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Welcome Trilogy
with Open Arms
A Bird in the Hand…
By Bob Robinson
There’s this tract of land on the north side of Russ Road, sandwiched
between State Hwy 121 and Kitchen Aid Way, that’s been vacant ever
since I can remember and I’ve been here for 11 years.
According to Dustin Leis, Leis Realty, it’s been vacant even longer
than that. He’s been trying to sell it for 15 years. He added that it
was on the market before he took over.
No one wants it.
It doesn’t allow direct access off of 121 or Russ Road… for good
reason. A “curb cut” on either of these roads would represent a safety
hazard due to traffic flow. An access road to the property would have
to be built from Kitchen Aid Way.
Now however, there is someone who wants it. According to Leis, it’s a
health care facility called Trilogy Health Services. Trilogy wants to
put in an $8 million 52,000 sq. ft. facility that will eventually
provide 68 full time and as many as 30-40 part time jobs in the
location.
“It’s a perfect fit,” Leis said. “The company needs 5-6 acres and it
doesn’t need direct access off of Russ or 121.”
Darke County’s population is aging. Older citizens need health care and
assisted living options that are quickly becoming in short supply.
Trilogy plans to have 87 beds in the facility… 51 for skilled nursing
and another 36 for assisted living and dementia patients.
There’s just one problem. Greenville wants Trilogy to come here… it
just doesn’t want Trilogy in that location. The property is zoned GB
for General Business and the City wants retail establishments there. In
order for Trilogy to buy the land and build on it, it would have to be
re-zoned to SU or Special Use.
The Zoning Commission opposed the request 4 to 1.
“They wanted us to look for property in the south area of Greenville,”
Leis said. “We did. There is none. The acreage Trilogy needs is already
taken.
“I understand where they are coming from,” he added. “Russ is a Gateway
into Greenville. They want it populated with restaurants, service
stations and similar businesses…
“I really can understand that. I just can’t sell it. These businesses
want direct access for their customers and that can’t happen. They
don’t want to go to the expense of building an access road off of
Kitchen Aid Way.”
A health care facility, on the other hand, doesn’t have any of the
concerns that a retail business would have. It would be a beautiful
facility that would have a positive impact on visitors as they enter
the city.
I’m familiar with Trilogy. I’d been told it is a great company to work
for. Great benefits and incentives for employees, which in turn
promotes great care for its residents. I’ve seen the positive things it
has done at another location. The company’s short- and long-range plans
will have a positive impact on Greenville’s economy, tax base and
senior citizens.
According to Leis, Trilogy jobs are high paying jobs with full benefits
packages. Retail establishments can’t match that. Trilogy operates 70
health care facilities in Indiana and Ohio. They are all constructed,
owned and maintained by Ramsey.
Leis said that Ramsey uses local work forces in its construction
projects. To me, that’s another plus for Greenville and Darke County.
Construction of an $8 million facility will provide a lot of local jobs.
I, too, can understand why the City wants this Gateway to be
Commercial. It’s the entrance to major retail and eating
establishments. The unique characteristics of the property, however,
make the possibility of fulfilling this preference highly unlikely. And
a tremendous opportunity is available to put this long unused land to
good use now.
The City Council has the final decision on the re-zoning issue. The
vote is scheduled for Tuesday evening.
So will they vote to bring in an $8 million facility built with local
labor… one that will provide a large number of high-paying, quality
jobs to help serve our aging population? Or will they vote to keep this
land vacant in hopes of bringing in retail establishments that
typically offer lower-paying, sometimes minimum wage jobs with few or
no benefits.
I believe if there was ever a time to take “a bird in the hand” in lieu
of “two in the bush” this is it. As a senior citizen who is a strong
supporter of economic development and employment opportunities in Darke
County, my request is that the City welcome Trilogy at this location
with open arms.
Just my opinion, of course.
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