More redevelop opportunities will be considered as the county aims to be more deliberate in redeveloping underperforming real estate across Butler County, according to Butler County Finance Authority President and Chief Executive Officer Joshua Smith.
“By identifying underdeveloped areas with strong horizontal infrastructure and aligning them with workforce, infrastructure, and incentive strategies, we can unlock their full potential,” he said. “Our legacy cities of Hamilton and Middletown each have unique redevelopment opportunities that build on their historic strengths, and introduce.”
Demolitions, development and housing
In 2026, Middletown could see demolitions of historic buildings and a vacant mall, continued development of the East End, much-needed housing added to the city and the opening of an aviation education center from Butler Tech.
Rick Pearce, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Serving Middletown, Monroe and Trenton, said planned developments in Middletown are “exciting.”
“(Towne Mall) will be exciting to see, and with the development of Renaissance Pointe, that’ll be exciting when that starts to go in,” he said.
Middletown entered into a pre-development agreement in August with Midland Atlantic Properties for the redevelopment of the former Towne Mall.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Midland has until February 2026 to complete due diligence, market feasibilities and identify possible retail partners to decide whether to move forward with its proposal under the terms and conditions contained in the agreement.
After that is completed, the city will request bids for demolition, which is expected to be in “full swing” by the first quarter of 2026, according to Jacob Schulte, assistant and acting director of the community and economic development department.
The city’s major East End development, Renaissance Pointe, is being finalized for its first phase of infrastructure.
Final development plans for Sheetz and Gateway Lofts were approved by planning commission.
Gateway Lofts, to be developed by Hallmark Communities, will bring 288 apartments to Renaissance Pointe.
Pearce said the city has the infrastructure for development, but housing is an issue.
“We need people to live here because that’s how the city makes their money, on income tax dollars,” he said.
A proposed mixed-use development at the site of the Sonshine Building and former Manchester Inn could see between 100-125 luxury apartments added to downtown.
“That’s how you get younger people here,” Pearce said.
An early term sheet from CMC Properties, who proposed the development, saw master leases for Miami University or city employees and city-sponsored student loan grants for downtown residents.
These terms are not final, though, and have not been agreed to by the city or city council.
The mixed-use development also details 10,000-15,000-square-feet of street-level commercial space, which Pete Montgomery, who will oversee the proposed development, has goals of putting mom-and-pop restaurants and retail spaces into.
In March, Butler Tech is scheduled to open its $15 million free-standing Aviation Education Center for high school students from the career schools’ 11 local school districts it serves.
The 28,000-square-foot facility was designed specifically for aviation training and includes state-of-the-art classrooms, labs and dedicated hangar space for hands-on aircraft work.
In Butler County overall, Pearce said focus should be on economic development in Hamilton and Middletown, since those are the two largest cities in the county.
Outlook for Hamilton
Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Dan Bates said he’s “positive but cautious” for the 2026 economic outlook.
Hamilton will see 230 new jobs come to the area when SencorpWhite relocates from Massachusetts, but how many will be people relocating to Butler County and how many will need to be filled is yet to be seen, he said.
However, he said the biggest impact on Hamilton will be the AM Hub.
“I think it’s going to do more than just bring students to the area,” Bates said. “I think that once it’s fully up and running and people understand what it is for both student and adult education, I think people are going to want to move here with their kids at the chance of the educational opportunities that are happening in Butler County.”
Bates said he knows of three or four companies are considering a second Hamilton location that was close to a new workforce. That’s not a guarantee “but when people are talking like that, that’s certainly a positive.”
The AM Hub and its impact will ripple to other areas of the Riverview and Lindenwald neighborhoods
“That’s going to be a catalyst for growth for that area with new building, new businesses, combined with the Shuler Benninghofen mixed-use redevelopment, I think it’s going to give a major boost to the area,” he said.
Smith said one of the strongest opportunities for Butler County is the Kettering Health Network site in Fairfield Twp. at Ohio 129 and Bypass Ohio 4. The health network purchased the 135-acre site in 2011, but has yet to develop it and have not announced any plans.
Other Butler County areas to watch, Smith said, include Oxford as they leverage its relationship with Miami University and available acreage on and adjacent to OXD Airport for advanced manufacturing and advanced air mobility.
West Chester Twp. has several key sites well-positioned along Interstate 75, and Liberty Twp.’s Millikin Road interchange development area “has the potential to become one of the premier job-creation sites in the state,”
The city of Fairfield’s work on placemaking, infill development, and land assembly along the Ohio 4 corridor will also have a lasting impact, he said.
“If we stay disciplined, collaborative, and forward-looking, Butler County is well-positioned not just to grow, but to grow in a way that strengthens our communities, expands opportunity, and builds a more resilient economy for the future,” Smith said.
