The Middletown Journal is honoring the people and organizations that have made a positive impact on our community in the past year.
Our 2012 People of Influence series will continue all week.
Monday: Education
Tuesday: Sports
Wednesday: Local government
Today: Business
Friday: Law enforcement
Saturday: Healthcare
Sunday: Nonprofit organizations
Even though it has organized events and has begun facilitating grants and loans for fledgling businesses, the leaders of Downtown Middletown Inc. say their most important achievements of 2012 are hardly noticeable — yet.
“2012 was about laying significant groundwork that will really give us the tools we’ll need to revitalize downtown,” said Mary Ellen Clinnard, DMI executive board member. “On the surface, it’s not exciting stuff. It’s a lot of behind the scenes type of things but it’s important that we create those things so other things can happen.”
DMI was founded in 2011 as a nonprofit organization devoted to the revitalization and promotion of downtown Middletown. At the end of last year, the organization hired Patrick Kay to become its executive director, tasked with guiding the mission and vision of the organization.The group has also taken steps to become a member of the Main Street USA Program — a nationwide preservation organization that assists historic downtowns like Middletown’s in attracting businesses and remaining as vibrant parts of the community while maintaining their unique identities.
Kay said that the organization has put together three major financial incentives to assist with downtown revitalization and attracting businesses. First, DTI is in the process of having downtown Middletown designated as a historic district, which would allow people purchasing buildings in the area to become eligible for federal and state tax credits on their buildings.
Secondly, DTI worked with the city of Middletown to create a facade grant program to assist businesses in restoring the exteriors of their buildings.
“If someone owns a business or commercial building in downtown, they know there’s funding support for funding improvements to help with signage and appearance,” explained DMI board chair Mike Robinette. “Those are things you don’t always have money right away as a small business owner. We’re hoping with these programs to accelerate that kind of investment.”
Finally, and perhaps most noticeably, DTI partnered with First Financial Bank to begin offering $100,00 in micro loans to current or potential downtown businesses. Sally Hollon, owner of the newly reopened Liberty Restaurant was the first to receive a $10,000 loan through the program.
“We act as sort of the gatekeepers for special loans,” Kay said. “With Liberty Restaurant, I don’t think they could have picked a better business to begin with. It’s managed to bring back a well loved business that people in Middletown sorely missed.”
Kay said that he believes restaurants are the anchors businesses that will make significant impact in revitalizing downtown. Seven restaurants have opened or are planning to open in downtown by this spring, he noted.
“I think that by the spring of 2013, we’re going to be looking at a whole new downtown,” Kay said. “There’s going to be a different place to eat every day of the week and when you have that, other businesses will begin to filter in.”
DTI also began hosting more programs in downtown as a way to bring both residents and outsiders to the neighborhood. Foremost among these was the monthly First Friday. The organization is putting together a business directory for downtown and has started celebrating business openings with ribbon cuttings.
Board members said that DMI’s comprehensive plan for downtown and the structure imposed upon it by working with the Main Street USA have helped the program be more efficient and effective than other attempts at revitalizing Middletown’s downtown in the past.
“We have four separate components that are working on different aspects simultaneously,” Robinette said. “We’re not going at it piecemeal. We’re really putting together a strong plan for the future.”
“Our vision is to create a vibrant area for people to live, work, and experience entertainment and arts culture,” Robinette said. “We’re not really looking to provide one element; we’re looking for housing opportunities; opportunities to bring employment to downtown; using art and culture and the development of Cincinnati State to build on that.”
All the members of DMI agree that the opening of Cincinnati State in fall 2012 has provided a spark to reignite downtown Middletown’s vibrancy.
“Cincinnati State is a tipping point,” board member Richard Isroff. “It gives credence to all the efforts we’ve made. I believe we’ll be able to bring multiple disciplines down and be able to use more and more facilities. More people will lead to more restaurants, and lead to other ancillary business people will want to use because they are downtown already.”
“There’s always going to be roadblocks,” Robinette said. “I think there’s a perception that’s not reality and that’s that Middletown’s downtown is dead, there’s nothing going on, nor any opportunity for investment or business. I think we’ve made a lot of good progress in changing that perception and we’ll see an acceleration of what’s already been happening.”
“A city is judged by its downtown,” said Isroff. “When you think of Chicago you think of the Loop; when you hear Pittsburgh, you don’t think of Monroeville, you think of the Golden Triangle. It’s important for a city’s image to have a vibrant downtown.”
“In terms of what we’ve done this year, a lot of committed people who love Middletown have come together to start a solid organization with a solid presence in the city,” Kay said.
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