BEAVERCREEK — With new property ownership, new businesses building nearby, and a new master plan for the area, Beaver Valley Shopping Center doesn’t appear to be a “forgotten corner” of the city.
Kelly Sullivan, owner of Recline & Rest at 3345 Seajay Drive, said his business moved into the shopping center in 2016. Then the shopping center, located along US Route 35 and North Fairfield Road, went into bank ownership and nothing was done to improve the site.
“We were looking at another location — Xenia, Fairborn, Kettering, wherever,” Sullivan said. “Then new owners came in in an 11th-hour type thing.”
Group Lemont LLC, a Florida-based company, purchased the 11-acre retail center for $1.3 million in June, according to Greene County auditor’s records, and has since revamped it.
“They’ve put some pretty significant work into the buildings, fixed the parking lot, upgraded the exteriors,” Planning and Development Director Jeffrey McGrath, City of Beavercreek, said.
Sullivan said in the last few months he’s seen the buildings painted, parking lot sealed and striped, pot holes patched, and now the LED lighting is getting replaced.
The furniture store is sandwiched between a Beef ‘O’ Brady’s on one side and a poker club, Ruggles, on the other. There’s also Beaver Valley Wine & Spirits, Merry Maids, Doggie Styles Day Spa, Madonna’s School of Dance and 24-7 Gym and Fitness. As of last week, Beavercreek Thai Boxing & Jujitsu plans to move into one of the vacancies, Sullivan said.
“The whole area is undergoing a renaissance. There’s a lot of excitement and interest,” he continued. “All the tenants in here are very happy about the increased traffic in this little corner of Beavercreek. It’s also really close to Xenia.”
City Planner McGrath said in conjunction with the county, the city received a grant which allowed an architect to design a new vision for the shopping center. The master plan, which was recently completed, will be released in early January in anticipation of redevelopment of the site.
“We are just providing plans to show potential developers that might have interest what could possibly be done with the property,” McGrath said, “in an effort to be proactive in our economic development efforts.”
Nearby, other properties in the area are already under development.
The former Eastgate Ford dealership is currently getting a makeover after SVG Motors purchased the 3415 Seajay Drive site for a little more than $1 million in February. Owner Steve VanGorder said he plans to opens this sixth SVG location in February or March 2019.
“I cut my teeth selling cars in Greene County. For years I drove past the dealership, never really ever thinking there was a possibility I would ever own that dealership. When I saw it was available, and with the success of our other stores … I said to myself if we can buy this right and we can make it make sense, I think Greene County is a great place for us to be,” VanGorder said. “I think that little shopping center is going to look a lot different over the next 10 years.”
Records also show the First Financial Bank building at 3210 Seajay Drive was purchased in May.
And Flying Ace Car Wash is under construction where the Burger King was located at 3200 Seajay Drive. The fourth Dayton-area location is supposed to open in early 2019.
“There’s always been interest in this property. There’s significant development potential here,” McGrath said of the entire Beaver Valley Shopping Center.
Sullivan said business has been good in 2018.
“There was awhile there where a lot of businesses were looking down by the Greene, down by the mall. This corner was forgotten about. Now they’re looking at this corner because it’s a great location,” Sullivan said. “We just renewed our lease — we’re happy to stay here now.”
