The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Sorg Mansion named to preservation list

Historic building up for sale.

Nick Graham/The Sorg Mansion has been named to the 2009 Heritage Ohio Top Ten Preservation Opportunities list.

Photos: Sorg Mansion on historic list

LGBT Awareness Week planned at Miami University
3:59 p.m.
Applications up slightly for Miami’s class of 2014
3:08 p.m.
GreenSource to celebrate opening
3:04 p.m.
Solar panels unlikely at new high school
1:55 p.m.
Vote delayed on proposed merger of Kings Island’s owner
12:06 p.m.
> More headlines

By Jessica Heffner, Staff Writer Updated 7:58 AM Wednesday, May 13, 2009

One of Middletown’s most historic landmarks has been named to a statewide preservation group’s “top opportunities” list.

Heritage Ohio named the Sorg Mansion, located at 200-206 S. Main St., to its 2009 Heritage Ohio Top Ten Preservation Opportunities list. Nominated by local businesswoman Adriane Scherrer, it was the only property in Butler County to be named to the list, said Joyce Barrett, executive director.

“This was a no-brainer. This is a fabulous, community-defining building,” she said.

While being named to the list does not bring any financial gains, Barrett said the designation adds recognition as one of Ohio’s historic buildings that deserve additional technical assistance to ensure a successful rehabilitation.

“Sometimes it just helps to say we have a real asset here, let’s work together to get it back into play,” she said.

Sorg Mansion is still listed for sale, with the price tag recently dropped to $575,000, said Lynn Tankersley, listing agent with Coldwell Banker Oyer.

The three-story, 35-room brick-and-stone Romanesque castle was built in 1887 by one of Middletown’s great industrialists and first millionaires, Paul J. Sorg, according to published articles by county historian Jim Blount. The price tag back then: $1 million.

The mansion is situated on two acres along with a duplex home and a two-story carriage house. The main building has an estimated 13,000 square feet; the duplex about 3,744 square feet; and the carriage house is estimated at about 6,000 square feet. It has recently been divided into a 17-unit rooming house, 15 of which are currently rented for an average price of $100 a week, Tankersley said.

According to data from a 2008 appraisal by the county auditor, the mansion by itself has a total appraised value is $223,580. The property, split over nine parcels, has a total appraised value of $368,210.

Sorg was a prominent social and political figure in the region and served in the U.S. House of Representatives from May 1894 to March 1897. He filled a vacancy and was elected to a term, but did not seek re-election.

His executive secretary, James M. Cox, later was elected to the congressional seat. Cox went on to become the owner of the Dayton Daily News and governor of Ohio. The company Cox founded owns The Middletown Journal.

For more information on the Heritage Ohio list, visit www.heritageohio.org.

By the numbers

$575,000 price tag for Sorg Mansion.

1887 is the year it was built.

13,000 is the estimated square feet of the mansion.

$1 million is the estimated cost to build the mansion.

35 rooms in the mansion.

$368,210 is the appraised value of the property.

Share this article

ADD COMMENT

Comments feed

im so happy to hear this beautiful building is for sale i have been saying for years what a shame i only wish i had the money to buy it yes a bed and breakfast would be great im sure MR SORG has turned over in his grave , to see what a mess his beautiful home has become thank GOD something is going to be done

BRENDA CARR
11:01 PM, 9/1/2009

REPORT ABUSE

This has to be my favorite house ever, and I'd love to be given the chance to tour it. I agree with the person who stated that it should be turned into a Bed and Breakfast or a Museum. Give us all a chance to appreciate the beauty of this building and the money and time it took to build it!

Christy
9:39 PM, 5/13/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Hey Phil,

It's "misprint".

Hugh Jaynis
5:01 PM, 5/13/2009

REPORT ABUSE

It is a true shame that the home was turned into apartments. All those dumpy cars parked on the property don't help either. If anyone in Middletown had any vision they would have turned the property into a bed and breakfast or museum. I have never seen such a beautiful home. Hopefully, this property can be returned to the former stature.

Charles
11:57 AM, 5/13/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Phil- Sorry to have ruffled your little feathers son. A little bunged this morning are we? Just making a point that the paper makes numerous mistakes and is in the business of being accurate in all facets. Proofreading would have helped here. By the way, you started your first sentence in your post without using a capital letter. You should have proofread your work before submitting.

VietVet
10:48 AM, 5/13/2009

REPORT ABUSE

There are 4 additional comments

SHOW ALL

We welcome your comments. Please remember this is a public forum and behave appropriately. Your comments must conform to our visitor's agreement.