Walking the main drag of Central Avenue

I believe it was stated in the council meeting that the agreement with Thatcher estate is that if this deal falls through the city can back out of the building purchases.

VOR- some of us, ie, "You people opposed to this need to wake up and be thankful"..... are not necessarily opposed to the Cincy State idea. We base our cautious behavior (not opposition) on the fact that the city is preparing to spend a half a mil on 4 Thatcher properties without a firm commitment (a signed contract to lease as opposed to just a "gentlemen's agreement" and a handshake (according to Mulligan and Scott-Jones in the Laubach meeting at Wildwood recently). The city is taking all the risk here and Cincy State could just "walk away" at any time leaving the city with 4 buildings, needing renovation, to do what with????? We will be stuck, once again, in the real estate business, with some white elephants like the Swallens building, Studio and others. The city leaders, spending the city taxpayer's money, without the taxpayer having a sayso, on the purchase of real estate that may or may not be occupied is a high risk venture. You mentioned that Cincy State could have gone to Mason or West Chester. In your opinion, do you think these two towns would have entered into an agreement like this, or would they have demanded a written contract before purchasing these properties? I'm guessing contract rather than handshake.

Yes, this is a tremendous opportunity for the downtown area and for the city. Will it be sucessful or will it go the route of Lake Middletown and the City Centre Mall? 50/50 crapshoot IMO. Would you spend a half a mil (+ renovation costs) on a 50/50 proposition and all of it resting on just a handshake? The city leaders are.

The best single economic development in the city in the past decade? Would have to be the Atrium campus with the new VA clinic, the Dayton YMCA and rehab clinic behind that and the retirement home east of I-75 I guess. Nothing west of I-75 and in Middletown proper has seen any growth areas other than the new coke plant on Yankee. Stagnated, vacated and deserted business areas flourish in town. It would appear the focus is on the east side of 75, or the downtown area, but no one is talking about the old K-Mart area on Roosevelt, the old center down on S. Breil, the old Target center on S. University, the Marsh/old Montgomery Ward area down by the Nelbar overpass, etc. Those areas have been forgotten about as to filling those stores.

wrote: Agreed Der Dutchmen would be a great asset to the Country Buffet location.

Are you crazy?  That is a terrible location, right near one of the busiest interstate interchanges in the state. Now if that building were located in more convenient downtown Middletown, it would make a lot of sense for our leaders to throw a million or two of other people's money behind a cozy wine bar or pricey bistro.  Anything, as long as they can keep the riff-raff out and make it affordable-but exclusive-for the upper crust who could really appreciate such things.

Voice of reason, you sem to be the Protector of the great city of Middletown. Why? Lease a home like many others whom do so to overstok the market with section 8? That makes trmendous sense. Cincinnati State sees something special in mIddletown? From what I read, what they see is a decaying city, that they would like to help turn around, but won't do so at their detriment. You Pollanna's are all alike VOR, without reasoning, without fact, without logic, but beat the drum that the city has turned the corner when a 5th grader to comprehend this hasn't been thought through by either Cincinnati State nor the city of Middletown. You tell us oh great one, VOR, what makes Middletown so appealing to a college off I-75, when it is going to be 20 minutes now driving to campus? They did no due diligence. Neither did the city. But, if Cincinnati State has money to pour into the project, so be it. Highly unlikely, probably Middletown will pick up the bulk of the debt. As for leasing, moving, all the other commentary, all would like nothing more than to see success occur in Middletown, as that spells selling houses, moving, and leaving behind the mess. As to your final comment, one would assume what they see is a competitive campus called MUM, a competitive campus called Greentree, a competitive campus called Capital U., UD, Miami of West Chester, Indiana Wesylen, Phoenix, Miami Jacobs, and how many others? Hardly makes Middletown the "strategic" location does it VOR? Well, it does when you don't look at facts and objectively face reality. Let them come, if it cost Middletown $20 Mm, they'll pay it.  

A lot of people who read this site just can't wait for Cincy State to fail before it even starts.  Many of you are the epitome of naysayers who can't produce any ideas for the city. 

How about the ED calling and telling them about the 'available' for LEASING- closed Country Buffett building?

P.S. I wish the ED or Lennie Robinson or someone would try to bring Der Dutchman to Middletown, I believe that would bring people and business to Middletown.          pn

I still think we have yet to hear the true bad news about what this venture is going to cost.  My guess is the bulk of that secret cost is going to be foisted up the city, not the college.  Actually, it wouldn't surprise me if this project never materializes, once all the pesky little details emerge.

For many, the lingering question becomes why does Cincinnati State want to save Middletown---to prop it up? To many, why does Middletown want to buy these buildings, to have cincinnati State downtown? Will Cincinnati State have night classes like MUM? Probably a yes. Does a student want to drive 15 minutes off town and get out of a class at 9 PM in downtown Middletown? Probably not.

The article may be fair but the deal it self is not.

SupportMiddletown wrote: ^Okay, but the city still gets a renovated building back if it fails in less than 10 years.   I guess it is the way you want to look at things.

SupportMiddletown wrote: ^Not quite; Pendleton has to make it 10 years.   "The city is providing a $200,000 loan to the Pendletown Art Center for interior improvements through the money comes from an Urban Development Action Grant. That loan would be forgivable after 10 years of PAC operation. The city also will spend about $250,000 on repairs using money from the Downtown Improvement Fund."   http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/middletown-news/pendleton-art-center-project-experiences-delays-1010071.html