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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Marion won’t seek title for historic Maid-Rite building
New owners working with city to address safety issues and renovations
Aug. 1, 2023 12:50 pm, Updated: Aug. 1, 2023 1:14 pm
MARION — The city of Marion has dropped its petition to attain the title of the Owen Block Building, also known as the former Maid-Rite restaurant, which officials called the “eyesore” of a recently-completed $6.9 million streetscape and plaza project.
The historic building, built in 1880 at 1000 Seventh Ave., has been vacant for six or seven years and fallen into disrepair with broken windows and damage from the 2020 derecho. The city filed a petition in January, asserting the owners — Marion City Square LLC — consisting of Joe Hill of San Jose, Calif., and Jamie Hoth of Marion — hadn’t made sufficient efforts to rehabilitate or renovate the building and grounds.
City officials said this week that Jamie and Kelsie Hoth have now obtained 100 percent ownership of the building and are working with the city’s Building Inspection Division to establish a timeline to address appearance and safety-related matters.
The new owners also are working with Marion’s economic development partners to discuss historic design concepts, complementary business options and potential funding sources, according to a news release.
“The passage of time has visibly taken a toll on our iconic building, leaving it in need of extensive repair efforts,” the Hoths said in a statement. “Our goal is to return the Owen Building to the energetic hub it once was.”
The owners said they will attempt to conserve as much of the original building and architectural design as possible. They are planning to update the building and may have up to three businesses in the new design.
“Through this undertaking, we are excited to help Uptown Marion reclaim a piece of its identity while celebrating our past and embracing a vibrant future,” the Hoths said.
City officials are optimistic about the building’s future.
“The recent investments in Uptown Marion have brought a new energy to the heart of our community,” Marion Mayor Nick AbouAssaly said in a statement. “This is a positive step forward as we continue to recover from the derecho and envision what’s next for Marion. We are grateful to Jamie and Kelsie for their commitment to collaborating with the city and our community partners as they restore this important piece of our history.”
According to the petition, the partially boarded-up building didn’t met city code requirements for human habitation, occupancy or use. Multiple broken windows around the building have left the interior exposed to the weather and contributed to further deterioration.
City Manager Ryan Waller told The Gazette in May that the city placed fencing around the building as a public safety measure to prevent falls or other injuries if an individual entered the property through its unsecured entrances.
The city’s petition asked the court to find the property as abandoned and to grant the city the title to the property.
The building was home to a Maid-Rite restaurant for more than 30 years. In January 2017, longtime owner Ellie Osborn Riley and her daughters, Teri and Nicole, who helped run the business, announced they planned to close the franchise.
Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com
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