Residents press council on transparency after ADAMUS property sale; city manager and council respond

Residents of Willow Creek Estates and other neighborhoods pressed Huber Heights city officials on March 10, 2025, about transparency and next steps after the sale of a former ADAMUS/YW property on Taylorsville Road.

Claudia Hurd, a Willow Creek Estates resident, told the council she attended an ADAMUS board meeting after members of the public were told they could raise concerns at an open-house event. "I was so disappointed and I was so ashamed," Hurd said, describing what she said were misleading public notices and a lack of ADAMUS board responsiveness. Hurd said she watched the online auction and reported the property sold for $2,135,000, while mentioning an earlier appraisal figure she had seen of about $5,700,000 and an estimated $600,000 demolition/clearance cost discussed by city staff.

City Manager John Russell and staff described months of negotiations with the ADAMUS board, saying the city had discussed potential public–private partnership terms that could have included the city undertaking demolition work and splitting proceeds with ADAMUS. Russell told the council: "We were willing to enter into a public private partnership with the Adamas board...we were gonna take on the $600,000 demolition and then split the proceeds with Adamus once we sold the property." He said talks ceased abruptly and ADAMUS proceeded with an online sale process.

Several Willow Creek residents and council members expressed concern about what may be built on the parcel now that it has an identified purchaser. Aaron (city staff) explained that the property had lost its nonconforming use as a treatment center and is currently zoned I-1 (light industrial), and that many uses other than the existing building would likely require rezoning. "I will assume that any other use that is gonna be proposed for that 14 acres is going to need to go through a rezoning process," Aaron said.

Council members, including Anita Kitchen and Mark, said they had been in discussions to prioritize age-friendly or compatible development that would connect with Willow Creek and keep the park in place. Council members urged the ADAMUS board and staff to make sale terms public when available. City attorney and staff clarified that the ADAMUS board, as a public body, must approve any final sale and that a sale is not finalized until closing.

Other public commenters described the condition of the former facility and the emotional impact of its closure. Sue White and Cheryl Benson, Willow Creek residents, recounted seeing the property in a deteriorated state and urged care in future development because of the site’s importance to residents who had relied on those services.

Council requested staff and legal counsel to pursue additional information and public disclosure about the sale. Don (council) asked whether formal action was needed; staff indicated no formal vote was required but that they would add follow-up and legal review as requested. Council members said they would continue to press for transparent disclosure of buyer identity and sale terms as they become publicly available.

Ending Council members said they remain committed to seeking development compatible with existing neighborhoods and will continue to pursue information on the sale; city staff said the buyer identity and closing status should be known in the coming days and that the ADAMUS board will have a public meeting to approve any final sale terms.