Commerce and Homes

COMMERCE

Since 2005, Union County has experienced the largest expansion in retail and service businesses in its history. New shopping centers have developed throughout the county including Coleman’s Crossing, City Gate, Shoppes of Marysville, East Pointe Plaza, and Mill Valley Plaza in Marysville and the Lovejoy’s Plaza in Plain City.

Marysville presently has six shopping center areas which include: Eastpointe Plaza on U.S. 36, City Gate on Delaware Avenue, and Coleman’s Crossing on Delaware Avenue near U.S. 33 on the east side; Stocksdale Center on Milford Avenue in the southern section; Marysville Plaza on West Fifth Street; and Mill Valley Plaza on SR 31 on the north side of town. New retail and service businesses primarily in Coleman’s Crossing, City Gate, Shoppes of Marysville and Mill Valley Plaza are leading the commercial sector in Union County. In the East Pointe Plaza, Lowes recently demolished a vacant Walmart and constructed a new 139,000 square foot store. Plans have been proposed to redevelop the former Big Bear building into a new center that will accommodate additional retail and restaurant growth.

With the continued residential growth in Union County, the county is poised for new commercial developments, primarily along the U.S. 33 Corridor. New multi-use developments such as Jerome Village in Jerome Township and Cooks Pointe in Marysville will continue to expand Union County’s commercial base for years to come.

The quaint downtowns in Marysville, Plain City, and Richwood continue to be the main centers of specialized commerce in Union County, offering retail and specialty shops, one of a kind restaurants and service, professional, and government offices. Marysville, Plain City and Richwood community leaders have stepped up their focus on revitalizing the downtown areas based on strategies from Heritage Ohio and Downtown Ohio Inc.

In the late 1990s, over $1,500,000 was invested in the Marysville Uptown area infrastructure including new sidewalks with brick borders and crosswalks, street lights and banners, traffic signals, benches, and flower pots. Since these improvements were made, the Marysville Uptown Renewal Team (URT) has added hanging flower baskets while the City of Marysville has made improvements to the alleys and parking lots in the Uptown Area. In 2008, the City of Marysville, teaming up with URT, received a $400,000 grant which will lead to additional public infrastructure improvements and millions of dollars of private investment. Since 2005, over $5,000,000 has been invested in various buildings in the area. In 2008, the Union County Commissioners invested over $3,100,000 into the renovation a former furniture store on the corner of Sixth and Main Streets. The Uptown area provides a wide venue of uses including specialty shops, retail, restaurants, offices, theatre, and various dance and karate schools. Additionally, the historic Union County Courthouse, Union County Administrative Offices, and Marysville City Hall are each located adjacent to the uptown square.

The Richwood downtown area serves the agricultural community that is predominate in the northern region of the county. A number of businesses are located in the area including retail establishments, offices, and restaurants. The architecturally significant opera house, built in 1892, provides the community clock that always strikes “hospitality.”

The Plain City Uptown area is home to various retail and office establishments which support the residents and the agricultural community. The clock tower and Citizens Bank buildings both provide distinct architecture while Pastime Park offers recreational opportunities within walking distance of Uptown. The Village is currently completing the Plain City Uptown Revitalization Plan which will establish the strategic plan for the future revitalization of Uptown Plain City. New commercial developments, specifically Lovejoy Plaza and the Champaign Bank office park, have occurred south of the downtown area around the Der Dutchman and The Dutch Kitchen restaurants, which are well-known tourist attractions receiving visitors from all over the Midwest. With the opening of the U.S. 42 by-pass, truck traffic has been diverted from the Uptown area, setting the stage for pedestrian-driven revitalization. In 2007, the Union County Convention and Visitors Bureau assisted the village in adding banners to the Uptown area.

Union County boasts a number of hotels, including Comfort Inn (77 rooms), Hampton Inn (78 rooms), Holiday Inn Express (71 rooms), and the Super 8 Marysville (70 rooms) in Marysville and the American Inn (28 rooms) in Plain City.

Marysville is well known for its narrow tree-lined streets and has been dubbed “the shaded community.” Historic and established homes are conveniently located near the Uptown area, which boasts various retail and specialty shops, restaurants, and professional and government offices. Over the last ten years, Marysville has experienced a large amount of residential growth including Adena Pointe, Ashton Meadows, Gables at Green Pastures, Green Pastures, Greenwood Colony, Hickory Run, Keystone Crossing, The Legends, The Links, Mill Valley, Milford Estates, Milford View, Northwoods, The Oaks, Scott Farms, Shepherds Landing, Village of Timber Lakes, Walker Meadows, and the Woods at Mill Valley developments. New multi-family developments include the Bridgewater Apartments, Lakeside Apartments, Links Apartments, and Watkins Glen Apartments.

Richwood, Plain City, and Milford Center offer more historic homes, with some Victorian-era homes located near the downtown areas. Plain City has recently experienced residential growth with developments including Carriage Estates, Copperfield, Country Place, Darby Estates, Eagles Landing, The Meadows, Oak Grove, Plain City Commons, Willow Creek Subdivision, and Willow Bend Subdivision. Jerome Township has seen the development of California Woods, Taylor Fields, and the Woods at Labrador while Darby Township has welcomed Autumn Ridge and Pleasantview. A new residential golf community, Tartan Fields West offers high-end homes in Jerome Township while Jerome Village, a 2,200 unit planned community, will begin construction in 2009. Autumn Ridge, California Woods, Green Pastures, Woods at Mill Valley, Woods at Labrador, and Walker Meadows offer higher-end and executive housing opportunities.

Various farms and homesteads are located throughout rural Union County. Homeowners can enjoy beautiful rolling hills and creeks in the southeastern and eastern regions of the county, or gently rolling prairie lands in the northern and western regions.