COMING MONDAY
The redevelopment of the former Fifth Third tower is one of many development activities happening in downtown Middletown. In Monday’s Middletown Journal, reporter Michael D. Pitman brings you an in-depth report about development of the city’s core and what that means for Middletown’s future.
LOOKING FOR HISTORY
Board members of Grassroots Ohio LLC are looking for historical artifacts and stories of the former Fifth Third tower that opened in 1930 as the Middletown Building and Deposit Association.
The group is interested in pictures of the building’s interior, possible decor that once hung in the building, or stories that can explain some of its mysteries — like why there are owls around the bank lobby and in the South Main Street entrance.
Contact Grassroots Ohio via its website at www.grassrootsoh.org.
One of the tallest buildings in downtown Middletown may be back into productive use in 18 months after an investment of about $2.5 million.
The former Fifth Third tower, which opened in 1930 as the Middletown Building and Deposit Association, was purchased by Grassroots Ohio in July from Fifth Third Bank for an undisclosed amount. For weeks, crews have been stripping down the one-time bank lobby that had been converted into a retail location for Rogers Jewelers.
The one-time grand entrance to the former bank lobby, which reaches three-and-a-half stories high, is covered with dirt and drywall dust and has a pile of metal duct work laying in the center. But Mike Robinette, a principle with Grassroots Ohio, said the plans are to return the lobby and the building’s subsequent six floors to their historic beauty.
“Certain elements of the property have to be maintained,” said Robinette, which he said includes the exterior of the building, the bank lobby, the South Main Street entrance for the apartments, and the corridors that lead to one-time office suites.
The Middletown Journal took an exclusive tour of the tower, also known as Goetz tower.
Robinette said his group has been working for more than a year to secure the building, which proved to be challenging. Fifth Third operates next to the tower and had shared access points and common utilities. Walls had to be erected and utilities had to be split.
It will be another six months before construction begins, Robinette said, because they’ll be seeking state and federal historic tax credits, which can help with upwards of 45 percent of the project’s cost. Grassroots Ohio cannot, however, apply for the credits until the spring. And construction cannot begin until the group has received the tax credits.
But Robinette said there is plenty of work to be done until then, including gutting the building, completing design drawings and performing a market rate study for the apartments. The study, he said, will involve Cincinnati State Middletown officials and students.
“We want to sit down with Cincinnati State and talk with them and some students about the kind of housing that there might be a market for from that stand point,” Robinette said. “We want to design it around what we think the market is rather than design it and hope the market fits it.”
City leaders have been supportive of the project, saying it adds to the revitalization efforts of downtown Middletown, which has struggled in past attempts to breathe new life into the city’s western core.
“This is a great project for Middletown and continues the redevelopment of our downtown,” Mayor Larry Mulligan said. “Residential units help with the economic development activity and help bring additional life to downtown. We expected additional investment to occur following the efforts of the city and other early investors. This project is one additional step.”
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