Following the addition of land, the developers of the planned Downs of Nicholson in Independence are adding more residential homes and a gym.
The project was first announced earlier this year.
The $22 million development is expected to include a micro-brewery and tap room, a drive-through restaurant, a sit-down restaurant, and 85 two- and three-bedroom patio homes with attached two-car garages. The residential community will boast amenities like a swimming pool and clubhouse.
The site will also feature a gas station with convenience store.
Gary Holland, of Taylor Mill-based One Holland, is the developer behind the project on what was originally a 29.41 acre tract of land at the intersection of Kentucky Routes 16 and 17 (Taylor Mill Road and Madison Pike). It has now increased to 35 acres, it was stated at the Independence city council meeting on Monday night.
One Holland developed the Trifecta Building in Taylor Mill which houses a LaRosa’s pizzeria, a Skyline Chili, and a Graeter’s ice cream shop, and will soon include a Dunkin’. The group also joined a partnership to operate Ft. Mitchell’s Greyhound Tavern earlier this year.
Like “Trifecta”, the Downs is homage to Holland’s love of Kentucky horses (a trifecta is picking the top-three finishing horses in a race while downs is a common word used in the name of racetracks).
On Monday, HSH Partners, which is affiliated with One Holland, presented new details.Â
The Kenton County fiscal court sold a piece of land to the developer as did a private residence owner, increasing the land.
Independence voted to annex the residential property, and the county property was already in the city. Petey Cunningham, president of the HSH Partners said that originally the plan called for 75 rental patio homes, but with the extra land, the plan is to increase that number to 90. There will also be a gym as part of the project.
Cunningham said the entire project could be started next summer, or at least laid out, with a goal for completion in the fall of 2023. He said that the commercial would be done first, and the residential work could stretch into 2024.
In other business, the mayor’s salary was discussed.
The $15,000 annual compensation was set in 2006 for the mayor’s term starting in 2007.
The proposal is to increase it to $25,000.
Councilmember Carol Franzen said that she thought the size of the City of Independence and its growth warrants a raise to be comparable to other similar-sized cities.
The council listened to the first reading of an ordinance making that change.
City Administrator Chris Moriconi said that if the mayoral salaries in Florence, Covington, and Newport were added together and divided by three, it would amount to $33,000, which is still lower than what Independence is considering.
The change, if approved after a second reading, would begin with a new mayoral term in 2023.
The city’s annual Christmas Walk is planned for December 4 at 1 p.m. with a 5K race at that time and a parade at 5:30 p.m.
-Patricia A. Scheyer, RCN contributor
Image shows outline of where the Downs of Nicholson will be developed (provided)