Water key to growth in Cornerstone area
Greene County seeks to acquire land for new water tower.
Dozens of acres could be developed in and around the Cornerstone of Centerville and Sugarcreek Twp., but a bigger water supply will be needed before that happens.
Greene County is in negotia
tions to acquire property for a new water tower to serve the new homes and businesses popping up in Sugarcreek Twp. near the border with Centerville.
“This has been an ongoing issue in that area for some time,” said Sugarcreek Twp. Administrator Barry Tiffany. “There have been lots of discussions over the years to improve the water supply.”
Tiffany said the current water supply, which comes from two water systems in Greene and Montgomery counties, is adequate to serve the existing homes and businesses, but it might not be enough to support further growth.
“While there’s adequate pressure there now for what’s developed, as development continues, we’re going to run short,” he said.
And development is continuing in this rapidly growing area of Greene and Montgomery counties.
Construction on the four-story, 96-room Home2 Suites by Hilton at 5321 Cornerstone Blvd. near Costco Wholesale Store is expected to be finished this
month, according to the developer, Mason-based HiFive Development Services.
Tiffany said pumps were included in the hotel’s construction to ensure adequate water pressure reached the upper floors of the hotel.
The Guttman Development Group is finalizing plans for a multi-family residential and senior living community on what is now Rollandia Golf Course.
Greene County Administrator Brandon Huddleson recently updated county commissioners on plans to build a water tower in the area. Huddleson said the county needs 1 acre to build the tower at an estimated cost of $2 million. Construction would take about a year, he said.
There are 10 acres available in the northern section of the Cornerstone development along with six other potential sites, according to county records. Huddleson said he has talked to Guttman Development Group as well as George Oberer about a potential site for the tower.
“Huddleson said he would prefer “a 1-acre site donated to the county in the back of the development with the highest elevation possible,” according to county records.
Greene commissioners recently approved an agreement with Arcadis US Inc. to provide a “water master plan update.” The $364,391 contract calls for identifying potential development projects over the next 20 years and the impact they could have to the county’s water system.
Huddleson told commissioners the water master plan is shared with other local community planners, and it’s also used by developers, according to county records.