Church buys former Planet Ford site for nearly $2M

The property for sale at 2601 E. Alex-Bell Road in Centerville housed a Thrifty Car Sales dealership in 2010 and before that the Centerville Planet Ford dealership. FILE

The property for sale at 2601 E. Alex-Bell Road in Centerville housed a Thrifty Car Sales dealership in 2010 and before that the Centerville Planet Ford dealership. FILE

Far Hills Church bought the property where the Planet Ford auto dealership was once located.

The church closed on the site at 2601 E. Alex Bell Road, Centerville, Tuesday, paying $1.95 million.

Far Hills Church sold its current campus at 5800 Clyo Road to Sinclair Community College two months ago for $9.6 million. The church will remain there until the new facility on Alex Bell Road is completed.

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The seller was Martin Land Development Co., the land holding division of Kentucky-based Martin Management Group, which owns the Subaru of Dayton and Kia of Dayton dealerships, and recently opened the Kia of Beavercreek dealership.

Tom Kretz, of Berkshire Hathaway Commercial Real Estate, represented the buyer and the seller in the transaction.

Dayton attorneys Shannon Costello and Chad Hansen represented Far Hills Church.

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“This property is less than one mile from Far Hills Church’s current location on Clyo Road, offers excellent visibility, convenient access to all of South Dayton and the high-ceiling, open-floor plan design can be easily be reconfigured to suit Far Hills Church’s needs for the years to come,” Kretz said in a statement on the sale.

“Far Hills Church remains committed to making a significant and lasting spiritual impact in Centerville, Montgomery County and beyond,” Andy Hahn, executive pastor of Far Hills Church, said in the same announcement. “Transitioning to this new facility is an exciting part of our ongoing plan to more effectively serve people within this region and around the world.”

Design and renovations are expected to begin in coming months. Far Hills Church has contracted with Grove City, Ohio-based McKnight Group for design and renovations work.

The estimated cost of renovations is undisclosed.

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