The Center for Business & Education (CBE) Connector project evolved over nearly 15 years of planning and discussion within the Village of Yellow Springs. In 1998, concerned citizens formed the 501(c) (3) organization, Yellow Springs-Miami Township Community Improvement Corporation (aka Community Resources (CR)). The local governments established a cooperative economic development agreement (CEDA) between the Village and surrounding Miami Township in 2002 which encompassed a number of properties contiguous to the Village.
Education Village, a subsidiary of CR, acquired one of these properties totaling 46.3 acres in July 2004. This site is known as the Center for Business & Education (CBE). An indication that Antioch University Midwest (AUM) was considering relocating out of the Village prompted, in part, this acquisition. In March 2006, Education Village conveyed 11.112 acres of this property to Antioch University pursuant to their plan to develop a modern, state of the art campus for their graduation institution, AUM. By 2007, AUM had completed construction and commenced operation on this site thereby retaining approximately 40 academic related positions within the Village.
The balance of the property, 34.2 acres, is currently the subject of a Phase I Engineering design effort leading to the installation of connecting roadways and basic utilities (drinking water, storm drainage, and sanitary sewer). Two federal grants are financing these efforts. The first is through the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) for the design in the amount of $594,000. The second is through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the construction phase in the amount of $447,000 plus appropriate matching funds. The Village of Yellow Springs is administering these projects under formal agreements among the ODOT, Army Corps, the Village of Yellow Springs and CR.
The 34-acre parcel constituting the CBE project lies at the north-west corner of the intersection of Dayton-Yellow Springs Road and East Enon Road in the Village of Yellow Springs, Ohio. It generally abuts the property containing Antioch University’s Midwest campus. This is the only available ‘green-field’ site of substantial size lying within the Village and is zoned as a Mixed Commercial District which permits knowledge-based industries, emerging technology firms, high tech multi-use office and laboratory production firms, office & professional or service-type firms and light manufacturing and assembly-line operations.
Under the Phase I effort, three alternative connector road preliminary designs were presented by the contractor, JACOBS Engineering, to the Village for review and approval. This connector has a principal entrance off of Dayton-Yellow Springs Road and an additional entrance on East Enon Road.
An environmental impact study preceded these preliminary design efforts pursuant to the requirements of 40 CFR 1501.4(e) and 33 CFR 230.11, and resulted in a finding of “no significant impact” on the project.
Funding for acquisition of the property came from the Village of Yellow Springs and the Yellow Springs Foundation. The Army Corps of Engineers committed $447,000 for utilities extension and ground water protection, and the Ohio Department of Transportation earmarked $594,000 for road development and storm water management within the center. The Morgan Family Foundation provided $149,000 to match the Army Corps of Engineers funding.
The Center for Business and Education addresses several issues critical to economic development in this community:
- The Village has lost substantial tax revenue due to the 20% decrease in population over the last 30 years.
- The Village has lost 15% in tax and utility revenue due to a 15% decrease in local jobs in the last 10 years.
- Service costs are spread over fewer residents while the Village plans for future expenses that include $13 million in capital projects.
- Little or no space previously was planned and allocated for business growth in the Village.
- To be competitive with other jurisdictions in this economic environment, the Village needs a site that is attractive in all ways to potential tenants.
There is a long and revered history of successful entrepreneurial businesses growing hand-in-hand with and alongside Antioch College. The Center for Business and Education is a perfect reflection of this time-honored sensibility, which residents of Yellow Springs embrace.
Un-contentious annexations have solved easement and right-of-way issues. There are no physical obstacles on the site, such as wetlands or floodplains that would impede development on this site; the owners already have conducted both environmental and archaeological assessments, resulting in findings of no significant impact.
The CBE is zoned mixed commerce district.
Below is an initial site design developed by Jacobs Engineering in April 2010:
Jacobs CBE Site Design (large version)
This presentation was given at a public meeting held January 11, 2005 and attended by approximately 120 people.
Community Resources provided an additional response to citizen questions and concerns in a Q&A document following the meeting:
