Currently vacant downtown Middletown, Ohio, a mid-western former steel town in Southern Ohio being revived by the arts community.
Middletown, Ohio a classic Americana town sandwiched between Dayton and Cincinnati on the Ohio River has been affected by US trade policies shipping steel jobs off shore since the 90s.
Several developers attempted to revive the vacant historic downtown but with a volatile economy have hit road blocks to generate activity. My sister Susan along with her husband Tom and their kids, Laura and Will have lived in Middletown for 20+ years adjacent to the downtown district with its grand 18th and 19th century homes.
Last week, Chris and I spent New Years in Middletown and excited to see Pendleton Art Centers transforming one of those vacant buildings into artist studios and retail spaces. With studios in Kentucky, Cincinnati and Indiana PAC partners with local artists to exhibit and offer public educational programs. The BeauVerre Stained Glass Studios already making their home in a Middletown turn of the century building began the downtown artistic revitalization years ago.
Living in Brooklyn, we’ve seen the genesis of a thriving artistic community creating businesses and culture and are hopeful the arts will do the same for Middletown.
A downtown Middletown, Ohio building in the process to be converted into Pendleton Art Centers individual art studios and retail opportunities.
Currently vacant downtown Middletown, Ohio, a mid-western former steel town in Southern Ohio being revived by the arts community.
Middletown’s downtown district with its grand 18th and 19th century homes..
Middletown’s downtown district with its grand 18th and 19th century homes..
Middletown’s downtown district with its grand 18th and 19th century homes.
Middletown’s downtown district with its grand 18th and 19th century homes.
Geoff, thank you for a lovely article and photo story about our downtown! We are anxious for the planned art center to open and to see what energy it brings to the area.
I love Middletown and plan to visit…..just met someone here in Charlotte who is from there. I have a friend from college also in Dayton. Plan to do some networking there and look forward to it !!!!
Angela Proctor Taylor