A plan was put into action through legislative moves and working with nonprofits, small businesses and community partners to launch what would be known as Build Back the Block.
“We do have some very ambitious goals,” Bucheit said at the Build Back the Block groundbreaking in early September. “This is just the very beginning of it, but we’re going to talk (at the State of the City) about what that looks like, and how we expand out from Jefferson.”
In early September, what was said in Bucheit’s speech was reality when ground was broken on the first two of what will be a dozen new homes for low- and moderate-income families to be built in the Jefferson neighborhood.
What’s next in this initiative will be addressed on today. The ticketed event to be hosted at the future home of COhatch Hamilton in the former Second National Bank building has been sold out for a week, though it will be available through TV Hamilton and simulcast on the Journal-News Facebook page.
The city started in the Jefferson neighborhood which is seeing a lot of business and organizational investments, including from Meyer Brothers and Sons, JN Linrose, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hamilton, and Garcia’s Market. “All those things are happening here, and this (Build Back the Block initiative) is in support of that.”
Wednesday’s address, delivered by Hamilton’s mayor and city manager, will share the state of the Hamilton, and shed light on the next phase of the Build Back the Block initiative.
The State of the City is a community conversation, providing a transparent look at the projects and big-picture goals Hamilton leaders have for the county’s largest city.
As part of the State of the City, Miami University will address the transformation of its regional campuses into polytechnic centers and Butler Tech talk about the progress of its partnership with Miami University on the Advanced Manufacturing Hub.
The site of the State of the City has played a part in the evening. COhatch’s nearly $9 million investment in renovating the former bank building will be showcased at tonight’s speech, which will feature 39 offices, nine meeting rooms and a lot of coworking space, said COhatch Hamilton Director of Operations Tyler McCleary.
He said around 300 people could work out of the building at capacity, which doesn’t include The Eyrie, which will be a cafe during the day and a cocktail lounge serving small bites and tapas in the evening.
COHatch Hamilton is expected to be open by December or January.
“The amount of people that COhatch will bring to downtown Hamilton on a daily basis will have a huge impact on the downtown small businesses,” McCleary said. “(State of the City) is one of the biggest events of the year, almost like a big Hamilton pep rally. Every time I leave a State of the City, I feel re-energized and ready for Hamilton to take on the next five-plus years.”
State of the City is scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m. today.
WATCH ONLINE
The annual State of the City address will be streamed live on TV Hamilton at facebook.com/tvhamiltonohio and simulcast on the Journal-News Facebook page at facebook.com/journalnews.
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