From Dayton to Cincinnati, cities all along the Great Miami River are investing lots of time and money in plans to develop their riverfronts in an effort to attract people and create jobs.

Now, Middletown wants to get in on the act.

Middletown officials say the downtown riverfront is one of the city’s most underutilized assets — something they will start to rectify this coming year. The city’s planning and economic development directors say they would like to incorporate more recreation, housing, and office and commercial uses along the riverfront.

Outside of industrial businesses, the only developments along the Great Miami River in Middletown are the Forest Hills Golf Course, Bicentennial Commons, AK Pavilion and the bike trail, which is about 2 miles shy of connecting to Franklin’s portion.

“I think we want to highlight it as an asset,” said Economic Development Director Denise Hamet. “Make it prominent.”

City Planning Director Marty Kohler said cities never used their riverfronts before because of flooding and health issues. But with improved flood prevention devices and improved sewer systems and water treatment, those worries are practically obsolete, he said.

“Cities are now just discovering their riverfronts as assets,” Kohler said.

The Great Miami River is part of the state’s longest water trail with the Stillwater and Mad rivers. Parks, restaurants, retail, residential areas are being designed to complement the river, said Sarah Hippensteel Hall, Miami Conservancy District’s manager of Watershed Partnerships.

“People are drawn to rivers,” Hall said. “This beautiful river system runs through our cities and it’s just natural for people to take advantage of that for recreation and a economic resources.”

Hall said rivers are a multi-use resource, but while it’s an asset for economic development, “we need to make sure it’s honoring the environmental integrity.”

Middletown’s challenge is the separation of its downtown — which is in the midst of a development renaissance — from the riverfront. That space, which includes brownfields, greenfields and businesses, creates a disconnect from the riverfront and the downtown business district.

The city’s long range plan for a portion of the riverfront includes developing the block of Carmody Boulevard, Second Avenue, Water Street and Central Avenue — which most of it is city-owned — with mixed-use residential and economic development projects that can “promote it to a younger demographic,” said Hamet.

But the big hurdle is funding for the cash-strapped community.

“We’re going to look at all sorts of sources of funding,” said Hamet. “State, federal, regional dollars.”

As the city develops its riverfront, a model Middletown leaders can reference is just to their south in Hamilton.

One big advantage Hamilton has over Middletown is that its downtown and downtown business district is split by the river.

Hamilton senior planner John Creech the city is developing two acres of the six-acre former Mercy Hospital site into the River’s Edge Park and Amphitheater, as well as extending its portion of the Great Miami River bike trail.

Funding assistance for those projects include the Hamilton Community Foundation, Mercy Hospital Foundation, Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission and Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

The city will then work with a developer for a mixed-use residential development on the remaining four acres.

Creech said Middletown can make their plans work so long as they have community buy-in and funding partners.

“You’ve got to develop a vision that everyone is in agreement, and in order to implement it, you have to reach our to those funding partners,” he said.