Manchester Inn Timeline
Nov. 3, 1922: Formal inauguration of the Hotel Manchester was Nov. 3. Named for a village once located at the northeast corner of Middletown, it was built over a three-year period at a cost of $600,000.
1936: The hotel is purchased by Armco Steel through the efforts of George M. Verity.
1960: An automobile entranceway is added to the hotel, prompting a name change to The Manchester Inn. In October, John F. Kennedy, who was campaigning for president, stays at the hotel.
1985: Armco briefly closes the hotel and dining service due to lack of funds. State Sen. Barry Levey buys the hotel from Armco.
1995: A $1.7 million renovation of the guest rooms, corridors, lobby and front desk is completed.
2009: The hotel closes briefly after suffering severe water damage in the ballroom and kitchen from a pipe bursting. $250,000 is spent to repair the damages.
2010: In October, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College publicly announces plans to open a new branch campus in Middletown and use the Manchester as the hub for its culinary arts and hospitality programming. City Council approves plans for the city to acquire the hotel for use by the college. Two years later, when the college opened, officials announced the hotel didn’t fit into their plans.
Jan. 3, 2011: Manchester Enterprises LLC, operated by the Akers family and executors of Perry Thatcher’s estate, announces at 7 a.m. to staff that the hotel is closing. Employees are sent home, the doors are locked and signs are posted announcing the closing.
October 2013: Middletown releases a 14-page Request For Proposals seeking “a qualified developer to acquire and redevlop the hotel for “future productive reuse.”
2014: City Council unaanimously approves the sale of the Manchester Inn to a development group led by William Grau of Illinois. The city was asking $325,000 for the Manchester, but accepted Grau’s $1 offer. Closing of the property is slated for mid-September.
Source: Journal-News archives.
A part of Middletown history was brought to the ground Thursday as the stainless steel awnings and canopies on the former Manchester Inn were dismantled.
Crews from Cohen Recycling worked to take down the awnings and canopy at the former hotel’s auto entrance.
William Grau, a managing member of Manchester Hotel, LLC of Ohio that owns Manchester Inn and associated property, said via email: “The decision was made to remove the canopies to prevent further damage to the hotel and to eliminate a potential safety hazard prior to conveying the property to the developer.”
At the request of the developer, the city performed an inspection of the canopies to assess their condition and damage to the 92-year old hotel, Grau said.
“The city determined there was significant water damage to the hotel caused by the canopies and their condition was poor and requested a structural inspection, assessment and report,” he said. “The structural report determined the canopies were in poor condition structurally and causing ongoing structural damage to the hotel in addition to the ongoing water damage.”
Grau also confirmed that the closing to transfer the property’s ownership is scheduled for next week. He is also a managing member of Snider Building LLC, of Ohio that will own the Snider Building and associated property. Grau said details of both projects will be released after the property closing.
While the city acquired several downtown buildings over the past few years, the Manchester Inn was more than just a building for generations of Middletonians.
Local historian Sam Ashworth said the Manchester, which closed more than three years ago, was where many memories were made for many residents celebrating milestones in their lives, including special family dinners, business lunches, banquets, wedding receptions, high school proms and the annual Charity Ball.
“There were lots of personal experiences at the hotel,” he said. “I think people will get more excited about that building than the others because of that personal connection.”
Ashworth said the hotel was built by some local investors and was eventually acquired by Armco Steel before it was sold to private investors.
Grau has made repairs to the hotel’s leaking roof and treated it for mold. He has said previously that he plans to invest $10 million into the property that includes 78 rooms, 16 suites and a conference center.
The property was last renovated in 1995 with $1.7 million in upgrades to the guest rooms, corridors, lobby and front desk area. In 2009, the Manchester closed briefly after suffering severe water damage in the ballroom and kitchen from a pipe bursting. About $250,000 was spent to repair the damages
Earlier this year, City Council voted unanimously to sell the Manchester Inn to Grau. The city purchased the Manchester for $175,000 after it closed in 2011 and forgave about $150,000 in debt as part of a bundle of downtown properties when it thought Cincinnati State Technical and Community College was going to use the Manchester for its culinary and hospitality programs as part of its Middletown branch campus.
The city was asking $325,000 for the Manchester, but accepted Grau’s $1 offer.
In a related matter, the Middletown Planning Commission Wednesday approved the city’s request to vacate the brick alley between the Manchester and the Sonshine Building.
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