Middletown Community Center to See $390K Upgrade

Middletown’s community center will be getting facility improvements with approved PACE funds.

The $390,000 in Property Assessed Clean Energy bonds were approved by the Ohio Communities Accelerator Fund at Warren County Port Authority, in partnership with city of Middletown, Butler County Port Authority and the Community Building Institute.

The Robert “Sonny” Hill Community Center will received upgrades to include indoor/outdoor lighting, new HVAC systems/controls and roof modernization.

“These improvements to the Robert “Sonny” Hill Community Center will enhance the mission to provide a safe and fun environment for people to engage in recreational activities, learn about educational opportunities and stay connected with the Middletown community,” the Warren County Port Authority said in a release.

A kickoff meeting was held in the last week with PlugSmart, an energy contractor that is managing the project.

“They will now be sourcing appropriate materials and selecting a contractor,” said Shelby Quinlivan, city spokeswoman. “We anticipate, based on the contractor, for the work to start in early fall and go through November. Plug Smart will be working to solicit the appropriate information from bidders to start the project now.”

The Ohio Communities Accelerator Fund (OCAF) is a lending program designed to make capital available to public communities and private parties that seek to develop new, or support existing, capital assets.

The Sonny Hill project marks the 10th bond fund transaction for the OCAF.

The OCAF is led by the port authority’s Executive Director Martin Russell and Deputy Director Matt Schnipke.

Colin Kalvas and Caleb Bell of Bricker & Eckler LLP served as legal counsel on the transaction, and Andy Brossart of Bradley Payne served as the port authority’s financial advisor.