One of the most significant public projects in Union’s history is moving closer to reality, as city officials finalize design plans for Union Town Square.
The multi-million-dollar public project aims to transform a 22-acre plot between US-42 and Old Union Road. Prominent aspects of the project include the development of a new city building, park, and performance venue.
Union contracted Lexington-based Summit Architects + Engineering and Cincinnati-based landscape architecture firm MKSK Studios to design the park and city hall.
On May 7, Union officials called a special meeting to discuss the project details, including specific information on each development aspect, projected costs and a timeline. Union Public Works Director Paul Kremer noted that the meeting’s purpose was not to debate pricing or design but to nail down the project’s final details so that it was ready to move forward.
Kremer said the project will be split into three phases, each focusing on a different primary feature. Phase 1 encompasses the construction of the city building. Phase 2 focuses on the infrastructure surrounding the development, while Phase 3 will be the buildout of the park.
The new city hall is designed to be a modern and functional space that meets the city’s operational needs while offering a welcoming environment for the public. Some key features are a public entrance space with a reception area, a commission room and a community room equipped with monitors for presentations or events. A controlled-access door will offer secure staff areas.
The project’s designers said they wanted the facility to have abundant glass walls to allow sunlight into interior spaces. The commission room is planned to include two 65-inch monitors and a raised platform for commissioners. The ceiling and walls will be covered with acoustic tiles for better audio clarity. In addition, the room will have frosted glass panels adorned with the city logo.
Regarding the park, the designers wanted to create a space that serves a variety of functions, whether it’s outdoor recreation, live entertainment or relaxation.
The playground is divided into two zones by age group, with ages 2 to 5 years designated by yellow equipment and ages 5 to 12 years by orange. The playground will feature equipment like swings, slides and a zip line. Rubber mulch will coat the play area for added safety.
A lake, which will sit adjacent to the park’s primary “great lawn” area, will be equipped with an agitator to maintain water quality and a nearby pump house for utilities and water management. A stage and performance canopy is planned for the south of the great lawn, which will include a proposed back wall that’s suitable for movie screenings
The park’s garden area will feature curved benches and a planting schedule designed to develop over three years for improved aesthetics.
Following the special meeting, the Union City Commission held a caucus meeting on May 19, where they voted to put the project out for bid for general contractors. After the bid is posted, a four-week advertising period will follow. Once concluded, the commission, along with Summit Architects + Engineering and MKSK Studios, will start analyzing each bid.
“Going forward, we don’t talk with any potential bidders,” Kremer said. “This means in person, meetings, phone calls, emails, texts, etc. Please leave that to myself and the Summit and MKSK teams.”
Kremer emphasized that he wanted a “level playing field” for all bidders.
Union City Administrator Amy Safran mentioned that she is working alongside RSA Advisors Vice President Bryan Skinner and public finance Donnie Warner of Frost Brown Todd to draft financing legislation related to the project. The legislation is expected to appear on the agenda at the commission’s July 7 meeting.
“They’re [Skinner and Warner] aligning their calendar with where we are with the project, and going out to bid, as far as the bonds are concerned,” she said.