Sun staff
The former site of Deja Vu Show Girls in Union Township will soon be revitalized as the home of a non-profit organization serving children in Clermont County.
Union Township Administrator Ken Geis made an announcement at the Nov. 8 board of trustees meeting that the Boys and Girls Club of Clermont County was interested in the facility located on Old State Route 74 near Mt. Carmel-Tobasco Road.
“This is a project we starting talking about in the early 2000’s,” Geis said about bringing the club to the Mt. Carmel area.
Geis said they have seen a need for the club in the area for years, but organizers have had trouble finding a suitable location.
“Most recently we had a parcel become available,” Geis said. “The site of the former Deja Vu.”
Deja Vu closed in 2011 after an undercover investigation by Union Township police led to several sex-related charges against the owners of the club.
Geis said the owners had not received any offers on the property, so he and members of the Union Township Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) began discussions with officials at the Boys and Girls Club about using the site.
“I met with people at the Boys and Girls Club and they thought it was a wonderful site,” Geis said.
Geis said the facility has plenty of space and the property has plenty of parking. It is also located in the Mt. Carmel area, which is where the Boys and Girls Club was searching for a possible location.
“I want to thank you for considering this idea,” John Hueber, president of the Boys and Girls Club board of directors, said during the meeting. “Mt. Carmel is critical for us.”
Hueber said a Mt. Carmel location would enable the Boys and Girls Club to serve children in Eastern area and also would provide an opportunity for them to partner with many businesses in Union Township.
“This is a game-changer for us,” Hueber said about the location.
The Boys and Girls Club of Clermont County is part of a nationwide network of clubs that provide a safe, structured and positive environment for young people to go after school, during holidays and summer vacation.
The Boys and Girls Club also has locations in New Richmond and Felicity. Services at the locations include homework assistance, college prep, tutoring, arts and crafts, music, sports leagues and more.
“I really can’t say enough about how I think this is an important project,” Geis said.
He said the project is not only an opportunity for the Boys and Girls Club to have an impact in Union Township, but the project is also an opportunity to take a building that had the potential to become blighted and revitalize it in the township.
Trustees commented about their support for the project during the meeting, and later that evening the Union Township Community Improvement Cooperation (CIC) approved the purchase of the property.
Geis said the CIC approved the purchase of the property for approximately $300,000.
The Union Township CIC is an economic organization that was established to advance, encourage and promote industrial, commercial and civic development in the township.
Geis said the Boys and Girls Club of Clermont County will lease between 3,000 and 4,000 square feet of the building. He said the rest of the building is available to be leased by another for-profit or non-profit business or organization.
Geis said they are hoping to close on the property sometime in December.
For more information about the Union Township CIC visit www.bgcclermont.org.