Sorg Revitalization

Today's Journal....

New Sorg owners work toward spring opening

MIDDLETOWN —
Returning the 19th century-era Sorg Opera House to what it once was will take time and money.

The new owners, who have organized under the Sorg Opera Revitalization Group, have their 501c3 nonprofit status in place as of last week, and Walt McRee, one of the partners in the group, said they have some donors ready to help with the repairs.

“We filed the paperwork last week, and that’s a big step because it opens up wallets and doors and other things,” he said.

Fellow partner Ken Bowman said it would be about $30,000 to $40,000 just to stop the leaks for the winter, but it would be “considerably more” for the needed roof replacement.

The work to restore the Sorg Opera House to a semblance of its former self is a “work in progress,” said McRee.

McRee and Bowman said they hope to have some activity inside the building by this spring.

32 THOU TO PURCHASE.....30 to 40 THOU TO STOP LEAKS.....CONSIDERABLEY MORE FOR ROOF REDO.....THESE ARE BUSINESS PEOPLE AND WILL HAVE INVESTED A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY IN THE PLACE. WILL THERE BE THAT MANY PERFORMANCES AND ADMISSION MONEY AND THAT MUCH REVENUE GENERATED FROM THIS INVESTMENT TO MAKE ANY PROFIT AT ALL?

“We’re hopeful we’ll have one of the store fronts open by spring, hopefully a dining option to take care of the needs of some of the (Cincinnati State Middletown) students,” Bowman said.

HAS ANYONE NOTICED THAT MUCH CS FOOT TRAFFIC/CUSTOMER POTENTIAL ALONG MAIN ST. WHERE THEY WANT TO SET UP THIS DINING OPTION? WILL THE CS KIDS WANT THIS TYPE OF FOOD OR CHEAPER FAST FOOD?

THIS REHAB IS A VERY NICE THING TO SEE DOWN THERE COMPARED TO THE CITY MENTALITY OF DESTROYING EVERYTHING THAT REPRESENTS TO PAST IN MIDDLETOWN, BUT I STILL DON'T ENVISION THIS BEING A MONEY-MAKER FOR YEARS AFTER THE MAKE-OVER. CAN'T IMAGINE THIS GROUP OF INVESTORS JUST WANTING TO REHAB IT AND NOT REAP SOME KIND OF PROFIT.

ktf1179 wrote: What good is an opera house, if you are late to the performance, or to class because a Train goes through and blocks you off from getting there? I would like to see a bridge for either the train or car traffic to use so you don't have to wait 5-15 min. to get to downtown Middletown. If they make it easier and quicker to get to Downtown Middletown, then Downtown might have chance for further re-growth.

Been talking, off and on, about building an overpass on Central to allow better access to downtown since the 70's. Too expensive for the amount of traffic to and from the downtown area was the reasoning as I recall.