Todd Stoffel holds the Village Association of Batavia Property Improvement Award presented to the owners of the Hamilton Building for the exterior improvements they made to the building last winter and this spring.

Todd Stoffel holds the Village Association of Batavia Property Improvement Award presented to the owners of the Hamilton Building for the exterior improvements they made to the building last winter and this spring.
Many of the buildings along Main Street in Batavia are historical, and preserving their history while still keeping the village looking nice means careful upgrades and repairs.

Todd Stoffel, an attorney at Nichols, Speidel and Nichols, recognized this and has worked to make multiple improvements to the Hamilton Building, where the firm is located, at 237 Main Street.

“It’s important to us,” Stoffel said about making the repairs. “We are very cognizant of the history of the building.”

Stoffel said they primarily focused on the exterior of the building and hired two contractors during the process. One contractor repaired the wood siding on the outside of the building last fall, and another painted the wood and completed the project earlier this year.

While the improvements were basic, they made a noticeable difference.

“I think it looks nice,” Stoffel said about the improvements. “We’re very proud of the building.”

Stoffel said he believes the building has been around since the late 1800s. He said preserving its history is important and making sure the village looks nice is also important.

In addition to the exterior of the building, Stoffel said they renovated the interior of the building in the 2000s.

“It’s important to acknowledge and contribute to future renovations in the village,” Stoffel said.

After seeing the building renovations, a citizen of Batavia nominated it for the Village Association of Batavia’s Property Improvement Award. The Hamilton Building received the award in September.

The Property Improvement Award is given to a property owner who makes improvements that stick to the general style of the original structure and help make the village a better place to live.

“It was a very nice recognition of the work we put into the building,” Stoffel said. “We’re very appreciative.”

To nominate a property for the Property Improvement Award visit www.vaob.org or call Barb Carney at (513) 675-7804.