Since opening in July, owners of The Barber Stop say they have seen a lot of growth in downtown.

Cincinnati State Middletown opened Butler County’s first community college, the Liberty Restaurant reopened under new management, and business owners were able to fix up their store fronts with a city facade grant.

“We’ve seen a big difference with downtown,” said Chris Blaylock, one of the owners of the barbershop. “When I found this spot, I knew about Cincinnati State coming in and was hearing about all these big plans. I figured this would be a good spot to grow with the community.”

Many changes in downtown are expected in 2013, according to those who have recently invested there.

“It’s a long time coming, but we’re ready,” said Roger Conner, owner of Flowers by Roger. “I believe that it’s time for rejuvenation.”

He said the city has been “stale for a long time, and out of that there comes a point where people are tired of it.” And that breeds a determination to do something about it, he said.

Denise Hamet, Middletown’s Economic Development director, said city officials are “excited that downtown is moving along.”

“We will work with Cincinnati State in regard to using their space, and we are collaborating with (Downtown Middletown Inc.) to facilitate business expansion,” she said. “We are looking at a few opportunities this year to support growth and will know more in a few months.”

Those growth opportunities will be spelled out in the city’s master plan, which will be updated this year, she said.

Patrick Kay, executive director of Downtown Middletown Inc., said 2013 won’t be a make or break year, but it will be an important year.

“I guess this is the time to kind of see if it takes and the community embraces it,” he said. “You have all the right ingredients to make it work. It’s just a matter of how much the community embraces it.”

Skepticism is only natural, Kay said, because “for the longest time the community has been disappointed with efforts that have tried and failed in the downtown.” But there comes a time, he said, when people have to give downtown a chance.

For those naysayers about the potential of downtown’s success, Conner said, “It’s time to get over it.”

“If the city doesn’t care about the revitalization about downtown, there won’t be a city,” he said.

The summer will be interesting for downtown, Conner said, because there are a lot of people looking at the city to bring business.

“It will be interesting to see what rises out of nothing,” he said. “It could be like the phoenix, the destination point for people to come to and see things are happening and things are changing.”

There have been many failed attempts at revitalization in the past, which is where many of the doubts and skepticism originates. But Conner said one difference is the city’s buy-in.

“It’s always been hopeful, but you have to have people that says, ‘Okay, no matter what the economy is, who’s the president, I’m going to step outside the box and I’m going to take a chance,’” he said. “And when people take chances, there’s lots of success.”

Moorman said another difference in this revitalization effort is that various groups investing in downtown are doing it for the sake of downtown — not who gets the credit.

“We could be like the Oregon District or Miamisburg,” he said. “And the reason I see that is the big changes are the city’s behind it with their support of the Pendleton and with their huge leap of faith with Cincinnati State.”

By the start of the fall 2013 semester, more than 600 students will be taking classes at Cincinnati State, with the lion’s share taking classes at the downtown campus, said Tom Hale, an assistant director of the Middletown campus. But this year will see the school complete its construction on the remaining 3-1/2 floors at 1 N. Main St., he said.

And if downtown succeeds so will Cincinnati State.

“The more the city revitalizes and develops, the more we revitalize and develop,” Hale said. “With more activity happening down here, it kind of breeds itself.”

And the students feel downtown Middletown is a place they want to be, he said.

But Conner said while Cincinnati State “is a wonderful thing,” all the pressure shouldn’t be on the community college.

“We’re putting a lot of hope, and responsibility and expectations on them,” he said. “Not that they can’t come through, but there’s a lot to live up to. And we’re so hungry, we needed a shining light and they can be our shining light but sometimes I think we should be careful to not to put too much pressure on one person, on one company.”