A look at seven historic locations in the area that have found or are searching for new life.
1. Freight house, Hamilton
Officials are looking at the former railroad freight house at 1000 Maple Ave. in Hamilton as a possible home of a market similar to Cincinnati’s Findlay Market or Columbus’ North Market.
Alfred Hall, a leader of the market, announced he hopes a facility could be built out for around $3 million, not including costs of purchasing the freight house.
2. Studio Theater, Middletown
Middletown officials are accepting a final round of project proposals for the historic Studio Theater, hoping to save the building that has strong emotional ties for many in the area but that is now gutted and a drag on nearby structures.
3. Champion Mill, Hamilton
Officials expect to have a groundbreaking by this fall for the Spooky Nook Sports at Champion Mill. The mega-sports complex would be a 750,000-square-foot sports, entertainment and event facility on the west shore of the Great Miami River.
4. Soldiers Sailors and Pioneers monument, Hamilton
The Butler County Historical Society is looking for a part-time curator to man the Soldiers Sailors and Pioneers monument in downtown Hamilton when it reopens in May.
The restoration project was three years in the making after the Hamilton Community Foundation challenged Butler County commissioners to match a $250,000 grant they pledged to make critical repairs on the 100-year-old-plus monument.
READ MORE: Restored 100-year-old Soldiers Sailors and Pioneers monument to reopen in May
5. Sorg Opera House, Middletown
The Sorg Opera House held its first concert in six years last September, when “Celebrate the Sorg” featured the Butler Philharmonic, a 60-piece regional orchestra.
Chuck Miller, board president of the Sorg Opera Revitalization Group (SORG), said at the time that the event is a soft reopening of the 126-year-old theater at 63 S. Main St. in downtown Middletown.
6. Artspace Lofts, Hamilton
The $11.8 million project gthat opened in 2015 contains 42 live/work units — 11 studios, 25 one-bedroom units, three two-bedroom units, and 3 three-bedroom units — as well as 3000-plus square feet of retail space and 1,800-plus square feet of community space for artists at the historic Hamilton Center Building at 222 High St.
7. The Windamere, Middletown
The former Bank One building on Main Street became an event venue and art gallery.
The building’s history stretches back to 1929, according to The Windamere website. The location closed in 2001 and was unocccupied until 2015, when current owners took over.
FROM 2015: Downtown building becomes event center, art gallery
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