Miamisburg Historical Society eyes old library

The city and the Dayton Metro system are in negotiations over the Fifth Street building; society could ease space crunch there.

Negotiations MIAMISBURG — between the city of Miamisburg and the Dayton Metro Library may result in a larger home for the Miamisburg Historical Society.

The city is taking steps to acquire the building on South Fifth Street that the library system vacated last year when it moved into a new $7 million facility on South Sixth Street.

Miamisburg records show the Dayton Metro system is seeking to donate about an acre that includes the former library and a parking area on Park Avenue. Meanwhile, the historical society — located at a smaller building at 4 N. Main St. — has informally expressed interest in consolidating operations at the former library site, officials said.

“What we have is a situation where we’re bursting at the seams downtown,” due to lack of space, said society President Kurt Stueve.

He said the historical society has “a warehouse full” of memorabilia at the Mound Business Park that includes cars and boats that “we can’t display” and “are basically hidden away.”

City council has approved an ordinance to accept library property, but details are still being finalized, officials said. The process with the city and the library system may take up to four months, records show.

Should the city and the library system work out an agreement, a deal with the historical society can be sought, Miamisburg City Manager Keith Johnson said.

If the historical society moved to the former library site, John-

son said, it would a good fit. In addition to more space, the organization would be next to Veterans Memorial Park and closer to Miamisburg’s schools.

“It’s more centrally located,” he said. “And right now a lot of their historical items are located at a couple of smaller buildings through- out the city.

“This would consolidate them and provide space for a lot of museum pieces that they simply don’t have space to show,” Johnson added.

The society’s board of directors has not “taken a stance” on the issue, but members generally seem to favor the move, Stueve said.