KETTERING — The historic D.L. Barnes building on Far Hills Avenue in Kettering will undergo a $16.5 million renovation through a partnership between Kettering City Schools and private business COhatch.
The nearly 100-year-old structure, which has stood vacant since 2019, will be converted into a multi-use co-working and community hub.
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The property previously served as Kettering’s first high school and later housed the school district’s central office before being vacated.
Although the school board initially slated the building for demolition due to steep renovation costs, intervention by The Schiewetz Foundation helped assemble a coalition of community partners.
The renovation budget will be funded through a combination of state, federal, philanthropic, and private company investment.
The building fell vacant in 2019 after the district relocated its offices. Facing high costs to maintain the aging structure, school board leaders initially concluded that demolition was the only financially viable option.
Mindy McCarty-Stewart, superintendent of Kettering City Schools, explained the financial hurdles the board faced. “From a cost analysis, it was way too expensive for the district to continue to renovate,” McCarty-Stewart said.
Plans to tear down the historic building changed when local community partners stepped forward to preserve the structure without placing the financial burden on local taxpayers.
The Schiewetz Foundation spearheaded efforts to find an alternative solution. Rick Schwartz, president of The Schiewetz Foundation, highlighted how the revival aligned with the charitable group’s core mission.
“This project hits on all the main points, drivers of our foundation, which is to provide economic support for the community we’re based in, historic preservation, as well as to promote entrepreneurship,” Schwartz said.
Under the partnership agreement, private company COhatch will move into the renovated building, offering co-working locations, private offices and meeting spaces. Matt Davis, co-founder and CEO of COhatch, emphasized the long-term community value of restoring the facility.
“This beautiful old building once served a great purpose here in Kettering,” Davis said. “It will again serve a great purpose again for many, many generations to come.”
In addition to hosting small businesses and local entrepreneurs, the revitalized space is intended to serve as a hub for regional support networks.
Davis noted that the facility will host a diverse group of tenants under one roof. “In this building you’ll probably see multiple foundations, multiple other organizations, multiple startup organizations, all supporting this group of small businesses and entrepreneurs out of it,” Davis said.
The Kettering City School District will retain ownership of the property throughout the partnership. Once construction is finished, the district plans to move its central administration offices back into the building.
McCarty-Stewart praised the collaborative agreement for serving both the school system and the wider public. “It is a win-win for our community,” she said.
Renovations on the D.L. Barnes building are expected to be complete by the end of next year. A community open house is scheduled for this week for residents wanting to learn more about the upcoming renovation plans.
An open house is being hosted this week for people who want to learn more about the renovation. Click here for more information.
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