UNION TOWNSHIP, Ohio — There is finally some movement in plans for redeveloping Eastgate Mall, a property that many have said desperately needs revitalization.
"The Eastgate Mall is so sad. It is so sad," said Joy Lytle, Clermont County chamber president. "You walk in and you just … it's desolate. It really is desolate."
Now, Union Township has taken the first steps forward.
"We hired on a master planning firm, Mcgill Smith Punshon, and they've got a 185-day timeline that they are working towards right now where they are soliciting community feedback, they're soliciting business feedback,” said Union Township trustee Michael Logue.
The firm will compile all data and feedback they gather to try to help determine what is the best use for the space. Lytle said the Eastgate Mall property has so much potential.
"It’s prime real estate. It's located right off of I-275 in Union Township, the largest township in our county," Lytle said. "This property is too important to let it sit there for another 10 years. Clermont County is poised for an economic boom."
Still, Lytle said there are some clear obstacles.
"It's a tricky property. It's got a lot of ownership. It's not like there's one owner that says, 'Hey, let's let's do this with it,'" Lytle said.
There are 11 different owners on the Eastgate Mall property. The president of the planning firm said it will take a lot of collaboration to make it work, including from the most recent property owner, Kroger. In 2021, Kroger purchased the former Sears store at the mall.
It will take some time to finalize plans for what the space will look like in the future, but Lytle said the ball is finally rolling.
"This movement, the timing is perfect," Lytle said. "I do believe as we come together, we're really going to figure out what this is going to look like together as a community."
In the coming months, there will be public forums and feedback sessions so the community can weigh in on what they would like to see occupy the space.
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