The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Thatcher’s daughter excited about Cincinnati State’s plans

The Manchester Inn at 1027 Manchester Ave., Middletown. 89,699 square feet. It is the proposed for use by Cincinnati State's culinary arts and hospitality program.

Staff photo by Pat Auckerman The Manchester Inn at 1027 Manchester Ave., Middletown. 89,699 square feet. It is the proposed for use by Cincinnati State's culinary arts and hospitality program.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Council meeting to discuss purchases for Cincy State branch

Middletown police blotter
New 28 min. ago
Event helps vet’s children
Updated 29 min. ago
138 at Monroe earn diplomas
1:06 a.m.
Alliance to fight Warren drug flow
1:04 a.m.
Local Focus: Cincinnati for May 25
12:37 a.m.
> More headlines

By Jessica Heffner, Staff Writer 11:19 PM Wednesday, October 27, 2010

MIDDLETOWN — It gives Sheree Garrett goose bumps to see her father’s plans coming to fruition.

For several years, Perry Thatcher, Garrett’s father, had a goal to bring Cincinnati State Technical and Community College to downtown Middletown.

On Tuesday night, the school’s board of trustees approved a resolution to negotiate with the city to open a new branch campus here.

The news gave Garrett a sense of wonder for her father’s certainty that his dream would one day be fulfilled. Her own disappointment was that Thatcher did not live to see it — he passed away Jan. 28.

“This is what he wanted to see happen,” she said. “He unfortunately did not make it long enough to see his dream fulfilled but that doesn’t make it any different.”

Part of that dream was giving the city the means to bring Cincinnati State to Middletown. Garret and Bob Fairchild, co-executors of Thatcher’s estate, said they plan to gift two of the buildings planned for the new campus — the Manchester Inn and former CG&E building.

According to Butler County auditor’s office, the Manchester is owned by Manchester Enterprises Inc., with Thatcher’s estate and William Akers Sr. having interest in the company, while Thatcher’s estate owns the CG&E building.

Cincinnati State, through the city of Middletown, also wants to acquire the former Middletown Senior Center building, which the city owns.

Through the gift, Garrett said she hopes the project will come to fruition and residents will remember how Thatcher loved and believed in this town.

“He said before his death that in this year — in 2010 — that something would break loose (with Cincinnati State),” she said. “Hopefully it will bring a lot of traffic to downtown like he wanted.”

While Cincinnati State has officially made its interest known, negotiations are ongoing for how city officials will acquire the necessary buildings, said Mayor Larry Mulligan.

Part of the agreement indicates the city will give the buildings “free and clear” and Mulligan said Cincinnati State wants to rent the spaces, not own them. How the lease agreement would work — as well as how the estimated $10 million to $15 million in debt to renovate the buildings will be funded — is expected to be worked through in the coming weeks.

Likely, Mulligan said, the city will issue bonds for the project, with Cincinnati State paying off the debt. The school has indicated it will pursue state funding as well as any new market and historic tax credits that might be available, he said.

While there would be a risk to the city in acquiring the buildings, Mulligan said he felt it was balanced with what Middletown stands to gain.

“We’ll be bringing in students in their target client group of 18 to 35 years old and that group typically is employed, looking to better themselves and they have some disposable income they are looking to use,” he said.

Also being considered is whether Cincinnati State will need to acquire more buildings for future growth, he said.

School officials said they plan to launch the new campus with its culinary arts and hospitality programs — centering at the Manchester Inn, which they plan to continue running as a hotel — and later adding the full line of its programming.

Fairchild said while the estate plans to gift the buildings to either Cincinnati State or the city, he said he could not comment on how any outstanding property debts would be handled or if there were existing mortgages on the buildings.

While the Manchester Inn was purchased in 1985 for $450,000, according to the county auditor, it’s current value has depreciated to $276,350. The property has about $101 in outstanding taxes.

The CG&E building has depreciated $10,580 since it was purchased by Thatcher’s company, Venture 3 Enterprises, in 2002. According to the county auditor, more than $14,000 in taxes are currently owed on the building.

Share this article