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Another Trip Down Goetz Tower Memory Lane.........

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    Posted: Dec 08 2017 at 7:00pm
Another Trip Down Goetz Tower Memory Lane..............

Given last Tuesday's city council passage of an additional year for Goetz Tower
re-developers to finally start construction and complete this long-lingering deal, the
following Dayton Daily News article of mid-2013 is presented for your fictional reading
pleasure.

        By Olivia Barrow –  Senior Reporter, Dayton Business
          Journal - 4 years ago

                                 A nonprofit development group in Middletown is starting on

                                  a $2.5 million project to redevelop an old, vacant office

                                    building into apartments and retail space.

Grassroots Ohio is finalizing funding to redevelop the historic Fifth Third Bank Goetz Tower, which will convert the 30,000-square-foot office building at the corner of Central Avenue and Main Street in downtown Middletown into between 24 and 28 apartments and some first-floor retail spaces, said Mike Robinette, president of Grassroots Ohio.

The project will be the first residential project in downtown Middletown, and could be a catalyst for further revitalization.

Robinette, also a partner in the project, believes there’s a strong demand for downtown housing.

“When Cincinnati State announced their downtown campus, that convinced us to move ahead with the project,” he said. “We think the demand for downtown housing would be there without Cincinnati State, but that makes it even a stronger housing project.”

Cincinnati State opened its Middletown campus in fall of 2012, and has been growing rapidly in enrollment.

Robinette said the floorplans haven’t been defined yet, but he expects the market-rate apartments to be between 800 and 1,200 square feet, and plans to rent them for between $800 and $1,200 per month.

The project could have a snowball effect on further development, said Denise Hamet, economic development director with Middletown.

“I think it’s transformational,” she said. “If you look at any area, whether the Oregon District, or Over the Rhine (in Cincinnati), (housing) is always one of the essential pieces to revitalizing an urban area — it puts feet on the street.”

Robinette said demolition has already been started, but the project probably won’t be complete until March of 2015, since the historic restoration will take longer than a normal redevelopment project.

Downtown Middletown is booming with redevelopment projects. Work already started on renovating the former Middletown Journal building into future housing or office space, and Cincinnati State has purchased several buildings in anticipation of enrollment growing up to 5,000 students in the next 10 years.

And downtown has several restaurants in the works, including the Blue Goose Deuce, a wings restaurant planned for the corner of Reinartz Boulevard and Verity Parkway, Hamet said.

The city is also planning a kickoff of its riverfront plan soon, which will invest at least $200,000 into developing the riverfront into a local attraction in partnership with the Miami Conservancy District.

“There’s a number of projects downtown,” Hamet said. “It’s the start to something great.”



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec 08 2017 at 8:15pm
"Robinette, also a partner in the project, believes there’s a strong demand for downtown housing.'

Speculation and conjecture. No proof.


Robinette:


"“We think the demand for downtown housing would be there without Cincinnati State, but that makes it even a stronger housing project.”"

No link to CS and potential housing downtown. Because there may be limited student and faculty traffic at CS doesn't necessarily relate to them showing interest in the Goetz Tower rentals. Again, speculation with no data support shown.

"Cincinnati State opened its Middletown campus in fall of 2012, and has been growing rapidly in enrollment."

700+ out of 5000?.....and after, what, five years? Growing rapidly? Hmmm

An out and out lie. It is, at best, at a stalemate as to enrollment numbers with expectations never having been met. Not even close. That's a fact.

"......plans to rent them for between $800 and $1,200 per month."

And who would be the target renter at this price range? Would have to be in the middle income bracket and a person in the "professional" category. Will "professionals" be attracted to downtown Middletown given the city condition, reputation, image, opportunities, entertainment choices, lack of upscale amenities and all aspects needed to attract people who can afford this price range? Is there enough activity downtown to keep "professionals" interested? I would doubt it.

Hamet:

"I think it’s transformational,” she said. “If you look at any area, whether the Oregon District, or Over the Rhine (in Cincinnati), (housing) is always one of the essential pieces to revitalizing an urban area — it puts feet on the street.”"

"feet on the street"? CS was suppose to do that too but never has done so. Hasn't helped downtown foot traffic at all as was projected.

"Robinette said demolition has already been started, but the project probably won’t be complete until March of 2015......"

Just a tad bit late on the March 2015 date aren't they?

"Downtown Middletown is booming with redevelopment projects. Work already started on renovating the former Middletown Journal building into future housing or office space, and Cincinnati State has purchased several buildings in anticipation of enrollment growing up to 5,000 students in the next 10 years."

"And downtown has several restaurants in the works, including the Blue Goose Deuce, a wings restaurant planned for the corner of Reinartz Boulevard and Verity Parkway, Hamet said."

"“There’s a number of projects downtown,” Hamet said. “It’s the start to something great.”"

None of this has happened has it. Major embellishment here mixed with fictitious hype. Mercy.

"The city is also planning a kickoff of its riverfront plan soon, which will invest at least $200,000 into developing the riverfront into a local attraction in partnership with the Miami Conservancy District."

Ah yes, and there was once talk about developing the riverfront with convention centers and grandiose visions of development by the river. This also died on the vine just as most ideas and plans do with this city. Reality is a hard pill to swallow at times for our economic development department members.

Welcome to the truth through facts program city leaders. Most city contrived downtown plans go bust in a short time here. Not being negative here. The fact is we react to what the CITY LEADERS have planned and done themselves that bring out the negativity. We on this forum, documenting the facts causing the negativity, want the city to succeed. It is the constant city insistent failed ideas/execution and grandiose embellished talk that is bringing the city down. Not us. Plan with some common sense, don't embellish the information, succeed once in a while and show some promise and YOU will lessen the negativity with your success. You fool no one with your fairy tale reported stories that are obviously not true.







I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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