A Marriott Hotel project is still working its way toward construction and several updates on various other projects around the city were provided by safety and service director Brianne Abbott at Monday’s Hillsboro City Council meeting.
A promissory note for the hotel project has been extended to Dec. 30, Abbott said. In July of last year she said the coronavirus pandemic had caused project delays.
Discussion of bringing a new hotel to Hillsboro began in 2016, when former Hillsboro Mayor Drew Hastings announced he was having a feasibility study conducted to determine “whether our market will support a new hotel complex and thus encourage developer investment.”
Ankur Patel, one of the project developers, said in December of 2019 that the proposed layout of the hotel and retail plaza included 83 rooms, a retail plaza expected to cover 30,000 square feet that could comprise a bank, five or six restaurants, second-floor office space, and a sports bar, which he said would be similar to Buffalo Wild Wings and could include a dance floor.
Patel estimated at the time that between the hotel and the retail plaza, the development could bring 100 jobs to Hillsboro.
“I believe they’re working with the county and the state still on funding,” Abbott said at Monday’s meeting.
She also gave updates on other new or developing businesses in the city.
She said Burke’s on North High Street will have a ribbon-cutting at 9 a.m. Sept. 16, the Hillsboro Planning Commission has approved a site for Marshall’s on Harry Sauner Road, the planning commission is reviewing plans for Mimi’s Kitchen on East Main Street and a new Buckeye Family Eye Clinic on North High Street, and that the Magic Tunnel Car Wash on North High Street is open for business.
The safety and service director also noted that 25 commercial or residential building permits were issued by the city last month, and that paving projects on North East Street, Northview Drive and Springlake Avenue are scheduled to begin this month, as well as a sidewalk project on Main Street.
Work also continues on a 72-inch culvert pipe that washed out at the Hillsboro Plaza Shopping Center during a June storm, Abbott said. She said the property owner has been in contact with the city and is obtaining estimates on how much the repairs will cost.
In other business, council adopted a pair of resolutions for water supply revolving loan agreements related to upgrades to existing facilities.
“This is for North West Street to replace the water system from Springlake clear to West Main,” Hillsboro Public Works Superintendent Adkins told council.
He said the loans would be for main water service lines and that the city is trying to get the project done before paving on S.R. 73 so the new pavement will not be damaged. Adkins noted that there are several water leaks in the North West Street area.
Council approved a resolution to lease a loader backhoe from the Southeastern Equipment Company. Adkins said the city’s current backhoe is a 2007 model that serves as the city’s primary piece of equipment for digging. He said that because of its age, the city has trouble getting parts for it.
City auditor Alex Butler said during his report that the city’s general fund balance is “very strong” for this time of year. But he also noted that the balance will decrease some next month due to transfers out of the general fund to other funds the general fund subsidizes.
Butler also reported that the city has received the first of two American Rescue Plan Act payments for $343,269. He said the city will receive another payment in the same amount next year.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.
