The first tenant has signed on for a new three-building shopping center under construction near Kings Island.
The Shoppes at Kings Mills is expected to be finished in August at Kings Mill Road and Kings Island Drive, just north of the amusement park.
El Rancho Nuevo, a Mexican restaurant, has signed on as the first tenant, according to the developer.
“The center is designed to have two-thirds occupied by restaurants and one-third by retail businesses,” said Garry Tolliver, founder and CEO of Tolliver Realty, which is developing the Deerfield Twp. project.
Tolliver also developed Kings Court Shoppes, which is located across the street from the new development.
"With its proximity along I-71 and amid high-end residential communities and companies, plus its presence near Kings Island and the mix of other attractions, plus the new upscale apartment community being built where the conference center once stood, the Shoppes at Kings Mills is an ideal spot for tenants who want access to residents and visitors with ample disposable income," Tolliver said.
The shopping center is just north of Deerfield Twp.’s border with Mason, a city ranked as one of the top 10 places to live in America by CNN Money.
Sinclair Community College is expanding its Mason campus, which will increase its enrollment, and the one-mile radius that surrounds the Shoppes at Kings Mills is dotted with new business developments.
The land where the former Kings Island Resort & Conference Center once stood will house a community of 300 high-end apartments.
Tolliver says the Shoppes at Kings Mills will have three buildings instead of one to create an inviting, “Main Street” atmosphere instead of a standard strip mall appearance. Design elements include a mix of materials, including brick and textured concrete; different elevations for the facades and room for as any as six patios for restaurants.
“Patio dining is in demand, and a growing number of restaurateurs are seeing spaces that provide space to accommodate outside dining,” Tolliver said. “The Shoppes of Kings Mills will be an inviting destination that will attract residents and visitors alike.”