The city plans to raze the former Springboro IGA in February as part of a $14 million makeover of the city’s central crossroads.
Springboro City Council voted unanimously Thursday night to pay a contractor $108,410 to clear the store, part of a plaza to be leveled for redevelopment at Ohio 741 and Ohio 73, Central Avenue and Main Street.
“It has been requested that the city demolish the former IGA Building as soon as possible, to allow for right of way acquisition,” Assistant City Manager Chris Pozzuto said before the vote.
In coming months, the district is expected to begin paying out as much as $5.2 million to acquire property to provide right-of-way needed for the intersection improvement.
“The actual construction is expected to begin sometime in early 2017, with completion sometime in early to mid-2018,” according to a project update recently published by the city. “In the meantime, it is business as usual at the intersection.”
The city purchased the plaza for at least $3.1 million, while setting aside as much as $300,000 to clean up environmental hazards. It plans to sell the plaza to a developer this year in anticipation of redevelopment of the corner for residential and commercial uses.
The IGA closed last year. Some tenants of the existing plaza and properties expected to be taken for the intersection improvements have moved out.