Posted October 18, 200519 yr From the 10/14/05 Mt. Vernon News: ODOT, county discuss grants for walking trail By NICK WORNER and BETH DURBIN News Staff Reporters MOUNT VERNON — Representatives of the Ohio Department of Transportation met with the Knox County Commissioners on Thursday to discuss the $222,960 in federal transportation enhancement funds recently granted to the county to improve the 18 existing bridges along the Heart of Ohio Trail. http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/101405/03.html
December 30, 200519 yr Tax break approved for Owens Corning Knox County officials hope to encourage reopening of plant Friday, December 30, 2005 Mary Beth Lane THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Knox County economic-development boosters hope that a tax incentive is the sweetener needed to persuade Owens Corning to reopen a plant that closed in 2002. Knox County commissioners yesterday approved a 15-year, full property-tax abatement. The vote follows approval of the deal Tuesday by the Mount Vernon City Council. A tax break would allow the idled 85,000-square-foot plant at the Mount Vernon Industrial Park to resume operations and hire at least 30 workers within the next three years to manufacture blown-in insulation. Full article at http://dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2005/12/30/20051230-G1-03.html
January 5, 200619 yr Owens Corning to reopen factory Thursday, January 5, 2006 Paul Wilson THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Record home-heating bills this winter might not be all bad. Rising demand for home insulation -- and the lure of Knox County tax incentives -- prompted Owens Corning to reopen its idled Mount Vernon insulation operation that closed three years ago, the company said yesterday. "The plant is an existing facility, and it certainly allows us to have speed to market to meet the need of our customers as demand continues to be particularly strong in the face of high energy costs,'' said Kerry Desberg, Owens Corning spokeswoman. Thirty people are expected to work at the plant, making 60 million pounds of blown-in insulation each year. Production is set to begin in the second half of 2006. Full article at http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/01/05/3223114.html
May 24, 200619 yr From the 5/24/06 Mount Vernon News: Work remains on historic building By Dylan McCament, News Staff Writer 07:43 AM, Wednesday, May 24, 2006 MOUNT VERNON — Much work and fund-raising remains to be done before the Woodward Opera House can be fully rehabilitated and opened, said Pat Crow, director of the Knox County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. But, once completed, it will be the artistic and historic epicenter of the city. http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/06/05/24/woodward.work.html
December 11, 200618 yr From the 12/8/06 Mount Vernon News: Controversy over apartments continues By Dylan McCament, News Staff Writer Friday, December 08, 2006 GAMBIER — Gambier’s Village Council discussed the future of an apartment complex on Wiggin Street at its meeting on Monday. The apartments have often been the target of criticisms by those who claim they are in a constant state of disrepair. Mayor Kirk Emmert reported that a public hearing was held Nov. 21 to solicit comments on a proposal to develop a new housing complex on the property and an adjacent property. The owner of the current apartment complex is Robert Rauzi; the owner of the adjacent property is Mark Ramser. Together the properties encompass 4.25 acres. The mayor said the plan for the development was criticized for having too many condo units for the size of the site, and for not being sufficiently creative or attentive to the character of Gambier. He said Ramser and Rauzi later withdrew their participation from the development’s application. Read more at http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/06/12/05/gambier.html
February 3, 200718 yr RPC recommends sketch plan for development in Pleasant Twp. Mount Vernon News, 3/17/06 The Knox County Regional Planning Commission approved a sketch plan for a proposed major subdivision in Pleasant Township.
February 26, 200718 yr From the 2/8/07 Mount Vernon News: Yauger Road development still a concern for township By Dylan McCament, News Staff Reporter Friday, February 09, 2007 MOUNT VERNON — Another topic of discussion when city and township officials met Wednesday was the subdivision slated for a piece of land east of the city limits on Yauger Road. Mavis said the developer of the 124-acre Lakes at Wolf Run recently submitted plans for the extension of city water and wastewater to the proposed construction site. The city’s contract engineering firm, Richland Engineering, approved the design for both, since they met all requirements. Read more at http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/07/02/08/gov.yauger.html
March 1, 200718 yr Depot restoration project receives donations Thursday, March 01, 2007 MOUNT VERNON — In a joint donation, North Central Insulation and Owens Corning have contributed the insulation and labor costs to insulate the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Depot on West High Street... http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/07/03/01/depot.html
March 5, 200718 yr From the 3/1/07 Mount Vernon News: Mount Vernon News: Heritage Centre taking steps to solve downtown issues (2/26/07) Mount Vernon News: HCA to identify areas for revitalization (2/26/07) Ohio Heritage Group assesses downtown By Dylan McCament, News Staff Reporter Thursday, March 01, 2007 MOUNT VERNON — Wednesday, members from the Ohio Heritage Group concluded a two-day visit with local community leaders and members of the Heritage Centre Association. The purpose of the visit was to assess the issues and challenges facing the downtown area, and identify where and how revitalization goals may be accomplished. The downtown assessment resource visit is a preliminary step for the HCA to enroll in the Ohio Main Street program. If accepted into the program, HCA will receive a number of benefits, including design consultation from Ohio Heritage as well the group’s aid in locating sources of funding for the city’s downtown. During the day-long workshop, a list of assets of and challenges facing the community were enumerated and posted on the wall. Assets listed included the architecture of homes and buildings, colleges, brick streets, the Woodward Opera House, parks, community pride, the chamber of commerce, the convention and visitor’s bureau, the variety of businesses, the library, churches, schools, the newspaper and the radio. The challenges facing the downtown and the community as a whole were also numerous, and included the perception of a lack of parking downtown, empty store fronts, business turnover downtown, vacancy of upper floors of downtown buildings, Coshocton Avenue development, the lack of a downtown image, financing riverfront development and graffiti. Read more at http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/07/03/01/heritage.assessment.html
March 13, 200718 yr From the 3/13/07 Mount Vernon News: Mavis pitches plan to clean up ANC site By Dylan McCament, News Staff Reporter Tuesday, March 13, 2007 MOUNT VERNON — Mayor Richard Mavis formally pitched his plan to acquire, clean up and redevelop the old American National Can site to City Council on Monday. He asked members to take the next step of approving a $9,000 expenditure to help ascertain the true cost of cleaning up the site. Read more at http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/07/03/13/mavis.anc.html
May 18, 200718 yr From the 5/16/07 Mount Vernon News: Brick repair under way on opera house By Fred Main, News Managing Editor Wednesday, May 16, 2007 MOUNT VERNON — The transformation back to its original glory has begun for the Woodward Opera House. Scaffolding and plastic hide the work being done in Phase 3, the abatement phase for the historic 1850s theater. Midwest Maintenance Inc. of Piqua and Lepi Enterprises of Zanesville are working on the restoration of the exterior wood and masonry, and lead paint removal from the exterior of the building, respectively. http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/07/05/16/woodward.html
May 21, 200718 yr Plans under way for new commercial center Mount Vernon News, 5/3/07 Plans are in the works to build a new commercial center in the block that contains Ohio Mower, Ron’s Pizza and The Hair Fashion buildings. Bill Mohler, a representative from Family Video out of Glenview, Ill., spoke briefly about the company’s plans for the block at a city Board of Zoning Appeals meeting on Tuesday, while making a case for a more prominent sign than the current zoning permits. He said the project includes tearing down a number of buildings on the block and constructing a free-standing, block building in their place. The new building would house both a Family Video store as well as two other commercial tenants. Mohler added that the two future tenants have not been identified. He did not specify the size of the building during the meeting nor the projected date when construction would take place.
May 24, 200718 yr MVNU interested in old Stage building Mount Vernon News, 5/16/07 The Mount Vernon Nazarene University is interested in acquiring the old Stage building on South Main Street to use as an art and graduate studies center, according to one university official. Keith Newman, vice president of university advancement, enrollment services and student development, said the MVNU administration and board of trustees have given approval to look into the possibility of acquiring the building, but there is no certainty the proposed project will become a reality. He said the deal is not done and the plans are very premature. Newman said an architect is examining aspects of the building such as its current compliance with health and safety codes. He said meetings to discuss the proposed use of the building began late last year and a number of key community leaders, including the mayor of Mount Vernon, have been involved in the discussion. There has been some talk of having an art gallery and classes for tutoring. “Obviously, this could be a part of downtown revitalization,” he said. “We’ve looked at the relationship with Central Ohio Technical College and what they are doing downtown.” EK moving forward on building Mount Vernon News, 5/16/07 Site work for the new East Knox Middle School has started in full force. A great deal of dirt has been moved, with more to go. Superintendent John Marschhausen said the pan trucks will be on site for at least three weeks, hauling soil from the front of the site to the stockpiles in the back. The construction fence is in place, and the district will not gain access to the new road until mid-July. The United Methodist Church and Donnie and Susan Rogers have been allowing students to park on their property during construction. The following packages have been put out for bid: General trades, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, fire protection, food service and communications. “By doing this early site work now, the building pad should be ready for the general contractor by the end of June,” Marschhausen said. “We are also trying to get the driveway and as much of the parking areas done as possible before the next school year, and for the convenience of the community when football resumes in August.”
May 31, 200718 yr From the 5/30/07 Mount Vernon News: Council lends support to senior housing By Dylan McCament, News Staff Reporter Wednesday, May 30, 2007 MOUNT VERNON — City Council voted on Monday to support a Columbus-based developer’s plan to build an apartment complex for low-income seniors on Upper Gilchrist Road. John Stock of Stock Development appeared before council during a Planning & Zoning Committee meeting and asked for support for the development, which would be built on a 4-acre parcel near the radio station. He said he is seeking assistance through the Ohio Housing Finance Program’s housing tax credit program to construct the 32-unit complex, and requires a resolution of support from council. More at http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/07/05/30/mv.cc.01.html
June 21, 200717 yr From the 6/20/07 Mount Vernon News: Questions surround development in Centerburg By Richard Moss, News Staff Reporter Wednesday, June 20, 2007 CENTERBURG — The Board of Zoning Appeals and Planning Commission met with Kno-Ho-Co-Ashland Community Action Commission on Tuesday to discuss the possible approval or conditional approval of Kno-Ho-Co-Ashland’s development, Heart of Ohio Homes. Heart of Ohio Homes would consist of 25 single-family residential units located adjacent to the current Kno-Ho-Co development Centerburg Commons. Access to this 16-acre development would be from Cleveland Avenue, which would be extended from its current length. Zoning for the parcel is R-1, single-family dwelling. Read more at http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/07/06/20/centerburg.dev.html
November 21, 200717 yr Recently restored former Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Depot at Mt. Vernon, Ohio with an Ohio Central Railroad freight locomotive alongside. The depot was built in 1907 and once served dozens of trains a day on a line that stretched from Newark, Ohio through Mt. Vernon and on through Mansfield. The line now dead ends at Mt. Vernon and is in the process of being rehabbed by the railroad and the State of Ohio for better freight service. The line from Newark to Mt. Vernon was in danger of being abandoned. Rehab will save business for two major shippers and actually allow them to expand and add jobs. More info at http://www.mountvernondepot.org/index.html
November 21, 200717 yr It's a shame they didn't use concrete ties. Did they use jointed rails with this renovation? Maybe one day it can serve passengers :)
November 21, 200717 yr Would that it could. The line dead end's just north of Mt. Vernon. It used to run through to Mansfield and beyond and hosted several passenger trains a day. The next step for the line will be installing heavier rail to accomodate heavier freight cars. Don't know if the line will ever see concrete ties as though are normally used for heavy, main line freight and passenger service.
November 21, 200717 yr Amazing. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
November 21, 200717 yr I go to Mt. Vernon a lot in the summer, and I believe that the main rail line that leads into the city was paved over just this year. While taking Rt. 13 south from Mansfield, you pass over it while entering Mt. Vernon. I could be wrong though.
November 21, 200717 yr You're right. Until a little over a year ago, the line ran as far as Fredericktown. There was no longer any business for the railroad from any local shippers, so the line was abandoned and torn up. Seems to me there are plans for a bike trail on it.
November 21, 200717 yr Is there a reuse clause in that? I know with some abandonments by CSX lately, especially in the coalfields region, they can hold the rights to reopen a line once it has been abandoned. If a rail trail is built on an abandoned alignment, the railroad must pay for the costs incurred.
November 21, 200717 yr That's the idea behind much of the rail-trail movement. The concept is known as rail banking. Much of the land in the RR rights-of-way was leased, not purchased outright, and the terms of the leases specified use for "transportation." The courts have determined that use as a bike trail fits the definition and continues the validity of the lease. Otherwise, the rights-of-way often would revert to abutting land owners. Under rail banking, access to the land is maintained in the event that economics justify the restoration of rail service. A lot of land owners, especially farmers, aren't too happy about that definition.
November 22, 200717 yr ^--- Is the word "Transportation" clearly stated in the lease? I thought it was common to say "Rail Road" and that bike paths have NOT been able to hold the lease. This was said to be the problem with construction of a bike path between Metamora and Brookville, Indiana. The rail bank program allows bike paths under certain conditions, and one of those conditions is that the bike path must be connected to an active rail line, so that the route is not severed in case the rail road is reinstated in the future. This was an issue for the High Line in New York City, correct? In a related case, railroads have been known to sublease their rights of way for communications lines. There's a law firm in Cleveland, Ohio, who is looking for places where the lease says "rail road", and the rail road is (illegally) sub leasing to communications companies. The law firm is sueing on behalf of the property owner, and splitting the winnings with him.
September 7, 200816 yr It's an absolutely stunning campus. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
September 7, 200816 yr I prefer Kenyon to Dennison, but if you are speaking of business districts and residential, Granville does do a bit better than Gambier.
September 7, 200816 yr I prefer Kenyon to Dennison, but if you are speaking of business districts and residential, Granville does do a bit better than Gambier. Bingo. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
September 8, 200816 yr That's what I thought, but I bet Gam-be-yay is actually how it is supposed to be pronounced. Mispronounced Ohio and its Ver-sales, Lank-a-stir, Nerk, Pat-a-skalla and My-lan.
September 8, 200816 yr That's what I thought, but I bet Gam-be-yay is actually how it is supposed to be pronounced. Mispronounced Ohio and its Ver-sales, Lank-a-stir, Nerk, Pat-a-skalla and My-lan. When the Kenyon Lords soccer team was routinely ranked in the top 5 of DIII, we used to sing a song at the matches that mimicked a European soccer/football hymn. In the song, we pronounced it "gam-be-ay. :)
September 8, 200816 yr Awesome! Gambier's been on my list for years now- I was wondering when it would pop up here! Thanks!
May 25, 200916 yr My daughter and I took a letterboxing trip to Mount Vernon this afternoon - and, as usual, my camera seemed to find itself taking photos of buildings instead of people. Its been quite a while since I posted some pics, so here goes - a collection of several downtown Mount Vernon views and a handful of Kenyon shots.
May 25, 200916 yr Love them! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 26, 200916 yr Sweet, I think I have an old postcard from Mount Vernon. The town sounds really familiar for some reason.
May 26, 200916 yr Nice. I want to go as part of my on-going love of Rutherford B. Hayes! He went to Kenyon.
May 26, 200916 yr Shouldn't this be titled Mount Vernon & Gambier/Kenyon College? :P Very nice though!
May 26, 200916 yr Shouldn't this be titled Mount Vernon & Gambier/Kenyon College? :P Ha! Actually, I didn't use "Gambier" as my Kenyon shots were all on campus...
March 26, 201015 yr City looks to choose firm to analyze ANC cleanup By Fred Main, Mount Vernon News March 20, 2010 MOUNT VERNON — City officials are gearing up for several projects around town. Safety-Service Director David Glass said the city will be starting the bid process soon for several projects. The administration will be asking City Council on Monday for permission to select the engineering and analysis firm for the former American National Can property assessment. The company selected will do approximately 15 to 20 test bores and use ground-penetrating radar to obtain information on what is in the soil on the property. That information will be assessed, then it will be determined what, if anything, is needed to do to clean up the property to Ohio Environmental Protection Agency standards. The assessment process will take the remainder of this year and will be paid for by a nearly $300,000 grant the city received recently. FULL ARTICLE: http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/10/03/20/city-looks-to-choose-firm-to-analyze-anc-cleanup
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