razing the Manchester?

SupportMiddletown wrote: Even if restoration costs more than new construction, there is a 20% federal non-competitive tax credit and 25% state competitive tax credit that could be leveraged to drop rehabilitation costs below new construction. The character of the end product will be much different that what you could deliver new.    Alternatively, if a new facility was desired, the Manchester could be rehabbed for another use such as senior housing. In Hamilton, the former Anthony Wanye Hotel (Hamilton's answer to the Manchester), was long-vacant and near demolition, but preservation groups saved the building in it last hour and it was converted 3 years later to senior housing using LIHTC tax credits and the federal historic tax credit.

Any reason why Middletown leaders couldn't do the same thing here if Cincy State doesn't follow through?

squeemy - Why is it so much more to renovate? More importantly, why are you going to tear down an existing building when there are empty lots across the street from the Manchester ready for immediate construction? What's the point in tearing anything down?

Why did they tear down the old post office anyway? I saw some old post cards of it and it looked really cool. A lot of the old downtown is gone now, compared to what was there. The buildins from around Verity to Main are some of the last great old buildings that are left. The Seabald block is just a shadow of its former self :(

Slowly, this town is losing it's identity. With all the demo going on, the town is literally sending it's past to the dump in trucks. Problem right now is that when something around here is torn down, there is nothing to replace it with new construction. Look at what they have torn down since they started this mass demolition of the city. For the most part, empty lots, while "crossing their fingers" that something, anything, will build in the empty spaces.

No, with the track record of this city's pathetic econ. dev. plan (actually no plan at all) I don't wish to see another building fall to the excavator and dump truck. Not until they have a commitment to occupy the land that will be left when our history goes to the landfill and when they come up with a competent, doable plan to replace their mass destruction.

How do other cities, who are as cash strapped as this one is, manage to save and rejuvenate their older structures with character? This city can't get out of the way of it's own ineptness due to incompetency from the city leaders.

They are changing this city alright. And it ain't pretty and for the better either.    Disgusting.

if it's found that the Manchester is too expensive to renovate or that renovation costs exceed those necessary to build new, would you support tearing it down?