The city broke ground on this on the 17th.  From the 11/18/05 Xenia Daily Gazette:

 

 

Bracing for the big boxes

Small businesses react to arrival of Super Wal-Mart, Lowe’s

NICK HOUSER

City Editor

 

XENIA – The question of the day at Don's SuperValu on Thursday was not the price of eggs, but will the store survive the big box invasion.

 

A day after developer Norman Fear announced that a Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse and a Super Wal-Mart is coming to town next year, local business owners intend on fighting the retail giants with people and good old fashioned service.

 

...

 

http://www.xeniagazette.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=147960

 

:-o I had no idea a Super Wal Mart was in the works.  I guess that means another regular Wal Mart will be vacated.

From the 3/10/06 Xenia Daily Gazette:

 

 

Progress Center progressing

RAINEY HOWARTH

Staff Writer

 

XENIA - Just four months after the announcement of the new Progress Center development coming to Xenia, developer Norman Fear said construction on the new Super Wal-Mart and Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse has made strides.

 

The tentative opening of Wal-Mart could be as early as Sept. 9, projected Fear, and Lowe's is even further ahead, possibly finishing around July.

 

...

 

http://www.xeniagazette.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=149285&TM=40978.71

 

From the 6/2/06 Xenia Daily Gazette:

 

 

The price of progress

MARIANNE WELLENDORF

Staff Writer

 

XENIA – Dan Wetmore says that “a love of all things historical” is what’s prompting him to try and save a 150-year-old home in Xenia.

 

The Gowdy house, owned by “Land Man” Norm Fear overlooks the big box developments across Progress Drive, also owned by Fear. With those sweeping changes in the neighborhood, the land this historic house sits upon becomes more valuable as new development than rental property.

 

...

 

http://www.xeniagazette.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=150695&TM=41123.18

 

From the 7/13/06 DDN:

 

 

XENIA PROGRESS CENTER

Officials look forward to retailers' tax revenue

By Ismail Turay Jr.

Staff Writer

 

XENIA — Officials are all smiles over a shopping complex they say will create hundreds of jobs and generate at least $2.8 million in property and income taxes for the city and school district.

 

Progress Center, at the corner of Progress Drive and U.S. 35, will feature retail giants Lowe's Home Improvement and Wal-Mart Supercenter, Bob Evans and Applebee's restaurants, and Murphy Oil.

 

...

 

http://www.daytondailynews.com/community/content/localnews/neighbors/greene/071306xeniacomplex.html

 

From the 8/9/06 DDN:

 

 

Lowe's opens new shopping center in Xenia

By Ismail Turay Jr.

Staff Writer

 

XENIA — In its heyday, downtown Xenia was one of the more attractive destinations in Greene County.

 

It was thriving with a J.C. Penney, Woolworth's, several upscale clothing stores and restaurants, and three movie theaters, said Mayor Phyllis A. Pennewitt, a lifelong Xenia resident. But since the 1974 tornado ripped through the "City of Hospitality," destroying many of the businesses, malls began popping up and the downtown has struggled.

 

...

 

http://www.daytondailynews.com/business/content/business/daily/080906xeniaweb.html

 

From the 8/24/06 DDN:

 

 

Small businesses fear Progress Center

The arrival of Lowe's and Wal-Mart has some operations worrying about the competition.

By Ismail Turay Jr.

Staff Writer

 

XENIA | City officials are excited about the economic impact they say the Progress Center will have on Xenia, but some small business owners are concerned that the city's newest shopping center and its two big-box stores will force them to fold.

 

"If you look at what has happened historically, (big box stores) normally hurt small businesses," said Jim Kennedy, who owns Kennedy Korners Shopping Area. His family has been business owners in the area since the 1960s.

 

...

 

http://www.daytondailynews.com/community/content/localnews/neighbors/greene/082406xenia.html