preservationrestoration

LOL Nope May 2005. Wasn't even born in May 1974. What would make you think 1974?

Oakland Presbyterian Church in Middletown was converted into apartments. Built in 1893, it's style is both Queen Anne and Gothic. The building is constructed of light brown brick. There is also an octangonal bell tower also (bell has since been relocated). The church isn't located in the best area of town in the Oakland area near the old high school (now Vail Middle School). It has been a while since I've been in that area, so I cannot speak of its current condition. Here is a picture of the building from the county auditor's web site (sorry about the quality). <img src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y265/mdb751/Q6541002000098-1.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com"> One of the best reuses of a church I've seen was in Altanta where someone turned an old church into one of the city's top restaurants The Abbey...complete with a restored pipe organ. Its a very cool place A little off topic, but a local resident purchased a historic Italianate-Romaneque firehouse on Crawford St. built in 1987 for $5,000 and turned it into two upscale apartments. It is a 2 1/2-story building. A pic is below follows: <img src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y265/mdb751/Q6541003000121-1.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

Here is a recent one of me from May....I think my eyes are closed. <img src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y265/mdb751/marcvegas.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

Both my grandmothers and my grandfather were notorious for saying Cincinnatah rather than Cincinnatee. Is this more of a regional thing or a generational thing because I usually only heard old people say it.

Okay, so I'm guilty of using haveta. :-P The one thing I hear a lot of in Ohio is the word "warsh" as in I'm going to "warsh" some dishes/clothes or I'm going to Warshington, D.C. for a vacation. Both my parents do this and I always remind them that their is no "r" in wash. The only time I hear this is in Ohio. Drives me insane. I don't live in Ohio now, but I remember the first time I used the word sweeper in reference to a vaccum where I live now. Everyone looked at me kind of strange when I said I was going to run the sweeper (which in their minds is a broom).

Weird? Not exactly. Maybe just a litte too modern for some people. But here are a few houses in Middletown of various ages and sizes that I have always thought were odd looking. This first house is a 2006 sqft ranch built in 1959 (from the brown and orange, you'd think the 1970s) and is located on Shadow Hill Rd. This second house is a 6700 sqft ranch built in 1966 and is located on Curryer Rd. While odd looking, this is one example of modern that I don't mind. I've actually seen pics of the inside of this house when it was on the market about a year ago. Lots of use of natural materials both inside and out. And finally, this 2470 sqft two story contemporary built in 1972 is on Riverview Ave. Never understood the two story part in the middle.

I finally got the demo to download. It seems likely an interesting, yet confusing concept. I hate to admit it, but *gulp*, the infamous Michigan-left concept makes more sense :|

from DDN. You can also demo the intersection at their website (very slow to load though) ODOT considers new intersection Engineers tout continuous flow design for Austin, 741 By Joanne Huist Smith Dayton Daily News DAYTON | Imagine a busy intersection where cars making left turns and oncoming through traffic move at the same time, without the need to yield. "It's perfectly logical once you see it work," said Steve Stanley, executive director of the Montgomery County Transportation Improvement District. "It will move cars through the intersection faster." The Ohio Department of Transportation is considering this rarely used design called a continuous flow intersection for improvements at Austin Pike and Ohio 741, he said.

Well I finally have some pics to post. Sorry about the quality but the weather this weekend didn't cooperate with me :-( Anyway, as you can see, they haven't made much progress on the exterior other than the brick work at the street level and some stucco patching at the upper level. Those horrible green windows are from the mall removal project. I did get a peak inside by looking through the windows and I must say...Wow. They have a long way to go, but this is really going to be a cool place.

Ohio's "big" cities aren't the only ones with impressive towers from the late 20s and 30s. This building is in downtown Middletown. Previously known as the Middletown Federal Savings Bank building, it is today 5/3 with Rogers Jewelers operating their store on the ground floor. The only art-deco style building in Middletown, it has been very well maintained (wish I could say that about other buildings downtown). From urbanohio.com

Middletown is an interesting city because of the way it is laid out and the fact that it went through major urban redevelopment in the 1970s, which included clearance and new roads. While it does have a "Main Street" the main street in downtown Middletown is really Central Avenue, but this road is very narrow. I, too, would consider it mostly a intersection city. The corner of Main and Central was certainly the center of the financial district with First National Bank, Barntiz Bank (Bank One now) and Middletown Federal Savings Bank (5/3 now) and the Merchants National Bank wich merged wtih First National. Today, this corner is home to four of the larger commerical buildings downtown, but only financial institution to remain at this corner is 5/3. You have the former classic Bank One Building. The towering Art Deco 5/3 Building. The modern Cingergy Building and the MidCommons Building. However, there is really nothing (other than the river) west of Main Street. The city grew east of Main. Another key intersection in Middletown was Central and Broad(way). This was just east of the Central and Main intersection and was the key commercial area for the city. Most would agree the city's district pretty much grew around these two streets. Because Middletown is not the county seat of Butler County, there is no courthouse located in the city and thus, no town square developed around it. However, in the 1970s a new city building and public plaza were built. Along the plaza, you find the Middletown Senior's, Middletown Fine Arts Center, Middletown Women's Center, the Post Office, United Way and the Manchester Inn and Conferenec Center. But of course, since this complex was completed in the 1970s, the town hardly grew around it. Another interesting aspect about Middletown's downtown is that up until the 1930's, the Miami Erie Canal ran right through the center of downtown until it was covered to become modern-day Verity Parkway. Port Middletown was located where the canal intersected Central Ave (then Third Street). This public landing was of course a major social center during the canal heydays. A new park/public square called Port Middletown Park was dedicated this summer.

I'll post pics as the project progresses. I understand that they are getting ready to do exterior work and hope to open by December. Middletown OKs deal to help firm move downtown By Jennifer Edwards The Cincinnati Enquirer MIDDLETOWN - A stained glass company renovating and moving into the old G.C. Murphy Building at Broad Street and Central Avenue could be the spark to ignite redevelopment downtown.