HUDSON, OH (March 28, 2020) – The City of Hudson announced today that it is altering course on the construction of the Downtown Phase II development adjacent to First & Main in the City’s core. The City will be parting company with Testa Companies on this project.
“The Testa Companies have been great to work with and we are parting company on good terms,” said City Manager Jane Howington. “We wish Joel and his company well.”
“Our intent had been to begin construction on the residential component of Phase II first,” Howington said. “We’ve heard a lot of feedback from residents about what they want in Phase II residences. We want to make sure that we build what the community needs and that the development fits the community’s character. With all the work the City has done on the development of the Phase II area, we will be able to capitalize on all those efforts in future planning.”
She also noted that the City has had strong interest in new commercial space, particularly Class A office space. “The land at the end of Clinton Street is ready to go,” Howington said. “We are confident we can fill that building as soon as it’s finished and begin generating tax revenue for the City. It will allow us to begin realizing some of the investment that’s been made in this area. It will be exciting to see Phase II starting to take shape after all this time.”
Beginning work on Phase II will also enable the City to continue work on its “smart signaling” project, designed to address traffic congestion in downtown Hudson, and also undertake a major stormwater management project to resolve sewer issues currently affecting homeowners in the Historic District.
“We feel this is a real turning point on this project,” said Howington. “While in the midst of the coronavirus crisis this may not be the best time to announce this, we know it has been a long process to get to this point and we wanted citizens to know that this decision has been made.”