Business View Civil Municipal - July 2023

179 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 7 MIDDLETOWN, OHIO diligence concerning adhering to strict compliance and regulatory standards. The City’s focus has not only been on drawing in new business in the retail and industrial area, but it has also offered help to local businesses and residents through a variety of city, state, and federal incentive programs. Working together for Middletown’s prospects Working in partnership, Middletown has been able to help its valued local smaller- scale businesses stay afloat by allocating federal ARPA grant monies and Community Reinvestment Area tax abatements. The city is also administering Ohio Industry Sector Partnership Grants in the realm of workforce development as well as working in partnership with JobsOhio, a statewide initiative established in 2011 to boost innovation, drive job creation, and increase capital investment in Ohio. As part of its robust business and workforce development plan, Middletown also works with neighboring counties in the southwest region of the state as a member of the area’s BusinessFirst! Program. Middletown has recognized the need to work collaboratively with different state, local, private, and federal partners to achieve the goal of providing its residents with the best possible employment opportunities, business opportunities, and overall community needs. Beyond its robust partnership in business and workforce development, the City has also made a concerted effort to partner with other entities that serve as major economic drivers for the city and its residents, namely the Middletown Port Authority and of particular focus for the city, the Middletown Airport Opportunity Zone. Flying into new commercial heights Ohio has designated the bustling Middletown Regional Airport and the 2.6 miles surrounding it as an area ripe for business and economic development. It is one of 320 zones recognized as such throughout the state. Formerly known as Hook Field, Middletown Regional Airport is a general aviation facility that serves both corporate and private aircraft, and is conveniently situated only two miles north of the city’s central business district and close to I-75. The 550-acre airport has extensive aviation infrastructure, developable land, two runways (one of which is the longest non-towered runway in southwest Ohio, which at 6,100 feet is capable of accommodating a 727), an improved LED runway and taxi lights, and recent pavement upgrades. The capacity of the airport also included 13 city- owned buildings consisting of 66 T-Hangar units, two 50’x50’ aircraft hangar units, 39,000 sq. ft. of corporate/community hangar space, and a 24,000 sq. ft. maintenance hangar, and an 8,000-sq.-ft. terminal building. The city has a desirable partner in the airport with much room for commercial growth benefiting the residents of Middletown. The other part of Middletown’s growth