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The Windamere

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Vivian Moon View Drop Down
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Joined: May 16 2008
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    Posted: Mar 04 2015 at 8:33am

Posted: 6:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Downtown building becomes event center, art gallery

By Ed Richter

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN 

    Work is expected to begin in a few weeks to renovate the former Bank One building into an event venue and art gallery.

    Mica Glaser, who will own The Windamere, said she is already booking events for June and beyond to accommodate weddings, receptions, and other social and corporate functions for 150 to 200 people.

    As of last week, two wedding receptions and a combination wedding and reception had been booked at the venue. In addition, Glaser’s staff is also helping Arts Central Foundation to book its fundraisers at the site, she said.

    The Windamere will also host art shows and exhibits and other community events.

Glaser said the venue is on various online wedding event sites and so far, she said she has received positive feedback.

    “We’re gearing up for the renovation that will start in a few weeks,” Glaser said. “We’re really excited and ready to get going.”

    Glaser said the renovation is estimated to cost about $240,000 and will include a dance floor, restrooms, a warming kitchen, repair to damaged plaster, and hanging a chandelier. She said the work of artist Chris Walden will also be incorporated throughout the building.

    “When we walked into the building, we fell in love with it,” she said. “We couldn’t believe that a building like this existed in Middletown. We love the look of the face of the building and the architecture throughout.”

    She said there will be a six-person staff working to handle bartending, as well as set up and clean-up of the event for their clients.

    “It’s going to be great to host events,” Glaser said.

    She also is looking forward to the future re-opening of the Manchester Inn after renovations planned by its new owner, saying larger clients and events that could not be hosted at The Windamere can easily be booked there.

    Glaser said she has known artist Chris Walden for 20 years and had managed his art gallery when it was located in BeauVerre Riordan Stained Glass Studios. Walden and his group,       Windamere LLC, bought the building last summer for $140,000 — about half of building’s appraised value as the city of Middletown was divesting its ownership of several downtown buildings it had acquired.

    City officials said at the time of the sale to Walden’s group that it was keeping with the arts, culture and education focus for downtown and were pleased with what he was envisioning for the building.

    At the time of the sale last summer, Walden said he, Glaser and Theron Jones, shared some of their plans for the building that included hosting upwards of 125 events a year, showcasing his and others’ artwork, and providing a hands-on work environment for those graduating from Cincinnati State and Miami University with aspirations in digital animation and digital game creation — which both schools offer courses in these fields.

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VietVet View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar 04 2015 at 11:07am
Another "event center and art gallery" huh? Is there that much demand for this activity to warrant more? I thought the Pendleton party room was for the small crowds. What happened to that?

"Glaser said the renovation is estimated to cost about $240,000 and will include a dance floor, restrooms, a warming kitchen, repair to damaged plaster, and hanging a chandelier."

Question:

Is this 240 grand private money from Glaser and others or is it taxpayer money given to Glaser to start a new business as has been done so many times in the past? The source of the money is from __________

I believe Spider had posted in the past about this building being offered to him but it needed so much rehab, it may not have been worth the investment. Might be wrong here Spider and if so, I apologize. Wonder why the story states just....

"repair to damaged plaster"

Wonder why Walden's name keeps being brought up as a key player ( reference, "Walden's group") in all of this when I heard, right or wrong, that he "didn't have the money to rub two nickels together". Dunno.

The story mentions larger groups going to the Manchester. Sounds like a plan IF the Manchester ever shows signs of life. Anyone know what the 1 dollar owner of the Manchester is doing these days? Thought the work was suppose to have been started by now. While we're on the subject, what's the status of the Sorg Opera House, the microbrewery, the building next to the Manchester (forgot the name), the old Journal building and the Rose building. All have kinda dropped out of sight, haven't they? And just how are those high roller apartments coming in the bank building upper floors? Almost done and ready for the "Donald Trumps" of the world?
I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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middletownscouter View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote middletownscouter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar 04 2015 at 3:58pm
I was inside that building last fall to help the AAUW move their stuff out to the new location. I think 240k is a lowball estimate. There's some serious water damage in the ceiling and walls in various areas around the building.
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Vivian Moon View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vivian Moon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar 04 2015 at 4:07pm
Middletownscouter
I agree. I heard that the building needed new heat and cooling unit, plumbing and electrical to bring it up to code?
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Mike_Presta View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike_Presta Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar 04 2015 at 10:24pm
Have these folks pulled a building permit in the amount of $240,000???

Have any of these high dollar restoration jobs downtown or on South Main pulled the big bucks building permits for the amounts that they are touting???
“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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