MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — We got our first look at what could replace Middletown's historic Manchester Inn property as council members turn from the idea of salvaging the 103-year-old building toward a proposal aimed at honoring the property's history with new uses.
CMC Properties CEO Jim Cohen told Middletown city councilmembers and residents that their proposed mixed-use property would preserve as much history as possible and pay homage to the property's past use at a town hall meeting on Tuesday.
"This development is not about wiping the slate clean," Cohen said. "This development is about caring for the Manchester's story in a building that actually works for the next 100 years."
In the new proposal, the bottom floor of the new building, bearing a sign reading "The Manchester," would have commercial space on the first floor with housing on the floors above.
Some on the council viewed the demolition of the old hotel and construction of new housing stock and commercial space as key to the city's "Downtown Refresh" plan.
In his final meeting on council, Paul Horn called the construction of a park next to what would be the new Manchester part of "the domino effect," revitalising the downtown area.
"This has to happen for the downtown area to begin its journey into the future," Horn said.
Councilman Paul Lolli backed the project, but warned developers that they needed to stick with the project in the coming years of work it would take to see it to completion.
"I'm all about getting this done," Lolli said.
Other members of the council, led by Vice Mayor Steve West, picked apart the CMC's terms of construction, including a proposed tax abatement, master leases, city-sponsored student loan grants for tenants and leasing incentives for commercial businesses.
But even those who fought the demolition of The Manchester through warnings of a roof collapse and fears that the structure could become a death trap for first responders called the attempt to honor Middletown's history noble.
Middletown Historical Society Director Sam Ashworth said his feelings over the loss of the old building were mixed, given CMC's involvement in redeveloping the property.
"They are tuned into the historical aspect. They like working in downtowns," Ashworth said.
Ashworth said they've been in close contact with the developers and planned to continue that relationship as the city undergoes what Community and Economic Development Director Jacob Shulte called a "due diligence review."
"That's one of the things that's very exciting to me because we do have this community group, and I'm hoping it will grow," Ashworth said.
Shulte said their review of CMC's ability to complete the project would likely take until the end of 2026.
A timeline of construction CMC provided to the City of Middletown indicated construction would be complete in 2028, with evaluation and proposal of a potential phase II of the project in 2029.
