Help Preserve a Piece of Downtown Middletown

My name is Shane Scott, and along with my brother Brandon, I have spent the last 17 years building businesses, restoring historic buildings, and investing everything we have into the future of Middletown.

In 2009, my brother and I founded a pizza company called Cincy by the Slice. We became an Over-the-Rhine staple, known for our Pickleroni and Pickle Pie. For seven years, we poured our hearts, time, and every dollar we had into that business.

In 2016, the building we leased was sold, and we were forced out.

That moment was devastating—but it also changed our lives. We made a promise that we would never again build our livelihood on property we didn’t own. Losing years of work, goodwill, and equipment taught us a painful lesson.

Soon after, an opportunity arose in Middletown. Through hard negotiation, we purchased the historic Shomer Building at 1300 Central Avenue for $3,000. While that number sounds unbelievable, the reality is that it required over $800,000 in renovations to restore it while keeping its original character. We wanted it to feel like the kind of place that had always been there—because we believe that preservation matters.

With about $5,000 to our names, we worked courier jobs, delivery jobs, and endless hours alongside a few contractors and one investor who believed in us. After 17 months, we opened The Slice Pie—bare bones but full of heart.

The first three years were incredible. We reinvested into the building, purchased additional properties, and fully committed ourselves to downtown Middletown.

Then came 2020.

Like so many small businesses, COVID hit us hard. Downtown foot traffic disappeared overnight. As things finally began to stabilize, Central Avenue was shut down again in 2022 for the streetscape project. Businesses had barely survived the pandemic when downtown was effectively closed for over a year. When the street reopened, many businesses—including ours—lost essential parking. We lost ten spaces.

The momentum never fully returned.

Despite this, we doubled down. We are preservationists. We believe in restoring historic buildings, not tearing them down. The buildings in the 1700 block of Central Avenue are some of the very first structures you see when entering Middletown from the west—and they matter.

We purchased multiple properties in that block with the goal of giving it new life.

The 1700 Central Avenue Investment — and the Setback No One Saw Coming

At 1700 Central Avenue, we completed the most extensive renovation of our lives. We fully rebuilt 10 apartment units with brand-new plumbing, electrical, roof, kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, drywall, lighting—everything. All work was fully permitted, fully inspected, and fully approved.

Then disaster struck again.

Sewage began backing up into the basement.

Five different plumbing companies were brought in, and none could identify the cause. As the issue worsened, tenants had to vacate the building. Contractors working on the commercial storefront units walked away, refusing to continue until the problem was resolved.

Because those commercial units were not completed in time, we lost a grant and a 12-year tax abatement—a program designed to reduce property taxes so owners can reinvest those savings into maintaining and preserving historic buildings. Losing that abatement created a massive financial burden at a critical moment.

Finally, a septic professional discovered the cause:

the city sewer line had been capped in the middle of Central Avenue.

After legal action, the city ultimately acknowledged fault and reimbursed us—but only after months of financial devastation, during which we drained our resources just to stabilize the property and pursue a solution. By the time the sewer was properly connected, our finances were severely depleted.

Still, we did not walk away.

The Fire at 1700 Central Avenue

On the morning of March 2, 2026, I received the most devastating call of my life:

1700 Central Avenue was on fire.

My first and only concern was that no one was hurt.

The fire originated in Apartment 5, occupied by the building’s maintenance worker. He later admitted to police that he had been using drugs and stated that he believed the fire began inside his apartment. Authorities at the scene also indicated that his condition suggested impairment.

This was not a case of faulty wiring or neglect. The building had been fully renovated, permitted, and inspected.

This was a case of negligence.

We had tried to help this individual—providing housing, utilities, and support while encouraging him to get clean. In October, he overdosed in that apartment, information we only learned recently. He was confronted and warned that continued substance use posed a serious safety risk.

That risk became reality.

Because of the prior financial devastation caused by the sewer issue and delays, the building was uninsured at the time of the fire. Years of work and over a million dollars in investment are now at risk of being lost entirely.

Why We’re Asking for Help

We are not asking for sympathy—we are asking for community.

Downtown Middletown needs support, positivity, and belief. Small businesses and preservationists cannot survive on criticism and misinformation alone. Historic buildings like 1700 Central Avenue cannot be replaced once they are gone.

Our goal is to stabilize the property, preserve what can be saved, and prevent this historic structure from being demolished.

There are not many buildings like this left.

If you believe in historic preservation, small businesses, and the future of downtown Middletown, we are asking—humbly—for your help.

Every contribution, share, and message of support matters more than you know.

God bless you, and God bless Middletown.