Posted April 25, 200520 yr Heron Bay draws $34M New housing coming to Buckeye Lake area Business First of Columbus - by Brian R. Ball, Business First Friday, April 22, 2005 Development of the last large section of Heron Bay off Buckeye Lake has begun, more than a decade after ground was broken for the housing project. Powell-based Lakeside Partners and its Lakeside Construction affiliate have started construction of 69 condominiums called Harbor Point at Heron Bay. The project is being built on 16.8 acres that Lakeside acquired late last year for $1.5 million. Construction also has commenced on the first of 31 single-family residences at Vista Point, a nearby section of Heron Bay where a dozen other houses have been built. Both Lakeside projects, which will cost a combined $34 million, will play off the redevelopment and expansion of the 88-year-old Wehrle mansion. The former estate is being transformed by another developer into a private club, to be named Grand Harbor Club. Full article: http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2005/04/25/story5.html
December 19, 200618 yr Author From the 12/17/06 Dispatch: Residents troubled about lake project Plan hasn’t covered all concerns, they say Sunday, December 17, 2006 Kelly Hassett THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH A plan for the heavily disputed Buckeye Lake dam project addresses some of the residents’ complaints, but homeowners say they’re still concerned. The first phase, which will cost $8 million, consists of a new dam built about 20 feet farther from the shore than the existing wall and a 4-foot sidewalk to improve public access to the shoreline. Officials from the Department of Natural Resources presented their plan to residents at a meeting Dec. 8. It includes the new dam and sidewalk with a grasscovered reinforcement on either side that would support state vehicles. The original plan had a wider access area. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/12/17/20061217-C1-03.html
April 20, 200718 yr Author From the 4/20/07 Newark Advocate: Buckeye Lake's largest housing project may break ground later this year By MARK SZAKONYI Advocate Reporter NEWARK -- Construction on the largest housing development in Buckeye Lake's history likely will begin later this year, the developer's spokeswoman said. Plans call to begin building the first 100 condominium units sometime this year, but currently no plans are in place to begin building the single-family home portion, said Alisa Argust, who represents Hunts Landing LLC. The developer's request to rezone 118 acres in the eastern part of the village from agriculture to residential use was unanimously approved last week by the Buckeye Lake Village Council. About 53 acres were rezoned for 176 condominium units and about 64 acres were rezoned for 176 single-family homes, said Valerie Hans, the village's development director. Connie Klema, who also represents Hunts Landing LLC, said the condominiums will cost $250,000 or more and will be known as The Landings of Maple Bay. Full story at http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070420/NEWS01/704200302/1002/rss01
May 13, 200718 yr Author Both from the 5/13/07 Newark Advocate: * PHOTO: J-me Braig, the director of the Greater Buckeye Lake Historical Society Museum, talks about the growth and changes that Buckeye Lake has seen in the past century. Morgan Wonorski, The Advocate * PHOTO: This wetland on Hunts Landing Road in Buckeye Lake will be preserved and incorporated into landscaping for condos and single family homes, to be called the Landings at Maple Bay. Morgan Wonorski, The Advocate Harvesting Our Growth: Buckeye Lake thirsting for more Village hopes water system wets developers' interest By LIZA MARTIN Advocate Reporter BUCKEYE LAKE -- If you build it, they will come. That's the philosophy of Buckeye Lake village officials, who have worked to implement a public water system, the lack of which has impeded the village's growth. "When the water system is here, we'll see all areas of the community develop," Mayor Frank Foster said. Foster and other village officials hope that with a public water system will come more opportunities for residential, commercial and industrial growth. "Development is directly driven by where public utilities are located," said Valerie Hans, development director for Buckeye Lake. The village, home to a little more than 3,000 people, was incorporated in 1983. Although snowbirds and those with second homes inhabit the village, Foster estimates 90 percent of the population lives there year round. Full story at http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070513/NEWS01/705130336/1002/rss01
June 13, 200718 yr Author From Business First of Columbus, 6/11/07: SKETCH: Winding Road Ventures’ condos at Buckeye Lake will include access to a boat launch. Courtesy Winding Road Ventures Michigan firm bringing condos to Buckeye Lake Business First of Columbus - June 8, 2007 by Kevin Kemper Business First Thanks in part to Michigan's poor economy, an Epcon Communities Inc. franchisee is coming to Central Ohio with plans to build a $30 million condominium development on Buckeye Lake. Troy, Mich.-based Winding Road Ventures Inc. plans to break ground in July on its first development project as a franchisee of Dublin-based Epcon. The project is a 176-unit complex on 51 acres near the lake's historic cranberry bog. Called the Landings at Maple Bay, Wolney said the development will be the first Nantucket-style community under the Epcon name. Each of the two- or three-bedroom units will include a two-car attached garage and a private boat slip in the community's marina, which Winding Road plans to construct. The community will also include a clubhouse, swimming pool and fitness center, all planned for the 98-unit first phase of construction. Full story at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2007/06/11/story9.html
July 12, 200717 yr Author From the 7/11/07 Newark Advocate: Buckeye Lake OKs large development By JEN SCHERER Advocate Reporter BUCKEYE LAKE -- Although most people agree The Landings of Maple Bay will be an asset to Buckeye Lake, some residents object to plans for the bridge and temporary road that building the homes will necessitate. More than 30 people filled the chairs and stood at the back of the room as the Buckeye Lake Planning and Zoning Commission discussed whether to approve the largest housing development in village history Tuesday. Over objections of residents who felt the issue should be tabled, commissioners unanimously approved development plans with a number of contingencies. The development will include 176 condominium units and, later, a large number of single-family homes that will be known as The Residences of Maple Bay. Read more at http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070711/NEWS01/707110307/1002/rss01
June 8, 200916 yr Snug Harbor Village ready to start marketing in earnest next month Business First of Columbus - by Brian R. Ball Friday, May 8, 2009 Columbus developer Triglyph Development will unveil its Snug Harbor Village residential community with a June 13 ceremonial opening of a channel that connects the 30-acre man-made inlet with Buckeye Lake. Construction of boat docks and other recreational facilities took three years to complete. Triglyph principal Marty Finta Sr. said the developer has struggled during the housing slump, but two of four homes built at Snug Harbor have sold. A house by Trevor Custom Homes LLC and Triglyph’s model home are without buyers. The developer has sold 21 sites in the first section of the 120-acre development. Snug Harbor Village at Buckeye Lake features a clubhouse called Villa di Luce. More at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/05/11/newscolumn2.html
June 8, 200916 yr Buckeye Lake development ready to welcome buyers after nine years of planning Sunday, June 7, 2009 - 3:28 AM By Jim Weiker, The Columbus Dispatch Marty Finta steers his pontoon boat through a channel and comes to rest in a calm harbor on Buckeye Lake. The sailing hasn't always been so smooth at Snug Harbor, Finta's ambitious housing development on the southern shore of the lake. Rumors have buffeted the development for years: Snug Harbor is way behind schedule; none of the 240 homes planned has been built; the housing recession killed the project. Finta, president of Triglyph Cos., has heard them all and dismisses them all. On Saturday, he says, he will have a chance to set the record straight. Nine years after he started planning Snug Harbor, the project will open for sales with a gala bash. MAP OF SNUG HARBOR DEVELOPMENT Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/home_garden/stories/2009/06/07/SNUG_HARBOR.ART_ART_06-07-09_H1_NME2BD1.html?sid=101
August 9, 201014 yr Lakeside charm In its post-amusement-park life, Buckeye Lake draws loyal fans with its friendly atmosphere and raft of water-recreation options Saturday, August 7, 2010 By Jeffrey Sheban, The Columbus Dispatch Buckeye Lake, the oldest state park in Ohio, has three beaches, nine launch ramps and two popular sandbars for wading alongside anchored boats. The 3,100-acre expanse - 35 miles east of Columbus, off I-70 - boasts a yacht club (founded in 1906), is regularly stocked with sport fish and has a 1930s-era ice-cream parlor that's in its third generation of family operation. What the lake lacks in beauty, boosters say, is offset by a winning personality. People are friendly, and residents and visitors - be they bikers or bankers - rarely take themselves too seriously. "Snobbery is not accepted on Buckeye Lake," said Dave Levacy, owner of Buckeye Lake Marina in Millersport. The Buckeye Lake region - which includes the villages of Buckeye Lake, Fairfield Beach, Millersport and offshoots of Thornville - has known good times and bad. MAP OF BUCKEYE LAKE AND SURROUNDING AREA SLIDESHOW OF BUCKEYE LAKE Full article: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/08/07/lakeside-charm.html?sid=101
March 12, 201510 yr Report: Buckeye Lake dam in danger of failure By Eric Lyttle, The Columbus Dispatch Thursday, March 12, 2015 - 6:41 AM BUCKEYE LAKE, Ohio — “It’s the end of life as we know it at Buckeye Lake.” That was the cut-to-the-chase verdict that general manager Deb Sturm delivered to her boss, Tracy Higginbotham, owner of the Buckeye Lake Winery, after returning Wednesday night from a hastily called meeting with a handful of area civic leaders. They had gathered to discuss the sobering Army Corps of Engineers’ report on the 177-year-old Buckeye Lake dam that was released on Wednesday. Because of the dam’s poor condition, compromised by more than 370 homes built directly into the 4.1-mile earthen structure, the “likelihood of dam failure is high,” said the report, and it “poses a significant risk to the public.” Among the options to prevent “catastrophic failure,” as recommended by the Corps to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, which owns the dam and lake and paid for the study: Build a new dam or turn the lake into a 3,000-acre mud puddle by emptying it. “The safest solution for eliminating the risk of flooding due to dam failure is to drain the lake permanently,” the report says. Until remediation work can begin, the Corps recommends leaving the lake’s spillway open and keeping the lake at its current winter depth – about 3 feet deep – to increase its capacity for storm water and reduce the amount of water seeping through the dam. The impact of that decision, however, would be massive, because it would end most boating on the lake. It’s the boating during the summer recreation season that the marinas, bars, restaurants and numerous shops and rental businesses in Buckeye Lake, as well as surrounding Thornville and Millersport, count on for financial survival. ( . . . ) The seepage through the dam increases when the lake is at full depth, which starts happening each year on March 1, when the state closes the spillway and allows the reservoir to rise to about 6 feet in depth, collecting winter’s melt and spring’s showers. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/03/11/Buckeye-Lake-dam-recommendations.html
March 12, 201510 yr More on the Corps of Engineers report about the Buckeye Lake Dam: Business First: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/morning_call/2015/03/morning-roundup-buckeye-lake-dam-deemed-unsafe.html NBC 4: http://www.nbc4i.com/story/28396421/report-buckeye-lake-dam-at-potential-risk-of-catastrophic-failure
March 12, 201510 yr Here is a pdf of the full Corps of Engineers report: http://media.bizj.us/view/img/5303111/buckeyelakedamreport.pdf Below is a map of Buckeye Lake and the dam that is the focus of the recent Corps of Engineers report:
March 19, 201510 yr Gov. Kasich is expected to address the Buckeye Lake dam problems today. He may announce funding for a new dam that would be built in front of the existing dam (a proposal first made in 2006 - see previous post in this thread).
March 19, 201510 yr Here is a closer look at some of the problems with the existing Buckeye Lake dam from http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/03/13/state-appears-ready-to-fix-dangers-built-into-aged-dam.html: Here are two recent aerial photos that show the houses built atop the existing north shore dam:
March 19, 201510 yr Kasich: State will replace Buckeye Lake dam By Randy Ludlow, The Columbus Dispatch Thursday, March 19, 2015 - 1:22 PM Ohio Gov. John Kasich said today the state will replace the deteriorated Buckeye Lake dam at a cost of up to $150 million, but warned the water level will not be raised in the interim to permit boating as sought by lakeside business owners. The dam replacement project is expected to take up to five years. An Army Corps of Engineers study released last week says the 4.1-mile dam dotted with hundreds of homes is in danger of failing and causing a catastrophic flood that could endanger thousands of lives. Kasich said his main concern is maintaining public safety even though he is aware the five-year timetable will cause pain for business owners in the lake area who depend on tourism for their livelihood. The Army engineers recommend keeping the lake at its winter level of 3 feet to reduce pressure on the dam and lessen the effects of a failure and subsequent flooding along the South Fork of the Licking River. Business owners say that would not allow boat traffic and chase off the warm-weather visitors who sustain their businesses. They have lobbied state officials to raise the lake level to at least 5 feet. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/03/19/0319-buckeye-lake.html
March 19, 201510 yr ^ Talked to my friend at WOSU yesterday. He was very interested in filming a documentary about the future of Buckeye Lake. Not sure if he will now, the issues seem mostly resolved.
March 19, 201510 yr I like that someone named surfohio is commenting on Buckeye Lake. Haha. I've seen Buckeye Lake surf shirts before.
March 19, 201510 yr OU had a surfing club when I was there. They practiced in the pool. How exactly I don't know.
March 19, 201510 yr How much would it cost to drain the thing? I guess this is one of those things where as an NEOhioan, I'm not sure I understand why $150 million of state money is being used to fix this problem--that seems like a huge pricetag. Is there precedent for a project like this?
March 20, 201510 yr OU had a surfing club when I was there. They practiced in the pool. How exactly I don't know. Yep, founded by Jay Hill. Yes we all know each other!!!
July 27, 20159 yr State: Buckeye Lake dam project could be quicker, cheaper By Eric Lyttle & Randy Ludlow, The Columbus Dispatch Friday, July 17, 2015 - 5:50 AM There was good news and bad news for Buckeye Lake-area residents coming out of Thursday’s news conference featuring Governor John Kasich and Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Jim Zehringer. The good news was that ODNR not only revealed its plans for building a new dam at Buckeye Lake, but that the new design could be built faster and cheaper. Kasich announced that construction could begin before year’s end, far ahead of the previously stated five-year schedule. Additionally, he said that with construction beginning early, the lake’s water level could potentially be allowed to rise — if only slightly — as early as next year. Now the bad news: The new design, in its most basic form, looks a lot like a version of the old designs rolled out by the state over the past decade. At the time, those plans were strongly opposed by many of the nearly 400 residents living on the dam because they extended the state’s property by about 20 feet into the lake, moving those lakeside properties on the dam that much farther from the water. The former plans, like the current plan, put a service road down the middle of the new construction. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/07/16/Buckeye-Lake-dam-announcement.html
July 27, 20159 yr Board OKs $8.4 million for Buckeye Lake dam design By Randy Ludlow, The Columbus Dispatch Monday, July 20, 2015 - 3:19 PM A state board today approved a contract worth nearly $8.4 million to hire an engineering firm to design the 4.1-mile replacement dam at Buckeye Lake. The Department of Natural Resources gained the unanimous approval of the Controlling Board to hire Gannett Fleming, of Camp Hill, Pa., as an emergency measure at its meeting this afternoon. Paperwork seeking the release of capital funds was submitted this morning to the Controlling Board, a bipartisan panel of lawmakers with a president appointed by Gov. John Kasich that approves certain state spending. Gannett Fleming, selected from among a group submitting proposals for the work, will design and oversee interim fixes to improve the dam’s safety and design the replacement structure, according to the state’s request. A second-phase contract for the dam’s engineering will cost another $6 million, the paperwork said. ( . . . ) The Buckeye Lake dam may be finished more quickly, and at a lower-than-anticipated cost, than the five years and $150 million originally envisioned, DNR officials said last week. The cost and estimated completion date have not been formally revised. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/07/20/dam_contract.html
August 4, 20159 yr Britain's 'The Guardian' wrote an article about the Buckeye Lake dam. It's a bit behind on the dam funding (which has been approved) and the timeline for its construction (less than 5 years). But otherwise it's a good overview of the problems leading to the Buckeye Lake dam replacement. And a cautionary tale about how seemingly small actions can snowball into big problems: Accident waiting to happen: the Ohio village built on a crumbling dam Buckeye Lake dam is nearly two centuries old. It was built, mostly using earth, to create a sprawling lake to feed water into the now defunct Ohio and Erie Canal. Before long, fishermen were building wooden shacks on top of the dam. They did little damage but opened the way to much larger structures. The army corps of engineers said the dam has been undermined by the construction of more than 370 houses on it, with foundations carved into the earth, and the driving of piles holding pontoons, decks and boat cranes directly into the dam. MORE: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/03/buckeye-lake-dam-accident-waiting-to-happen
September 15, 20159 yr Catching up on some Buckeye Lake Dam news. The Dispatch has an excellent recap of their on-going coverage at http://www.dispatch.com/content/topic/news/2015/buckeye-lake-dam.html Here the first update: Final approval was been given to begin construction of the new replacement dam at Buckeye Lake (i.e. the dam in front of the old dam design). The first phase is a stability wall to be built next to the existing old earthen dam. Construction layout and prep work for this stability wall should begin before the end of this year. Construction of this wall should begin in January/February 2016 and be completed on or before Dec. 31, 2016. The second phase is construction of the new 4.1-mile replacement dam. The Corps of Engineers is estimating four years or less for completion of the entire project. Meaning the entire dam replacement project should be finished by around 2019-20: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gives green light to Buckeye Lake project: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/07/31/Buckeye-Lake-dam-permit.html
September 15, 20159 yr With the dam replacement project set to begin - all docks, decks, patios or other structures that Buckeye Lake residents have built on the state-owned side of the earthen dam will need to be removed by Nov. 1. Anything that remains after that date will be removed by state-contracted construction crews and stored for as long as 60 days, after which time the materials will be discarded. Owners would also be billed for the cost of any removal. According to the below linked article: "The docks, decks, boat lifts and patios must be removed to give construction crews access to the dam as work begins on replacing the 184-year-old structure. Beginning Nov. 1, a 6-foot-high chain-link fence will be erected along the boundary of the state-owned half of the 4.1-mile dam. The state owns the area from the crest of the dam to the lake; the backside of the dam is owned by the 370-plus individual property owners." ODNR: All docks, other structures on state side of Buckeye Lake dam have to go: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/09/01/Buckeye-Lake-docks-dismantled.html
September 15, 20159 yr Here's more about the economic side of the Buckeye Lake dam replacement project. The water level of Buckeye Lake has been reduced to its 3 feet winter depth all-year-long until this project is completed. This means that most boats that normally used Buckeye Lake in the summer, cannot do so until the project is completed. Because of that, the Buckeye Lake businesses has been granted economic-disaster relief. Below are links to three article that detail the request from the area businesses, the request from the State of Ohio, and the granting of disaster assistance from the federal government: - Buckeye Lake businesses seek disaster-area aid: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/07/28/businesses-seek-disaster-area-aid.html - Kasich asks feds to declare Buckeye Lake an economic disaster: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/08/17/Buckeye-Lake-disaster-area.html - Disaster relief approved for Buckeye Lake businesses: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/08/20/Disaster-relief-approved-for-Buckeye-Lake-businesses.html
September 15, 20159 yr And one more story about what is, and is not, going on business-wise at Buckeye Lake: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/08/31/fish-biting-at-buckeye-lake-but-not-people.html
November 19, 20159 yr Buckeye Lake could be back to ‘summer pool’ by June 2016 By Mike Bowersock, NBC4 News Updated: October 20, 2015, 11:18 pm BUCKEYE LAKE, Ohio — Boats could be back on Buckeye Lake by next summer. Homeowners and business owners were bracing for a five-year wait for a return of high water levels–at the dam that’s in danger of collapse. But there is a new plan that could have water on the way back up in a number of months. A plan discussed at last night’s Buckeye Lake Dam Improvement Project Community Advisory Council meeting explored raising the water level to within one foot of what’s called “summer pool” by next June. MORE: http://nbc4i.com/2015/10/20/buckeye-lake-could-be-back-to-summer-pool-by-june-2016/
November 19, 20159 yr Couple of video reports from NBC4 about the Nov. 1 deadline for private docks to be removed from the dam so that construction can begin. If the owners do not wish to remove them by Nov. 1, ODNR will remove and dispose of them: http://nbc4i.com/2015/10/29/deadline-sunday-for-buckeye-lake-docks-to-be-removed/ http://nbc4i.com/2015/11/01/deadline-day-only-about-one-fourth-of-buckeye-lake-docks-have-been-removed/
September 28, 20168 yr Some 2016 updates for the Buckeye Lake dam project: -- Buckeye Lake dam project on schedule, officials say: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/05/12/buckeye-lake-dam-project-on-schedule-officials-say.html -- Buckeye Lake to be refilled, boating to resume, ODNR says: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/05/25/Buckeye-Lake-news.html -- Dredging speeds up to help boaters on Buckeye Lake: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/06/13/dredging-speeds-up-to-help-boaters.html -- New sternwheeler planned for Buckeye Lake: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/06/16/new-Buckeye-Lake-boat.html
September 28, 20168 yr For as much of a pain as Buckeye Lake residents have been about the dam project, this bike path concept seems like a genuinely good idea: Buckeye Lake residents suggest bike path atop dam By Mary Beth Lane, The Columbus Dispatch Monday, August 22, 2016 - 5:22 AM BUCKEYE LAKE — Some residents awaiting a new Buckeye Lake dam want the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to pave and stripe the top when it's finished to create a waterfront bike and walking path along its 4.1-mile length. It would be a nice cap to the estimated $110 million project scheduled for completion in 2019. ( . . . ) J-me Braig and Doug Stewart, who both serve on an advisory committee of residents and business owners established to communicate with the department during the project, said the new dam should be seen not only as a safety structure but also as a larger opportunity to enhance the Buckeye Lake region. ... Thornville resident Jeff Ritter, chairman of the year-old advocacy group Bike Buckeye Lake, also sees an opportunity to use the new dam top for cycling and walking. The group is trying to drum up political and corporate support for a multi-use path along the lakefront from Buckeye Lake village to Liebs Island in Millersport, and it is prepared to help establish funding partnerships with private donors if the state doesn't want to pay for the whole thing. ( . . . ) The project to rebuild the nearly 200-year-old earthen dam is being done in phases. The first — a seepage barrier to protect the dam — was completed early, thanks to a virtually round-the-clock construction pace. ... Since then, there has been a lull, with no construction going on, and it won't resume until spring. ... The project's second phase is being designed, and construction is scheduled to start in March. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/08/22/buckeye-lake-residents-suggest-bike-path-atop-dam.html
September 28, 20168 yr ^The residents are receiving $120 million+ in state aide to rebuild the dam and protect their property values, so I think that makes up for any pain. However, the bike path will connect the two main pieces of the state park and creates an amenity for the rest of the taxpayers of the state. Therefore, I think it is justified as a way to provide a greater benefit to Ohioans beyond a lake for boating.
September 28, 20168 yr ^The residents are receiving $120 million+ in state aide to rebuild the dam and protect their property values, so I think that makes up for any pain. You read that wrong. Allow me to add what you didn't get: For as much of a pain (in the a$$) as Buckeye Lake residents have been about the dam project, this bike path concept seems like a genuinely good idea: However, the bike path will connect the two main pieces of the state park and creates an amenity for the rest of the taxpayers of the state. Therefore, I think it is justified as a way to provide a greater benefit to Ohioans beyond a lake for boating. Totally agree with that. The public should get some benefit from this de facto private dam project.
September 28, 20168 yr You read that wrong. Allow me to add what you didn't get: I did read that wrong--thanks for the clarification. :)
September 29, 20168 yr You read that wrong. Allow me to add what you didn't get: I did read that wrong--thanks for the clarification. :) No problem. Even the best of us get it wrong from time to time. :-)
September 29, 20168 yr Some non-dam news for Buckeye Lake: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2016/09/28/buckeye-lake-developer-trying-to-revive-controversial-project.html In 2009, a local developer announced plans to build 250 homes at a man-made bay called Snug Harbor along Buckeye Lake's southern shore. Of course, 2009 was the middle of the worst economic crisis the U.S. had seen since the Great Depression - and a housing mortgage collapse was the worst part of it. This was the absolute worse time to start this housing project. So it was no surprise that only 5 of the 250 planned homes were built. Bankruptcy, foreclosure, and dozens of lawsuits and liens followed. Now the original developer says he has new investors and is ready to restart the Snug Harbor development.
September 29, 20168 yr A few photos of the Snug Harbor development from http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2016/09/28/buckeye-lake-developer-trying-to-revive-controversial-project.html:
March 7, 20178 yr Buckeye Lake business owners looking for better summer By Mark Williams, The Columbus Dispatch Updated: January 28, 2017 at 1:45 PM Water levels have been kept low the past two summers out of fear that a nearly 200-year-old earthen dam on the lake would fail. But with the first phase of the $110 million plan to replace the dam complete, the state plans to allow the lake to rise to about a foot below the normal 6-foot summer pool, allowing most boating to resume while a new dam is built. "We're feeling better," said Tracey Higginbotham, owner of Buckeye Lake Winery. "We're not out of the woods by any means. A lot of the future is going to be controlled by Mother Nature." Still, many people are skeptical about what the summer holds and whether there will be enough water for a decent boating season, said Dave Levacy, owner of Buckeye Lake Marina and a Fairfield County commissioner. "I do believe we're going to have enough water," he said. "Assuming we get enough rainfall, we should be fine." MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170128/buckeye-lake-business-owners-looking-for-better-summer
March 7, 20178 yr Buckeye Lake dam project to be completed by fall 2018, ahead of schedule By Mary Beth Lane, The Columbus Dispatch Updated: March 1, 2017 at 7:13 AM The Buckeye Lake dam project is now scheduled for completion a year ahead of schedule, Ohio Department of Natural Resources director James Zehringer said Tuesday. The department's new construction timeline anticipates that the estimated $110 million project will be finished in the fall of 2018. The earlier completion means the summer of 2019 will see Buckeye Lake restored to its normal 6-foot summer depth and boating traffic — and the business it brings to the region's bars and restaurants. ... In the meantime, the water will be kept this summer at 1 foot below the normal summer depth. Workers were scheduled this morning to lower "stop logs" in place to close the spillway gates to allow the lake to start refilling with rainfall. After two years of shallow water pending construction of the new dam, business owners are hoping for a more normal summer depth that allows most boating to resume at the lake, about 25 miles from Columbus. ( . . . ) The new dam will replace the nearly 200-year-old earthen dam, which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found was at significant risk of failure. The project is being done in phases. The first — a seepage barrier to protect the dam — was completed last year ahead of schedule, thanks to a virtually round-the-clock construction pace. The second phase — construction of the new dam — begins in April, Zehringer said. A rendering shows what the 4.1-mile dam will look like (shown below). The design provides space for each household along the dam to have a boat dock. The top of the dam will be clad in a concrete cap and topped with both grass and a paved path. The path will provide both access for dam-safety inspectors and recreation for walkers, joggers and bicyclists. MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170301/buckeye-lake-dam-project-to-be-completed-by-fall-2018-ahead-of-schedule
June 22, 20177 yr May 2017 construction photo from this Dispatch article of the on-going dam project at Buckeye Lake.
June 22, 20177 yr With the Buckeye Lake dam project scheduled to be completed by Fall 2018, a non-profit group has been formed to look at future development of the Buckeye Lake region: http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170605/group-to-coordinate-development-of-buckeye-lake-region
February 1, 20187 yr January 2018 construction photo of the new Buckeye Lake dam project from the Dispatch:
February 1, 20187 yr Another photo from that Dispatch article: http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180131/state-tells-some-buckeye-lake-residents-to-dismantle-parts-of-homes It shows one of 12 lakeside homeowners who received encroachment notification letters from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The letters notified these homeowners that parts of their homes have been found to be encroaching on state owned property and those parts will need to be removed.
February 1, 20187 yr Another photo from that Dispatch article: http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180131/state-tells-some-buckeye-lake-residents-to-dismantle-parts-of-homes It shows one of 12 lakeside homeowners who received encroachment notification letters from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The letters notified these homeowners that parts of their homes have been found to be encroaching on state owned property and those parts will need to be removed. How in the world were they issued permits then!? I would tell the state to shove it!
August 5, 20186 yr Couple of older Buckeye Lake articles: -- Dec. 2017: Public meeting about the future allocation of public vs. private land after the new dam construction is finished in Fall 2018: http://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20171202/rebuilding-dam-leaves-residents-grateful-full-of-questions -- June 2018: News about future Buckeye Lake dredging that promises a more navigable lake for boating and better water quality because removing more of the nutrient-dense soil from the lake bottom should discourage growth of toxic, blue-green algae: http://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20180610/state-secures-land-to-store-sediment-from-increased-buckeye-lake-dredging
August 5, 20186 yr Really nice Dispatch drone video from June 2018 showing the progress of the $110 million Buckeye Lake dam reconstruction project:
November 9, 20186 yr Some articles from earlier this year about communities surrounding Buckeye Lake looking to leverage a rebuilt dam: The Village of Millersport, a municipality of 1,040 located on the southwest side of the Buckeye Lake, is building new single-family houses as a way to attract new residents and update its housing stock: https://www.dispatch.com/news/20180527/millersport-village-plans-to-build-new-homes-to-attract-families Meanwhile the villages of Buckeye Lake and Thornport, located on the northern and eastern shores of Buckeye Lake, are seeing their housing market stabilize as construction of the new dam reaches completion: https://www.dispatch.com/entertainmentlife/20180729/buckeye-lakes-housing-market-stabilizes-as-dam-nears-completion This article looks at the general Buckeye Lake region, which takes in parts of Fairfield, Licking and Perry counties about 25 miles east of Columbus, and the anticipation that the area will attract new residential and commercial development now that the dam project is being completed. https://www.dispatch.com/news/20180912/buckeye-lake-ready-for-rebirth
November 9, 20186 yr The reconstruction of the Buckeye Lake dam - which was finished for $107 million - was dedicated yesterday: https://www.dispatch.com/news/20181108/officials-cut-ribbon-on-restored-buckeye-lake-dam
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