OH County May Not Get New Jail
Hamilton County Commissioners are expected to make a decision Wednesday that will guide the future of the former Sara Lee site in Camp Washington – and whether the county should give up on plans to build a new jail in the coming years. Story from the Cincinnati Enquirer.
The county’s options:
- Keep the 16-acre site on Spring Grove Avenue on the chance it could still build a jail there someday. Voters have twice defeated tax increases to pay for the jail.
- Ready the land for sale. A developer is ready to go on plans for an office/warehouse building there.
At least two of the three commissioners are leaning toward the latter option.
Commissioners will vote today whether to apply for a $3 million Clean Ohio grant to help fund demolition and environmental cleanup of the former Kahn’s meat processing plant. Those actions would prime the site for redevelopment.
If they apply for the grant it is unlikely the site could ever be used for a jail. The grant requires the site be use for “an economic development purpose,” said Jeff Aluotto, an assistant county administrator who spearheaded the grant process.
While an office/warehouse development proposed for the site by Madeira-based developer Midd Cities would qualify, a jail “would be a stretch,” said Aluotto.
The deadline for the grant application is Friday.
Sara Lee Food and Beverage Co. closed its former Kahn’s meat-processing plant in 2006, and agreed to give the $7 million property to the county as-is for $10.
The county, with the blessing of the Camp Washington community, jumped at the offer and made plans to build a 1,800-bed jail there.
But voters dashed those plans by trouncing two sales tax increases that would have paid to build it.
The site now sits vacant and is becoming an eyesore and a liability.
Commissioners David Pepper and Greg Hartmann think it makes no sense to hang onto the property on the off-chance that voters might someday approve a tax. The cash-strapped county pays $300,000 to $400,000 to maintain the site, mostly for utility bills and security.
Although a jail is still needed Hartmann said it’s “not in the cards right now,” and the county can’t afford those annual costs. “I think we need move on from it,” he said.
Pepper agreed. “If I thought there was a chance in the next few years of there being an operating jail there I’d think differently,” he said. “But now it just doesn’t make sense to hang onto this piece of property. The sooner we can get this into private hands, the better.”
Portune was unable to be reached Tuesday. He said at a recent meeting he wanted to see more research before he would commit to relinquishing the property.
Sheriff Simon Leis, a jail proponent, opposes the grant, saying the county needs to keep this option open for a future jail site.
Camp Washington leaders supported the now defunct jail plan. But now they want the site developed as soon as possible. And that means selling.
“I think it’d be best for everyone if they just sold it and redeveloped it,” said Joe Gorman, community organizer for the Camp Washington community council. He doesn’t think a jail will ever happen there and Midd Cities’ plan dovetails well with the council’s vision for redeveloping the Spring Grove industrial corridor which has a 40 percent to 50 percent vacancy rate right now, he said.
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