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.