Hillsboro Plaza History

Hillsboro Plaza History. . , The Hillsboro Plaza was "born" on July 17, 2001, about 7:20 p.m., when a rain storm with strong winds blew through town and forever changed this corner sight. The southwest portion of the former Hillsboro National Bank building collapsed. The roof caved in, and bricks from its nearly century-old walls tell onto the neighboring Escape and Montgomery County News buildings. After city engineers determined that adjacent "vulnerable to potential falling debris," Commissioner Bill Baran, serving as acting mayor in Mayor Harold Whitten's absence, obtained a court order to remove the unsafe portion of the structure., The building's owner, who had no insurance, subsequently deeded the property to the city. Demolition was completed before 2001 Old Settlers Days. The city then offered the corner property for sale, with a minimum price of $50,000, but there were no bidders. In November, Mayor Whitten appointed an advisory committee to seek public input for the area's use., The following summer, the council accepted the committee's recommendation to create a public plaza with a stage. A number of local businesses, organizations and individuals donated funds for the project., The first job was to build a new brick wall on the north side of the city-owned Escape teen center. It was erected in the fall of 2002 to match the new wall already constructed on the east side of The News building. The stage and adjoining storage room (a former bank vault) were completed by city workers in 2003, and the plaza's concrete surface and new sidewalks were finished in July 2004. Two historic replica lamp posts were added in the fall. The Plaza committee continues to raise funds for ongoing maintenance and purchases, including the park benches added in 2005., Tax-deductible donations for the plaza are welcome. , Make checks payable to The Escape, Inc./Plaza Fund. , To schedule a public concert or event on the plaza, contact the City Clerk's office at Hillsboro City Hall.