Downtown Middletown Newsletter
Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
Category: Middletown Community
Forum Name: Middletown News, Info and Happenings
Forum Description: Discuss any Middletown Ohio area news story.
URL: http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4751
Printed Date: Oct 08 2025 at 12:18am
Topic: Downtown Middletown Newsletter
Posted By: Middletown News
Subject: Downtown Middletown Newsletter
Date Posted: Sep 06 2012 at 9:03am
Downtown Middletown Newsletter
www.DowntownMiddletown.org
"What's going on in your Downtown?"
September 2012
In This Issue:
-Blind Artist
-Kid's Art Classes
Art Avenue Custom Framing welcomes water color artist Lucy McAdams as their featured artist for First Friday. Although legally blind, Ms. McAdams is able to paint with the assistance of an enhanced vision device which she will demonstrate in the Art Avenue frame gallery. Her paintings are featured on a line of greeting cards that are as inspirational as the artist herself. You're invited to stop in and visit with this remarkable artist and see her beautiful artwork.
Greetings!
Often I get asked what is going on in Downtown Middletown and I always have something fun to talk about, but recently this new façade grant program that we just completed has taken center stage. A lot of other communities have a program similar to this that leverages money to create new positive construction projects in their historic downtown; however this is the first time I have seen the money leveraged to such a degree. Over the next six months we will see a drastic change in our downtown. The $50,000 that will be invested through the façade grant will leverage over $650,000 of additional downtown projects. With this new grant several new restaurants are slated to open in the coming months that will transform the way in which we view the downtown. Cincinnati State has finally opened and has brought with it hundreds of new students that now populate the streets of our downtown throughout the day. They have exceeded their goals and over the next few years we will soon see thousands of students in our downtown each day. The time has come and everyone should be excited with the changes that will be happening as well as the new opportunities that are unfolding.
It's an exciting time to be in Downtown Middletown.
Sincerely,
Patrick Kay, Executive Director
First Friday--Now Fun For Kids!!
Thought about coming to First Friday, but didn't want to deal with the hassle of finding a credible sitter for the kids? Maybe you have thought of this, but feel guilty for having fun without your children. Now, the Middletown Arts Center (MAC) is offering art classes during First Friday. This way your kids have fun, you have fun, and everyone gets to experience art in Downtown Middletown.
For more information contact the MAC at 513-424-2417. Cost is $12.50 per child and classes are 6-7:30pm. Classes are for grades 1-5 and pre-registration is required. Space is limited.
First Friday September 7th
@ the PAC (Pendleton Art Center)
-Artique (studio 101) will be having a "Back-to-school" framing sale. 20% off custom framing of a piece of student artwork (pre-school - 12) for the entire month of September.
-Artique2 (studio 108) will feature the work of Elizabeth Birch: fibers and watercolors inspired by indigenous cultures; Laine Bachman: mythical figures in watercolor and acrylic; Jean Ann Bolliger: ceramic hedgeapple series
-Pendleton entertainment will be Chuck Evans, solo guitar whose studios are located in the Pendleton.
-Neverland Gallery of Fine Art (Studio 107) Please join us for an all Trey L.A. event! Trey's watercolors and a select few photos will highlight September First Friday! As an artist and avid collector, it's Trey's hope that by keeping his prices low, everyone can afford to own an original piece of art. Stop by and find the piece that "speaks" to you!
@ BeauVerre on the Square
The Walden Gallery is featuring the paintings of Katy Jo South, oil painter of landscape and nature(www.katyjosouth.com), the wildlife art of Debbie Lentz (www.wombatartworks.com), and mineral art by Rusty Harden (www. Abrushwithrusty.com). We are also hosting jewelry artists Cassandra Graham (www.cassandragraham.com) and Rachel Goetz. As always, this First Friday we will be offering refreshments, music and art/gifts for purchase. Be sure to ask about the Chris Walden Art Workshops coming this Fall. Spaces in these workshops will be filling up quickly, see Mary Walden at the gallery to sign up! You can also find out more about this on our FaceBook page: www.facebook.com/WaldenGallery or phone (937) 248-4626.
Marlene Steele will reveal her experience as a courtroom artist and discuss the role of the artist creating imagery for the news media in the unfolding drama of the American courtroom. The courtroom process is a procedure which demands decorum and respect. As an artist she has always realized that her presence there is entirely at the hospitality of the sitting judge or magistrate. This challenging venue makes use of speed, gesture and compositional drawing skills. The exhibition features a dozen examples of untouched work from several cases executed in charcoal and pastel in court.
@the Church
First United Methodist Church: Musicians for this month are the New Clover Bluegrass Band. The artist will be selected work of the ACF Summer Art Workshop Program, a free visual art program offered at no cost to children with financial need.
@ the MAC (Middletown Arts Center)
Friday, September 7th - First Friday hours 5-9 p.m. FEATURING PAINT & PANACHE ARTISTS, Marian Bugitzedes, Karen Ng, Shelley Sizemore, Peggy Trimble & Vera Ward in the Exhibit Hall & Lynda Reiner in the lobby/gallery- 6 - 7 p.m. THE CINCINNATI MUSEUM PRESENTATION OF "BEAUTY HAS NO AGE" - works created by artists in their later years as well as thoughtful portrayals of older adults through the centuries.In This Issue:
------------- Please like our http://www.facebook.com/middletownusa" rel="nofollow - Middletown USA Facebook Page
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Replies:
Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Sep 06 2012 at 11:23am
Ok, I'm gonna try my best not to wander into the "negative abyss" so as not to incur Middletown 29's wrath but..........
all of the artzy programs offered and reported by Mr. Kay is great....probably for a very limited amount of people in this town. Certainly not for everyone. Again, I would think that if any of this is a success, the attendance will come from out of towners.
Now to the heart of the matter.
Patrick says...
"Often I get asked what is going on in Downtown Middletown and I always have something fun to talk about, but recently this new façade grant program that we just completed has taken center stage. A lot of other communities have a program similar to this that leverages money to create new positive construction projects in their historic downtown; however this is the first time I have seen the money leveraged to such a degree. Over the next six months we will see a drastic change in our downtown. The $50,000 that will be invested through the façade grant will leverage over $650,000 of additional downtown projects. With this new grant several new restaurants are slated to open in the coming months that will transform the way in which we view the downtown. Cincinnati State has finally opened and has brought with it hundreds of new students that now populate the streets of our downtown throughout the day. They have exceeded their goals and over the next few years we will soon see thousands of students in our downtown each day. Often I get asked what is going on in Downtown Middletown and I always have something fun to talk about, but recently this new façade grant program that we just completed has taken center stage. A lot of other communities have a program similar to this that leverages money to create new positive construction projects in their historic downtown; however this is the first time I have seen the money leveraged to such a degree. Over the next six months we will see a drastic change in our downtown. The $50,000 that will be invested through the façade grant will leverage over $650,000 of additional downtown projects. With this new grant several new restaurants are slated to open in the coming months that will transform the way in which we view the downtown. Cincinnati State has finally opened and has brought with it hundreds of new students that now populate the streets of our downtown throughout the day. They have exceeded their goals and over the next few years we will soon see thousands of students in our downtown each day. The time has come and everyone should be excited with the changes that will be happening as well as the new opportunities that are unfolding"
Facades without the stores below them being occupied has a certain amount of disappointment to it.
Now Patrick......c'mon. "CS has finally opened and brought HUNDREDS of new students that now populate the streets of our downtown.....Really? Those who get downtown on a regular basis.....is what Patrick says true? Hundreds? Is downtown more crowded these days? More embellishment or not? Just asking as I don't get down there these days.
Then, Patrick, you expand your preconceived vision by boldly predicting that "over the next few years we WILL SOON SEE THOUSANDS of students in our downtown each day. HOW CAN YOU PREDICT SUCH NUMBERS WITH THE EFFORT IT TOOK TO GET LESS THAN 200 ENROLLED OVER MONTHS OF EFFORT???? Shouldn't you hold off a little so as not to insert foot in mouth?
Furthermore....
"The time has come and everyone should be excited with the changes that will be happening as well as the new opportunities that are unfolding"
How about the idea of the changes and new opportunities happening first, and THEN, we will get excited Patrick. Gotta see it before we get all giddy don't we? Might want to brag about your accomplishments AFTER they happen. Might not be so proned to backfire on you that way.
Nothing mentioned by Patrick about the event that draws the most people downtown......The Bash JMO
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Posted By: ktf1179
Date Posted: Sep 06 2012 at 1:31pm
Middletown defiantly has a challenge, but the key is to figure out a way to keep the existing people to stay in Middletown, but also attract people from the surrounding suburbs to spend their time and money in Middletown, instead of at The Greene.
If Middletown really wants a model to follow for a active downtown. They should look at Miamisburg. If Middletown were to attract those type of bushiness, then downtown Middletown might have a chance at revival. They could do this by attracting coffee shops, night clubs, small stores, restaurants and even converting the buildings downtown into NON Section 8 apartments, and studios.
This will not only attract the younger crowd to stay in Downtown but might even attract some students from Miami University to commute to school, instead of paying outrageous dorm fees to stay in Oxford.
It might even be worth while to see if the surrounding cities, can get ODOT to widen, and redo Ohio 73 from Middletown to Oxford, to make it easier and safer between both cities.
Before any of that happens they should get these future business to commit to opening up first, before they give the money for the remodel. Rather than remodeling an empty building that no one will move into.
The key is Marketing your city to the surrounding area to bring in business, not spending tax dollars on pet projects that don't yield results.
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Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Sep 09 2012 at 7:40am
I'll be dammed if we don't have another "Patrick Kay" rah rah letter, this time from Rick McCrabb. Today's Journal....
City burying magazine’s dying list
By Rick McCrabb
Staff Writer
Four years ago, in a much-publicized slap in the face, Middletown was named one of the fastest-dying cities in America, according to Forbes magazine. It was a shot at the city, but there was plenty of ammunition: the empty downtown storefronts, the city’s medium income and a 10-percent jump in the poverty level from 2000-07.
I’m not here to tell you Middletown will ever be equal to Mason — or for that matter, any of the bordering communities — but the city is taking small steps toward respectability, like the failing student making Cs.
Consider that within the last month, Middletown became home to the county’s only community college, downtown businesses received a $50,000 facade grant and Middletown native Kayla Harrison won the gold medal in judo at the 2012 London Olympics.
Middletown now has two gold medalists: Harrison and Jerry Lucas, who led the U.S. men’s basketball team to gold at the 1960 Rome Olympics. How many towns with 50,000 residents can brag about double gold?
But more important than athletic achievements — that’s something I never thought I’d write — Middletown seems to be building a foundation for the future. We didn’t go from All American City in 1957 to No. 10 on the fastest dying list overnight.
Hopefully, the transformation doesn’t take that long.
Since 2011, downtown has welcomed the Pendleton Art Center, Tufts of Hair, @the Square and Cincinnati State Middletown.
The biggest news, of course, was the opening of Cincinnati State Middletown. Last week, more than 200 students started classes, and by all accounts, the college was well-received. With the addition of the students, there’s already a different feel downtown. You have to look both ways before crossing Main Street.
It’s more alive, taken off life support.
These students also should see a more attractive downtown. More than $650,000 will be spent on eight downtown businesses through the Facade Improvement Program being managed by Downtown Middletown Inc. Patrick Kay, director of Downtown Middletown Inc., said the funds will take businesses “to that next level,” and it “leverages more money downtown.”
When certain businesses improve their facades, hopefully surrounding businesses will also update their curb appeal.
I loved the way Les Landen, law director and acting city manager, addressed the momentum he’s feeling downtown at a recent City Council meeting. He called Middletown a “vibrant and healthy community” and praised the school district for producing “great kids.”
But he wasn’t done.
He shot back at Forbes.com: “Be damned with Forbes. We are moving ahead. We are going to be around for a long time doing a lot of good things.”
Apparently, the reports of our death have been greatly exaggerated.
NOW, IT IS MIGHTY IRONIC THAT LES LANDEN IS "FEELING THE MOMENTUM OF THE DOWNTOWN" AND IS CALLING MIDDLETOWN A "VIBRANT AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY". HORSECRAP LANDEN! MORE NONSENSE FROM A PERSON WHO IS PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEMISE OF THE TOWN ITSELF WITH HIS PERSONAL INTERPRETATION OF THE LAWS WITH IT'S DOUBLE STANDARDS. ONE FOR HIS BUDDIES AND ONE FOR THE REST OF US. HE IS A PROBLEM, NOT A SOLUTION. AWFULLY HARD TO TAKE WHAT THIS CLOWN SAYS AS HAVING ANY TRUTH. DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANY OF YOU, BUT THIS RAH RAH CHEERLEADING CRAP, ESPECIALLY COMING FROM THE PERPETRATORS OF THE RUINATION OF THE TOWN'S CREDIBILITY IS RATHER SICKENING. DON'T KNOW WHO IS MORE FULL OF CRAP, LANDEN, MCCRABB OR KAY. THE EMBELLISHMENT PROGRAM IS ALIVE AND WELL IN MIDDLETOWN OHIO.
MCCRABB: I’m not here to tell you Middletown will ever be equal to Mason — or for that matter, any of the bordering communities — but the city is taking small steps toward respectability, like the failing student making Cs.
FUNNY MCCRABB. MIDDLETOWN USE TO BE BETTER THAN MASON AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES UNTIL THE 80's, 90's AND 2000's LEADERS LET IT GO TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET. YOU JUST WEREN'T AROUND TO SEE THE CITY WHEN IT WAS RUN CORRECTLY.
NO, I WOULDN'T PULL OUT THE BAND, THE BOOZE AND SET UP THE PARTY JUST YET. STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM OF THE WRONG PEOPLE RUNNING THE CITY. UNTIL THEY'RE GONE, WE ARE STILL A POORLY RUN CITY HINDERED BY CITY LEADER IGNORANCE.
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Posted By: ktf1179
Date Posted: Sep 10 2012 at 8:34am
I Vote VietVet for City Council. :)
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Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Sep 10 2012 at 10:45am
ktf1179 wrote:
I Vote VietVet for City Council. :) |
IF the Vet had time which he doesn't.......how about the Spider, M. Presta, Paul Nagy, the Pac, Bo, and a host of others on here instead of what we have now. Can't whip the MMF sponsored folks ktf. They have it locked down with their voting block who always shows at the polls in numbers to overwhelm any challengers. The people who could effect change and outnumber the MMF voting block stay home and watch TV on voting day, complaining about how bad the town is, but not caring enough to change the people doing the damage.
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Posted By: LMAO
Date Posted: Sep 10 2012 at 12:37pm
VietVet wrote:
ktf1179 wrote:
I Vote VietVet for City Council. :) |
IF the Vet had time which he doesn't.......how about the Spider, M. Presta, Paul Nagy, the Pac, Bo, and a host of others on here instead of what we have now. Can't whip the MMF sponsored folks ktf. They have it locked down with their voting block who always shows at the polls in numbers to overwhelm any challengers. The people who could effect change and outnumber the MMF voting block stay home and watch TV on voting day, complaining about how bad the town is, but not caring enough to change the people doing the damage. |
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