The two townships of West Chester and Liberty Township make up around 25 percent of Butler County’s population. West Chester’s location, which makes it so accessible, is a huge factor in its fast and tremendous growth. It boasts three highway exits—Union Centre Boulevard, Cincinnati-Dayton Road and Tylersville Road—and businesses have quickly developed around each one. Businesses bring new residents and new housing. Housing options here include traditional and contemporary-style, most built in the last ten years. Plus new construction of upscale condos and townhouses, which continues at a brisk pace to meet the demands of the fast-growing communities. New businesses, including restaurants, shopping strips as well as medical facilities have opened up. The long-awaited IKEA, the Swedish-owned home furnishings store, opens at Allen & Muhlhauser roads. Liberty Township averages 1,000 new residents each year in the past eight years. Approximately 50 percent of the township is developed; 80 percent of that is residential, and many residential properties have multiple acres. The development of 84 homes at Reserve at Elks Point adds to the housing options here. More residential development is possible with the 250-acre project being talked about and planned by Cincinnati’s Bear Creek Capital and Liberty Township officials. The mixed-use project will combine residences, offices and retail in the area east of Interstate 75. Like West Chester, people choose Liberty Township for the outstanding school system, the diverse businesses such as high tech, retail, insurance and real estate; the amenities, including dining and shopping opportunities, recreation and cultural activities. More people and more industries are bound to come when the $50-million I-75 interchange on Hamilton-Mason Road is completed. This will free some 500 acres for commercial development, according to a recent report in their community publication, Connections. Children’s Hospital Medical Center is building an $83-million, 200,000-squarefoot outpatient-care center to include a 24- hour emergency room and imaging services, eight outpatient operating rooms, 12 observation beds to open in August 2008. A two-story 40,000-square-foot medical building anchored by Mercy Hospital Fairfield is planned. Both communities are also reasonably convenient to ample retail and dining opportunities in the Tri-County/Fairfield area. Both feature organized youth sports programs, ball fields and parks providing a variety of recreational activities. Schools here are highly rated. In fact, Lakota schools are one of the state’s fastest-growing districts and rated “Excellent” by the Ohio Department of Education. Lakota celebrates its 50th-year anniversary this year.