By Bruce Kettelle
Imagine a broad 8-acre lawn with weekly and sometimes daily activities. Concerts, farm markets, pet contests would be in full sight from passing cars along Shiloh Springs Rd enticing the curious to pull in and check it out. That is exactly what The Stonehenge Company expects would happen if Trotwood officials were to adopt a concept plan presented Wednesday.
The entire Trotwood City Council traveled to the company’s headquarters in Gahanna, OH to get the results of their preliminary recommendations to transform the site of the former Salem Mall.
“The city should be looking at a long term solution designed for the next generation,” said Stonehenge President Mo Dioun. “Successful areas across the country have clusters of mixed use.” He said it is important for the city to create a sustainable concept.
Dioun said single use concepts such as large retail centers tend to have limited life spans. The former Salem Mall began its decline after 30 years, which is typical of many malls across the country and with that 17% of the nations retail jobs have disappeared since 2001. The Salem Mall was demolished in 2006.
Stonehenge has become a specialist in turning dead malls into dynamic destinations with recent successes that include repositioning the 68 acre Northland Mall near Columbus into the Northland Village that incorporates a central park feature driving new visitors into the mixed use center.
With architectural and design assistance from Bird Houk Collaborative (also located in Gahanna) the city council was presented several options and a recommendation that includes two centralized park areas surrounded by a combination of offices, retail, civic, and educational buildings.
The concept includes eight new streets emanating form a central 2-acre circular plaza with inviting pedestrian ways interconnecting throughout. Although no commitments are in place the plan identifies potential occupants within the various new development blocks between the streets. Dioun recommended a phased approach that would begin with the larger park area to begin attracting visitors and interest to the area.
According to Dioun the mixed use lifestyle center approach will take longer to complete than a single use concept but it should last a very long time. The city would be responsible for providing the ongoing activity schedule in the park.
The council members were receptive. “If we look at drawing people first then we will get businesses like restaurants wanting to capitalize on all those people,” said Mayor Darreyl Davis. “And if we attract offices all those people will need a place to have lunch.”
No costs were presented with the concept but officials said the budget would depend on the revenue projections in the Tax Increment Finance District already in place around the site. TIF districts allow cities to borrow money without using the general fund. New property tax revenues generated by the improvements in the district are used to repay that debt.
“This will take a lot of political will,” said Dioun. “Once you start you have to stay committed as the leadership of the city.”
The council is expected to decide soon which concept to move forward. The next step will be a public presentation and meeting to collect input from the community on the plans that will help shape the final design. Bird Houk representatives hope to see that occur during October.
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