Reed-Klopp building
Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
Category: Middletown City Government
Forum Name: Community Revitalization
Forum Description: Middletown Community Revitalization News
URL: http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6162
Printed Date: Nov 21 2024 at 7:40pm
Topic: Reed-Klopp building
Posted By: Vivian Moon
Subject: Reed-Klopp building
Date Posted: Aug 28 2015 at 7:49am
City: Downtown
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Replies:
Posted By: over the hill
Date Posted: Aug 28 2015 at 9:05am
| How about the Rose Furniture building? What kind of shape is it in now? The Studio? |
Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Aug 28 2015 at 9:45am
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Now,
now Over the Hill, City Hall doesn’t want to talk about those problem buildings of the past or the Snider building. |
Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Aug 28 2015 at 11:45am
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"Fuchs said in an email. “We will use all legal channels available to get the owner to comply. However, if he does nothing, the city may have to step in and do what is needed to keep the public safe from falling items.”" Nope. Using city money taxpayer money to assist a private property owner is not acceptable Fuchs. The property owner is responsible for this, not the taxpayer. Too free with the people's money in your downtown area. Isolating the problem, as you have done, should be the extent of the city's role in this, not rebuild the building for the owner. The other day an article surfaced telling us the city is leaning on the citizens to get their properties squared away and will fine anyone not complying while not being "overly enthusiastic" about helping them out. Now, we have an out of town property owner, who owns a building in dire need of attention and you are suggesting the city throw our money at it if the legal system fails to remedy the situation. ------------- I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over. |
Posted By: spiderjohn
Date Posted: Aug 28 2015 at 6:22pm
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Old library--Rose building--old Journal building--Sorg Opera House--Studio/Strand--old awards--Sonshine--Manchester--burned out factory on river Take them all down Have any of the above been cited similarly? |
Posted By: Perplexed
Date Posted: Aug 28 2015 at 6:45pm
| It wasn't that long ago that Mr. Fuchs was raking in money hand over fist when he was deeply involved with Countrywide high-risk, sub-prime home mortgage lending. This past profiteering prior to joining the City gravy train caused a great deal of harm to neighborhoods here and in surrounding areas. Now, he is concerned with the former downtown and the growing number of dilapidated buildings? |
Posted By: Rhodes
Date Posted: Aug 28 2015 at 10:30pm
| So a concrete and steel building is about to collapse? |
Posted By: 409
Date Posted: Sep 03 2015 at 6:59pm
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MJ: Owner to make repairs on crumbling Middletown building By Ed Richter Staff Writer MIDDLETOWN — The owner of the former Reed-Klopp building in downtown Middletown told a city official that he was willing to make the necessary repairs to keep debris from falling down to the sidewalk below. Kyle Fuchs, the city’s community revitalization director, told the Journal-News that based on the structural engineer’s evaluation, building repairs will be costly for the owner of the structure at Verity Parkway and Central Avenue. “I’m estimating the cost to totally repair the building is between $150,000 and $250,000,” he said.”It’s not going to be a free handout from the city.” Fuchs said the city has already spent $8,700 to have a contractor erect emergency wood fencing around the building and has yet to receive the invoice for the structural engineer’s evaluation. He said that a local structural engineer contracted by the city has forwarded his report after evaluating the building following an extensive visit to the five-story building that included all floors and the roof. In an Aug. 25 report prepared by Jonathan B. Morgan, president of B.D. Morgan & Co., Inc., he said that the masonry and the flashing has deteriorated to the point of falling down to the street below and that he observed numerous issues of safety and structural stability of the building. Morgan said the immediate issues that need to be completed before occupancy includes the falling masonry, flashing and cornice work to protect public safety. “Above and beyond the issue of repairing the most essential deterioration that is causing the present safety concerns of falling debris, it is my professional opinion that this building needs a tremendous amount of additional work both inside and out to bring it up to code and condition that would safely allow for any occupancy, use or purpose,” Morgan said in his report. “These additional issues include consideration for the deteriorated roof, rotted floor structural and planking on each floor, elevator/accessibility, rotten windows, electrical system, fire suppression system, plumbing system, and HVAC system to name a few,” Morgan said in the report. Fuchs told the Journal-News that the owner of the building is working with an architect and is gathering plans to submit to the city within the next few weeks. “At that point the owner will come in and sign an agreement with us to fix it within a determined time-frame,” Fuchs said. “We want to have all the issues addressed before winter hits.” The city’s chief building official posted a notice on Aug. 13 that the building was unsafe for occupancy and there was an imminent danger of falling bricks and other debris. The notice also ordered the building’s owner, Daniyal LLC, to do the work necessary to make the structure temporarily safe and to get the building back into compliance with the city’s building codes. The city also erected a sturdy barrier out of pressure treated plywood to contain any objects from falling in the street. Daniyal LLC purchased the land and building for $40,000 in 2013, according to online records from the Butler County Auditor’s Office. The five-story brick building, which also has a basement, was built in 1917 and opened in 1919 as the Reed-Klopp Furniture Store. In 2009, an early morning fire destroyed the building that at the time housed a Jackson Hewitt tax preparation office, causing an estimated $250,000 in damages. ------------- Every morning is the dawn of a new error... |
Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Sep 04 2015 at 9:28am
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“At that point the owner will come in and sign an agreement with us to fix it within a determined time-frame,” Fuchs said. “We want to have all the issues addressed before winter hits.” Well Mr. Fuchs this is what should have happened when Daniyal LLC purchased this fire damaged building several years ago. |
Posted By: rowdione
Date Posted: Sep 05 2015 at 12:00pm
Being in the Restoration trade for the past 33 years and restoring many building in the downtown after the Mall removal I have a few questions? Who is the engineering firm and credentials? A general contractor doing a visual inspection? nothing less than a physical inspection with man lift and hands on approach is unacceptable. A tube scaffolding canopy with proper load rating should have been erected for pedestrian and handicap access. simply barricading the sidewalk is in violation of such cities like Dayton & Cincinnati! I have offered my services free of charge in the past with no response. must be the truth of straight talk that scares a secret society. Good day 
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Posted By: over the hill
Date Posted: Sep 07 2015 at 9:26am
| roWine: Your last sentence says it all! |
Posted By: over the hill
Date Posted: Sep 07 2015 at 9:28am
| rowdione |
Posted By: Perplexed
Date Posted: Sep 07 2015 at 9:03pm
| It's time for Forbes Magazine staff to do an update focusing upon the "Atkinization" of Middletown over the past five plus years. It would be refreshing to read a factual and objective assessment of the city rather than the usual and predictable Eddie Richter hype of the Journal. |
Posted By: wannaknow
Date Posted: Sep 08 2015 at 5:34am
| The city hired a contractor to install 20 or so sheets of pressure treated plywood at a cost of $8700.00. |
Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Sep 08 2015 at 5:57am
Hey! That's some high labor costs because 20 or so sheets of plywood ain't even close to that. The city got ripped off.......again. ------------- I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over. |
wannaknow wrote:Posted By: Rhodes
Date Posted: Sep 08 2015 at 6:08pm
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After reading the latest statement from the city, it sounds more like they are irked that someone bought it for $40,000. Didn't that fire happen years ago? Why didn't the city go after previous owners? This is something the city has done before. They let buildings rot, say nothing, hold no one accountable. As soon as the building is sold for pennies on the dollar, the city comes out in full force to jump all over the new owner. By the way, did anyone see the news today that the Middletown Journal building is now up for sale for $295,000? What happened to the big project there? Didn't they only pay a few thousand for the property? Why is it worth so much now?
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Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Sep 09 2015 at 6:02am
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"By the way, did anyone see the news today that the Middletown Journal building is now up for sale for $295,000? What happened to the big project there? Didn't they only pay a few thousand for the property? Why is it worth so much now?" This sounds similar to the Manchester. City asked $350,000 for it, had no takers and finally gave it away to Grau for a buck. Think the old Journal building will go the same way? Taxpayer money used by the city to purchase property (I thought they wanted to get out of the real estate business???) and the city does not know how to market or develop the property, resulting in a dollar giveaway to a private entity. They never learn by their mistakes in the city building do they. Ignorance abounds. This whole downtown "flea market" property swap meet follows the same pattern.......have a plan......purchase the property.....have a little write-up in the Journal announcing the big dreams......get the grants, etc........then, a lull in the activity where no one knows what is going on..... suddenly, announce that the building is up for sale, the dream is over, the well has dried up as to finances, the risk is too great for the return needed......nothing ever goes from inception to completion and remains a successful venture. Duncan Oil, The Liberty, the Rose Building, the Manchester to date, the Sonshine building, Wittman's arts building, the Sorg Opera House to date(although making some progress based on the pictures in the paper), the upper floors of CS, the old Seniors Center, even the PAC has not developed into the success they thought it would be.......all on hold at best with no hope in sight as to a success story. ------------- I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over. |
Posted By: spiderjohn
Date Posted: Sep 09 2015 at 7:55am
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Same thing happened when the owner of the former KC building on 1st tried to put a small addition on the east side Coding was all over him threatening to tear it out, while the former library across the street continues to rot with the roof ready to fall in When was the last time that the many vacancies and giveaways were code inspected? The Rose? Manchester/Sonshine? Old Wards? Studio/Strand? Sorg Opera? Why would anyone ever develop any of these properties? |
Posted By: over the hill
Date Posted: Sep 09 2015 at 9:42am
| But they are all over homeowners to get their properties in line. And that's ok but they give the homeowners a deadline while these other buildings have sitting for years with no improvements made. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Isn't that the saying. |
Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Sep 09 2015 at 9:48am
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When was the last time that the many vacancies and giveaways were code inspected? The Rose? Manchester/Sonshine? Old Wards? Studio/Strand? Sorg Opera? Spider, you need to add a few more to this list also: 1st National Bank....giveaway owned by HEP Old Senior Citizens....giveaway owned by HEP Masonic Temple....giveaway owned by Art Central
5/3 Tower....owned by GrassRoots Inc. Are any of these properties currently up to code? |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: Sep 09 2015 at 10:37am
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It seems the common denominator for the city hitting on building owners are those that are owned by those not living in Middletown. Not suggesting the building didn't have problems, but have you ever driven down Central, or Rosedale, or many streets in town that has deadly ash trees ready to fall on cars? Where's the code enforcement on that activity and danger. The problem many have on city finances is the lack of justification when money is taken out and increased, without clarifying the increase. Case in point is the sewer funds to meet the EPA guidelines, whereas significant money has been taken out, and now increased. What is the basis for that? They knew what was required to be repaired, and started collecting. Then, the number or percent collected is raised without justification. On surface, that rate change is to bring in more money into the general fund for the city to borrow, and somehow and someday, pay back, without transparency. The city also had the street repair plan where each neighborhood with 60% or greater of its residents, could have their specific street repaved, and the cost added onto property taxes. So, there is a remedy and program every home owner has in Middletown to repair their streets. But, few are using that option. So what would now motivate Picard, Adkins, and others, to let the voters decide if there should be a 2 or 2.25% tax rate? The home owners have spoken and haven't used the neighborhood program. Isn't the reality the city just wants more money again to move into the general fund to borrow and someday, maybe, replace the funds meant for something advertised. This has been standard practice by the city for years. That is also what occurred on the last public safety levy, where presently numbers on the force have dwindled, when the advertised statement was exactly the opposite. Almost every city council member has opening indicated the city is maintaining the main roads without any problems. When Josh Laubach wanted to raise the percent dedicated to the roads, not one council member supported him, and the fire union made sure he was voted out of office. Now roads are front and center when the neighborhood paving program is available and not used, and the council indicates its only neighborhood roads which need repaired, which it is obvious, home owners don't want to use the city program at 60% majority, nor did council align with Mr. Laubach to raise the dedicated funds. How is the city paying for the money provided to AKS for the property for the RD facility when it moves out by 75? Another bait and switch which these new funds from an increase tax raise for roads, or sewers, be used to pay for land AKS could easily afford. Probably out of a planned income tax rate or from the sewer fund. Here's a touch of levity to conclude. The city is "working" on helping the home owner improve property value. National Lampoon must be running the city. Good day. |
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Sep 10 2015 at 4:07am
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I continue to just shake my head. Perhaps Ann Mort can help again???  ------------- “Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012 |
Posted By: over the hill
Date Posted: Sep 10 2015 at 10:58am
| I don't think Ann Mort can do any more that our useless mayor has already done which is "business as usual ". I M O |
Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Nov 11 2015 at 7:35pm
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Posted: 2:39 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015 Unsafe
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Posted By: John Beagle
Date Posted: Nov 12 2015 at 9:20am
Is this the building we are talking about? ------------- http://www.johnbeagle.com/" rel="nofollow - John Beagle Middletown USA News of, for and by the people of Middletown, Ohio. |
Posted By: 409
Date Posted: Nov 12 2015 at 10:14am
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John...Your picture is of the building one block east of the old Reed-Klopp building. ------------- Every morning is the dawn of a new error... |