TROY — The Masonic Temple building was recently sold to an unspecified party, according to Berkshire Hathaway’s Dawna Elko, the realtor behind the sale.
According to the Miami County auditor’s website, ownership of the building was transferred on Feb. 20, 2020, from Troy Masonic Temple Lodge to a limited liability company, called 107 W. Main LLC, at a sale price of $670,000.
According to Development Director for the city of Troy Tim Davis, the LLC was registered by attorney William Harrelson, of Troy, on behalf of client buyer(s), the name(s) of whom have not been released.
A call for comment to Harrelson went unanswered as of press time.
The historic building was constructed in 1907 by the Troy Franklin Lodge. According to Purke, early indications are that the Masonic Temple building, which is listed on the National Registry of Historic Buildings, will be saved and repurposed, though specific plans for the building have not been announced at this time.
The building has been the meeting place for the Masonic lodge members for generations and features two signature, one-of-a-kind stained glass windows on the third floor, a marble staircase, and an interior that dates back to the early 1900s.
According to Bruce Ball, Franklin Lodge 14 member, the Masons have met at the Troy Masonic Temple since its opening in 1908. Ball said while no new location has yet been identified, Franklin Lodge 14 intends to stay in the Troy area.
“Our roots are here in Troy,” he said. “A lot of the founding fathers of Troy were founding fathers of our lodge. The majority of our members are from Troy and we want to stay part of the community; like any other fraternal organization, we like to help the community and do anything we can with what we’ve got.”
The second floor of the Masonic Temple has been the home of the Miami Valley Veterans Museum since 2010 when the Masons offered the Miami Valley Veterans Museum a location to house their museum.
“The (Miami Valley) Veterans Museum looks forward to working with the new owners of the Masonic Temple and we are pleased to learn that the historic building will be saved,” said Karen Purke, executive director of the Miami Valley Veterans Museum.
The Miami Valley Veterans Museum will continue their ongoing capital campaign to raise $1,700,000 in support of the purchase and renovation of the former Erwin Car dealership located next to the golf driving range, 2245 S. County Road 25A, Purke said. The project will also include upgrades to existing exhibits and the creation of new exhibits for the Veterans Museum.
“The new veterans museum location will allow us to continue our mission ‘To Honor, Preserve and Perpetuate the Legacy of the Miami Valley Veterans,’” she said.
Donations to the capital campaign may be made online at The Troy Foundation website, www.thetroyfoundation.org, by clicking the “Donate Now” button and then selecting the Miami Valley Veterans Museum. Donations may also be mailed to the Miami Valley Veterans Museum, care of The Troy Foundation, 216 W. Franklin St., Troy, OH, 45373.
The Miami Valley Veterans Museum Fund is a component fund of The Troy Foundation.
