TROTWOOD, Ohio (WKEF)– The state officially has ownership of the old Hara Arena site. Dayton 24/7 Now’s, Kysha Hancock caught up with Harrison Township about the next steps in transforming the land into a behavioral health hospital.
“You’re seeing some different construction vehicles. What we can tell you at this point is the state is starting mobilize,” said Nathan Edwards, communications and economic development manager for Harrison Township.
If you’re driving down Shiloh Springs Road passing the old Hara Arena site, you’ll see signs announcing that the new behavioral hospital will be taking the arena’s place.
The State of Ohio officially took ownership of the land just last month. Harrison Township is one of the agencies in support of the facility coming and Edwards shared what people will start seeing over the next few months.
“Once the ground kind of thaws out a little bit, you’re gonna see trucks out there breaking up that concrete, starting to lay the groundwork for what the project will look like and that’s gonna be a bulk of the work you’re gonna see this spring and summer,” said Edwards.
Edwards told Hancock, the facility will be a 270,000 square foot building and now that Harrison Township knows it’ll be coming, they’ll be looking to the state for more details on the layout.
“They’re working to get us their site plan to show us exactly where the hospital will be going on the property and certainly, we’re looking to the state on their guidance on how to engage the community and answer all the questions out there about the impact this facility will have on their neighborhood,” said Edwards.
The City of Trotwood has made it clear they weren’t in favor of the facility coming to that specific site. Hancock reached out to them for comment on the current status of the project, but had not heard back yet.