Members of the Historic Commission said Middletown has demolished too many historic buildings and the Manchester Inn should be saved and remodeled into a hotel, market rate apartments or a brewery.
City Manager Jim Palenick has said it “doesn’t make a lot of sense” to renovate the downtown building due to the “massive” costs. He said on Tuesday a company has contacted the city about possibly demolishing the Manchester and building another structure. Those plans are very preliminary, he said.
Repurposing the property would cost double the amount of tearing it down and constructing a new, more modern building, according to Palenick.
Ben Yoder, the city’s law director, said it’s the city council’s responsibility to prove to the Historic Commission that remodeling the Manchester that has been vacant for years and a frequent target of vandalism is “not economically feasible” and it can’t be salvaged.
The city may apply for grants to cover the cost of the study, officials said.
“I don’t want to rush into a forever decision,” said council member Tal Moon.
Jeremy Loukinas, a member of the Historic Commission, said Middletown should follow the leads of Hamilton, Dayton and Cincinnati and preserve historic buildings and turn them into viable businesses. He said there should be “a way to put something” in the Manchester.
“We keep tearing down the past,” he said.
If the Manchester was converted into a brewery, Loukinas said it could become “a destination spot” in the region.
“We want to see something done,” council member Zack Ferrell said.
Chris Xeil Lyons, the city’s economic development director, said city leaders will meet with any potential developer. But she’s concerned about the safety of the Middletown, what she called “not a healthy building.”
Palenick said anyone interested in touring the inside of the building must wear a respirator and sign a waiver.
The Manchester Inn, which opened in 1922, had 91 rooms and suites, a restaurant, bar and ballroom. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.
Last year, a bench trial was scheduled to begin in Butler County Common Pleas Court to determine the ownership of the two buildings in downtown Middletown. But that trial never happened and in May 2021, the city settled with William Grau, the owner and developer of the Manchester and Snider Ford/Sonshine Building, and his attorneys, according to Susan Cohen, assistant city manager.
The city paid $161,824.60 to Grau and his attorneys, according to city documents.
Grau bought the Manchester and Snider Building from the city for $1 each in 2014 with the intent of renovating the properties into a hotel and brewery/distillery and restaurant. The development agreement called for the project to be completed within two years, by late 2016.
The project was estimated to cost nearly $40.3 million, according to Ohio Development Services Agency information. But Grau never secured the necessary funds and the properties continued to deteriorate, according to Palenick. He said the payment ended the litigation and attorney fees and gave the city full titles to the properties.
About the Author
