Bank of America plans to construct a new location on a 1-acre section of the site, near the corner of North Main Street and Forest Park Drive, according to Harrison Twp. officials.
To the south of the site, nearly 13 acres of land is now under contract for development of new housing.
Standard Enterprises Inc. and Adirondack Community Development LLC have received authorization for up to $12 million in funding from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) to construct a multifamily housing development with 52 units.
This project has also been awarded $3.9 million in Housing Development Assistance Program funds.
Township officials said this week they’re hopeful these projects will serve as a catalyst for further development in the area.
“While we are still in the early phases of development, this investment marks a significant step in revitalizing a space that has been vacant for decades and has garnered substantial local interest,” township spokesman Nathan Edwards said.
Once the location of a thriving amusement park, and later a shopping center, the site was the focal point of a revitalization effort unveiled in 2018.
Several redevelopment concepts were introduced by planners with MKSK Studios for an 200-acre area south of Shoup Mill Road between North Main Street and Riverside Drive, which included the 13-acre shopping center site.
The prospective plans included ambitious possibilities, like the creation of a town square and relocation of the Harrison Twp. Government Center to the site, construction of a new community center and more.
But these plans were put on hold the following year as the township recovered from the Memorial Day tornadoes, when a 16-twister outbreak smashed through the community.
Six years later, township officials have now made revitalization of the space a key priority for 2025.
Though previous prospects like relocating township government operations and a community center to the site are “no longer viable,” officials said the vision put forth by MKSK Studios in 2018 remains a valuable tool in determining the future use of the site.
“We are open for business, and it’s a new day in Harrison Township,” said township administrator Shannon Meadows, who was appointed to the position in April 2024. “This development is a testament to the momentum we are gaining and the exciting future ahead for our community.”
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