City, county, state leaders welcome Hillsboro Business Complex to uptown district

City, county and state leaders, as well as tenants, investors and partners, gathered in uptown Hillsboro Monday afternoon for the official ribbon-cutting and opening of the Hillsboro Business Complex, an over $1 million development owned and financed by local entrepreneur Dale Martin with the support of a JobsOhio Vibrant Community grant.

Those in attendance included Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef and OhioSE Vice President Katy Farber, along with staff members from their respective offices; Senator Shane Wilkin; Representative Bob Peterson; Hillsboro Mayor Justin Harsha, Safety and Service Director Brianne Abbott, Auditor Dawson Barreras and Economic Development Director Lauren Walker; Highland County Commissioners Terry Britton and Brad Roades; Highland County Economic Development Director Julie Bolender; Highland County Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau Director Jamie Wheeler and Marketing Coordinator Larkyn Parry; members of Martin’s family and friends, as well as tenants; and other community stakeholders, including other economic development representatives.

As announced by Ohio Southeast Economic Development, “Hillsboro Business Complex owners and tenants, in partnership with the State of Ohio, JobsOhio, Ohio Southeast Economic Development (OhioSE), the City of Hillsboro, Hillsboro Community Economic Development and the Highland County Chamber of Commerce, held a ribbon-cutting celebration Monday afternoon and led tours of the newly renovated buildings.

“Over $1 million was invested to redevelop the three adjacent buildings in the historic section of uptown Hillsboro. The new facility includes renovated office space on the ground floor and new co-working/shared workspace on the second floor of all three buildings.

“The Hillsboro Business Complex is the result of strong, local partnerships and a vision for revitalization in the community. The mixed-use project totals over 7,000 square feet spanning the three buildings. The completed facility now houses the Highland County Chamber of Commerce, the Highland County Visitors Bureau, the Hapner Law Office, the Bell City School of Music and The Hive.

“Local partners involved include Grow Highland County, The Ohio State University Business Development Center, the Highland County Economic Development Department, the Highland County Workforce Leadership Council and the Highland/Fayette/Clinton Safety Council.

"The project was supported by a JobsOhio Vibrant Community grant of over $400,000. The JobsOhio Vibrant Community Program offers competitive grants for development projects that help transform areas within a distressed community. Eligible projects include mixed-use projects, real estate development projects, and operated shared spaces, that meet the JobsOhio project criteria."

The complex is located on North High Street in the historic uptown district.

A celebratory reception was held in the Hillsboro Orpheum, another building owned and redeveloped by Martin. Guests enjoyed refreshments, courtesy of Jill’s Farmhouse Catering, and heard comments from many of the individuals involved with the project. 

Emcee James Scott, who works with Martin, introduced the speakers and welcomed the crowd to Hillsboro.

“We’re thrilled to have you all here to celebrate, not just the addition of the Hillsboro Business Complex, but the beginning of a new chapter in economic development and revitalization in this community,” Scott said. “Today marks the culmination of extensive planning, investment and hard work, a journey that saw over $1 million invested in breathing new life into these three historic buildings in the heart of our community.”

Governor DeWine — who received a standing ovation upon his arrival, and who shook hands with individuals throughout the room before the remarks began — was the first speaker introduced. After telling a story about his first experience in Hillsboro, working in the area while employed at his family’s seed company as a teenager, he said he remembered thinking “what a nice community I thought it was.” That sentiment continued as he has “made good friends in Highland County” throughout his political career.

“This is a great community,” DeWine said. “It’s a great downtown. I think this investment is going to take it to a new level. 

“Across the state, when we have investments that are public-private investments like this, what we see is some real synergistic effect. We see one thing start something else, and then start something else.”

While thanking JobsOhio for their $400,000 Vibrant Community grant, DeWine also credited Martin’s vision and personal investment in the project, as well as with other buildings such as the Orpheum.

“What JobsOhio is doing with this type of project … really does, in fact, make a difference, but it also takes that private-sector investment as well,” DeWine said. 

The governor added, “This is going to help, I think, revitalize downtown Hillsboro and make a difference.”

On behalf of the city, Mayor Harsha expressed thanks to the state and local partners for working to make this project a reality. 

“This project represents more than just a revitalization effort,” Harsha said. “It embodies a transformative opportunity. The investment into these buildings not only enhances aesthetics, but it unlocks a wealth of possibilities, from attracting investment and fostering growth to boosting tourism and providing access to modern facilities. 

“This undertaking is a gateway of opportunity. Additionally, it is a catalyst for job creation, entrepreneurial support and broader community involvement. Together, we're building more than just infrastructure. We're building opportunities.”

Next, Martin was invited to speak, after Scott introduced him as “the visionary behind the project,” as well as “my boss and my dear friend.”

Martin’s speech was full of gratitude to all of those who assisted with the Hillsboro Business Complex.

“This project has taken over a year to complete, and wow, what a whirlwind year it has been,” Martin said. “I have to say that this would not have happened without a lot of blood, sweat and tears from so many people.”

Martin thanked his office at Southern Ohio Appraisers; the individuals and contractors who “contributed many, many hours to complete this project;” Governor DeWine; Nauseef, Farber and the JobsOhio and Ohio Southeast Economic Development teams for the “overwhelming amount of support;” and the City of Hillsboro, particularly Walker.

“I cannot thank you all enough, truly, from the bottom of my heart,” Martin said. 

Martin also personally thanked Scott, Maddie Cupp and Tom Bailey for their role in helping bring the project to fruition.

“This project was the brainchild of James Scott and Maddie Cupp, my directors for the Hillsboro Business Complex and The Hive,” Martin said.

He told Scott and Cupp, “I will never forgive you,” which was met with laughter from the crowd.

“They had the vision to create this space for the city of Hillsboro, and then Maddie took hold of it and the idea just started from there, and wow, this is what we created,” Martin added.

Martin again joked that Bailey, his general contractor, “has a love for working with older, unsquare buildings in Hillsboro,” with more laughs coming from the audience.

“What a fantastic job he's done seeing this job to completion,” Martin said. “His commitment to the project has been and will always be a testament to the power of local collaboration. Tom was committed to using all local subcontractors and suppliers throughout this project.”

Martin concluded by thanking his wife, Kimberly, for her “support and the fact that she didn't divorce me this past year while I was here overseeing this project and working every day.

“This project turned out to be a lot more than what a lot of us anticipated,” Martin added. “It took a huge commitment, and a lot of time was given by all.

“A lot of people took a lot of extra time to do this, and I can't say thank you enough.”

He then introduced Cupp, who designed and oversaw the project. 

“I have seen Hillsboro just become so much more vibrant in the past few years because of Dale’s projects,” Cupp said. “I am so honored that Dale brought me on for another huge project. After doing the Orpheum, I thought we couldn't go any bigger, but we did. 

“I can't believe that over a year ago, we were walking through those buildings, stepping over fallen plaster, dodging puddles. It's no short of a miracle that those buildings are still standing. Pieces of Hillsboro’s history are preserved now for years to come.”

Cupp also spoke about The Hive, which is over 3,000 square feet of co-working space, featuring short- and long-term office space rentals and high-speed internet. The building also includes a room with equipment for podcasts and other audio production.

“I’m so excited to see what our community will do in this space, and I've already met some really smart and innovative people who will call the Hillsboro Hive their home base,” Cupp said. “I’m really sure we're all going to learn from each other and learn to appreciate the hard work that goes on behind the scenes of a small business.”

Cupp added that “This was a project carried out by our community and with our community in mind.

“It was so important to us from the very beginning that this be a community-driven project, from our contractor and architect and designer to plumbing, electric, flooring, cabinets, doors, windows and furniture and signage,” she said. “Thank you to all of the businesses and individuals who contributed to this project, put your time in and met my really tight schedule.”

Nauseef then shared comments on behalf of JobsOhio, as he spoke about their economic development vision in the state. He credited the “incredible leadership” of DeWine, and he also thanked Martin.

“You can see the affinity that your team has for you,” Nauseef said to Martin. “They share your passion. Your vision is coming to light here today, so congratulations.” 

Nauseef also echoed the thanks to the City of Hillsboro and OhioSE, as he spoke about OhioSE’s work over the past few years.

“Your persistence and advocacy has generated momentum in a part of the state that has not experienced that so much over the last several decades,” Nauseef said. “As an example, Katy, of your leadership at OhioSE, just in volume of projects — some similar this and some others — those projects are up over 100 percent in the last five years from the prior five-year period. Congratulations on that success. Please keep it up.”

Nauseef then addressed the tenants of the Hillsboro Business Complex and thanked them for their role in “bringing new businesses, creating jobs, creating opportunities and services for the people of Hillsboro.

“We've got these hallmark towns that provide a really incredible and differentiated product as the whole western world competes for attracting the talent that's going to power the economy of the future,” Nauseef said. “Hillsboro is a part of that. We’ve done 21 of these Vibrant Community grants in just three years. The total investment for JobsOhio has been $15 million, but that 15 million has catalyzed another $100 million of investments. 

“The state is really coming to life, and our smaller communities, represented by what's happening here in Hillsboro, they provide that differentiation that's going to be a key part to helping Ohio win.”

Nauseef concluded by congratulating all of the partners for their success.

“From three empty buildings just a year ago, to a thriving business complex, this is shining a bright light that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive right here in Hillsboro,” Nauseef said. “I want to thank all of you. Congratulations on all the work. 

“You should be proud of what you've done, and we are proud out JobsOhio, to be a partner in the vibrant community of Hillsboro. Thank you, and congratulations.”

The next speaker, Farber, said that the Vibrant Community Grant program is “my favorite, and the one that I keep my fingers in” at OhioSE.

“I love to work with the communities and the investors and the developers to see what we can make because I believe in our small towns,” Farber said. “It's a beautiful day here, and it's a great day to celebrate redevelopment.”

She added that the Hillsboro Business Complex is “really picture perfect for what Vibrant Community’s program is intended to be, so thank you, Dale, for your vision.”

The final speaker was Britton, who expressed thanks on behalf of the county commission to Governor DeWine; state and local economic development officials; the City of Hillsboro; and Martin.

“Dale’s entrepreneurship and forward thinking for Highland County has been going on for years,” Britton said. “With this grant, he has been able to take something old and make it usable again. He has helped to transition uptown Hillsboro into a vibrant and beautiful place. He is always looking for ways to make Highland County a better place to live. 

“Dale, thank you for all that you do for Highland County. We appreciate it.”

After the speeches, the crowd filed outside for two ceremonial ribbon cuttings for the business complex, then Cupp led tours of The Hive and the offices of the Highland County Chamber of Commerce, Visitors Bureau and Economic Development department. The group also briefly dropped in on a class at the Bell City School of Music.

“Dale has had the vision and the imagination to take some old buildings and make them into something that's just very, very amazing,” DeWine said after the tour. “People need office space. They want office space in Hillsboro, where they can get the internet and it can be strong, and they can have other things that they need. That's a vision that he's had. We've seen this model in other communities in rural Ohio.

“Hillsboro is an amazing community — I've been coming here for over 40 years — but this is really kind of a jump start, and I want to thank him.”

The governor added that this is an example of the downtown revitalization efforts being seen throughout the state during his time in office. 

“So many small cities that are our county seats from one end of the state to the other, at one time, they all had very vibrant downtowns, and many of them are now coming back,” DeWine said. “This money that we've been putting in for the last several years in community after community has really leveraged a lot of private money. This can't happen without the private sector, but we can kind of leverage that with state money, and we're seeing our downtown communities come back.”

Martin said that the response for the Business Complex thus far, particularly for The Hive, has been “overwhelming.

“We started opening up these offices, and then [received] call after call, ‘oh, can I have an office?’” he said. “We had all this rented before we finished.

“The upstairs has eight offices, which that's created eight jobs, and some of these offices that we filled up are guys that are [worked] at home and got tired of it and wanted to get into a space.”

Similarly, Martin said the Bell City School of Music has had great feedback already, while he also spoke about the other surrounding offices in the space.

“Bell City School of Music was something that I felt was needed in Hillsboro, and they filled up before they ever opened, with people wanting to take music lessons,” Martin said. “Hapner Law Office turned out gorgeous. We felt like the Chamber needed to be downtown, and the Visitors Bureau, so we kind of collaborated with them to create this space."

Martin summed up the project as being “a lot of fun,” as he thanked the state for their assistance.

“It's been a wonderful opportunity,” he said. “Without the help of Mike, this couldn't have been possible. These older buildings are fun to work with, but they take a lot of money and a lot of vision, a lot of support, a lot of design people. 

“Thanks to Mike and his team, it all became reality.”

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