Come see the updates at Milan Township Hall

MILAN — The Milan Township Hall has seen plenty of ups and downs over the centuries.But its newly completed renovation project helps ensure it will stay in use for years to come.The building was built in 1876. A fire in the 1890s destroyed the roof and wooden floors, but the brick walls survived. Then in the late 1990s, the clock tower was struck by lightning. Despite the turmoil, the township hall has remained Milan's most iconic building and the community epicenter.Milan Township officials recently completed renovations on the structure in the village square. The main goal was to add an elevator to make the second floor ballroom more accessible, but some in the community feared the exterior could be damaged."We knew how important the building is to the community and the history of architecture," trustee Dan Frederick said. "But we knew we could do it appropriately and increase accessibility and functionality of the ballroom for everyone. The best way to maintain a building is to ensure it continues to be used."Work was paid for using grants from the Erie County Community Foundation, money from the Ohio Capital Bill secured by former state Sen. Randy Gardner, R-Bowling Green, and state Rep. Steve Arndt, R-Port Clinton, and the township's general fund.The project included a handicap accessible ramp to the first floor, an elevator to the second floor, updated electrical systems, a new heating and cooling system, renovations to the women's bathroom and renovations to the trustee room."Since we've finished the elevator portion we've seen requests for the ballroom go through the roof," Frederick said. "Before certain guests couldn't go up and caterers didn't like it because it was too tough to get equipment up."Frederick hopes the hall's ballroom will be used for more community and private events. He said they've seen an increase in the number of wedding receptions being booked there.The trustees will show off the renovations and thank everyone who made it possible at an open house at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. It will also offer community members a chance to learn about new developments in the works."We have a lot of exciting things going on in Milan Township right now," Frederick said. "We've got some other projects coming up that we want to let the residents know about."Want to go?What: An open house for the new Milan Township HallWhere: Park Street, downtown MilanWhen: 7 p.m. WednesdayReach reporter Michael Harrington at michaelharrington@sanduskyregister.com, follow the Register at Facebook.com/SanduskyRegisterThe Milan Township Trustees are hosting an open house on May 29 to show off the renovations to the Township Hall.