Release Date: Jun. 30, 2011

CSB Gifts Former Headquarters to Holmes Chamber

Millersburg, Ohio — The Commercial & Savings Bank (CSB) today announced its former main office at 6 W. Jackson St. will be the future home of the Holmes County Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau, thanks to CSB gifting the building to the Chamber.

“Since building our new CSB headquarters on North Clay Street, we’ve looked for the right organization to take over our former main office building on the square,” stated Rick Ginther, CSB President & Chief Executive Officer. “The Chamber, with its need for more space and track record of fostering economic activity, is a perfect fit.”

The Chamber Board had been considering options for remodeling its current location at 35 N. Monroe St. to meet storage, meeting and office space needs, when Ginther, who also serves as Chamber Board President, offered to donate the building to the Chamber.

“At first glance, we were leery of taking on the responsibility of such a large building, which more than meets our needs,” said Chamber Board and Property Committee Member Bob Boss. “However, after exploring the building with contractors and running the numbers, it was clear this is the right decision for the Chamber, Tourism Bureau and our committees, including the Hardwood Furniture Guild and Amish Country Lodging Council.”

Since the Chamber operates the Tourism Bureau and serves as the visitor center for the entire county, the new location will be renovated to improve visibility and ensure tourists have a welcoming reception when they arrive in Amish Country.

“Thanks to the generosity of CSB, we’ll be able to better serve visitors and our members. We plan to renovate the former banking center into a visitors’ center, which will not only feature brochures about area attractions, but also showcase a sampling of goods crafted right here in Amish Country,” said Shasta Mast, Chamber Executive Director.

“We’ll also have plenty of meeting space for our committees, boards and councils. I know folks are often looking for a convenient spot to have meetings, and we’ll be able to offer that to our members,” she added.

The Chamber Property Committee exhaustively evaluated the building’s roof, HVAC and other infrastructure. “We believe we can address the immediate repairs, plan for future upgrades and save a historic building all within our current budget,” Boss said. “It makes more sense than renovating at our current location, and it’s not often someone offers to give you a quality building like this.”

The Chamber also will seek organizations needing office and retail space to join them. “The building offers a combination of street-level retail opportunities and second-floor office space,” Mast said. “We’ve already had a few interested parties contact us about renting part of the space. We hope to ensure this building is a hub of economic activity for years to come.”

The Chamber plans to take possession of the building this summer and make the move into their new location late this fall or early winter, when renovations are complete. Their current building will be sold.

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