15 scheduled for completion by the start of the 2027-28 school year. The 48,000-square-foot, three-story building will house multiple academic schools and departments, including the School of Education and Social Work and the departments of psychology, history and government as well as English, literature and modern languages. Together, these projects are helping to shape the community while preserving the village’s charm and historic identity — a goal that’s also at the heart of a major development taking shape just down the street from downtown. A NEW CHAPTER FOR THE FORMER MORRIS BEAN FACILITY The village of Cedarville was originally laid out in 1816 and officially named in 1834. Throughout the 19th century, the village saw a period of development marked by the establishment of historic landmarks such as the Cedarville Opera House, the founding of Cedarville College, and the construction of a large brick building that became home to several of the community’s leading employers. The facility at 154 W. Xenia Ave. was constructed in 1892 by Hagar Straw Board and Paper Company, which operated there for nearly five decades until World War II. Then, in 1946, Morris Bean purchased the property, renaming it Morris Bean & Co. Morris Bean, a longtime presence in the Dayton region, continued operations at the Cedarville site until 1994, when the company fully relocated to Yellow Springs. Since then, the facility has sat vacant, waiting for a new owner to come in and restore it to its former glory — an effort now underway, 31 years later. Renovations have begun in the former Morris Bean facility to transform it into the new headquarters for Reddy Electric — an electrical contractor based in Xenia. Reddy Electric currently resides in three buildings on the same property at 1145 Bellbrook Ave. in Xenia and were looking to expand but didn’t have the space to do so on its campus. Over the last few years, Rob LaFreniere — president of Reddy — had been looking for a new location for the company’s operations when he drove by the Xenia Avenue site and saw a “for sale” sign posted. As a former Cedarville resident, he was already attached to the area, and upon pulling into the parking lot, immediately had a vision for the vacant building. “When I pulled in the driveway, I just felt good,” LaFreniere said. “I’m fond of the village of Cedarville, so I’m really happy to be here.” LaFreniere purchased the building in February and construction kicked off this April to renovate the sprawling 115,000-square-foot space. Reddy will consolidate its operations into the site, providing expanded office spaces, a warehouse area, technology storage, prefab space, tool storage, and overflow space for materials. The building will also feature ample amenities for employees, including lounging areas and a fireplace, along with a kitchen and exercise room. Cedarville-based Brentwood Builders is serving as the construction manager on the project. The renovation is the latest in a long line of projects Brentwood has taken on in the village, including The Meadows of Cedarville, Creekside Condominiums and Hearthstone Inn. “A lot of the attention, growth and development that’s happening in Greene County is going to the west side, and I love the fact that Reddy is coming over here and it’s helping to balance and distribute things better,” said Joe Harkleroad, president of Brentwood Builders. “This is going to be a great thing for Cedarville.” Renovation costs were not disclosed, but the project is currently working to be classified as a brownfield site — an abandoned, idled or under-used industrial, commercial or institutional property that is complicated to redevelop. The state government awards remediation grants to certain brownfield sites each year to redevelop and clean up properties with dilapidated structures or contaminated by hazardous substances. As the site has been vacant for decades, the facility experienced significant deterioration consistent with long-term neglect, including the presence of environmental hazards and animal intrusion. These factors, combined with the magnitude of the building, presented a challenging task for Brentwood — but one they took on quickly and with enthusiasm. “This is one of the most exciting projects we’ve been involved with trying to clean up all the chaos,” said Chad Coe, vice president of Brentwood Builders. “It was daunting when we were first confronted with it, but the satisfaction in being able to take some steps forward and get it cleaned up and see the progress is exhilarating.” The project is being split into three phases, with the final phase wrapping up in 2027. “It takes somebody with a different mindset to do something like this,” said LaFreniere. “A lot of people passed this property and didn’t get that excited about it. A lot of people have given up on this place, and I don’t want to do that.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=