Fort Piqua Hotel - Christmas Tree, Wreaths and Garland Lit on Portico

The project is the culmination of a remarkable cooperative effort between the city, the library board, state and federal governments and especially the Hotel Library Legacy Alliance (HLLA), the local fund-raising group that put the project over the top with a campaign to privately raise $2.6 million the last week of July.

Piqua Mayor Tom Hudson welcomed the more than 300 people who attended the ceremony.  Mayor Hudson stated "It is a historic day for the city and the residents of people. ... In a year and a half this structure will breath new life into the downtown."  City of Piqua Public Works Director and the City's Hotel Project Coordinator gave those on hand a brief timeline and history of the grand structure from its construction around 1891 until now.  Library Board President Rick Fry spoke on behalf of the Flesh Public Library, which will become the main occupant of the renovated building. John McGill of the Ohio Department of Development spoke and noted that the forward-moving renovation project "is physical evidence of Piqua's creative community spirit."  Hotel/Library Legacy Alliance chairperson Ruth Koon spoke last and said she felt like Ebenezer Scrooge, waking up to a bright Christmas morning.  The ceremony then culminated with Ms. Koon flipping a switch  which lit a Christmas tree, wreaths and garland on the building's portico.

Those in attendance received a commemorative program which displayed a rendering of the hotel lit up at Christmastime.

The $14.5 million construction project involves seven separate prime contractors and will take approximately 18 months to complete.