On my most recent drive past this former Voice of America site, February 22, 1998, I discovered all three of the large towers that comprised the curtain array down. Two of the towers have been dismantled and are completely gone. The last third tower lies toppled on its side. The same day I found an article in the newspaper Cincinnati Enquirer about this Bethany VOA site. Here is the article in its entirety.

Last tall tower comes down on former "Voice" site
By Maria Berininger, Enquirer contributor

UNION TOWNSHIP - Following the toppling of the last large radio tower last weekend, the antenna field at the former Voice of America Bethany Relay Station may be cleared and ready for its next use by mid-March. The last of the site's three largest radio towers, 250 feet tall, came down Saturday - two months after two 300-foot towers tumbled to the ground. About 30 more towers - between 90 and 180 feet each - telephone poles(rhombic antennas)and transmission lines remain to be cleared away before the 625 acres will be turned over to Union Township from the federal government.

"Weather permitting, we're hoping to wind this up by next month," said Scott Bressler, Union Township's project manager. Area officials have been waiting since December for the VOA site to be cleared and conveyed to its new owner by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). The parcel of land east of Interstate 75 and north of Tylersville Road will be divvied up among the township, Butler County and Miami University. The township has regarded the location as a prime spot for recreational use in this rapidly developing corner of Butler County.

"I would like to see, the moment we have the property transferred, cutting some soccer fields and trying to utilize it as soon as possible," Township Trustee Jose Alvarez. "We'd do it so that we wouldn't mess up any grand scheme...but I think people would enjoy seeing something in the short order. I'd like to utilize it this year." The township plans to use its portion of the land, about 300 acres, for ball fields and a park. County officials are eyeing their approximately 225 acres for a golf course, and Miami University would likely use about 25 acres for a satellite campus. But specifics on developing the site won't be nailed down until the land is in the township's hands, officials said.

Towers turned to scrap

The GSA has reserved about 75 acres at the site's southwestern corner, near the Tylersville and Cox roads intersection, for commercial development to recoup the cost of dismantling the site. The federal government closed the VOA site in 1995 and later awarded a $100,000 contract to Collins Electric, Inc., to dismantle it. The largest towers were cut up for scrap metal, but many of the middle-range towers may be sold to police and fire departments or small radio stations. The only remnant left on the property will be a small switching station that may be used as part of a museum or monument.

Return to top of main page