Fifty percent of BeauVerre’s stained glass work is restoration and the other 50 percent is original work, but Jay, 78, has spent much of the last year renovating part of the third floor in the more-than 100-year-old building into a luxury apartment.
“I ended up doing a third of the work by myself, everyday, for the last seven or eight months,” Jay said. “I’m proud of it, but I’m also happy it’s over.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
He said with BeauVerre and second-floor renovations, the third-floor loft space “always got put off.”
Then Heritage Ohio, a statewide historic preservation and downtown revitalization nonprofit, contacted Jay, saying if the couple was interested in renovating the loft, the nonprofit would provide a grant.
“Linda and I talked and decided, ‘Let’s do it,’” Jay said.
The grant was for $100,000, and the total cost of the renovation was $240,000, according to Jay.
Frank Quinn, director of preservation for Heritage Ohio, presented the Moormans with a plaque declaring Jay and Linda “Middletown’s Preservation Heroes” for “exemplary rehabilitation efforts” of the building at a ribbon cutting presented by Downtown Middletown Inc., or DMI, Dec. 17.
Steve Coon, Heritage Ohio trustee, said the nonprofit usually picks one preservation hero a year.
“I can’t think of a better recipient than Jay and Linda,” Coon said.
The 2,400-square-foot, 2-bed and 2.5-bath apartment has its original hardwood floors and 12-foot ceilings. Jay’s stained glass work accents the entrance, study, bathroom and more.
It is on the market for $2,500 a month and has views of Central Avenue, Governor’s Square, Triple Moon Coffee Company and Pendleton Arts Center.
DMI Board Chair Mary Johnson said Jay and Linda have been at “right at the heart” of Middletown’s rejuvenation.
Jacob Schulte, assistant and acting director of the city’s community and economic development department, said the Moormans’ work is a “model” for historic revitalization and renovations in downtown Middletown.
“To have not only upper-floor residential ... but to have luxury apartments in our downtown is huge,” Schulte said.
Coon said he hopes the apartment’s renovation is “just the start” for Middletown.
“If things happen the way they’re supposed to, I’d say in probably four or five years, (Middletown’s) going to be right up with what they’ve done in Hamilton,” he said.
Jay hopes the apartment “spurs” others to see how “incredible” Middletown can be.
“It’s so quiet up here, and the neighborhood is so safe,” he said. “We stay working ‘til midnight and nobody bothers us.”
“There’s a lot of investors that could never envision this, but now, with this done, hopefully they can.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
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