Efforts to revitalize downtown Middletown are gaining traction.
Middletown city council approved joining Butler County commissioners, the finance authority and the community foundation to earmark $15 million for renewing the city's downtown.
The acting director of the Community and Economic Development Department says it’s all being facilitated by the Butler County Finance Authority.
Jacob Shulte says there’s a shared vision.
“From all of these different actors we have an interest in revitalizing our downtown, and making sure both ends of our city — we have got really great projects underway on the east end of town — making sure what’s going on in the west end of town is complimentary to that," he says. "Across our city, we’re continuing to move forward.”
Schulte says feedback from the public has shown a desire for commercial space at the street level and more residential use of the upper floors of several currently vacant buildings.
He says a developer has been identified already.
“This funding component was critical for us to be able to have some incentivization to bring developers into our downtown, that hasn’t seen a lot of especially significant market investment in several years.”
Schulte says they want to use the public funds to inspire more private investment.
He says the fund will help finish a park with an ice rink and event lawn, and three buildings that will have residential, commercial and office space. He says public surveys have shown support for turning places like the historic Manchester Hotel into residential space.
Read more:
