LIBERTY TWP. —
Once delayed by the recession before construction ever started, the irony is that Liberty Center’s grand opening Thursday faced a different economic-induced challenge: a shortage of construction workers, said Yaromir Steiner, founder and chief executive officer of the project’s co-developer Steiner + Associates.
Now that Cincinnati-Dayton area construction activity is booming due to new development at Austin Landing in Miami Twp., The Banks in downtown Cincinnati and Liberty Center in the middle, for example, crews were hard-pressed to find needed labor to meet opening day deadlines, Steiner said.
Best guesses were that over 700 construction workers were on site at one point before the center opened for business, according to Steiner executives.
As a result of the shortages, many but not all of Liberty Center’s first phase tenants were open Thursday, the date set for the grand opening.
“Visiting and spending money will prove if we’re right or not,” Steiner told this reporter about Liberty Center’s success.
In addition to the uptick in activity, Ohio's construction industry employment has yet to recover the losses of the 2007-2009 downturn and is another reason cited for the labor shortage. Workers that left the business found jobs elsewhere and have not been available to meet the needs of the area's construction crunch, John Morris, president of Ohio Valley Associated Builders and Contractors, a trade group representing about 350 area contractors, previously said.
More tenant openings will trickle in during coming weeks, and into early 2016, Liberty Center General Manager Kevin Cedik said.
Two anchor tenants, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Dillard’s department store also opened earlier this month.
The approximately $350 million Liberty Center project is located at the crossroads of Liberty Way, Ohio 129 and Interstate 75 in Liberty Twp. The first phase consists of just over 1 million square feet of shopping, dining, office and residential space.
WHAT’S OPEN
The following is a sample of some tenants now open at the $350 million Liberty Center retail development in Butler County’s Liberty Twp.
Dillard’s
The department store, one of Liberty Center’s anchor tenants along with Dick’s Sporting Goods, opened a two-story, approximately 160,000-square-foot store. It is the first Dillard’s the Arkansas-based retailer has built new in the market, rather than acquired, according to developers.
The Buckle
The fashion retailer is just one of several stores that opened Thursday, Oct. 22, inside the Foundry, Liberty Center’s enclosed mall building. Other examples include Journeys, Hot Topic, Sports Possessions and Brookstone.
Rookwood Pottery
The corner of Foundry Row and Gibson Street is being nicknamed “Cincinnati Row” because of locally-owned businesses Rookwood Pottery, Celebrate Local and Graeter’s Ice Cream that opened Thursday along the street. Rookwood, a ceramic maker and retailer, hopes to gain younger and new customers in a new market at Liberty Center. Plans are to also expand pottery to a home goods line, said Micah Carroll, vice president.
Celebrate Local, which started in 2011 at Easton, sells products and services made by locally-owned small businesses.
Brio Tuscan Grille
Italian eatery Brio and The Cheesecake Factory are two of the restaurants now open at Liberty Center. Brio sports two outdoor patios, one of which overlooks the public area known as The Park, and two bars.
Ruby’s Chocolates
Also locally-owned, the wholesale distributor opened its first retail store at Liberty Center Thursday where it sells its truffle cake and other items. Owner Melinda Mueller said the business also sells goods at Jungle Jim’s International Market and Dorothy Lane Market.
Old Navy
The retail chain opened inside the Foundry, but sister company store Gap was said to be coming soon.
Other stores and restaurants spotted open Thursday include Forever 21 Inc., Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern, Victoria’s Secret, and more.
WHAT’S NOT OPEN
The following is a sample of some tenants coming soon to Liberty Center.
H&M
This was expected, because when the Swedish fashion chain announced earlier in 2015 intentions to open at Liberty Center, it also said at the time that the store would open in 2016. Based on signage, the store looks to open on the upper second-story level of the Foundry.
Cobb Liberty Luxury 15 and CineBistro
Alabama-based movie theater operator Cobb Theatres has a targeted date of Nov. 5 for its Liberty Center debut, in time for James Bond movie Spectre, according to movie theater officials. The two-level movie theater will have 15 total screens, but films can either be viewed at CineBistro, a dinner-and-movie theater, or at the Luxury concept, a more traditional movie-going format with concessions.
Also at the about 95,000-square-foot building will be a full-service restaurant called Cobbster’s Kitchen and Bar.
AC Hotels by Marriott
Plans are for the 150-room hotel to join the Liberty Center lineup in January, according to the center’s General Manager Kevin Cedik. Luxury apartments at Liberty Center will also be ready for occupancy at that time, according to project developers.
sMari designs
Currently located at The Streets of West Chester, the locally-owned jewelry and gift store plans to make the move to Liberty Center in November, says Owner Marianne Dunham. Also, Folchi’s Formal Wear expects to move in coming weeks from the Voice of America shopping center in West Chester Twp. to Liberty Center, Co-Owner Mike Folchi said.
Other stores and restaurants spotted Thursday promising to open soon include craft beer and pizza eatery Pies and Pints, gourmet burger joint Flip Side, Jake’s Toggery and Eddie Bauer.
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