Downtown Middletown's Gathering Renaissance (Columbus, Cincinnati: purchases, to live in, restaurants)

[SWOH]

Originally Posted by midwest1

Well, steel-making is a much much cleaner process today than in the past. I'm pretty sure the hundred thousand or so vehicles traversing I-75 produce more pollution than the mill. And believe it or not, blue collar jobs ahre becoming somewhat hip. We can't all work in cubicles.

To an extent. There's only so much that can be done to make the process clean.

No matter what, coal has to be burned, steel has to be formed, cooled, deformed, and everything else. From the power needed to run the presses to the chemicals that are burned off with a fireball of flame, it's a filthy, dirty, gross process. Plain and simple.

My last job was in quality at an auto plant. I agree blue collar jobs can be fun and desirable but who says warehouses, call centers, and light manufacturing isn't blue collar? Heck, there arent that many blue collar industries that even touch the realm of noxiousness of steel manufacturing. It's a rarity.


I'm not saying I want the mill to close, but I don't think Middletown can be prosperous with it.
Which means for you, Mr Investor, you'd be hard pressed to get much of a return on your investment with the mill in town. Because no one wants to live on top of that pollution when so many better options are close by.

[midwest1]

Well, I live in Gary, Indiana, between the two largest steel Mills in the nation. And my home has doubled in value in less than 5 years. I'm more concerned with the flood of phamaceutical residue entering the rivers and lakes of the nation than I am from the ever-decreasing effects of steel production.

Anyhow, I'd be investing in downtown, a commercial investment. The downtown, I believe, has the potential to attract visitors from both Cincinnati and Dayton, even if the demand for residential properties remains stable.

[SWOH]

Glad to hear your house value has doubled.

I'd agree that pharma residue is a lot more worrisome concern. Not even for the pollution alone, what scares me about it is the increasing resistance bacteria are gaining to these drugs due to over-immunizing people and animals.

What I'm saying is a lot of buyers are looking at the micro picture rather than the macro one. If they want to buy a house for $100k, with Option 1 being Middletown right next to AK or Option 2 being Hamilton, 99% of people would choose the house away from the pollution in Hamilton.

I agree there is potential, Middletown has a decent core. I'm hoping it comes back. It'll be an uphill battle with the mill.

[WILWRadio]

I doubt the Mill is a major problem. At one time I lived in Lincoln, Maine which is a Mill Town. Lincoln Pulp and Tissue was the life blood for the community and when business was good and they were hiring the entire town benefited. Sadly, it closed down a few years ago and now the town is hurting both economically and image wise. Logging is still in the area but it does not employe hundreds of people earning a good wage like the Mill. And when you lose a major employer like that it means your property taxes will rise quite a bit and also budget cuts are likely and result in reduced services to the community.

[midwest1]

Apparently word is getting out. Advice, the Meatloaf on Mondays is outstanding!

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/ent...ing/849204001/

[PerryMason614]

I've driven through there within the last month or two. Basically taking Ohio 4 up from Hamilton to Dayton. I can't say I saw much going on. The thing that made the biggest impression on me was the seedy bars downtown. I hadn't ever been on that stretch of 4. That is one ugly stretch of road.

[midwest1]

Seedy bars downtown? Like West Central Wine

https://www.google.com/search?q=west...iw=360&bih=560

[midwest1]

Or maybe you were referring to the seedy Canal Pub?

https://www.google.com/search?client...96.4r_lkgVyxAY

[PerryMason614]

Originally Posted by midwest1

Or maybe you were referring to the seedy Canal Pub?

https://www.google.com/search?client...96.4r_lkgVyxAY

Oh, sure. Quite the nice Downtown you have there.





A couple of empty wine bars do not a happening city make!!!

http://www.city-data.com/forum/attac...1&d=1511039048

http://www.city-data.com/forum/attac...1&d=1511039120

[midwest1]

Dozens of new businesses, a renovated Opera house, and new Cincinnati University Campus...people can choose to live in the past orlook towards the future. Your type of person is the yesterday type. I'm the tomorrow type, thank God! Get back to me in a few years...you will see.