Developer picked by city for two major Springboro projects

Developer Larry Dillin has been picked by Springboro to oversee redevelopment of the former shopping center at Springboro’s central crossroads — a project Dillin will handle in addition to Austin Landing South.

On Thursday, Springboro City Council is expected to hire an architect who works with Dillin to create a plan for redevelopment of the site of the former Springboro IGA shopping center at Ohio 73 and Ohio 741, Central Avenue and Main Street in Springboro.

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During the council meeting, members are scheduled to authorize the city manager to sign contracts with the James Paresi Studio and Van Atta Engineering, a Dayton-area firm, to redesign the 6.5-acre site owned by the city on the northwest corner of the intersection.

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The proposed contract with Paresi on the former IGA site was the first public indication Dillin will also be involved in IGA site redevelopment.

Documents included in the council meeting packet indicate the city has selected Dillin and Synergy Building Systems to redevelop the site, where Homer’s IGA, Springboro Hardware and other local businesses anchored the city for decades.

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“The selected firm(s) VisCap & Synergy Building Systems were selected by a focus group of Springboro citizens who assisted with the RFP Process. Within VisCap and Synergy’s submittal, it was recommended to utilize James Paresi Studio for the initial design and layout of the potential redevelopment,” according to a memo included with Thursday’s meeting materials.

Synergy is the construction arm of the Mills Development, based in Beavercreek.

Paresi is to be paid up to $30,500, Van Atta Engineering up to $8,500 for any engineering needed for the redesign of the former IGA site.

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Construction has begun on improvements to the intersection.

The Warren County Transportation Improvement District is managing the $10 million project for Springboro. The city bought the property for more than $3 million.

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Paresi is a California-based architect and member of the Congress of New Urbanism. He could not be reached for comment on Monday.

Paresi has worked in the past with Dillin, the developer working with the city on developing Austin Landing South, about 60 vacant acres on the southeast corner of the Austin Boulevard interchange at Interstate 75.

He and Dillin also created the original master plan for Union Village, the 1,400-acre new urbanist community under development on Ohio 741, south of Springboro.

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Paresi is also expected to design Austin Landing South, in the Montgomery County section of Springboro expected to attract as much as $350 million in public and private investment.

The Warren County Port Authority is prepared to help the city finance up to $35 million for roads and infrastructure for Austin Landing South.

The city, Synergy and Dillin are still negotiating what they are to be paid for their work at the Springboro IGA site, Assistant City Manager Chris Pozzuto said Monday in an email.

No similar figures have been released on the Austin Landing South project.

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Last week, Dillin indicated ownership of the Austin Landing South development was still being worked out, but indicated he expected to be part of ownership there.

“The entire structure of the ownership is still being settled, but ‘Yes,’” he said during an exclusive interview at Springboro City Hall.

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