Production company seeks to purchase historic Hillsboro property
Lead Summary
By
Caitlin Forsha-crforsha@gmail.com
A production company affiliated with several popular cable television networks is actively pursuing the purchase of a local historical building.
Adam Kimmell and Dann Allen of Knight Owl Productions, LLC are seeking to purchase one historical building in Hillsboro. While they are not able to disclose the exact location as negotiations are ongoing, Kimmell told The Highland County Press that they have either toured or viewed the exterior of several historical buildings in the city, including the Armory, Bell’s Opera House, the Colony Theatre, the Mother Thompson House, the Parker House and the Scott House.
David Woolever, a native of Washington Court House, would serve as the “liaison” to the property.
Kimmell and Allen’s production company has a part of “various filming projects involved with the Travel Channel, Destination America and Syfy,” Kimmell said.
“We have two TV shows in the works currently,” Kimmell said.
The investors have already purchased three buildings: the Randolph County Infirmary in Winchester, Ind.; and the Hartford City Jail and an old speakeasy, both located in Hartford, Ind. The buildings are renovated and then opened to the public for both tours and for film crews.
“We use these locations for independent filmmakers and urban explorers, people who want to do music videos, people who would like to make webisodes or documentaries,” Kimmell said.
The infirmary and jail buildings have already been opened for film crews, to much success.
“We have filming going around the clock,” Kimmell said. “Every week, there’s some group in there for filming.”
According to Kimmell, the primary benefit to the community is that the publicity surrounding the buildings promotes tourism.
“This creates a tourist attraction,” Kimmell said. “That’s what we did in Winchester. It started off as an abandoned building. We got it on national TV.
“The Randolph County Infirmary, just last weekend, was featured on Destination America’s ‘Paranormal Lockdown.’ It was so popular, it was the most viewed episode of the season and was trending on Twitter for two and a half hours across the entire nation.”
If a deal is reached with the building in Hillsboro, Kimmell said that he believes it would stimulate the local economy, particularly locally owned businesses.
“Business has been booming in Randolph,” Kimmell said. “We would like to bring that business to Hillsboro to one of its historic locations and open up new opportunity for businesses that are going to come in because of the tourism.
“With all the film crews that come, we make them go to hometown places. We only deal with mom and pop shops.”
Kimmell said that he has already sought partnerships with several locally owned restaurants in the event film crews are able to come to the city.
The production company is still in talks with the property’s current owners, but if a deal is reached, Kimmell said his company plans to act quickly.
“Once a deal is met, we can promise that business will be stimulated from the crowds we bring in within four months or less,” Kimmell said. “The minute the deal is sealed, within the next 48 hours I’ll have a restoration team going in there and fixing this. We want to make the place operational in two months or less.”
If an agreement is reached, Woolever would be the primary tour guide and “face of the location,” Kimmell said, “setting up tours, recruiting volunteers and possibly even hiring more employees.”
“The goal is to put Hillsboro on the map and give them something they can really be proud of,” Woolever said.
Kimmell said that he has a proposal for the building’s current owners and will release more information if a deal is reached.
“I believe that if we cannot strike a deal, this would be the opportunity of a lifetime missed for this town,” Kimmell said.
Adam Kimmell and Dann Allen of Knight Owl Productions, LLC are seeking to purchase one historical building in Hillsboro. While they are not able to disclose the exact location as negotiations are ongoing, Kimmell told The Highland County Press that they have either toured or viewed the exterior of several historical buildings in the city, including the Armory, Bell’s Opera House, the Colony Theatre, the Mother Thompson House, the Parker House and the Scott House.
David Woolever, a native of Washington Court House, would serve as the “liaison” to the property.
Kimmell and Allen’s production company has a part of “various filming projects involved with the Travel Channel, Destination America and Syfy,” Kimmell said.
“We have two TV shows in the works currently,” Kimmell said.
The investors have already purchased three buildings: the Randolph County Infirmary in Winchester, Ind.; and the Hartford City Jail and an old speakeasy, both located in Hartford, Ind. The buildings are renovated and then opened to the public for both tours and for film crews.
“We use these locations for independent filmmakers and urban explorers, people who want to do music videos, people who would like to make webisodes or documentaries,” Kimmell said.
The infirmary and jail buildings have already been opened for film crews, to much success.
“We have filming going around the clock,” Kimmell said. “Every week, there’s some group in there for filming.”
According to Kimmell, the primary benefit to the community is that the publicity surrounding the buildings promotes tourism.
“This creates a tourist attraction,” Kimmell said. “That’s what we did in Winchester. It started off as an abandoned building. We got it on national TV.
“The Randolph County Infirmary, just last weekend, was featured on Destination America’s ‘Paranormal Lockdown.’ It was so popular, it was the most viewed episode of the season and was trending on Twitter for two and a half hours across the entire nation.”
If a deal is reached with the building in Hillsboro, Kimmell said that he believes it would stimulate the local economy, particularly locally owned businesses.
“Business has been booming in Randolph,” Kimmell said. “We would like to bring that business to Hillsboro to one of its historic locations and open up new opportunity for businesses that are going to come in because of the tourism.
“With all the film crews that come, we make them go to hometown places. We only deal with mom and pop shops.”
Kimmell said that he has already sought partnerships with several locally owned restaurants in the event film crews are able to come to the city.
The production company is still in talks with the property’s current owners, but if a deal is reached, Kimmell said his company plans to act quickly.
“Once a deal is met, we can promise that business will be stimulated from the crowds we bring in within four months or less,” Kimmell said. “The minute the deal is sealed, within the next 48 hours I’ll have a restoration team going in there and fixing this. We want to make the place operational in two months or less.”
If an agreement is reached, Woolever would be the primary tour guide and “face of the location,” Kimmell said, “setting up tours, recruiting volunteers and possibly even hiring more employees.”
“The goal is to put Hillsboro on the map and give them something they can really be proud of,” Woolever said.
Kimmell said that he has a proposal for the building’s current owners and will release more information if a deal is reached.
“I believe that if we cannot strike a deal, this would be the opportunity of a lifetime missed for this town,” Kimmell said.