said Dressman of the 2013 show that is scheduled to take place June 8-23.

“Carriage Hill is a one-of-a-kind location with a backdrop of lakes, streams and woodlands spread over 400 acres. It’s the perfect canvas to build the home of your dreams.”

The homes featured in the showcase will be priced between $700,000 to $1.2 million. Of the eight homes in the show, two have already been sold.

In the 50-year history of Homearama, Butler County has hosted 10 home showcases. In 2011, the event in West Chester Township attracted more than 20,000 people.

Hoping to bring that attention to Carriage Hill, co-manager Randy Terry said that he received such “strong support” after applying to host the 2012 showcase that the HBA “elected to proceed a little early this year” and accepted Carriage Hill’s bid for the 2013 show.

The development’s 5,000-square foot Carriage House will be used in the showcase. The structure, built in 1882, with 17,000 cobblestones in the flooring was moved from Port Union Road in 2000 and was used as a barley storage barn for the Windisch-Mulhauser Brewing Company in Cincinnati.

“We will be offering a great venue, as well as provide attendees with not only beautiful homes, but an opportunity to really see Carriage Hill for all that it has to offer,” Terry said.

Liberty Township Trustee Christine Matacic, who described Carriage Hill as “absolutely stunning”, believes the event will show the region that Liberty Township is a great place to live.

“What Homearama tends to do is it takes areas and basically showcases them, so people throughout the region can come and realize that there are a lot of great places to be and Liberty happens to be one of them,” Matacic said.

The groundbreaking ceremony at Carriage Hill, 6306 Princeton Glendale Road, is free and open to the public.

Posted in: Business, Events, News, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: Carriage Hill, Carriage Hill Liberty Township, Carriage House Liberty Township, Home Builders Association, Homearama, Homearama 2013, Homearama Cincinnati, Homearama Cincinnati 2013, Homearama Liberty Township, Homearama Liberty Township 2013, housing, housing development, housing development plan, Randy Terry

Photos of the 2011 Crazy Cardboard Regatta

To let West Chester and Liberty Township residents catch up with the news that they need to know, WestChesterBuzz.com will list and link to all of last week’s top local stories every Monday.

Homearama set for Liberty Township in 2013- The Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati recently announced that Carriage Hill, a housing development in Liberty Township, would be the location for the next Homearama in 2013. In the 50-year history of Homearama, Butler County has hosted 10 home showcases. Last summer, the event in West Chester Township attracted more than 20,000 people.

Lakota junior high fall sports registration deadline looms – Students who want to participate in fall sports at the junior high level in the Lakota school district must register and pay fees by next Friday, June 29, which is more than two weeks earlier than the deadline last summer. Chris Passarge, Lakota’s executive director of business operations, said the date was moved up since there won’t be any staff members at the junior high buildings in July.

Lakota losing principals at high rate– Michael D. Clark of The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that more than half of Lakota’s principals have left the school district in the last two years partially due to financial woes.

Crazy Cardboard Boat Regatta set for July 14 – The third annual Crazy Cardboard Boat Regatta is scheduled to set sail once again at Voice of America Park in West Chester Township July 14. The event will take place from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. with racing beginning at noon. This year, all the profits from the event will go towards adding a handicapped accessible area to the VOA playground.

Aroldis Chapman’s signature attracts big crowd- It’s been a tough couple weeks for Reds closer Aroldis Chapman, but he clearly hasn’t lost any of the star power he earned in dominating hitters most in the season. As evidence, hundreds of Reds fans lined outside a West Chester sports memorabilia shop Thursday to get a glimpse and a rare autograph from Chapman.

Board of Elections recruiting poll workers for Nov. 6 – The Butler County Board of Elections has launched a local campaign, aimed to donate money to charities, churches and other organizations, in hope to recruit poll workers for the upcoming election Nov. 6.

Butler County hires administrator – Sheila McLaughlin reported on Thursday that Charles Young, the former Hamilton deputy city manager, was hired as Butler County’s new administrator. Without a hitch, and despite infighting over the appointment, commissioners unanimously gave Young the $125,000-a-year job.

West Chester to host World Choir Games concert – West Chester Township officials announced that there will be a Friendship Concert from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 6, as part of the 2012 World Choir Games. The show will take place at The Square at Union Centre and is free to attend.

Posted in: Board of Education, Business, Election, Events, Government, Levy news, News, Recreational events, Schools, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Aroldis Chapman, Aroldis Chapman autograph, Aroldis Chapman autographs, Aroldis Chapman Cincinnati Reds, Aroldis Chapman signing, Carriage Hill Liberty Township, Carriage House Liberty Township, Crazy Cardboard Regatta, Crazy Cardboard Regatta photos, Crazy Cardboard Regatta West Chester, Ellen Strickler-Bacon, Homearama, Homearama 2013, Homearama Cincinnati, Homearama Cincinnati 2013, Homearama Liberty Township, Homearama Liberty Township 2013, MetroParks, MetroParks of Butler County, Randy Terry, Voice of America, Voice of America Park, West Chester photos, World Choir Games, World Choir Games Cincinnati, World Choir Games concerts, World Choir Games Friendship Concert West Chester, World Choir Games Friendship Concerts, World Choir Games West Chester

The Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati recently announced that Carriage Hill, a housing development in Liberty Township, would be the location for the next Homearama in 2013.

“There is definitely a lot of enthusiasm and interest in that site,” said Dan Dressman, executive director of the HBA. “I think it is just a beautiful location and we have always had success in Butler County with all the shows we have done there. I think this will be similar in that regard.”

In the 50-year history of Homearama, Butler County has hosted 10 home showcases. Last summer, the event in West Chester Township attracted more than 20,000 people.

Dressman said the 2012 show at Willows Bend Subdivision in Miami Township, which is currently taking place through Sunday, has also attracted good crowds.

Hoping to bring that attention to Carriage Hill, co-manager Randy Terry said that he received such “strong support” after applying to host the 2012 showcase that the HBA “elected to proceed a little early this year” and accepted Carriage Hill’s bid for the 2013 show.

The development’s 5,000-square foot Carriage House will be used in the showcase. The structure, built in 1882, with 17,000 cobblestones in the flooring was moved from Port Union Road in 2000 and was used as a barley storage barn for the Windisch-Mulhauser Brewing Company in Cincinnati.

“We will be offering a great venue, as well as provide attendees with not only beautiful homes, but an opportunity to really see Carriage Hill for all that it has to offer,” Terry said.

Liberty Township Trustee Christine Matacic, who described Carriage Hill as “absolutely stunning”, believes the event will show the region that Liberty Township is a great place to live.

“What Homearama tends to do is it takes areas and basically showcases them, so people throughout the region can come and realize that there are a lot of great places to be and Liberty happens to be one of them,” Matacic said.

There are currently 13 lots available for development for the 2013 showcase, which is scheduled to take place June 8-23. Featured homes are expected to start around $650,000 and $700,000, according to Terry.

The development currently has two housing sections with available lots and will open a third in the next two weeks. Homes in those sections are currently priced from $300,000 to $750,000.

Posted in: Business, Events, News, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: Carriage Hill, Carriage Hill Liberty Township, Carriage House Liberty Township, Home Builders Association, Homearama, Homearama 2013, Homearama Cincinnati, Homearama Cincinnati 2013, Homearama Liberty Township, Homearama Liberty Township 2013, housing, housing development, housing development plan, Randy Terry