By Jennifer Edwards
The Cincinnati Enquirer

FAIRFIELD - Designs for the $9.6 million community center in Village Green will be available for public view this evening in an open house.

The 5:30 to 7 p.m. session will be held at the Fairfield Parks and Recreation Department, 701 Wessel Drive. City officials and architects planning the 45,000 square-foot building will be on hand to answer questions.

Described as the "crown jewel" of Village Green - the city's new downtown - the two-story facility is expected to open in early 2005. Construction is to begin next year.

"The community center is the single most clear-cut priority right now," Fairfield Councilman Mark Scharringhausen said. "It completes the Village Green community/cultural vision for the city and brings to closure the plan we embarked on almost 10 years ago to create a centerpiece for the downtown."

The brick building will feature a 250-seat theater, gallery, senior activity center with billiards, arts and crafts room, children's activity area, classrooms, dance and fitness studio and administrative space.

The center also will house a large multi-purpose room and balcony overlooking Village Green.

The new downtown also includes the Lane Public Library, park, an amphitheater and shopping. A restaurant and coffeehouse are expected to open soon.

The facility will cost the city $200,000 to $500,000 a year to operate, city officials estimate.

To help pay for the building and for a new or expanded justice center, Fairfield voters recently approved an income tax reallocation, which shifts one-tenth of 1 percent - or about $1.2 million a year - from the city's street improvement fund into the general fund.

It does not entail any increase in taxes and won't take effect until early 2004.

In the meantime, council members are expected to decide next year whether to build a new justice center or expand the current one on Ohio 4.

That project also is expected to cost about $10 million.

E-mail jedwards@enquirer.com.