MARION’S OWEN BLOCK BUILDING UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP

MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 31, 2023

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Contact Person: Amber Bisinger
Title: Communications Manager
Telephone Number: 319-743-6345
Email Address: [email protected]

Website: www.cityofmarion.org

MARION’S OWEN BLOCK BUILDING UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP
City Dismisses Petition Seeking Title

The Owen Block building, located at the northeast corner of 10th Street and 7th Avenue, is one of the most recognizable buildings in Marion’s historic Uptown District. The building was built in 1880 and was most recently home to Maid-Rite Café, which closed in 2017.

Earlier this year, the City of Marion filed a petition seeking the title to the vacant Owen Block building. Recently, Jamie and Kelsie Hoth have retained 100 percent ownership of the building and have been working closely with the City’s Building Inspection Division to establish a timeline to address appearance and safety-related matters. As such, the petition has formally been dismissed.

“The passage of time has visibly taken a toll on our iconic building, leaving it in need of extensive repair efforts,” said property owners Jamie and Kelsie Hoth. “Our goal is to return the Owen Building to the energetic hub it once was.”

The new owners are also working with the City’s economic development partners to discuss historic design concepts, complementary business options and potential funding sources.

“We’ll try to conserve as much of the original building and architectural design elements as possible while paving the way for community members and visitors to enjoy modern amenities, up to three new businesses and centrally located Uptown Marion housing,” the Hoths added. “Through this undertaking, we are excited to help Uptown Marion reclaim a piece of its identity while celebrating our past and embracing a vibrant future.”

The City is appreciative of the investment made by the Hoths and is optimistic about the building’s future.

“The recent investments in Uptown Marion have brought a new energy to the heart of our community,” said Marion Mayor Nick AbouAssaly. “This is a positive step forward as we continue to recover from the derecho and envision what’s next for Marion. We are grateful to Jamie and Kelsie for their commitment to collaborating with the City and our community partners as they restore this important piece of our history.”

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