Two theories exist around Middletown’s name. One states that founder Steven Vail, who’d migrated there from Middletown, New Jersey, simply applied the name of his former residence. The other claims settlers determined that it was the central navigational point along the Great Miami River. Whatever the case, Middletown boomed through the early to mid-20
th Century as a mill town, thanks to Armco Steel (later AK Steel, which is now owned by Cleveland Cliffs) and numerous paper mills, among other facilities.
However, as the number of mill and factory jobs began to decline in the 1970s, Middletown faced considerable challenges. The “rust belt” trope used to paint all Midwestern cities with a legacy of manufacturing-heavy economies as irreparably damaged is tiresome and less than accurate. Census data indicates historical fluctuations in population, including a more than 10% decline in the 1980 Census, 10.4% growth in 2000, and a 5.6 dip in 2010. Yet, the 2020 Census showed a 4.7% uptick over the prior decade.
The loss of stable manufacturing jobs and periods of economic turmoil exacted a disproportionate toll on Middletown, but the community has weathered the storm, and a multifaceted approach to the city’s recovery is taking hold. This story kicks off a seven-part Soapbox Partner City: Middletown series about the many players contributing to Middletown’s economic, social, and cultural revival. Three community leaders weigh in on the current and future state of the city. And, despite the doomsaying narratives that some author/politicians have spun about Middletown for personal gain, the city has ample cause for optimism.
Middletown By the Numbers- Number of residents: 50,987 (2020 Census)
- Median Household Income: $50,457*
- Poverty rate: 19.2%*
- Population 65+: 17.8%*
- Bachelor’s degree or higher education: 16.1%*
- Unemployment rate (July 2024): 6.2% (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
*Source: 2022 American Community Survey
Jeff Payne, Executive Director, Downtown Middletown Inc.
A Dayton native with degrees in urban planning from UC and Antioch University McGregor, Payne has worked his entire career in the public sector. He’s served as the executive director of
Downtown Middletown Inc. (DMI) since 2017. DMI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to the economic growth of the central city.
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Executive Director, Downtown Middletown Partners“I’m a big believer that improving the quality of life downtown benefits the whole surrounding region,” he said. “It’s a place of shared prosperity.”
The organization received funding from the city government, sponsorships from local corporations and organizations, and grant awards from state, federal and private sources. Payne said his experience taught that the most important priority in his role is developing relationships with diverse community stakeholders. Middletown is now employing its fourth city manager since Payne assumed the DMI post, so the frequent transitions require diligence to retain strong ties with city officials. COVID-19 exacted deeply challenging economic circumstances to Middletown as it did everywhere else, but Payne said, “Our merchants came to understand we were all in the same boat, and we came through it stronger.”
The city has improved the streetscape along Central Ave. and parallel and adjoining avenues, resurfacing streets and sidewalks and planting trees to enhance downtown’s curb appeal. With a more attractive backdrop, DMI has partnered with the city and local organizations to stage an array of events to attract residents and visitors downtown.
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Hocus Pocus Family Fun Festival includes family-centric fun with music and dance performances, a dog-costume contest and witch parade, a car show, and a showing of Hocus Pocus in the Sorg Opera House.
October will provide a plethora of opportunities to enjoy downtown festivities:
- October 4’s First Friday will allow kids to trick or treat from 5-8 p.m., studios inside the Pendleton Art Center Middletown will be open, and businesses throughout downtown will stay open later hours.
- On October 5, Bros, Bourbon, and Beer Festival (a testosterone-laden response to DMI’s successful Women, Wine, and Chocolate event), which will feature local and regional breweries’ and distilleries’ offerings, as well as booths with the requisite companion salty snacks and eclectic sports, such as barrel rolling, miniature golf, and axe-throwing. Partner organizations include Cohen Recycling and the Middletown Community Foundation
- October 13’s Hocus Pocus Family Fun Festival, themed after the movie about a trio of sister witches, which offers such family-centric fun as music and dance performances, a dog-costume contest and parade, a car show, and a showing of Hocus Pocus in the Sorg Opera House.
“These events have been very successful, bringing two to three thousand people downtown for a day of family fun,” he said.
The city continues to rebound from The Great Recession; Payne said approximately 50% of downtown storefronts are now occupied. Payne noted that approximately 90% of downtown’s businesses are independently owned. As with other downtown areas, he said the city was prioritizing increasing downtown housing, particularly apartments on floors above storefront.
“People are more in their communities when they’re working, dining, exercising, and walking their dogs in their communities,” Payne said. “It’s my hope that we continue to build a business/residential mix downtown, and that we continue to diversify our mix of restaurants, shops, and service providers. We have positive momentum that I hope continues.”
Debbie Houser, Superintendent, Middletown City School District
Overarching societal challenges inevitably play out in school, often to a greater extent. Children innately need substantial support, and unaddressed needs can be magnified across generations. Houser has worked in education for 38 years, the last sixteen with Middletown’s system. She’s just begun her second year as
Middletown City School District's superintendent.
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Debbie Houser, Superintendent, Middletown City School District“I love working here,” she said. “The people, the diversity of the community, it’s like a family. The community really cares.”
The school system serves approximately 6,000 students and has declined slightly in the last few years. Houser said that teachers, parents, and students are still recovering from COVID-19’s effects on the educational process.
“We’re a district that went completely remote, then shifted to hybrid,” she said. “Our teachers and students worked hard, but learning becomes challenging without in-person interaction, especially for younger students. When you’re not in the same room with your teacher, and when you’re trying to hear them through a mask, it’s difficult to understand and makes it harder to keep up.”
One marked difference in the evolution of how educators serve students during Houser’s career is the greater emphasis on mental-health support. One of the positive by-products of the pandemic responses has been receiving federal funds that the school system used to support mental-health and learning-recovery services.
“We were able to expand [Social and Emotional Learning] programs and early intervention to support literacy initiatives,” she said. “They made a significant impact. Helping protect the mental health of students has become an important focus. A school’s function must be much more than just classroom instruction to meet students’ needs today.” Emergency Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) and American Recovery Plan (ARP) funds have been reallocated to sustain the programs.
Another change is the increasing diversity of Middletown’s student population. As more of its residents migrate from Central and South America and Asia, English Learner (EL) programs are more important, and multilingual support staff is an essential component. Houser said approximately 10% of its students participate in the EL program, which likely reflects a considerable increase in Middletown’s multicultural population.
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Middletown City Schools have expanded offsite programs down to the grade-school level to introduce educational and career opportunities to students.Houser noted that the entirety of Middletown’s public-school population qualifies for the free- or reduced-price lunch program. Serving students with such acute need requires a village of support, and approximately 85 companies and organizations located in the Middletown area have stepped up, including Hightower Petroleum, Cohen Recycling, and Atrium Medical Center, among others. Co-ops, internships, and other programs for high-school students are key pieces, but student feedback indicated the need for more.
“We received feedback from the students that engaging outside partners in high school is too late to have an impact,” Houser said. “We’ve expanded in-school and offsite programs down to the grade-school level to introduce educational and career opportunities to students as early as possible. And it’s also been important to educate the staff as well so they can better support our kids.”
Taking a macro-level look at Middletown’s present and future, Houser is invigorated by what looms: “Downtown is so much more alive with improvements and more businesses, our housing stock has been upgraded, and plans for new developments have us excited about the city’s future.
Clayton Castle, Communications Manager, City of Middletown
The
city of Middletown’s government remains in flux. A new mayor, Elizabeth Slamka, and three new City Council members were sworn in last year. At the end of 2023, Rodney Muterspaw resigned due to family obligations, and, on September 17, Councilman Zack Ferrell resigned citing similar issues and questions about his residency eligibility. Paul Horn was appointed last December to replace Muterspaw, and Ferrell’s replacement must be named within 30 days by Council, according to Middletown’s charter, or the Mayor will subsequently name a new Council member. As such, the mayor and entire council will have been elected or appointed within the last year.
Clayton Castle, who has worked as the city’s communications manager for eight months, said the Council is accepting applications from those interested in serving on Council until 5 p.m. on September 26. A replacement is anticipated by the conclusion of the October 1 Council meeting.
Castle’s previously worked as a PR specialist for Northern Kentucky University and a journalist and broadcast-news producer. He was attracted to this role because he saw the community’s unsung potential.
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Clayton Castle, Communications Manager, City of Middletown“I was attracted to this role because of … the unique ways we can tell Middletown’s story,” he said. “We’re in the no-man’s land between two media markets, so Middletown is rarely covered unless there’s a car crash or crime. Middletown is so much more than [that]. Middletown offers a unique, rich, positive story, and I was drawn to the opportunity to help tell that story.”
He noted two renovations in progress that will significantly enhance quality of life for Middletonians. First, he pointed to the construction of an aquatic center, which will be built on the campus of the YMCA near I-75. The city allocated $3 million for its construction, and completion of the outdoor pool is anticipated by spring 2026.
“It’s been great to partner with the Y on the project,” Castle said. “The city doesn’t want to be in the pool-management business, so we’re glad to provide as a city this important amenity in collaboration with an organization well equipped to manage it upon completion.”
Another major civic upgrade anticipated for spring 2026 completion is a stem-to-stern renovation of the Robert “Sonny” Hill Jr. Community Center at 800 Lafayette Ave., a community staple, particularly for residents of the city’s south side. Built approximately 80 years ago, the center’s much-needed renovations will cost approximately $6.6 million and include a new HVAC system and plumbing and a full-sized gym with updated bleachers and scoreboard. According to Castle, $2.8 million came from the city’s ARP funds, $3.5 million from Butler County’s ARP fund, and just over $300,000 from Middletown’s capital-improvement fund.
“This is a hub of that community, and these updates are necessary to effectively serve them,” Castle said.
Another key improvement initiated by city government has been the allocation of funds through its Home Improvement Repair program to provide up to $8,500 in assistance to property owners seeking to renovate properties for residential use. The grants will be provided in two $4,250 disbursements, one at the beginning of the project and the second as reimbursement for expenses in a later phase. Castle noted that, to date, approximately 170 applications for funds have been received, with funds approved for 70 projects, and City Council is still evaluating applications.
Another initiative the city government has taken to improve Middletown’s quality life is executing code-enforcement sweeps, which has entailed issuing citations to rectify eyesores such as decrepit siding on buildings, unkempt lawns, crumbling concrete, and excessive accumulations of trash, junk cars and other unwanted messes.
Castle is also enthusiastic about the ambitious development underway at Renaissance Pointe, a $200 million project on the east side of I-75 completed through a partnership between the city, Woodard Development, and the Warren County Port Authority. Groundbreaking took place in June, and the first phase of completion is anticipated next spring.
“The first priority is completion of the Renaissance Pointe event center, and then we’ll build in with shops and restaurants,” Castle said. “Downtown Middletown is several miles from the interstate, so it’s important to have an economic driver that attracts people to the area. People in Middletown talk about having to go to West Chester or Dayton to shop. It will be important to provide the chance to shop, dine, and recreate in our community.”
J.D. Vance’s vice-presidential candidacy has put Middletown in the national, and even global, conversation. Castle recounted the somewhat surreal experience of being interviewed by the French newspaper
Le Monde. He acknowledged the importance of a new narrative for the city.
“The AK Steel lockout in 2005 was hard on this city, and so was the Great Recession,” he said. “But that’s the past, not the story of our future. We have a huge wave of momentum and are excited about what we can accomplish.”
This Soapbox Partner City Middletown series is made possible with support from Cincinnati Commercial Contracting (CCC) and the Middletown Chamber of Commerce serving Middletown, Monroe and Trenton.