The IOOF Building, located at 112-118 W. Main St. in Troy, built in 1841, survived a tornado in 2020 and proposed demolition in 2024. Renovations on the interior of the building will begin in November of 2024.
Eamon Baird | Miami Valley Today
The roof of the IOOF Building, which sustained damage during a tornado in 2020. After a legal dispute the Troy Historical Preservation Alliance (THPA) provided the county with documentation showing the building was safe and did not require a load test.
Eamon Baird | Miami Valley Today
Ben Sutherly, president of the Troy Historical Preservation Alliance, gives a tour of the upstairs of the IOOF Building in downtown Troy. The second story and third stories of the building have not been used since 1939.
Eamon Baird | Miami Valley Today
By Eamon Baird
TROY — The IOOF Building located at 112-118 W. Main St. in Troy will soon be changing ownership after being rescued by the Troy Historic Preservation Alliance (THPA) in December 2023.
The building, erected in 1841 is the sixth oldest surviving courthouse in Ohio. In its early years, it served as a recorder’s office where civil war officers received their discharge papers, along with the auditor’s office and clerk of common pleas.
In 1888 a new courthouse was constructed, and the building was used by the Miami Union newspaper before it was sold to the Independent Order of the Oddfellows (IOOF).
THPA President Ben Sutherly spoke about the building’s history and the importance of preserving it for the Troy community.
“This is one of the oldest buildings in the block,” he said. “Other buildings were built soon after it, but it is the centerpiece of this block, and it would have transformed this block and diminished our downtown if this building had been torn down. It just it tells Troy’s story in a way that few buildings can.”
In January 2020, the roof of the IOOF building sustained damage from a tornado. Since then, community members and the THPA stepped in to save the building but faced a lengthy legal battle.
“The southeast corner of the roof, during the tornado, was ripped off and it flipped over the top of the building and while it was falling, it clipped the top of the wall — what’s known as the parapet — and caused damage. So, when that happened, it was necessary to close the sidewalk in front of the building,” Sutherly said.
The THPA purchased the building in December of 2023 under a court-ordered settlement agreement from the previous owner and rescued it from demolition. As part of a court-mediated settlement agreement, THPA reached a deal to purchase and stabilize the building, raising more than $800,000 within four months, exceeding their goal.
“So, it was a bit of a calculated leap of faith. We figured it could be $400,000 it could be a minimum. We set our goal at $750,000, but we were able to raise more than $800,000 in four months. It was an incredible effort,” Sutherly said.
Another issue the building faced was a proposed load test of the roof in late March, which would have cost an additional $50,000. On March 28, engineers for the THPA presented the Miami County Building Department with mathematical calculations and information showing the building met Ohio building code requirements.
Finally, on April 19, the sidewalk in front of the IOOF building was opened, 10 months after the THPA purchased the property, and over four years after the tornado damage to the rooftop.
Before the building can be fully hospitable again, it will require a series of repairs. Sutherly spoke about some upcoming restoration work, including window and brick repairs, which will start in November.
“We partnered with Pella Windows, and they are providing a substantial discount. They’re going to be wood and they’re going to really look the part. So, these are really going to look nice. We’re also having brickwork done to address code violations, which should be resolved within a matter of a few months. Long-term, we stepped up and stood in the gap to get this building off a trajectory toward demolition, and get a kind of trajectory toward revitalization,” he said.
For his efforts, Sutherly was awarded the Preservation Hero Award on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at the Heritage Ohio Awards in Newark.
“Ben’s commitment to historic preservation is evident in the personal sacrifices he made, including leading a legal fight against the city and property owner, advocating at public meetings, and organizing a robust social media campaign. His dedication was symbolized by his act of physically blocking a backhoe to prevent the building’s destruction. His unwavering passion saved two important historical landmarks in Troy,” a news release from the award presentation stated.
Moving forward, Sutherly said he expects the transfer of ownership for the building in the next month, and repairs and renovations to continue into 2026. He also expressed gratitude to the community and 11 members of the THPA who helped rescue the building.
“It took 85 years for it to deteriorate to this point and it’s not just overnight going to be beautiful again, but, already it’s so much better than it was at the beginning of this year. And when the windows are opened, along with the brickwork, that’s going to be a big step,” he said.
Sutherly expressed some sadness in transferring ownership of the historic building but said he looks forward to the continued renovations in making the building a part of Troy’s downtown again.
“It’s going to be a place that Troy can be proud of again, and it’s going to be done in a way that’s sympathetic to its history. We are going to be placing a conservation easement on the building, which will protect a lot of its character-defining features,” he said.
