Downtown Grants

Journal story...

Arts figure heavily in grants to improve downtown buildings

MIDDLETOWN —
More than half of the $50,000 in facade grants distributed throughout Middletown this year have gone to local arts groups, signifying the importance of the arts in revitalizing the city’s downtown, various arts organizers said.

The arts groups — the Pendleton Art Center, the Middletown Art Center, Sorg Opera House and the Art Central Foundation — received a total of $33,880 from the Downtown Middletown Facade Grant Program, designed to support projects that improve the exteriors of the buildings.

Moreover, the arts organizations received the largest individual grants, with both Pendleton and the Art Central Foundation receiving more than $12,000 each for their efforts

YA KNOW, IF THE PEOPLE RUNNING THIS CITY WOULD PUT AS MUCH EFFORT INTO REVITALIZING THE WHOLE CITY AS THEY DO JUST THEIR PRECIOUS DOWNTOWN AREA, THE CITY WOULD BENEFIT MORE FROM IT. IT IS AMAZING TO SIT AND WATCH AS THESE TUNNEL VISION PEOPLE PLACE ALL OF THE EMPHASIS ON ONE SMALL AREA OF TOWN WHILE THE OTHER 90% IS NEGLECTED AND LEFT TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES. I DON'T SEE ANY HELP LIKE THIS OFFERED TO BUSINESS OWNERS IN OTHER PARTS OF TOWN. TUNNEL VISION PEOPLE RUNNING A SINGULAR FACETED ARTZY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THAT IS WANTED BY 5% OF THE PEOPLE. NOT TOO SMART AND CERTAINLY EXCLUSIONARY TO MOST CITIZENS. NOT ONE CITY LEADER HAS COME FORTH TO ASK WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS THEIR DOWNTOWN TO BE. NO CITY LEADER SEEMS TO CARE WHAT 90% OF THE PEOPLE WANT. AND TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, THEY ARE USING OUR MONEY, WITHOUT ANY VOICE IN THE MATTER, TO DISTRIBUTE TO BUSINESSES THAT WE HAVE NO DESIRE TO PATRONIZE.

I LIKE THIS FROM SUE WITTMAN........

“It’s great that more of the arts organizations downtown got these grants, with Middletown trying to revitalize itself as an arts community

NOT A CLUE AS TO HAVING A FEEL FOR THE PULSE OF THE COMMUNITY. TYPICAL DOWNTOWN PERSON WITH BLINDERS ON. LIKE ALL DOWNTOWN DREAMERS, DOESN'T HAVE A DESIRE TO ACCOMODATE THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE......JUST WANT WHAT THEY WANT AND TO HELL WITH EVERYONE ELSE. MERCY, THIS IS GETTING OLD.

A lot of nonprofits just don’t have the money they can put into beautifying the buildings,” Wittman said, noting that most of their funds go toward programming.

AND THAT'S A PERFECT REASON WHY THE CITY SHOULDN'T BE SATURATED WITH NON-PROFITS WITTMAN. NON-PROFITS ASK FOR TOO MANY HANDOUTS. TURN THE PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT OVER TO PRIVATE FOR-PROFIT BUSINESSES WHO WOULD BE SELF-SUSTAINING AND ELIMINATE ALL THE HANDOUTS OF OUR MONEY.

“The community packaging the arts centers is actually fulfilling needs. By focusing in on the arts in a four- or five-block area, you have a marriage of the old historical buildings and making them bright and colorful. Our building has a contemporary, straight-edged look,” Belisle said.

Even so, the revitalization helps build awareness of the arts organizations downtown. There are so many arts organizations now that sometimes the Middletown Arts Center, the oldest organization in the bunch, sometimes gets lost in the shuffle.

“There are still people who do not know we’re here, and we’ve been here since 1956. We’re at the root of the arts in this community,” she said.

AND EXACTLY WHAT IS ALL OF THIS "ARTS CRAP" SUPPOSE TO DO TO STIMULATE THE JOB MARKET HERE IN TOWN? PATHETIC PAY/LITTLE OPPORTUNITY. VERY LITTLE MONETARY IMPACT AS TO SPENDING AND MONEY FLOW HERE EITHER. FOR THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT AND IMPORTANCE THE CITY IS PLACING ON THIS THEME, IT WILL YIELD VERY FEW REWARDS FOR MIDDLETOWN AS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. HOW CAN IT WHEN IT ONLY ATTRACTS 5% OF THE PEOPLE? THIS IS NOT WHAT MIDDLETOWN NEEDS RIGHT NOW. TOTALLY MISFOCUSED......AGAIN. JMO

Don't get me wrong the Art's has a place in all civilizations, however, they are usually a small part. The Art's has not been a catalyst to create jobs. Lower Taxes, Less Government Bureaucracy, and Well Maintain infrastructure create and attract jobs. All the Art's do is act as a way to help retain high end jobs. But given the majority of Middletown are Blue Collar workers, that would rather watch a sporting event, than go see an art exhibit, means that the city council  and the mayor are living in a fantasy world where they think that Downtown will heal all of Middletown.

Unfortunately they are sadly mistaken. If Middletown City Government is Serious about changing it's image, and growing itself. They have to start on the East End and work toward Downtown. Starting with making the area around I-75 pleasant to look at by getting rid of all the bill boards, beautifying the ramps by I-75, building Sidewalks and curbs along Ohio 122 & Towne Blvd., and replacing the street lamps with newer decorative ones like they have in Springboro.

Once you start to make the entrance to the city appealing you need to start working on improving the neighborhoods and subdivisions. Once people start to see that the city is actually doing something to improve streets, curbs, sidewalks, and strictly enforcing the city ordinances about grass, and junk vehicles. People might actually start to improve their own yards and houses to make there neighborhoods a nice place to live in. Then people from outside of Middletown will take notice and slowly begin to move into these neighborhoods once again, and the houses that are empty, might start attracting flippers to improve them for sale.

And the idea is you start doing that one neighborhood at a time, when you finally arrive at Downtown Middletown. I am willing to bet by that time, downtown Middletown would be growing on its own without any need of assistance from the city, just because of the people living there would want to also do business there.

There is no reason why Middletown has to put up with the image of "Middletucky" it has in the Dayton Cincinnati Area. There is no reason why Middletown can't reinvent itself to become the Springboro or Mason of the Area. It has a great location for families to go to work, and all the conveniences to shop and eat from. We the Citizens of Middletown need to start kicking out these clowns on council and start putting in people that actually want to improve all of Middletown not just Downtown, and appeases the arts community.

ktf1179 wrote: I know it is my pipe dream for the city, what's yours?

The city leader vision for the city is inverted. Currently, the focus is on improving downtown, an area of town that has seen little activity for the last three decades. The decline of downtown started in 1958 when the Middletown Shopping Center and I-75 were built. Breile Blvd and the associated businesses that cropped up along that area is still the place to be within Middletown proper. Further expansion of the east side needs to happen both west and east of the freeway. That is where the traffic is. That is where the best business opportunities present themselves. Midd. Shop. Ctr and I-75 started the growth direction away from the west and south sides and placed the growth emphasis toward the east. To revive a long dead area of town known as downtown first, before completely developing the east side on both sides of the freeway is incorrect. There is more activity on the east side than the west or south sides and along their precious S. Main St. area. Downtown comes last to develop, not first. Contrary to popular city leader opinion, the downtown is afterthought backseat fluff when compared to the importance of the east end.

City involvement and obsession with the downtown development, at this time, is a waste of money and time. The right time to pay attention to the downtown is when ALL OTHER AREAS of town, particularly the east side, have been completely developed. Like college courses, the downtown is an elective when all other core courses have been fulfilled. Instead, they are treating it like it's the only subject offered on the curriculum. Pure nonsense.

Growing the city? Jobs, jobs and more jobs....and not the service industry either. Don't need more "cleaning, clerk or maid service" paying jobs. No pay, no bennies, no hope for people who have those jobs. Government jobs, corporate jobs, technical jobs and skilled trade jobs like auto mechanics, (not the "backyard mechanic" types either) and robotics programming. Decent jobs that will bring people to town, perhaps decide to locate in town, closer to the job.....buy a house, shop the stores, spend the money....keep it flowing. Stimulation-economically with purchasing- cars, appliances, furniture, groceries, entertainment..... money flow. The town grows, investors see it and decide to locate their business here.....no need for the city to get involved. Just supply the basic roads/infrastructure/safety requirements for the people and STAY OUT OF THE WAY and let it happen. BUT NO, not these people. Got to have their nose in everything and everybody's business.....and they're not very good at what they're doing. Poor government from the city manager on down, including city council.

With so many important issues to address for the health of this town and they insist on concentrating on the downtown with their little arts theme? You're kidding.

unfortunately admins have mucked it up down there for over 40 years

Bill wrote: You better wear a helmet when talking to the art zealots and suggesting that their vision won't work.  Those artsy types not only love their art but they love for YOU to pay for it through taxes, grants, etc.   Art types have a thought process that does not involve mundane things like finance, supply/demand, or business sense.  Those type of topics are boring and not exciting or creative.   What they will tell you is a lot of fluff about how a well-rounded community needs the arts, yada yada.  In other words -- I have a hobby, I want you to pay for my hobby.

It is truely amazing to know the city leaders listen to this small group of self appointed, "special" people. It is also amazing to watch as the city leaders give these people virtually anything they desire. Why, when what they do means so little to the city as to jobs, pay, interest and opportunity for the masses. Incredible thinking trying to turn a blue collar former manufacturing town into an "arts mecca" for the Midwest. Why would anyone think this is doable, much less sustainable? Wrong climate, wrong class of people in the majority and a piece of the puzzle that will never fit into the overall personality of this city.

Do I really need a helmet? Are they capable of inflicting any pain? (other than to witness how they think)

I too have several hobbies that I would want them to pay for. Turn about is fair play, right? They can all pool their money and add to my record album collection, assembled since the 50's. Got another hobby.....sports cars. Perhaps they can foot the bill for a Ferrari, an original Shelby Cobra (no kit car please) or Lamborghini for the old Vet household. Whatcha say artzy people? I help fund your little arts infatuation and you help old Vet with a car or two.

vet you might stand a better chance of just getting a few painted up cool looking hoods scattered on your lawn and hanging from your trees with purdy lights shinning on-em 

but bill---didn't Mr.A have the entire city limits declared a poverty zone(54%) so that money could specifically be used on the east end--particularly Towne Mall?

Practically every project on the east side received some find of taxpayer support through city paid infrastructure improvements, tax abatement, or tax deferral.

Lets face facts and analyze Middletown's historic, indeed mammoth failures on facts.

Lets start with the city leadership's nonsensical focus upon downtown as a destination or hub for new residents and individuals coming for a visit. They chose this strategy for one reason---because the Moorman's happened to have a business in town and moved it downtown, then by gosh, Middletown is going to be a hub of art! Guess what? That is wrong for many reasons. Firstly, there is extremely nice art meccas from Cincinnati to Dayton, nothing uniqie in Middletown. Same with music, education. Its called market parity peple.

Next, art doesn't compensate for high taxes, dismal street/ infrastructure, concern many would have associated with breathing AK Steel output, school system reputation, crime, poverty. So...calling Middletown an art destination is negated on what hypothetical benefit (which is in parity with countless areas offering competition of same venue), with 10 negatives that outweigh the perceived benefit. So, at end of day, its a negative, + 1 doesn't absorb 10 net -, its that easy to review and visualize results.

Besides bargain, fire sale prices for houses, what is the allure for people moving in? There is none. Regardless of what I pay for at a fire sale, what good does it so to buy low and sell...even lower? That is why nothing is moving in real esate.

In sum, Middletown is and will never be a destination city. Two, regardless of low prices, Middletown will never attract new residents that the net + influx is > than - outflux. Why? For one + benefit, there are 15 net- negatives.

That is the reason this dumping money down the drain, the downtown "Money Pit" is doomed.

Middletown will never come back. It will never be an art center based upon one entity doing it, ergo, The Moorman's BV, Stained, et al. Just like the Atrium will NEVER be a biomedical center and catalyst.

The Fat Lady sang...35 years ago folks. Sorry about the misfortune, but---its reality time.

Perhaps Old Historic Guy also does asphalt? Maybe his rate for street restoration is cheaper per mile, than the city's estimate.

Someone please...turn the lights out. Middletown is Detroit. The old lack of visonaries just can't see it. Objective minds did and can.               

Doug McNeil and the Atrium (Premiere), got $5.5 Mm from street infrastructure funds; the city got a hospital that was in Middleton, to be moved to a site its partially in Middletown (for tax considerations). I guess one could argue if you need open heart surgery, you benefited from saving 20 minutes in driving.

As for downtown, the catalysts for that is Doug Beam, Mulligan(s), Kohler, others living on Main, taking city money, to prop up their property valuation. its that simple.

not rocket science here; about as obvious as a man wearing a blue print suit and tie in a nudist colony). Heck, Forest Gump figured this one out.   

  

Speaking of downtown, is there "trouble in paradise"?.....Journal story

Middfest wants to move to MUM campus

MIDDLETOWN —
When Middfest returns this October, it will not be on Donham Plaza for the first time in its history.

After 32 years of introducing the city to the nations of the world in and around Middletown’s City Building, Middfest plans to move the bulk of its activities to Miami University Middletown for a multi-country retrospective, said the organization’s executive director, Virgina Ritan

“I didn’t particularly want to move out of downtown, but circumstances happen. Maybe we’ll be back; who knows?” Ritan said.

CIRCUMSTANCES HAPPEN? DETAILS?

The change was necessitated in large part by new arrangements at the City Building. Middfest and other offices moved out of the City Building to make room for Middletown City Schools offices. That made holding a festival on Donham Plaza impractical.

“We decided we simply couldn’t plan anything that complicated not knowing where we going to be,” Ritan said. “So we began to talk to Miami, and they welcomed us.”

Downtown supporters were disappointed but understanding about Middfest’s relocation. Adriane Scherrer, the director of the We Can Business Incubator, which is temporarily housing Middfest’s offices, said Donham Plaza is in poor condition.

“If the Broad Street Bash grew to a point where we needed more open space to have it, with the condition the plaza is in right now, I wouldn’t move the Bash down there. It doesn’t reflect well on our community,” Scherrer said. “They’re not planting anything, and they haven’t been able to keep up with the deterioration of the bricks on the plaza.”

"DOESN'T REFLECT WELL ON OUR COMMUNITY"- HMMM "NOT PLANTING ANYTHING", "NOT KEEPING UP WITH THE DETERIORATION".....BUT, BUT, THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND MONEY FOR OTHER THINGS DOWN THERE LIKE BUYING BUILDINGS, THEN GIVING THEM AWAY AND FACADE IMPROVEMENTS AND PAC AWNINGS.

WHAT? DONHAM PLAZA, RIGHT OUTSIDE GILLELAND'S WINDOW IS DETERIORATING? HOW CAN THIS BE? DID THEY CONCENTRATE SO MUCH ON CINCY STATE AND THE PAC THAT THEY FORGOT OLD DONHAM PLAZA AND THE AESTHETIC APPEAL OF THE CITY BUILDING? SAY IT AIN'T SO! OLD JEFF WHAT'S HIS NAME IS A LANDSCAPER AND WORKS OUT OF THE CITY BUILDING RIGHT?. WHY HASN'T JEFF ? TAKEN UP THE CARE OF DONHAM THROUGH THE BEAUTIFY MIDDLETOWN PROGRAM (OR WHATEVER IT"S CALLED)

Linda Moorman, who co-owns BeauVerre studios, said, “Middfest International will be missed downtown this fall. We feel that the partnership with Miami University is such a good fit for the festival and will breathe new life and direction into the event.

“Middfest, to us, is a walking museum that comes to Middletown once a year and lets us all learn about our neighbors in other countries,” she said. “We support this change and wish them good weather.”

DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THE DOWNTOWN FOLKS ARE TOO TORN UP ABOUT MIDFEST LEAVING. KINDA NONCHALANT ABOUT IT AREN'T THEY? A NICE POLITE SENDOFF FROM ONE OF THE DOWNTOWN GURUS. DID MIDFEST NOT FIT INTO THE DOWNTOWN PLANS SO THEY REDUCED THE FUNDING, KICKED THEM OUT OF THE CITY BUILDING AND KINDA "NUDGED" THEM OUT? MIDFEST FITS INTO THE "ARTS AND CULTURE" THEME DOESN'T IT? DUNNO.

Journal- Sept 5th.......

Pendleton ready to display renovations

MIDDLETOWN —
This week’s First Friday will give the Pendleton Art Center the opportunity to show off extensive renovations on the second floor.

That floor now contains two ballroom spaces that can be rented for public events like weddings, reunions and community meetings. The existing space holds about 350 people while the new, smaller space can hold 100, said Suzanne Sizer, the spokeswoman for the facility.

The upstairs renovations were completed with the help of a facade grant from the city that allowed newly installed windows to let more light onto the second floor. Pendleton received $12,500 for the windows, to pressure-wash the exterior, paint the north side, paint signage, install new awnings, and replace a window in the front. The north side of Pendleton became visible from Verity Parkway after the Swallens building was torn down. That side of the building was painted purple, the color of the Middies.

YESSIR, PRESSURE WASHING THE EXTERIOR, PAINTING IT PURPLE, THE "COLOR OF THE MIDDIES", NEW AWNINGS AND SPIFFY WINDOWS TO ALLOW MORE LIGHT IN THAT SECOND FLOOR (FOR AMBIANCE OF COURSE) CERTAINLY TRUMPS ANY FOCUS ON THE LOUSY STREETS, CRUMBLING SEWERS, INCREASED CRIME, OVERWHELMING DRUG ACTIVITY IN TOWN, LOSS OF BUSINESS, GENERAL DECAY OF THE REST OF THE CITY AND EMPTY LOTS WITH NO REPLACEMENT FROM THE BUILDING DEMOLISHING FRENZY THAT IS OCCURING. GOTTA KEEP THE 50 ARTISTS IN TOWN HAPPY AT THE EXPENSE OF THE OTHER 48,000 PEOPLE WHO NEED THE BASICS UPGRADED.

“We’re going to start doing art exhibits here,” Sizer said of the new space. “This smaller room is really going to be nice for smaller meetings and can be used a lot more than a hall.” She suggested it would be good for local groups like Kiwanis and Rotary.

IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE DOWNTOWN FOLKS ARE TOTALLY OBLIVIOUS TO THE MAJORITY OF THE CITY'S INTEREST. TUNNEL VISION AT IT'S BEST FROM THESE ARTS PEOPLE. SELFISH, EXCLUSIONARY ATTITUDES.....AND WE ARE FORCED TO CATER TO THIS?

The larger hall hosts about six to eight events per year, examples including the Art Central Foundation’s Mardis Gras party

NO DOUBT, WITH THIS AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY, THE TAXPAYER CERTAINLY DID GET THEIR MONEY'S WORTH IN FOOTING THE BILL.

“I just appreciate the work the Pendleton has put into trying to get this place turned around. I think it’s a good fit for us. We tend to move along in the upper-scale event you don’t see everywhere,” said Spicer. Her business has catered such well-known events as the annual Charity Ball that benefits Atrium Medical Center

THANK THE PEOPLE WHO INVOLUNTARILY PAID FOR ALL OF THIS MS. SPICER.