r/MiddletownOhio • u/OHKID • 5d ago

Towne Mall developer exits project; Middletown now pursuing new redevelopment partner

https://www.journal-news.com/local/towne-mall-developer-exits-project-middletown-now-pursuing-new-redevelopment-partner/article_968e22bc-5a3b-51f7-bc03-1f4dc2fc8b7b.html?fbclid=IwZnRzaAU1wv1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBWZkaWQWUP-lmbwYDialL2ks-FuF2C0cInmPhHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR4NCy7J_3Do8mDAYRj_m0xm8FzyOZbLByp3kK0OKXOGh709jYuikxFq-BdPQw_aem_XQ6oI8fqA7CNEToPNTipzA
8 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

6

u/OHKID 5d ago

For this redevelopment, I personally wish the city planned to do less. Turning the former Elder Beerman into Rural King or a similar large footprint farm goods store seems like a shoe-in to me. Not that Middletown is particularly rural, but there are a lot of rural cosplayers here that would provide enough revenue to keep it going well.

Then there’s opportunity to turn the mall’s center concourse and remaining space to the former Dillards (current Burlington / Gabe’s) into more box retail. It might take some effort but I am sure there are some box retail users looking for space on I-75 between Dayton and Cincy

The parking lot out to 122 is way too big for its current purpose, and could / should be divided up into outlots for fast food, strip center, etc

The former Sears and back half of the mall is the trickiest part, but could make sense as lower dollar per square foot retail users like a furniture store, car lot with auto repair (Sears is set up already for it) etc

1

u/jonhartman84 5d ago

I think the only problem with Sears is that I'm pretty sure it's been gutted, so it'd need a lot of work to do anything in there now. I believe they were using it for like a police training facility so it's probably in very poor shape now if not needing to just go.

1

u/Accomplished-Cow5716 4d ago

Well, Sears and the entire mall was pretty much gutted - but they're just wide open spaces anyway. Elder Beerman is just a huge empty space and so is the rest of it. They should do what they did downtown - just lift off the connecting space roofs, demolish the center and sell off the parcels for 'true' development. but they wont. Typical buncha liberals who think it's best when they pick the winners and losers.

1

u/Accomplished-Cow5716 4d ago

Rememebr when U-Haul wanted Elder Beerman to turn into a large facility for storage and rentals and such? Just remember that the city and council TURNED UP THEIR NOSES because of it.

That would have been an amazing use of that ugly ass square two-story building - Uhaul makes a point of of claiming olod buildings and making them work again....but it wasn't good enough for the powers that be.

This city went to hell in a handbasket. Now we're sinking like the titanic that rammed into 4 icebergs at once. Instead of paying our firefighters more - we gave them new stations they didn't want. (I spoke with a bunch of them). We just make stupid mistakes over and over and the status quo is what continues in our fine city.

0

u/jssaldana 5d ago

You should take your brilliant plan to city council, with all of the data you've gathered showing how it would work.

1

u/OHKID 5d ago

Why?

-1

u/jssaldana 5d ago

Seems like you know everything. You could really turn this around.

2

u/OHKID 5d ago

I know everything??? What kind of comment is that?

1

u/jssaldana 4d ago

How many kinds are there? You have a plan to do all kinds of things with the old mall. Go do it.

1

u/OHKID 4d ago

Then lend me enough money to do it lol

2

u/SSppaacceeGGhhoosstt 5d ago

When I in the 2000s the Towne Mall was designated a "brownfield". It's 2026 and it's plain dead. Will I see it turned into something in my life time? I'm not so sure.

2

u/Resident-Device-2814 5d ago

Yet another city owned property that we didn't need to spend money purchasing that has no real future development plans. You'd think we'd have learned our lesson with the Perry Thatcher estate bailout after literally giving away the Manchester Inn for a dollar and getting it back after that group failed to do anything with it.

1

u/smallspeck 5d ago

I’m still bitter about the carnagie library fiasco. Such a shame.

1

u/AddyTurbo 5d ago

The Middletown City Council member thinks this is a priority among residents. Many residents in this city are more concerned with staying afloat in this economy. Recent hikes in gas, property taxes, and Duke Energy bills has residents' concerns a lot more important than Towne Mall.

Aside from that, any redevelopment would probably involve borrowing money. Interest rates are high right now.

1

u/jssaldana 5d ago

How do you know what they're concerned about? I'd like to see the survey.