\u201cI want to be clear that this is not an objection to the hospital itself,\u201d wrote chapter President Derrick Foward. \u201cRather, it is a recommendation, based on community and stakeholder input, to work collaboratively with the City of Trotwood in identifying a location that is both feasible and aligned with the City\u2019s long-term vision.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dan Tierney, a DeWine spokesperson, told this outlet the letter was received. He offered no direct comments on its content. The Ohio Department of Behavioral Health and the Department of Administrative Services did not immediately respond to this outlet\u2019s request for comment on the site\u2019s status.<\/p>\n
The letter came two weeks after the state approved a $2.5 million appropriation to purchase the 133-acre site from its private sector owners with the intention of building the Miami Valley Behavioral Healthcare Center \u2014 a 208-bed, state-run hospital \u2014 by 2030.<\/p>\n
Foward wrote that the site raises \u201csignificant concerns for our community, including issues related to accessibility, safety, and the potential impact on surrounding neighborhoods.\u201d<\/p>\n
His concerns are in keeping with those of long-opposed Trotwood city officials, who have hoped to bring a mixed-use development project to a site that has stood vacant since Hara Arena\u2019s demolition in 2020.<\/p>\n
\u201cLong-standing plans envision this corridor as a mixed-use district featuring housing, commercial amenities, and job-creating enterprises that would generate essential property and income tax revenue,\u201d Foward said. \u201cConverting the site to a tax-exempt institutional use would permanently eliminate these possibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Harrison Twp. officials have supported the state\u2019s hospital plan, pointing to an expected boost in the area\u2019s job market and the rippling effects it could have on further development in the area.<\/p>\n
For more stories like this, sign up for our Ohio Politics newsletter<\/a>. It\u2019s free, curated, and delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday evening. <\/p>\n Avery Kreemer can be reached at 614-981-1422, on X<\/a>, via email<\/a>, or you can drop him a comment\/tip with the survey below.<\/p>\n