Council backs mall redevelopment steps: special-assessment reduction, road rename, enterprise-zone deal and $500,000 site grant

Forest Park City Council on Aug. 4 approved a package of measures to clear key legal and financial hurdles for redevelopment of the former Cincinnati Mills / Forest Fair mall site. Council adopted an ordinance reducing and recertifying special assessments tied to prior work and passed three resolutions that together clear the way for site work, a local street name change and an enterprise-zone tax incentive.

The council adopted Ordinance 21-2025, reducing previously levied special assessments on mall parcels; Councilmember Sylvester moved the ordinance and it passed 6-0. The council also adopted Resolution 31-2025, renaming the Forest Park portion of Cincinnati Mills Drive to Hillman Way; that vote was 6-0. Council approved Resolution 32-2025, consenting to an enterprise-zone agreement with Hamilton County for Fry Fastening Systems, by a 5-1 vote. Finally, the council approved Resolution 33-2025 to accept a $500,000 Hamilton County economic-impact grant to help pay for site improvements; that measure passed 6-0.

The enterprise-zone agreement and county grant are intended to support private investment and site cleanup. Resolution 32-2025 describes a planned $5.5 million renovation and expansion of the Fry Fastening Systems facility at 1740 Carolyn Boulevard; Fry would retain 34 jobs and create eight more over three years, with an estimated $525,000 in new payroll. In exchange the company’s property would receive a 75% real-property tax exemption for up to eight years to support the expansion. Resolution 33-2025 authorizes the city manager to accept a $500,000 economic-impact grant administered by Hamilton County and to execute the joint agreement and grant paperwork; the grant is described in the council record as a 1:1 funding component to allow site work to proceed.

Councilmembers and staff framed the package as a set of coordinated steps needed before demolition and redevelopment can begin: Ordinance 20-2025 (read at first reading) would declare certain improvements in the Hailsworth incentive/TIF area a public purpose under Ohio Revised Code Section 5709.40; Ordinance 21-2025 reduces and recertifies special assessments related to prior public work. Assistant City Manager Andy Levandowski told council that if the closing of the property proceeds as anticipated, site work and demolition should follow in September. Law Director John Wykoff confirmed the city’s pending litigation posture and noted no outstanding cases preventing the actions described in the resolutions.

Council members thanked county staff and city staff for coordinating the competitive grant application and for the work necessary to bring these measures to a vote. The council directed the city manager to finalize and execute the joint agreement and other grant documents and to work with the county to implement the site work if the closing occurs.

Section 1 — Discussion: Council debated the parcels covered and the timing; the record ties the measures to the developer’s closing. Section 2 — Direction: Staff was authorized to execute the joint agreement and grant paperwork; the Finance director was directed to account for and expend the funds in compliance with the grant requirements. Section 3 — Decision: The council adopted Ordinance 21-2025 (special-assessment reduction) and Resolutions 31-2025 (road renaming), 32-2025 (enterprise-zone consent) and 33-2025 (economic-impact grant acceptance) by recorded roll-call votes as noted above.

Ending: Council members said the package is intended to allow demolition and initial site work to proceed promptly once legal and closing conditions are satisfied, and they thanked county leaders for the grant award and city staff for completing application and closing tasks.