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In early 1996, after several years of research and planning, approximately thirty property owners in downtown Hamilton formed a unique organization called a Special Improvement District. This non-profit corporation is only the third of its kind in the State of Ohio. It was created for the purpose of providing centralized services for its members, such as common-area maintenance and marketing, beyond those the individual members could reasonably provide on their own. The members imposed assessments upon themselves to finance these services and elected a board of trustees.

According to Chapter 1710 of the Ohio Revised Code, a non-profit corporation can be formed by a minimum of sixty percent of the property owners in a specific area. This non-profit corporation is governed by trustees elected by the property owners along with the city manager. Funding comes entirely from a self-imposed assessment that is collected through the mechanism of the real estate tax.

The Downtown Hamilton property owners set and reached a goal to achieve seventy percent agreement without including the City of Hamilton and Butler County which each own property within the District and supported the creation of the SID. With the City and County included, the SID reached nearly unanimous support among over thirty property owners. Hamilton City Council approved the petition to create the SID on May 22, 1996 and the Downtown Hamilton Central Business Special Improvement District was formed.

At the Downtown Hamilton SID Annual Meeting in April, the SID Board elected new officers. They are: President, Tony Traub, CEO, American Business Technologies, 210 S. Second Street; Vice President, Keith Nott, Manager, Elder Beerman Department Store, High, Front, Market and Second Sts.; Secretary, Jason Fulmer, Fulmer’s Home Furniture Store at Second and Court Sts.; and Treasurer, Becky King, First Financial Bank, downtown office. Board members and representatives are: Tim Bigler, Director, Department of Economic Development, City of Hamilton; Mark Brandenburger, City manager, City of Hamilton; Marilyn Collmer, Manager, BizTech Center; Kenny Craig, President/CEO Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and Greater Hamilton Economic Development Corporation; Rick Demmel, Regional President, U.S. Bank; Carla Fiehrer, Owner, Robinson Schwinn Building; Gerry Hammond, Presbyterian Church; Al Koncius, Koncius Enterprises; Robert Lowery, Butler County; Phil Morrical, Senior, Morrical Realty; Gary Richards, Director, ReDiscover Hamilton; Mayor Don Ryan, Ryan’s Tavern; and George Schmidt, McDonalds’/LEVAJO.

For more information, contact:

Downtown Hamilton Special
Improvement District, (513)
867-9090fax