downtown filth

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   Dropped my vehilcle off for servicing this morning, and as usual, walked the entire Main St.area, then up Central Ave to one of my businesses. Always interesting to check out conditions.

The Main St.area between Central and 1st Ave. was by far the filthiest, with the worst area being the former Bank One site now owned by Miami U. The bird feces in front of the structure has been accruing for months, and is over an inch thick, covering the entire length of the building. The structure is also filthy and the grounds have not been maintained. Hope House is next door, with many young children playing in the Miami parking lot and approximate to the bird droppings.

I know that these droppings are disease-carrying at worst, and extremely un-sanitary at best.
Is this how our "80 downtown stakeholders" proudly maintain their properties, or are they all holding out for the city(the taxpayers) to fund their clean-up responsibilities and maintenence? Where is Community Reviltalization/Development with their violation/code enforcement letters to these property owners?

Ironically, the core area from Main St. up to Broadway was the most filthy and un-kept. A wonderful backdrop for our final Broad St.Bash this evening. The "Main Street Project" has a LONG way to go before anything good will happen, and current property owners need to show their commitment and intent by voluntarily improving their facilities at THEIR OWN EXPENSE and maintaining city standards at all times.

Some times it is not the "poor people" who create un-sanitary issues, and are instead forced to endure un-safe/illegal conditions resulting from "stakeholder" neglect. Time for Mr.Adkins to tackle this area with his enthusiasm, holding those responsible to the same standards expected from the rest of the business community.

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spiderjohn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jul 01 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2749	Post Options Post Reply Quote spiderjohn Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: downtown filth Posted: Aug 11 2010 at 10:04am
	Dropped my vehilcle off for servicing this morning, and as usual, walked the entire Main St.area, then up Central Ave to one of my businesses. Always interesting to check out conditions. The Main St.area between Central and 1st Ave. was by far the filthiest, with the worst area being the former Bank One site now owned by Miami U. The bird feces in front of the structure has been accruing for months, and is over an inch thick, covering the entire length of the building. The structure is also filthy and the grounds have not been maintained. Hope House is next door, with many young children playing in the Miami parking lot and approximate to the bird droppings. I know that these droppings are disease-carrying at worst, and extremely un-sanitary at best. Is this how our "80 downtown stakeholders" proudly maintain their properties, or are they all holding out for the city(the taxpayers) to fund their clean-up responsibilities and maintenence? Where is Community Reviltalization/Development with their violation/code enforcement letters to these property owners? Ironically, the core area from Main St. up to Broadway was the most filthy and un-kept. A wonderful backdrop for our final Broad St.Bash this evening. The "Main Street Project" has a LONG way to go before anything good will happen, and current property owners need to show their commitment and intent by voluntarily improving their facilities at THEIR OWN EXPENSE and maintaining city standards at all times. Some times it is not the "poor people" who create un-sanitary issues, and are instead forced to endure un-safe/illegal conditions resulting from "stakeholder" neglect. Time for Mr.Adkins to tackle this area with his enthusiasm, holding those responsible to the same standards expected from the rest of the business community.

swohio75 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 13 2008 Status: Offline Points: 820	Post Options Post Reply Quote swohio75 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Aug 11 2010 at 10:26am
	Miami owns the former Bank One building? When did this happen. I thought it was owned by Perry Thatcher who was leasing a portion of it to Miami.

Vivian Moon Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: May 16 2008 Location: Middletown, Ohi Status: Offline Points: 4187	Post Options Post Reply Quote Vivian Moon Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Aug 11 2010 at 11:12am
	Spider You are sooo correct. The entire downtown area needs a really good soap and water scrub down. It is my understanding that Mr. Thatcher left the bank building to the Middletown Historical Society and that Miami leases only part of the building.

Nelson Self Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Resident Joined: Aug 17 2009 Status: Offline Points: 144	Post Options Post Reply Quote Nelson Self Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Aug 11 2010 at 11:40am
	SpiderJohn, Miss Vivian and Sam - Let's stroll down memory lane by recalling the following: 1) Housing Code Enforcement: Remember early 2009 when Community Revitalization Department staff announced that 2,300+ residential property owners were mailed written notices of their minor to major housing code violations? 2) Downtown Commercial Code Enforcement: Remember the spring of 2009 when Community Revitalization Department staff made more headlines by announcing that they would be conducting a concentrated inspection of "former downtown" commercial properties for violations? Whatever happened to these Neighborhood Revitalization Department projects? And, what's resulted from these other headline-grabbing announcements? 3) HUD Neighborhood Stabilization Program - Round Two: An application for $19 Million was submitted to HUD that would radically transform Middletown's neighborhoods. This paid consultant/staff application was rejected by HUD not too long ago. 4) Citywide HUD Low- to Moderate-Income Designation: Who can forget Neighborhood Revitalization Department announcing that the entirety of Middletown was now eligible to recieve CDBG slum, blight and assisted housing because of the previously undiscovered 54% rule? We'll leave other prior headlines regarding the 96-page plan for the reduction of Section 8 (Housing Choice Vouchers) and HUD's 11-page response for another time. What a City?

Mike_Presta Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mike_Presta Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Aug 11 2010 at 12:31pm
	Folks, You seem to be forgetting something!!! All of those “Main Street Plan” people are also history lovers. The conditions that you describe are probably exactly how downtown Middletown was back in “the good old days”. Of course, even today the streets are better than they were back in the 1890’s when they were likely covered with horse and oxen manure in addition to being made of mud and stone rubble. I was actually thinking about this overnight while watching reruns of recent council meetings. One of those meetings had Mr. Laubach speaking so fondly about downtown Middletown’s “history”. There really isn’t anything “historic” about downtown Middletown. It had nothing but muddy roads, crummy roadhouses, cathouses, gin mills, gambling joints, etc., the same as a thousand other river/canal towns of its day. It actually was nothing special. As far as “arts”, when people like Mr. Sorg decided that they wanted “arts” in Middletown, he and the like-minded people of the day got together and brought “art” to town using THEIR OWN FUNDS!!! They certainly didn’t “commandeer” art by confiscating the funds of the old and the poor. And the reason that Mr. Sorg and his friends had the money to do so was because they made wise financial decisions!!! Mr. Laubach, you said that you are “conflicted”, but you “feel” that we should have this art for the sake of downtown’s “history”, even though NO ONE has shown any facts, figures, projections, actual studies, or anything of the like!!! We have heard nothing but wishes and dreams. Mr. Laubach, if you and your friends behind the curvy counter “feel” like there should be more art in downtown Middletown to make it like YOU “wish” it would be (but NOT like it EVER actually was) PLEASE, you and the other six form an LLC and do so with your own money, and NOT with that of the taxpayers!!! PLEASE!!!
	“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012

spiderjohn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jul 01 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2749	Post Options Post Reply Quote spiderjohn Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Aug 11 2010 at 1:37pm
	my bad, SWOhio--I believe u r correct that the building is still owened by the Thatcher family, and partially leased to Miamu U. None of which really matters when discussing the months of built-up feces,filth and unkept landscaping. Two of our primary area "stakeholders", both with deep pockets. And this is how they maintain their property, while at the same time, asking the city(the taxpayers) to fund 33% of their Main Street Project. They should be warned and cited for their un-sanitary conditions.

Rhodes Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Resident Joined: Jun 18 2010 Status: Offline Points: 209	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rhodes Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Aug 11 2010 at 3:19pm
	I'm out of the loop. What is this "Main Street Project"? I'm afraid to even ask. If there is a link to it on here, somebody please let me know.

Mike_Presta Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mike_Presta Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Aug 12 2010 at 6:46pm
	"Main Street Plan" is a concerted effort by a group of liberals to stand in the way of progress by insisting that all former downtown areas be legislated to return to "Olde Tyme" status as if every town was Williamsburg Virginia or Boston Massachusetts. They want every building "restored" and all commerce prohibited except antique dealing, art galleries, book shops, coffee houses, etc., and "high tea" served to the local illuminati every Saturday afternoon. An occasional buggy works or playhouse is also permitted as long as all blue collar workers leave the area as soon as they clock out. I almost forgot: The most important aspect is that all of the above (and especially the modernization of all mansions owned by the local "high society wanna bes") be accomplished using taxpayer funds confiscated from the working poor and middle class.
	“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012

angelababy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Resident Joined: Aug 04 2010 Status: Offline Points: 103	Post Options Post Reply Quote angelababy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct 26 2010 at 1:31am
	You are sooo correct. The entire downtown area needs a really good soap and water scrub down.

Voice of Reason Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Resident Joined: Oct 13 2010 Location: Williams Status: Offline Points: 69	Post Options Post Reply Quote Voice of Reason Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct 26 2010 at 9:17pm
	Mike, I think I have asked you this before in other topic discussions, but precisely what measures have been proposed that would re-direct the income of others in MIddletown to the owners of the mansions (I assume you are referring to the South Main houses)? If you have answered this already please direct me to that answer. I find I am in agreement with Mr. Laubach here--MIddletown's downtown doesn't have to strive to be like Boston or Williamsburg, but would it kill us to have a downtown on par with Lebanon or Eaton? This doesn't seem like too much to ask, and in my opinion this would be a worthy goal. I will reiterate that I am opposed to measures that deprive others of property for the sake of others' selected properties, but I simply want to know how/where/when this has been proposed. So we are in agreement on this matter, but as you may have gathered by now I like to strive for supporting facts in any opinion statement.
	"Ask not what your country can do for you..." JFK

viper771 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Resident Joined: Mar 16 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 221	Post Options Post Reply Quote viper771 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct 27 2010 at 1:37am
	I agree with you VOR. It wouldn't hurt to have a decent looking old downtown. I just went to Hamilton for the first time, and that area isn't perfect by any means. But ppl are trying to take care of their houses in 2 historic districts and their downtown is pretty cool. Besides, not all the houses on s main are in great shape. A lot of the South area of Middletown needs some cleaning up, along with some other parts of town.

angelababy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Resident Joined: Aug 04 2010 Status: Offline Points: 103	Post Options Post Reply Quote angelababy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Nov 09 2010 at 10:26pm
	I will reiterate that I am opposed to measures that deprive others of property for the sake of others' selected properties, but I simply want to know how/where/when this has been proposed.