MetroWest Commerce Park demolition kickoff tomorrow

The City of Cincinnati will hold a demolition kickoff ceremony for the new MetroWest Commerce Park in Lower Price Hill tomorrow morning at 10 AM.

The $25 million project will transform nearly 18 acres in the area of Gest, Evans and West Eighth streets into 250,000 square feet of light industrial, office, and flex space.

Developers Al Neyer, Inc. and Resurgence Group, LLC are planning to construct at least four new LEED-certified buildings on the site.

"The construction of these new 'green' facilities as a business park in the urban core represents a turning point in the redevelopment of Cincinnati from its heavy industrial past to the sustainable, innovation-driven economy of the future," says senior development officer for the city's Department of Community Development.

Crews from Charles F. Jergens Construction began remediation work on the former Queen City Barrel site late last month, which is being funded through a $3 million Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund grant.

Remediation is expected to take up to one year.

In the meantime, the development team is working on end-user commitments for the site, with construction on the first building tentatively scheduled for summer 2009.

At buildout in seven to ten years, the city anticipates that the new development will create up to 400 new jobs.

"This project has the potential to play a role in the dramatic transformation of the Lower Price Hill community," says Stephens.  "Our goal is to increase the employment of Lower Price Hill residents in the site's redevelopment and ultimate end-use, which will help ensure that MetroWest Commerce Park is redeveloped as a part of the community, rather than a new neighbor."

The ceremony will be held at the south end of the site, across from 621 Evans Street.

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Source: Sam Stephens, senior development officer, City of Cincinnati Department of City Planning
Plans provided by Neyer