Demolition Paves Way for New Jobs

Former Queen City Barrel plant will become MetroWest Commerce Park

Today, the City of Cincinnati and the community of Lower Price Hill celebrated the start of demolition and cleanup activities at the site of the former Queen City Barrel plant.  The project will renew approximately 18-acres of brownfield property into the MetroWest Commerce Park, a new light industrial and service center business park just minutes away from downtown Cincinnati. The $25 million project will result in approximately 250,000 square feet of new light manufacturing, flexible warehouse and office space and 400 new jobs to the community. 

The City selected Al. Neyer, LLC and Resurgence Group, LLC as the preferred developers for MetroWest site.  They have proposed to build four or more Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified or “green” buildings on the 18-acre site.  “At this site, we’re going to Go Green,” said project developer, Jim Neyer.  “Right now, that’s a stunning departure from the site’s past and even it’s current condition, but that ends today.”

The City began to pursue acquisition of Queen City Barrel (QCB) property in 2004. That same year, a five-alarm fire gutted QCB’s barrel and drum reclamation operation at 809 Evans Street. Negotiations between QCB and the City were placed on hold pending evaluation of any necessary remediation of the building and site by the United States and Ohio Environmental Protection Agencies.  Paul Pardi, Unit Supervisor for the Southwest District Office of the Ohio EPA, was on hand to reflect on his experiences with Queen City Barrel and express his agency’s encouragement and support for the redevelopment project.

Last September, the City was awarded a $3,000,000 Clean Ohio Fund grant for the demolition and cleanup of the MetroWest site.  William Murdock, Director of the Urban Development Division of the Ohio Department of Development, which manages the Clean Ohio Fund, made the trip down from Columbus to pass on their well wishes for the project. 

The MetroWest project also capitalizes on the proximity of several new “green” developments in the area.  “The City has recognized the need for sustainable economic development for the health of Cincinnati’s economy and the health of Cincinnatians themselves,” said City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr..  New technology for creating cleaner coal is being developed by Vertus who is opening its first North American operations at Cincinnati Bulk Terminals in the Lower Price Hill/Queensgate area.  Just north of the site, the Metropolitan Sewer District has started construction of a new “green” office building.

Most importantly, the demolition and cleanup project will make way for new jobs—jobs that Craig Hockenberry sees as the future for his students.  As principal at Oyler School in Lower Price Hill, Mr. Hockenberry has worked to ensure that the community’s kids are provided a top notch education and sees the employment opportunities that MetroWest will provide as essential to his continued renaissance at Oyler.

Completion of demolition and cleanup activities at the site is expected in May 2009 and the first businesses in the new MetroWest Commerce Park could be open by Summer 2010.

The project is managed through the City’s Strategic Program for Urban Redevelopment.  Project partners include the following City Departments: Community Development, Budget, Former Buildings & Inspections, City Planning, Environmental Quality, Finance, Fire, Law, MSD, Real Estate, Transportation & Engineering, Water Works, as well as the Lower Price Hill Community, Al. Neyer, Inc., ATC Associates, Inc., Charles F. Jergens • Construction, Inc., Hull & Associates, Inc., Resurgence Group, LLC, Ron Taylor Repair, Duke Energy.