GALION – One of Galion’s most iconic historical buildings officially reopened on Monday, after an extensive amount of renovations.
The Galion Central Hotel Senior Living Apartments held a grand reopening on Monday morning after an extended period of construction and renovations to the historic building. According to Galion Mayor Tom O’Leary, the Central Hotel has been part of downtown Galion since before the Civil War.
“It has been actively in use and a key part of the square; the uptown area kind of grew around this structure,” O’Leary said. “There was a very real possibility that this was going to be a vacant hole, a parking lot or a halfway dilapidated building. We were fortunate in the city to have the resources to respond to this plan.
“We took something in crisis and turned it into a resource and an asset.”
The Central Hotel represents a significant investment both financially and in workforce development by organizations including the Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing, the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, LEADS, and Ruscilli Construction Company.
According to Hal Keller of the Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing, the organization first invested in the Central Hotel in 2004. The Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing is a nonprofit organization based in Columbus that raises capital from corporation and invests it in affordable housing projects around the state.
“There were structural issues in the basement, then residents began to see floors that weren’t level and stress cracks,” Keller said of the challenging construction period. “After further investigation, it was determined that the building was unsafe.”
The senior residents of Central Hotel were relocated as the building underwent a significant investment and restructuring.
Bringing so many agencies together to form a partnership in tackling the challenging Central Hotel project was a feat in itself, said Ken Kempton, CEO of LEADS Community Action Agency.
“So many organizations and individuals have come together to save this building,” Kempton said. “It has been difficult to get to this point. It could not have been possible without all your commitment.”
No one was more appreciative on Monday than the Central Hotel residents themselves. Resident Mary Linn gave thanks to everyone involved in the renovation, and explained why the hotel was such a special place to its residents.
“Everything is so close, we can go many places by just walking and we all love it. It’s just a great place to be,” Linn said. “It’s good to be home.”
