By Council Member Chris Dobrozsi
I hope everyone had a wonderful summer with their friends and family and enjoyed the beginning of fall with our community building events, including The Amazing Race and Harvest Moon. I feel blessed to be able to live in this incredible community, we call Montgomery.
As I am set to begin my 16th year on City Council, I was looking back at the many articles I have written over the years and felt compelled to revisit an article on the Montgomery Quarter (MQ), formerly known as the Gateway Redevelopment Area (GRA), from October 2017. Here are a few excerpts from that article:
“From the day my family moved to the City of Montgomery in 1998, I envisioned a much different front door for the City at the interchange of Ronald Reagan Highway and Montgomery Road. As I drove by the Marge Schott Chevrolet and William’s Ford dealerships on a daily basis, I could see what everyone else could see, these buildings were past their useful lives, the overall site had a higher and better use and the City deserved a gateway that was indicative of the premier community that existed beyond.
City Council and Staff have worked patiently throughout the years with several developers that approached the City with multiple development options – none of which met the vision of the City. The patience finally paid off and in 2014, the City was able to acquire the vacant Schott Chevrolet and the William’s Ford sites, allowing the City to control its own future.
The GRA is the most coveted redevelopment site in the region and will feature a unique blend of urban/suburban design that will include professional office, boutique hotel, luxury condominiums and an exciting restaurant row built around a new community green.
I want to thank our public partners who are critical in bringing this exciting project to fruition including the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana (OKI) Regional Council of Governments, Hamilton County and our very own Sycamore Community Schools. I also want to thank our private development partner – Montgomery Gateway Partners.
Lastly, I would like to thank the residents of Montgomery for their patience as the details of this complex development are being finalized. The development plans, financing and construction schedule are coming to conclusion with groundbreaking scheduled for the first quarter of 2018. The resulting development will enhance the vitality of the Heritage District and create new amenities and earnings tax revenues that will ensure the Great City of Montgomery will be the premier community of choice for generations to come.”
With Phase I of MQ mostly complete, including the community green, unique restaurants, 148 residential units, 98,000 square feet of office space and 22,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, I hope everyone agrees that the patience has paid off and that the MQ exceeds our collective expectations. Nothing warms my heart more than seeing the family and friends of Montgomery enjoying all that MQ has to offer while children play on the community green. This new gateway to Montgomery is now indicative of the premier community that lies beyond.
Looking to the future, 2025 will deliver even more success at MQ. The 128 room Hilton hotel branded “Hotel Rambler” will open with a unique indoor/outdoor bar branded “Sidecar” and an event venue that will welcome families to gather for weddings, parties and other celebrations. In addition, 2025 will bring the groundbreaking for Phase II of MQ including additional residential units, continued planning for a family-oriented entertainment venue, and enhancements to the area in and surrounding the roundabout.
Whether you are a lifelong resident of Montgomery or new to the city, I hope you are enjoying all the community has to offer and believe that the quality of life you enjoy makes you proud to call Montgomery home.