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Following the grand opening this past fall of Liberty Center in Butler County, the mega retail complex is preparing for its next wave of tenant openings this year that should add more feet on the street as the buildings near full occupancy.
A comedy club and hotel have announced opening dates in the coming weeks.
Pre-leasing is underway for more than 200 luxury apartment units, which will be available for residents to move in beginning in February, according to the property manager.
Also, finishes are under construction for the first office tenant to move in early this year.
Opening dates for more retailers and restaurants slated to join the lineup in 2016 have yet to be confirmed, but shoppers can expect to see tenants such as H&M, Flip Side, Northstar Café, Cantina Laredo and Cooper’s Hawk open this year as well, according to Liberty Center’s developers.
“In 2016, Liberty Center will realize its full potential as residents will move into the apartments in late winter followed by office tenants. In the spring, we will begin our slate of outdoor activities from free concerts to themed events that guests are growing to enjoy,” said Liberty Center General Manager Kevin Cedik in a written statement.
Tenant openings have been rolling out since October. Anchors Dillard’s department store and Dick’s Sporting Goods were the first to open doors at the center at the beginning of the month followed by an Oct. 22 grand opening that saw more retailers open for customers.
Cobb Liberty Luxury 15 and CineBistro movie theaters, restaurant Pies & Pints and more have opened since then.
The opening of the approximately $350 million Liberty Center project at the intersection of Ohio 129, Liberty Way and Interstate 75 fulfilled more than five years of planning, design and construction. It is believed to be one of the largest developments in Butler County history with the potential to create about 3,500 new full- and part-time jobs once full occupancy is reached by 2018, according to local government officials.
Liberty Center’s first phase has more than 1 million-square-feet spread over about 65 acres, but primary developer Steiner + Associates owns more land for future phases of development, as well as more room within the existing phase for more infill development.
“There’s still 100,000-square-feet or so of tenants all previously announced that haven’t opened yet,” said Beau Arnason, executive vice president of asset management for Steiner, in December.
Next to open is Funny Bone Comedy Club and Restaurant with its first act on Jan. 7.
“I think the Funny Bone brings the best comedic talent from across the nation,” said James “Doc” White, general manager. “It’s a booming area.”
Then the 130-room AC Hotel Cincinnati North on Gibson Street is set to open to guests on January 21. Reservations are accepted online now, said Barry Kuhnke, general manager.
Kuhnke has called the hotel Northern Cincinnati’s first boutique hotel because it’s in walking distance to shops and restaurants and hotel amenities. The AC Kitchen will serve a European breakfast and AC Lounge will feature signature cocktails, European small plates. The lounge will also have a second floor balcony. Balcony rooms on the sixth floor will overlook Liberty Center, according to Kuhnke.
“We are expecting many different types of travelers, from corporate to leisure. We will also have a variety of groups that have begun booking from corporate to youth sports, to wedding blocks,” Kuhnke said in an email.
Of the approximately 238 apartment units opening in two buildings known as The Grant and The Fillmore at Liberty Center, about 20 have been pre-leased to date, said Alecia Fuller, property manager of the residential space for Towne Properties in partnership with Steiner.
The Grant, with about 89 units, is planned to open in February and is located on Foundry Row above The Gap, Fuller said. Then The Fillmore’s multi-color apartments on Blake Street are above the future Starbucks location. About 149 units at The Fillmore are set to open in two phases between March and May, she said.
There are a total 18 floor plans to choose from between both buildings, she said.
One bedrooms range from $1,050 to $1,400 a month depending on floor plans, the number of bedrooms, finishes and other criteria, she said. Two bedroom, two bathroom units range from $1,400 to $1,900 and a three bedroom, two bathroom apartment available for rent starts at $2,100, Fuller said.
“We’ve had more of an empty nester demographic so far,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of couples who’ve come from larger homes who want a care-free, maintenance-free lifestyle.”
Towne Properties will also partner with TriHealth and other companies for special services, programming and events for residents, she added.
“The biggest thing is location and the concierge style services we’ll be offering,” she said. “Health and wellness is definitely going to be a top priority for the community.”
Financial Services firm Northwestern Mutual was the first office tenant announced for Liberty Center and will relocate its West Chester Twp. office the short distance to Liberty Center. A total approximately 75,000-square-feet of office space was built, part of a four-story office building with street-level retail. More medical, financial and corporate tenants are being recruited for the site, Todd Pease, vice president for Jones Lang LaSalle, the commercial real estate firm representing office developer Daimler Group, previously told Journal-News.
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