1823 PLAZA

New plaza becomes focal point to oldest commercial district

The finishing touch to the Cincinnati-Dayton Road widening project is nearly complete and will serve as a focal point to one of the community’s oldest business districts.

The 1823 Plaza at the corner of Cincinnati-Dayton and Station Road is named for the year our community was founded and serves as a place of respite and focus in the busy Olde West Chester corridor.

West Chester Township and Butler County embarked on a largescale roadway project in this area with Butler County in 2018. The project improved the movement of traffic and enhanced safety, but it also reduced frontage for many of the property owners and resulted in demolition of a neglected building at the corner where the Plaza now sits.

“Because property owners in the Olde West Chester corridor were faced with the new roadway moving closer to their front doors, they welcomed the development of a small pocket park to provide a space to sit or just visit,” said Community Services Director Tim Franck.

The corner property was acquired by the Butler County Engineer’s Office for the project and could have been left as a vacant unbuildable lot with a steep drop-off. The Township, however saw an opportunity to build a simple plaza space to be enjoyed for years to come either by people stopping to sit or just passing by in their cars.

“It was a challenging property to build on due to steep drop-off in the back and the utility poles and lines, but Kleingers did a great job designing a space that was simple, beautiful and can be easily maintained for years to come,” Mr. Franck said. “We knew the property owners in Olde West Chester would not be satisfied with the lot had it been left vacant, but now there is something special in the spot that the entire community can enjoy.”

New sidewalks and pedestrian crossings make the 1823 Plaza accessible from all parts of Olde West Chester including Boys and Girls Club, the VFW Post, area churches and businesses.

Union Township (now West Chester) was founded in June of 1823 when Liberty Township was divided into two sections. The Olde West Chester area was already established by that time as one of Union

Township’s first business districts and was called Mechanicsburg and even Hogtown in its earliest days.

“1823 Plaza seemed an appropriate name for this small park,” said Barbara Wilson, director of West Chester Public Information & Engagement. “The celebration of our community’s bicentennial is just a short time away and the new History Center is soon to open in the former West Chester School just down the street; so calling attention to our heritage at this spot seemed appropriate.”

The orange construction fencing is not quite down yet as a few last-minute details for the plaza are expected. The Plaza was funded with TIF dollars.

Since the start of the Cincinnati-Dayton Road widening project, Olde West Chester has experienced quite a bit of new investment and welcomed several new businesses and agencies to the neighborhood.