Buying Sorg Mansion

Pacman

I think Sorg house should be on councils demolition list. Lets demolish it since it serves no purpose & could be a danger to the public.

I would like to know where the money is coming from? If they buy this then they had damn well better fix up the cemetery. Right is right and wrong is wrong. It is wrong to spend that kind of money and not fix up the cemetery.

Pacman wrote: Interesting blog on how much it would take to buy and rehab the Sorg Mansion from people who have looked at it.    http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=17430.0

"The house is over priced given the restoration costs.  I am currently restoring an 1870's, 6,000+ sf house that was used as a nursing home for the past 40 years that has seen extensive abuse and remodelaing.  In my perspective, the Sorg Mansion is in pretty good shape.

What the property needs is a great business plan.  Several years ago I spoke with a potential buyer that wanted to use the carriage house as a micro-winery and bistro.  The house would be a B&B on the upper floors with the main floor for receptions & events.  The owner would live in the 3,700 sf. servant's house.  The property needs a plan that would generate the cash flow to pay the operation and maintenance expenses.  (the house is horribly inefficient for energy consumption in its current state).

The property is eligible for state and federal tax credits for historic rehabilitation.  There is also a possibility for City financial assistance.

I don't want to see Sorg torn down it's historical value & decor is much to important. I think it's a shame that the city let whoever turn it into apartments and destroy it the way they did. That goes beyond pathetic.

I took tap dance lesson in one of the apartment & the walls have hand curved faces in the cherry colored wood.


Thanks


Regards
Lew


Outsource Telemarketing

When a few of us toured the property with Mr. Finkelman several years ago, he explained that the interior walls, doors, woodwork, built-ins, etc., were as they were when his father purchased it from Mr. Sorg, with the exception of the old garden/green house. The rooms had been rented as apartments since sometime in the late 30's or 40's, if I remember correctly.  The building's integrity was maintained throughout the years, including many of the original fixtures and stained glass. I even noticed that the antique curtain rods hanging in front of the sliding doors on the first floor were still in place. This is not a property to be demolished, but one to treasure and be thankful that it is not in worse shape or the condition that so many seem to think that it is. From the recent pictures posted on the on that Facebook site,  it seems that much has remained the same since we toured. 

I always wonder why, if such structures were such treasures, lovers of them do not raise the necessary funds, purchase them, and tenderly care for them.  Why do they always want the taxpayers to do the purchasing and caring, and leave only the using and enjoying to the purported "lovers" of the buildings, at which time the taxpayers are barred from entering.

Well I am fixing up my house with no taxpayer help. Usually that is what people do. Just because a few people im Middletown may do it, doesn't mean all us old house lovers do it. The best I could hope for is some kind of tax credit. If I had the money I would buy the Sorg house and fix it up. I would most likely make the main house into a museum, and live in the guest house. There were a few houses like that in Abiline Kansas I toured. You pay a couple bucks to get a guided tour of a place, and sometimes the tour guide lived in the house. If that could happen to the Sorg it would be great. Then everyone could see the place. 

What is funny is if the Sorg mansion was in any other city it would be a huge tourist attraction. Probably a center piece for any downtown setting,but only in Middeltown could it be considered an eye sore or rental property.

 

I am very surprised it is not section 8 with alcoholics,hookers and drug addicts renting rooms. That would make a great tourist attraction with beer cans all over the lawn and hookers standing out front.

Maybe we should have a toast on the corner using our beer mugs.