Talawanda tore down the old Stewart School recently making way for a mixed use facility called Stewart Square which will relocate the CVS from Tollgate (the plaza w/ Kroger) and create new retail storefronts. The second story will feature student housing and an underground parking garage will be built for the tenants.

 

 

 

 

    There are existing trees on the site, but I don't remember them being as big as the ones in the photos. Also, it seems to sit back from the street too far. They want to have an underground parking garage, yet they plant lots of grass between the building and the street.

 

    This site is walking distance from the university, and as parking is scarce, I don't think many students will be driving from here to classes.

 

    The Stewart School was just recently torn down, by the way. The 1950's school replaced an earlier c. 1870 school on the same site.

Those renderings/"photographs" could have been taken from from the front porch of the house I lived in my senior year.  If there is a store there that sells beer...or, better yet, a bar...I will be severely jealous of the students that now live in that house.

I'm having a hard time imagining what kind of retailers will go into Stewart Square. CVS is going in for sure, and that's all I know. There is a contingent on campus (ridiculously) obsessed with Panera and would like to see one go in. I guess I could see that, but with uptown oxford already in place with a successful mix of tenants and urban atmosphere where there is still room to fill, and Tollgate struggling a lot right now, I'd like to know what kind of tenants the developers intend on pursuing. I think there is little room for retail growth in Oxford, but that's just me. The bar and restaurant market in Oxford is over-saturated.

If you had to guess, what tenants do you think will go in this place? Do you see something like national apparel retailers like Gap, Urban Outfitters, American Apparel. Or do you think for whatever reason local places might relocate from uptown into Stewart Square?

 

Speaking of Tollgate and the former Walmart. Both sites should and could be redeveloped into Oxford's "downtown" in an effort to try and halt development sprawling away from the city center down 27. Maybe not all of Tollgate, but at least the Big Lots and CVS portion across from the Walmart. (By the way Mocha Joe's is closed now too). The city also needs more non-student market-rate housing within mile square. Building a mixed-development here on these sites would have been preferrable.

I know Kroger is seriously looking at the old Walmart.  Their current building is only about 10 years old, but way too small for their business model.  With the Walmart super center down the road, I think Kroger might try a MarketPlace, or just a bigger grocery in the old Walmart building.

 

I think Oxford's hardest job is to get out from the shadow of Miami University.  Eventhough one would not exist without the other, I think there are too many things that depend too much on students and don't give many options to full time Oxford residents.  Housing is the biggest thing, and the new apartments that are purposed for the Pedro's site are a perfect example.  If I remember correctly, its 12 4 bedroom units with retail on the ground floor.  They might be nice, but I don't know many people who aren't in college who would want a 4 bedroom apartment.  If they need 4 bedrooms, they usually want a house.

Even though I wondor if Stewart Square can be successful, and if it is successful I wonder too about the potentially negative impact on uptown, I think more mixed-use development should be used in Oxford to target the non-student population. I agree with you about Oxford's relationship with the university and the college population. There is an attractive non-student population in Oxford that isn't really recognized. First of all the university employees a lot of people, and Oxford kind of serves as a medical, legal, retail (traditionally), entertainment, public broadcasting, and cultural hub for the surrounding rural communities that employees both professional people and people in the hospitality industry. There are also people working at the Fraternity/Soriority headquarters offices in Oxford, which interestingly was a practicular market that I think is being targeted for a condo development near the Beta headquarters just outside of Oxford. The univeristy and city could also develop business incubators and start up companies (preferably in a designated district) with relationship to the university. With all the events that take place on campus, the attractiveness of uptown Oxford, and a good base of unique and high quality shops/restaurants I think the town could capitalize more on the Cincinnati and Dayton markets by making Oxford a day-trip destination.

 

Butler County is one of the highest growth counties in all of Ohio, and though its growth is related to sprawl and out migration of Hamilton County, I think Oxford should try and capitalize on this and be a "smart growth" model. So, I see the potential for a retail/residential/office development for the non-student population. Some of the apartment comlexes near Tollgate could be purchased, renovated, and turned into for-sale housing as well and incorporated into a greater more comprehensive plan. The creation of "downtown" along Locust on the former sites of Walmart and Big Lots would provide the perfect size and location for an appropriate downtown district of this kind.

 

I am a junior political science major at Miami right now by the way.

Check out www.scottwebbarchitect.com for a site plan.

From the 3/28/06 Miami Student:

 

 

Stewart Square: CVS remains sole business known

By: Christopher Washington

Issue date: 3/28/06 Section: Community

 

Residential housing will soon increase with the development of Stewart Square on Spring Street.

 

Located across from Ace Hardware, this multi-functional building will serve its residents with apartments on the upper levels and business stores on the lower level.

 

"Between location and the types of stores we want to put into it, it's a great mix of the Oxford community and students," said Pam Lindley, a representative for the development project. "It'll have an uptown feel, but a sense of services and products that the community and students will enjoy."

 

The up-and-coming apartment and business complex is under the wing of Hotel Development Services, a construction and development company located in OxfordWith the opening of Stewart Square, Hotel Development Services expects restaurants and service-oriented businesses to occupy the available retail space.

 

"I think it's a great idea," said Jenny Foti, a Miami University first-year. "I would look into it in the later future. It would be a lot better to live above retail stores rather than the bars."

 

Foti explained that convenience would supply a motive to investigate Stewart Square further.

 

Several members of the Miami community expressed concerns about Stewart Square.

 

There is apprehension regarding how the convenience of Stewart Square could pose competition for neighboring apartment buildings, as rumors of increased rent in surrounding residences circulate.

 

Currently, a CVS Pharmacy is the only future business that is assured space. Hotel Development Services is working in a joint effort with several other companies interested in bringing their business to Stewart Square.

 

"It'll have a great development that brings more realtors," said Darius Bobo, economic director for the city of Oxford. "We have some vacant spaces for certain realtors. We have a very attractive market in the development we present."

 

Prue Dana, vice mayor of the city of Oxford, explained that businesses are created to meet the needs of the residing citizens.

 

"It expands a business area that will help economic development," Dana said. "The kinds of spaces are spaces businesses will want to rent. Also, take Starbucks for example. When you bring in franchises, people will go to where Starbucks is. If you bring in franchises people know, people will go to it."

 

The design of Stewart Square allows for 15 lofts above the businesses that will operate below. Each loft comes fully furnished, including a large kitchen and living room area, a selected number of bedrooms and bathrooms and a washing and drying machine.

 

Because of the commercial and residential combination, it is anticipated that Stewart Square will primarily attract Miami students.

 

http://www.miamistudent.net/media/storage/paper776/news/2006/03/28/Community/Stewart.Square.Cvs.Remains.Sole.Business.Known-1751037.shtml?norewrite200603282237&sourcedomain=www.miamistudent.net

 

It is kind of disappointing, its just boring...

 

From the 9/29/06 Miami Student:

 

 

Renters move to Stewart Square

Tenants arrive at apartments 6 weeks into academic year

Rachel Mount

Issue date: 9/29/06 Section: Community

 

Although it was just an ordinary Thursday for most Miami University students, for 28 students Sept. 28 was their first chance to experience their new homes at Stewart Square.

 

The other 28 students living in the complex move in Friday.

 

Stewart Square, located at the corner of South College Avenue and Spring streets, includes 15 apartments, an underground parking garage and first-floor retail space.

 

Thirteen of the apartments were preleased last year during the construction phase. But over the summer, it became apparent that the apartments would not be completed by the beginning of the academic year, and students were placed in College Suites apartments on U.S. Route 27.

 

Pam Lindley, the business operations administrator of Stewart Developers LLC, the developers in charge of Stewart Square, said that while students were inconvenienced, the College Suites accommodations satisfied them.

 

"Once students got over the initial disappointment of not moving into the lofts when school started, the responses from our tenants have been very positive," Lindley said. "I'm sure the great amenities at College (Suites) have helped."

 

The project took longer than anticipated, according to Scott Webb, the Oxford architect who designed the complex.

 

"It's a complicated project, with retail space, residential space and the underground parking garage," Webb said.

 

Lindley also said that some installations for the apartments, like the granite countertops, were delayed. Also, recent weather delayed some of the outdoor paving even as the apartments themselves were finished. In August, a revised opening date of Sept. 29 was set, and therefore the Sept. 28 move-in was on schedule.

 

Miami University senior Sarah Johnson has been touring the complex for the past five weeks as part of her Architecture 418 class. While she said the apartments themselves are very nice, Johnson voiced concerns that continuing work on Stewart Square could inconvenience residents.

 

"We've seen a lot of progression," Johnson said. "The problem is that the first-floor retail space isn't done, so construction will still be going on underneath the students, possibly in the early morning."

 

The retail space, which will include a CVS and a spa, should be open by the end of the semester.

 

Students received professional moving assistance, as well as cash compensation from Stewart Developers for having to move in twice.

 

Miami sophomore Cassidy Lawson, who moved in yesterday, said that Gibson Movers helped pack up her room, but that it was still a stressful time.

 

"(The developers) did everything they could to help, including a check for $300, but still ? I'm just excited to finally be moving into this facility," Lawson said.

 

A second phase of development, with five additional lofts and a first-floor bank, is planned for next year.

 

http://www.miamistudent.net/media/storage/paper776/news/2006/09/29/Community/Renters.Move.To.Stewart.Square-2316047.shtml?norewrite200610021954&sourcedomain=www.miamistudent.net

 

I thought the development was in jepordy, but if the developers are planning a go-ahead for Phase II, then I would think the project is off to a good start, even though it isn't even really open yet. Occupancy rates in the apartments must be pretty high. I'm perplexed by the lack of announced retail tenants, but I bet a number of retailers have signed on we haven't heard about.

 

I thought the development was kind of boring at first, but the more I see it the more I kind of like it. It will be interesting though to see what its effect could be on High Street and Tollgate Plaza.

Phase 1 is now complete with CVS open and other tenants slowly filling. The foundation has been poured for phase 2.