News

Deerfield Township Reaches Agreement on Children’s Learning Adventure Project Site

September 25, 2018

Agreement will partially clear site and market it for future use

Deerfield Township – Deerfield Township staff has reached a preliminary agreement with representatives for Kansas-City-based ECE I, LLC to begin the process of clearing the Children’s Learning Adventure (CLA) site at 8200 Wilkens Blvd.

The owner of the site, ECE I, LLC (ECE), previously leased the property to CLA in order to construct a day care facility. ECE owns numerous other properties across the country (one located in West Chester) that were similarly leased to CLA for childcare and educational purposes.

Construction on the Wilkens location began in late 2016, but stalled soon after starting. In 2018, CLA filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in Arizona, not only effecting the future of the Deerfield Township site, but many other CLA facilities built or planned on land owned by ECE.

While, the Township’s zoning regulations gave CLA until May 31, 2019 to substantially complete construction on the Wilkens Blvd project, it was clear that the development was not going to move forward due to the bankruptcy filing.

On August 27, 2018, township staff proactively issued a zoning violation to get the attention of the property owner. The intent was to get the unfinished structure removed and the site returned to its natural condition as fast as possible.

The negotiations that followed led to an agreement to have the steel structure removed and the grounds maintained. With this agreement, the township rescinded the zoning violation. However, the township reserves the right to reissue a zoning violation if any part of the agreement is not executed or if progress toward the complete clearing of the site is not made.

The township remains firm in its commitment to get this property back to its natural condition as soon as possible and to remove any safety hazards it may pose. Furthermore, the site will be marketed for resale and township staff is already actively pursuing leads for its future use.

About Deerfield Township - Deerfield Township is a vibrant community of 38,000 plus residents who enjoy a diverse housing stock, excellent schools, a top notch park system, and a bustling retail and entertainment scene. It is the most populous jurisdiction in Warren County comprising over 16 square miles in southwest corner of Warren County and borders both Hamilton and Butler Counties. The Township Administration is committed to providing a thriving and safe community for its residents, businesses and visitors. For more information about Deerfield Township please visit: https://www.choosedeerfield.com/

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