Vandercar Holdings, the latest developer proposing to transform Forest Fair Village, which has been known as Forest Fair Mall, Cincinnati Mills and Cincinnati Mall, has plans to tear down everything on the site with the exception of the Kohl’s and the nearly 3,000-space parking garage.
The hope is that $7.9 million from the Butler County Land Reutilization Corp., commonly referred to as the land bank, will be used to help pay for the razing of the remainder of the mall buildings. This includes between 100,000 and 110,000 square feet of mall buildings in Butler County.
Kohl’s would remain, said Vandercar CEO Rob Smyjunas, because there is an active lease, and the parking garage would remain because “we feel it’s an asset.”
However, Smyjunas said development on the Butler County side wouldn’t happen “until we know more and have finality about Kohl’s, but the garage is truly an asset for not only Butler County but also for Fairfield.”
“We believe that we should probably explore keeping that garage in place and maybe a development would come about in the next two to four years that would be suitable and have a demand for that garage,” Smyjunas said.
The former mall is on 90-plus acres that sits in both Fairfield and Forest Park, with about 75%in the northern Hamilton County community. This latest redevelopment effort includes the rezoning of 46.5 acres in Forest Park with the aim of constructing a business park that includes three industrial buildings.
The Forest Park City Council has been working with Vanderar on the rezoning request and a development plan, which includes incentives. It was first introduced to the city council in June. In addition to the industrial buildings to be designed for light industrial, manufacturing, high-tech and medium-tech manufacturing, or warehousing and distribution, there is a retail component.
The Forest Park-submitted plans show the Fairfield side of the property becoming a planned mixed-use redevelopment, but Smyjunas said the actual plans could be a few years from developing.
Butler County Treasurer Mike McNamara, who is also the chairman of the county land bank, said their primary goal is to use the state demolition funds for the Vandercar project.
The demolition grant was initially awarded in 2022 when former property developer Hillwood Construction Services pitched a similar plan, though they have moved on from the project, and Vandercar has now a purchase option on the property. The intent by the land bank was to have the garage removed, but if it were razed, Vandercar would have to pay off the 2004 Cincinnati Port Authority-issued bonds, which exceed $10 million.
“We hope the demolition (of the mall) would be comprehensive,” McNamara said, “but what’s important to Fairfield is also going to be a big factor in the board’s decision, I’m sure, as well as what the future value of the land will be.”
Fairfield Development Services Director Greg Kathman the city “shares the concern” by the Butler County land bank about Vandercar leaving the parking garage. While there have been some discussions between Fairfield and Vandercar, they have not been as active as they have been between the developer and Forest Park, he said.
McNamara said the land bank wants to “see real value-add on the Butler County side, that’s why we applied for the funds.”
“If they keep the parking garage that is real estate that is likely not going to have new added value either in jobs that would generate an income base for the city of Fairfield nor would we see that likely as having an increase in property value in Butler County,” he said.
Now, the garage may end up being an asset as Smyjunas believes, but McNamara said if it isn’t torn down, “we want to see a reutilization that adds value to the Butler County side.”
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