WEST CARROLLTON — The plans for West Carrollton’s River District get a huge boost from Montgomery County.
The city’s decade-long work to redevelop its riverfront is now becoming a reality as work takes place along Central Avenue and Marina Drive.
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News Center 7’s Mike Campbell talked with city planners about construction work that is underway.
A new Culver’s opened in the River District area last year, and retail construction is happening next door for a large gas station, but across the street, the land and river are really the key to housing, restaurants, and recreational water features, which is what the city believes will transform the area.
Amber Holloway, West Carrollton’s City Manager, said the first phase is the commercial development, which includes Culver’s and a possible Sheetz gas station.
The second phase of Stage One will use county money to take down existing power lines and move them. It will free up room for three full-service restaurants along the river, and they’ve teamed up with Woodard Building to put townhouses on the riverfront.
“It’s going to make way for these townhomes and really transform this entire riverfront for us,” Holloway said.
The second stage of the River District is an ambitious plan to modify a low dam on the river at West Carrollton and put in a recreational area.
“We are working through that design and pre-construction phase currently, which will take us into next year,” Holloway said.
The third state happens on the opposite riverbank, where an abandoned brownfield site is being demolished.
The Whitewater Park Operations Center will be built on the same property, and there is a plan to build rescue systems and a crash course village for local fire departments.
The projects are about timing and partners. The city is being helped by the county for new signs and the infrastructure work in the area.
They obtained almost $2 million in state money to help with the demolition and brownfield site cleanup.
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