Posted: 6:19 p.m. Friday,Jan. 16, 2015

QUESTIONS WITH YOUR CHAMBER

From farmland to metropolis: the growth of WestChester, Libertytwps.

By Chelsey Levingston

Staff Writer

WEST CHESTER TWP. — 

Forthis week’s chamber of commerce feature, we talked to Joe Hinson, president andchief executive officer of West Chester-Liberty Chamber Alliance about the“I-75 Growth Corridor.”

Ifthe construction cranes towering over both sides of Ohio129 entering Butler County are any indication, the next wave of development inthis hot spot between Cincinnati and Dayton has arrived.

Once-in-a-lifetimeprojects include the mega shopping and officecomplex Liberty Center and a proton therapy center beingbuilt at Cincinnati Children’s Liberty Campus for cancer treatment.

Q: What makes this region the growth corridor?

A: “This area is defined byI-75 and one of the heaviest traveled interstates in the country. Now we’re inwhat we call the ‘I-75 Growth Corridor’ — 25 miles of interstate between I-275going north up to 675.”

“Thisis an area of growth and development. It’s new. It’s not tearing down andrebuilding. It’s basically predicting and creating our future here.”

“…West Chester with its emerging downtown, now with Liberty with a downtown andLiberty Center leading the way and the expansion of Children’s hospital, isdeveloping two townships together that are becoming the focal point of bringingboth Cincinnati and Dayton together. And as this continues to develop and grow,the drive for new development is growing north up to 675 and is becoming aconnector to the Daytonmarket.”

2. Can you talk about the growth that we’re seeing in this area?

A: “Eight projects that wehave seen being developed in 2014 are going to be opening in 2015. Mostnoticeably, you’re going to see three hotels that will beopening here… You’re going to seeButler Tech opening itsbioscience training facility.”

“Asyou continue up the corridor, you’re going to see Children’s Hospital’sexpansion with a fourth floor… and a proton therapy center.”

“AlsoLiberty Center will be opening up in October,which will open up 64 acres of mixed use development.”

Q: Can you talk about what makes the Interstate 75 corridor adestination location?

A: “West Chester andLiberty townships have quickly become a destination location because of whatwe’ve seen in the Liberty Center that’s going to be opening up, the expansionof Children’s Hospital, Butler Tech’s bioscience training facility, additionalhotels and the reason being, is you have Indianapolis, Louisville, Lexingtonand Columbus less than two hours’ drive time to this area.”

“Whathappens is businesses come here that will take care of the need locally, butalso will have the opportunity of more than doubling the population outreach tosome of these other key areas.”

“We’vebecome a small area of farmland now transitioning into a metropolis, if youwill, with two central business districts and also now becoming a more regionaldraw for our entire area including additional states Indianaand Kentucky, as well as Ohio.”

Q: Can you talk about the future growth potential of the region?

A: “What we see now is acontinuum of what West Chester Twp. started back when Union Centre Boulevard opened in 1997. Butwhat we’re seeing in Liberty Twp. is basically just the beginning.”

“Whatyou’re going to have is you’re going to have continuous growth in West Chester,a new growth and a new beginning in Liberty and the area between here andAustin Boulevard will fill in.”

“Whatwe see is basically Cincinnati and Dayton coming together asone… and when we’re talking about as one, we’re talking about 3 millionpeople.”

“Aswe continue to grow and develop I-75 specifically, the population growth willcontinue.”

“It’sprojected that within the next 10 to 15 years, this will be a top 10 metro areawithin the U.S.”