Chalk up another win for Northern Kentucky.
At a breakfast presentation to the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, developer Dobbs Ackermann cited the region's "can-do" attitude as an important reason for its success.
"It truly is a network of people here that seem very focused on making Northern Kentucky a better place and a more prosperous place," Ackermann told a crowd of more than 170 people at the chamber's July 19 Eggs 'N Issues forum.
"There's a lot of energy that newcomers like us can feel."
For years, that focus and energy has been Northern Kentucky's most important asset. Since the formation of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Northern Kentucky Tri-ED economic development agency, politicians and business leaders in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties have concentrated on working together for the betterment of the region.
The results are everywhere: the RiverCenter office towers and Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington, Newport on the Levee and the Newport Aquarium in Newport, and development in Bellevue are among them.
"We've come a long way in such a very short time," noted Wally Pagan, president of Southbank Partners, an agency focused on Northern Kentucky's riverfront.
The Ackermann Group is working primarily in Bellevue, the little riverfront town that boasts 64,000 residents in the square mile that makes up its city limits. There, Ackermann is developing Harbor Greene, a $90 million mixed-use project that will include 110 high-end condominiums.
Already, the company has brought in 60,000 cubic yards of dirt to lift the development out of the 100-year flood plain without restricting the river views that all the condominiums will feature.
The commercial part of the development will come next, Ackermann said. The company plans to build a 500-space garage that will serve as the platform for 100,000 square feet of office space, a 50,000 square-foot Gold's Gym and another 15,000 square feet of retail.
Ackermann said he hopes that work will begin within a year, but the company must wait for the market to justify the new office space.
It's just a matter of time, he said.
May covers Northern Kentucky, development and the aviation industry for the Courier. To reach her, call (513) 337-9437 or e-mail lmay@bizjournals.com.