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Former Urbana Manufacturing Building to get $2M Facelift

12/17/2020

 
Urbana Manufacturing Building Facelift
Click image to view video on WHIO-TV's website.
By: Jenna Lawson, WHIO-TV
By this time next year, the entire corridor west of Urbana’s Monument Square could look completely different.

City and county economic development officials announced this month that the former Q3 JMC (Johnson Manufacturing Company) building on Miami Street will soon undergo a nearly two million dollar renovation and house three future businesses.

The building has been vacant for over 10 years.

“We’re going to see new work, new life, new employees in this building,” said Champaign Economic Partnership Director Marcia Bailey.
​

Securing the building and cleaning up the site took the team effort of private and public partnerships like the City of Urbana, the Champaign Economic Partnership and True Inspection Services, LLC, a full-service commercial inspection, engineering and construction management company.

TIS is now the owner of 12.6 of the 20 acre site, including the building. TIS Executive Vice President Joe Timm said three tenants will move into the building after its restoration – TIS, Community Health and Wellness Partners out of Logan County and The Door Shop, which is a commercial door company.

Project partners hope that after the work is completed, other investors will be drawn to build on space behind the building and part of the site’s acreage on the other side of the bike path.

The JMC project piggybacks off of the ongoing development of the FC Legacy Place senior living project that will transform the former North and South elementary schools and the Douglas Inn into affordable senior housing.

“We’re kind of looking at this as the anchor client or anchor site for helping redevelop this whole neighborhood,” Timm said.
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Construction bids for the project will go out soon, and the businesses are expected to move in by fall 2021.

‘Legacy Place’ senior housing project moves forward in Urbana, construction to start soon

9/18/2020

 
By: Jenna Lawson, WHIO
View video of the announcement on WHIO's website
There were many points in the last five years that community partners thought ‘Legacy Place’ might never happen.

It took time to capture nearly $13 million in funding sources, including historic tax credits – not to mention delays due to the pandemic. But on Thursday, partners announced the funds were released and they are able to move forward with the project. It’s possible construction could start within the next week.

‘Legacy Place’ transforms the Douglas Inn in downtown Urbana and two former elementary schools (North & South) into affordable senior housing. 51 units will be created for those 55 and older, with six of them being devoted to people with disabilities.

“It’s just a real renaissance for Urbana,” Mayor Bill Bean told News Center 7′s Jenna Lawson.

Duane Miller, with development company Flaherty & Collins and also president of F & C Legacy Place, said the project accomplishes two goals: turning three vacant properties into useful properties and filling the need for affordable senior housing in Urbana.

“I love to jump into the skin of a community that’s looking for help and looking for opportunities to spur on their own development,” he said.

The Douglas has been vacant since 2004 and has long been a large eyesore on the southwest corner of Monument Square. The building has somewhat deteriorated and was the target of multiple arson fires in 2019.

The former owner of the property, John Doss, has done work to stabilize the structure. The elementary schools, despite being about 100 years old, are in solid shape, partners said.

The timeline for the project will move quickly. Developers estimate about six months to complete both elementary schools and a little over a year to finish the Douglas. Partners are hopeful that the project will have a positive domino effect on other aspects of Urbana living including neighboring businesses and housing.

“We may see some of those seniors who may move in here and now their single family homes are available for a new families to move in,” said director of the Champaign Economic Partnership, Marcia Bailey.

Bailey added that this solution also preserves the history of all three buildings for the community to enjoy for decades to come. “Having these buildings standing as they are and being repurposed is a huge win for our community,” she said.

Other partners in the project include the City of Urbana, Urbana City Schools and Resident Supports and Services, Inc., which provides housing for seniors and adults with developmental disabilities.

Legacy Place Project Gets Green Light

9/18/2020

 
Work Begins to Transform the Douglas Hotel and Former Elementary Schools into Senior Apartments
Work crews will soon begin transforming the long vacant Douglas Hotel in downtown Urbana and the former Urbana North and South Elementary Schools into 51 affordable apartments for senior citizens.
 
With release this week of about $13 million in previously approved financing, the long-anticipated Legacy Place project got the green light to begin renovation of the historic buildings, says Duane Miller, F&C Legacy Place president. Transfer of the funds to Legacy Place was delayed by pandemic-related office closures.

Dorcey's Flowers Opens Urbana Location

2/13/2020

 
Dorcey's Flowers Urbana
The Champaign County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting Feb. 6 for Dorcey's Flowers, 121 Scioto St. For shop info visit www.dorceysflowers.com or call 937-404-9377. From left are Jennifer Coey, Caty Shoemaker, Vicki Deere-Bunnell, Tina Knotts, Lee Ann Steed, Kristie Herlong, Gina Mokry, Shana Loveless, Natalie Frueh and Jamon Sellman.

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Free Public Screening of "Silo" at The Gloria Theatre on Feb. 6

1/15/2020

 
You're invited to a special free community screening of SILO, the first ever feature film about a grain entrapment. SILO isn’t available online, or on DVD, and this event is one-of-a-kind. Join us on Thursday, February 6th at 6pm.

Inspired by true events, SILO follows a harrowing day in an American farm town. Disaster strikes when teenager Cody Rose is entrapped in a 50-foot-tall grain bin. When the corn turns to quicksand, family, neighbors, and first responders must put aside their differences to rescue Cody from drowning in the crop that has sustained their community for generations.

Please RSVP by Feb. 3rd on Eventbrite or by calling Andrea at (937) 497-4347.
Silo Screening at Gloria Theatre

Ribbon Cutting for Dorcey's Flowers Set for Feb. 6

1/13/2020

 
Dorcey's Flowers Urbana
The Champaign County Chamber of Commerce will host a ribbon cutting for Dorcey’s Flowers on Thursday, Feb. 6, from 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the new shop located near Let’s Eat Cake at 121 Scioto St. in Urbana.

New Restaurant Hoping to Mirror Urbana’s Growth

1/13/2020

 

Downtown spot opening this month to feature health food

Downtown Nutrition Urbana
Downtown Nutrition, a new health food restaurant, is opening in Urbana later this month.
By Brooke Spurlock, Springfield News-Sun Staff Writer
A health food restaurant is coming to Urbana.

Downtown Nutrition, at 221 N. Main St., is scheduled to open later this month.

Owners Mike and Sammie Ropp said it was time to move back home to be with family.

The city is a big part of the couple’s story, Sammie Ropp said.

“I grew up in a tiny town outside of Springfield called South Charleston and he grew up in a tiny town outside Urbana called West Liberty, so this was kind of the middle ground,” she said.
​

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‘Legacy Place’ Senior Housing Project in Urbana Secures Key Funding

12/4/2019

 
By Jenna Lawson, Springfield News-Sun Staff Writer
The last bit of needed funding has been secured to push forward the ‘Legacy Place’ senior housing project in Urbana.

Sourcing all of the funding has been a tedious multi-year task undertaken by several different parties — but soon residents will start to see the fruits of labor.

“This is going to be a reality,” said Champaign Economic Development Director Marcia Bailey. “It’s not just sketches on a piece of paper. It’s going to be a reality.”

In August, the developers of the project — Flaherty & Collins Properties — applied for a grant through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati with the help of community partners.

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Monument Square Roundabout Project Nears Completion

10/28/2019

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Urbana Monument Square construction
Urbana-based True Inspection Services has provided project inspection and oversight for the Monument Square project for the city of Urbana with drone photos such as this one of the intersection of U.S. routes 68 and 36. Photo courtesy of True Inspection Services
Contracted by the city of Urbana, R.B. Jergens Contractors Inc. is working toward completion of the improvements to the Monument Square roundabout at the intersection of U.S. routes 36 and 68. Completion is anticipated on or before Nov. 6. The final tasks of resurfacing and striping are weather dependent.

In addition to safety improvements to the existing roundabout, a large portion of the project involved the replacement of aged and deteriorating water mains within the project area that dated back to 1923.

The final project cost will exceed $1.8 million, with the water main replacement portion exceeding $600,000.
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The water main replacement work is funded by a 0% interest loan and a grant through the Ohio Public Works Commission. The roundabout safety improvements and final resurfacing total approximately $1.2 million, with federal Small Cities, Safety, and Urban Resurfacing funds through the Ohio Department of Transportation paying approximately $950,000 of these costs.

The fifth phase of the project has closed Miami Street between Monument Square and Walnut Street since Sept. 23. This section of roadway is scheduled to reopen on or before Nov. 6.

The Miami Street closure was planned to be the shortest closure of the project, but a week of closure is being added to ​assist the contractor in the final resurfacing work on the project. This closure will be equal in duration to the previous closures for the other legs of the project. Local and state route detours will remain posted.

The sixth and final phase of the project involves the final resurfacing of the project area, including the milling of the existing pavement surface, resurfacing and striping. Weather permitting, the contractor plans to mill the existing pavement surface on two consecutive evenings during the nighttime hours beginning Sunday, Oct. 27. Due to forecasted overnight temperatures during the week of Oct. 27, the paving work has been scheduled to occur during daytime hours versus the overnight paving schedule originally planned.

On-street parking restrictions will be posted within work areas during the milling and resurfacing work, and vehicles parked in violation will be towed. During some phases of paving work, thru-traffic may be restricted. In addition, flaggers will be used by the contractor to maintain traffic.

Businesses will remain open during this final construction phase, and city officials ask that residents and visitors patronize downtown businesses. On-street parking within the project area will be affected during the paving work, but nearby parking lots and on-street parking outside the project area will remain available.

For timely updates due to weather delays during the pavement resurfacing portion of the project, check the city’s website (urbanaohio. com) and Facebook page.
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Reopening after 125 Years

10/24/2019

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Abandoned Knights of Pythias Lodge part of 2019 Urban Loft Tour

On October 14, 1894, Urbana’s Knights of Pythias Lodge turned off their gaslights and locked the door of their former Castle (Lodge) room on the third floor of 112 North Main St. The room was never used again for 125 years and is a true time warp. The gaslight is still there, the ornate wallpaper is hanging, the high Victorian woodwork, and the fraternal murals remain in place. And now you can see this lost world on the 2019 UrbanLoft Tour to be held on Saturday, November 2 in downtown Urbana.

Photo 1: The Knights of Pythias Lodge has been closed and dark for 125 years, but this adornment in the old lodge still tells a story of what transpired within during a different era.

Photo 2: The mechanical parts of this old commercial elevator are from a time gone by in downtown Urbana.

Photo 3:  The exterior of this freshly-painted and remodeled downtown apartment is one of the examples of what can be done with old, lofty spaces in Urbana.

The Champaign County Preservation Alliance (CCPA) is hosting its fifth annual Urban Loft Tour on November 2 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The tour will have seven stops and features the upper floors of many downtown buildings in Urbana. The Urban Loft Tour illustrates the possibilities and potential for restoring downtown lofts and the benefits of urban living in Urbana.

In addition to the former Knights of Pythias Hall, this year’s tour will feature three finished loft spaces that are now the home to downtown dwellers. It will also feature one large building that is about to undergo restoration into a full two story family home on the second and third floors that once housed the Urbana Masonic Lodge from 1883 until 1916. Plus visitors will be able to see the continued progress on the Gloria Theater and the NX-23 Rail Car.

“We are excited to continue to show the potential of our loft spaces here in Urbana,” said CCPA Trustee Sandy Gonzalez. “Our loft tours have convinced at least six building owners to renovate their upstairs spaces and make the downtown more vibrant.” At the moment there are about 14 new loft spaces being created in Urbana.

The 2019 Urban Loft Tour will require climbing many stairs and is not handicap accessible. Tour goers are asked to bring flashlights and wear warm clothing.

Presale tickets are available for $12 and will be redeemed for tour booklets only at the Gloria Theater on the day of the tour. Tickets are available at most Urbana Bank locations, the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce, and online at www.ccpapreserveohio. org.

Information from the Champaign County Preservation Alliance.
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CEP Office Location:
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Urbana, Ohio 43078
937-653-7200
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