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Old Journal Building Rehab |
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VietVet 
MUSA Council 
Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008 |
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 Topic: Old Journal Building RehabPosted: May 31 2013 at 6:26am |
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Journal story....
MIDDLETOWN Former Journal building to be converted into apartments MIDDLETOWN — The former Middletown Journal building at South Broad Street and First Avenue has been sold and will be converted into loft apartments WHEN THE CONVERSION IS ALL SAID AND DONE, WONDER HOW MUCH THEY'LL CHARGE FOR RENT. The newspaper left the building in 2008, moved to the former Cinergy Building, now home to Cincinnati State Middletown, then to space in the First Financial Bank building. The Journal now is operated out of its headquarters in Liberty Twp SO MUCH FOR THE "HOMETOWN" NEWS......LONG GONE WITH ALOT OF THE TOWN'S PAST. LOOKS LIKE THE JOURNAL TOOK A PAGE OUT OF AK STEEL AND BLACK CLAWSON'S BOOK BY MOVING OUT OF TOWN TO GREENER PASTURES AND A MORE CLASSY NEIGHBORHOOD. QUOTE OF THE DAY....... Middletown City Manager Judy Gilleland agreed. She said it was imperative for the city to return another historic building to “productive use.” YEP, RETURNING HISTORIC BUILDINGS TO PRODUCTIVE USE IS THE CITY TRADEMARK.....EXCEPT FOR THE MANCHESTER, OLD ROOSEVELT SCHOOL, SUNSET POOL, OGLESBY-BARNITZ BANK, THE STUDIO, THE OLD COLONIAL THEATRE (SORG OPERA HOUSE) AND OTHERS.  Then she added: “This will be another feather in our cap. It’s unfortunate to have large vacant buildings downtown, but with our increased emphasis on downtown revitalization we’re seeing a turnaround, and we’re seeing these properties put back into productive use which is very rewarding  In the last several years, major vacant downtown properties have been remodeled and opened for business, including the Pendleton Art Center, Cincinnati State and the BeauVerre at the Square. The largest vacant properties downtown are the former Manchester Inn, First National Bank and Rogers Jewelers ONE IMPORTANT NOTE HERE THAT WASN'T MENTIONED BY THE WRITER......THESE DOWNTOWN PROPERTIES WERE REMODELED AND OPENED FOR BUSINESS COURTESY OF THE TAXPAYERS, WHO HAD NO SAYSO IN THE MATTER. PRIVATE BUSINESS MONEY WAS NOT USED FOR THE MAJORITY OF THIS AND A CITY LOAN WAS GIVEN TO THE MOORMANS TO HELP WITH BEAUVERRE....AND WE STILL DON'T KNOW IF THE MOORMANS PAID IT BACK, RIGHT? WE ALSO DON'T KNOW THE OUTCOME OF THE $75,000 LOAN THAT WAS PAID TO THE MMF ORGANIZATION EITHER, DO WE? WHERE DID THAT MONEY GO OR HAS IT BEEN RETURNED TO THE CITY? AND NOW, WE HEAR FROM DENISE HAMET..... “The occupancy of the building increases economic impact by putting more people on the street, and it also reduces potential for vandalism of a vacant building,” said Hamet. “The Journal building space will be attractive to artists and related professions, which will help us build our growing cluster of the arts. We may also find positive connections with the nearby Sorg Opera House, and with the MidPointe library.” "HELP US BUILD OUR GROWING CLUSTER OF THE ARTS"....... IT'S A CLUSTER ALRIGHT HAMET.I WAS HOPING WE WOULD HEAR FROM OUR PAL PATRICK KAY....... Patrick Kay, executive director of Downtown Middletown Inc., said the sell of The Journal property helps “solidify the revitalization” of the downtown area. “It’s another great cornerstone, another really great asset,” he said.  MERCY |
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I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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VietVet
MUSA Council
Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008 |
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Posted: May 31 2013 at 6:47am |
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And we have yet another feel good story about the downtown revitalization from the Journal.....
MIDDLETOWN Group’s investment in downtown restaurant paying off Stained 1054 Bistro opened last month because 35 Middletown advocates invested their money to bring a destination restaurant to downtown. About six weeks into the opening of the sit-down restaurant, the group is seeing a return on their investment — though not monetarily. KEY HERE......"THOUGH NOT MONETARILY". KINDA NECESSARY, ISN'T IT, FOR SURVIVAL? “I’ve talked about it for the last 10 years, invest in Middletown,” said Mike Scorti, one of the investors and a longtime supporter of the city. “It’s a lifestyle change. People are going to dinner in downtown Middletown. That’s what it’s all about.” HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DINNER DOWNTOWN SCORTI? And while Scorti and the investors are proud of the early success of the restaurant, he said it will help continue the revitalization of downtown Middletown. “I think as things as move along, and this is successful, something else will come along,” he said. “I hope it does ARE YOU SURE? HIGH CONFIDENCE LEVEL FROM ALL YOU INVESTORS RIGHT NOW? Stained employs 25 people, most of whom are part-time DOESN'T COUNT IF PART TIME. LITTLE TO NO IMPACT FOR THE CITY. Investing in a new location, where past attempts of revitalization haven’t succeeded, Bursley said it was a risk, but so far that risk is paying off RISK IS PAYING OFF....EXCEPT FOR MONETARILY. But Scorti said he and other investors put their faith in the Moormans, who converted a old retail store into a stained glass studio and created a destination location in downtown. “I know they were not going to let it fail,” Scorti said. CAN'T CONCLUDE THAT YET SCORTI. STILL MAY FAIL IF SUFFICIENT MONEY IS NOT FLOWING. Continued revitalization is needed in downtown, as there are several storefronts that remain vacant despite recent economic development in the area REPHRASE......MOST STOREFRONTS REMAIN VACANT There are 35 people who have invested in Stained 1054 Bistro. Here are the investors: Bob and Nancy Fairchild; Bob and Vonnie Hendricks; Chris and Linda Fiora; Carl Fiora; Dan and Fran Sack; Greg and Nancy Rasmussen; Greg and Patti Pratt; Jamie Murphy; Phillip Harrison; Rick and Anne Pottieger; Jeff Schablock; Susan Phillips; Michael and Katie McNeil; Lisa Rupp; Kelly Cowan; Mike Houser; Mike Scorti; Richard Isroff; Bob and Sharon Flagel; Roger and Bonnie Daniel; Larry and Cathie Mulligan; Jay and Linda Moorman; and Derrick Moorman HMM, NOTICE LARRY MULLIGAN HAS INVESTED. IS THIS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AS AN OWNER AND ALSO IN A DECISION-MAKING CAPACITY ON COUNCIL AS TO DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AND MANIPULATION OF CITY FUNDS FOR THE DOWNTOWN? DUNNO. |
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I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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processor
MUSA Resident 
Joined: May 07 2013 Status: Offline Points: 151 |
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Posted: May 31 2013 at 9:36am |
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Vet,
There is no conflict of interest as you've got the wrong Larry Mulligan. It's our mayor's mother and father. How about a little support! This was done with NO public money...all private funds. It's a group of people who put their own money and time and sweat into a project to try and help Middletown. This sort of thing needs to be celebrated and supported if we ever what to have a chance of getting Middletown back. This is what it will take to try and bring Middletown back.
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Libertarian
MUSA Immigrant 
Joined: May 09 2013 Status: Offline Points: 37 |
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Posted: May 31 2013 at 9:38am |
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I'm told by a very, very reliable source that Marty Kohler is the only current city employee who knows about the Beau Verre deal. He also knows about the Manchester Inn loan that was not fully repaid. God knows what other matters didn't reach the light of day.
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over the hill
MUSA Citizen 
Joined: Oct 19 2012 Location: middletown Status: Offline Points: 952 |
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Posted: May 31 2013 at 10:16am |
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Oh, where Marty Kohler is concerned, there are many. Like his own "loan" of goverment money to pave his driveway and rehab his house a few years back and other money and "supplies" given to council members on So. Main st. It's kinda hard to find all the pieces to that puzzel but they're there if you dig deep enough.
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VietVet
MUSA Council
Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008 |
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Posted: May 31 2013 at 11:23am |
processor, I would be happy to lend a little support to your downtown area if the people wanting to develop the downtown would have included the general populace of the city and asked what the PEOPLE WANTED FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA. They chose not to and have now presented themselves as a small group of self-absorbed people who's only agenda doesn't include the majority of Middletonians. Did any of them ask if we wanted the downtown to include an arts theme with upscale restaurants? Nope. They designed, developed and cultivated the current situation down there AND USED PUBLIC MONEY TO DO IT. I'm not so sure about the funds being entirely private funds including the BeauVerre building. I seem to recall a city loan to the owners that may or may not have been paid back. If true, that was public money handed to a private owner for their own benefit. Same holds true for whats his name that came up with the PAC building deal. Public money used there also I believe. Someone correct me if I'm wrong please. Same goes for the Thatcher building purchases including the Cincy State/old CG&E building. Public money to buy the buildings from Thatcher. Would have been no problem if all private money was used for all of these purchases. I disagree that the arts/cultural/high end restaurant theme is what is needed to "bring Middletown back". I have been here for 64 years and by now, I have a good idea of the type of town we are living in. Your downtown cultural theme doesn't match the nature of the people living here, with the exception of less than 3% of the population. Why design a development plan that only encompasses such a small percentage of the population of a city? Kinda self centered on the part of a small contingent of people here, isn't it? JMO Finally, I am not familiar enough with the Mulligan family to know the individuals. I saw Larry and assumed it to be the council member who is in the news quite often as is his mother. My mistake. Thank you for the correction. |
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I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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FmrMide81
MUSA Resident
Joined: Aug 26 2012 Status: Offline Points: 188 |
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Posted: May 31 2013 at 11:37am |
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If these 35 or so folk want a private club to sit and guzzle vino and feel superior to the rest of us (which some of the group DO from personal experience)-that's cool. But when it starts to go downhill and they want taxpayer funds to support their "revitalization" project-screw 'em.
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ktf1179
MUSA Citizen
Joined: Mar 19 2012 Status: Offline Points: 518 |
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Posted: May 31 2013 at 11:42am |
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I am reminded of a saying, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink." The samething is true with economic devlopment of Downtown Middletown. No matter how pretty you make downtown look, unless you give companies, and buisness a serious incentive to do buisness in Middletown, downtown will continue to be a ghost town.
Granted Cincy state and these restaurants are a start Middletown has a long way to go in order to over come it's negative image of being a Section 8, poor performing schools, trashy neighborhoods with bad streets, and full of poor red necks, drug users with high theft, and child abuser image it has in the Dayton-Cincinnati Metro Area. Middletown has a long way to go to match image of Springboro, Mason, and West Chester of a perfect community with great schools and a thriving downtown. |
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spiderjohn
Prominent MUSA Citizen 
Joined: Jul 01 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2749 |
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Posted: May 31 2013 at 12:44pm |
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Best of luck to both the MJ building investors and the Stained group.
I am all for PRIVATE money funding these types of endeavors. Private money means that those involved will work harder and smarter to make things happen. Still--who "upscale" will want to live "down there"? Didn't work for Ewings or Blakelys(though pre-mature with best intentions). I like the private people working so hard on THEIR properties/investments--Mmoormans, Rumfords, At the Square group, Hoffmans, Tri-Tech---not so sure about Pendleton, Sorg Opera and mansion, Downtown Middletown Inc. though Don't like the brew pub idea much either--seems too late, bad demographics and not really needed. Brew pubs need upscale younger patrons who go from there to other activities(more often than every other week or a few hours a month), plus they need to be able to walk there if they drink $5-$8 beers. The Rose Furniture building is a bad idea imo. The place is trashed, as is everything around it. Nothing historic ever happened there during my lifetime, and it was never a popular furniture store. Too late to save it--if not so, why hasn't it happened? Same with the Sorg Opera House--was always our 3rd-rate theater--if we can live without the Paramount and Strand/Studio, then we can surely survive without the Colonial. Historical Society/Commission? They refuse to maintain their OWN properties. We need new/better from the ground up to appeal to the young/next generations, fueled by $$ and concepts from 20yos-40yos instead of 60yos-80yos imo. As usual, I could go on forever and am avoiding the S Main funding/favoritism
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: May 31 2013 at 5:23pm |
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Spider: Regarding the new, upscale, loft apartments, you ask:
Perhaps you have forgotten that City Council approved monthly subsistence payments for City interns if they live downtown??? It was almost as if they knew some "friend of city hall" would be building "upscale loft apartments downtown" and would need a shot of taxpayer money to recoup their investment. Of course Council approved this during the two-thirds of the year that they spend like drunken sailors who believe that we taxpayers will never run out of money. Now we are approaching the "budget" portion of the year, and they are starting the "woe is me" hand-wringing phase, and are acting surprised that our city is going broke. Next will be the "We need higher taxes" phase!!!
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Pacman
Prominent MUSA Citizen
Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612 |
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Posted: May 31 2013 at 6:56pm |
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http://www.stained1054bistro.com/menu.pdf - check out the prices before you go eat.
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Pacman
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Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612 |
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Posted: May 31 2013 at 7:03pm |
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http://www.foodnetwork.com/restaurant-impossible/index.html
This is for the investors just in case things DO NOT IMPROVE MONETARILY - Robert Irvine of Restaurant Impossible can save the day. |
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Rhodes
MUSA Resident
Joined: Jun 18 2010 Status: Offline Points: 209 |
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Posted: Jun 01 2013 at 3:13am |
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According to the auditor, the new owners of the Middletown Journal property paid $1,000 for it. Anyone know if the machines were left behind?
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enough is enough
MUSA Resident
Joined: Jan 30 2013 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 75 |
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Posted: Jun 01 2013 at 10:49am |
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Does anyone know who purchased the journal building? ?
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Enough is Enough
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409
Prominent MUSA Citizen
Joined: Mar 27 2009 Status: Offline Points: 1014 |
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Posted: Jun 01 2013 at 11:41am |
Cincinnati Investors From the MJ: The property was purchased by Gary Montesi and Evan Smith, who are entering their first commercial business, said Montesi, who refused to release the purchase price. He said they will begin rehabbing the property He said the goal is to keep the building’s “vintage look” while upgrading some of the windows and exterior. He said the asbestos and other “environmental concerns” will be the first items removed. He said the group will “hit the ground running.”
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Vivian Moon
MUSA Council
Joined: May 16 2008 Location: Middletown, Ohi Status: Offline Points: 4187 |
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Posted: Jun 01 2013 at 4:05pm |
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Regarding the new, upscale, loft apartments, you ask:
Perhaps you have forgotten that City Council approved monthly subsistence payments for City interns if they live downtown??? It was almost as if they knew some "friend of city hall" would be building "upscale loft apartments downtown" and would need a shot of taxpayer money to recoup their investment.
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enough is enough
MUSA Resident
Joined: Jan 30 2013 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 75 |
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Posted: Jun 01 2013 at 11:19pm |
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409
Thanks for the info.
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Enough is Enough
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Middletown29
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Joined: Mar 30 2011 Status: Offline Points: 474 |
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Posted: Jun 02 2013 at 10:53am |
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I understand the printing presses are still in the property.
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over the hill
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Joined: Oct 19 2012 Location: middletown Status: Offline Points: 952 |
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Posted: Jun 03 2013 at 10:23am |
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409, Did they pay $1,000 or did they pay $300,000 for the MJ building? I've heard two different stories.
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409
Prominent MUSA Citizen
Joined: Mar 27 2009 Status: Offline Points: 1014 |
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Posted: Jun 03 2013 at 9:49pm |
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The BC auditor's website shows the Journal building consisting of 3 parcels. Each is listed as sold for $1000. I don't know if this is $1000 individually or collectively. I think that Rhodes in an earlier post on this thread is likely correct.
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