Joe and Sarah Marcum have committed to funding an expansion of RiversEdge amphitheater and overlook, the popular Summer Concert Series venue. The $3.5 million donation will  add an assortment of amenities to further activate the park, including a wide sidewalk designed to be accessible to food trucks and similar users for community events, a children's playscape on the northwest corner, landscaping, and the great lawn. The Marcum's $3.5 million donation is the largest-ever private donation for a park in Hamilton. For more information, read the Journal-News story here.

The 2015 Initiative Update highlights 21 ongoing projects and 12 completed projects. New projects in 2015 include Efficiency Smart, the Hamilton Parks Conservancy, and Main Street revitalization efforts. To view the 2015 Initiative Update, follow the link here or click on the image below.

Pop Revolution is a gallery, custom framing, and art reproduction service located in 24 South Second. The business will also offer art classes and will be available for parties. According to a Journal-News article about the opening, owner Frances Michaels explained, "I haven't spent a lot of time in Hamilton since I've been in the Cincinnati area. But with all of the new art businesses opening there, I thought it would be a good idea to get in before everything is already open." For more information, check out the Journal-News article here.

Hamilton welcomed a new small business in the beginning of 2015. Kelly's Bakery  is located at 1335 Main Street and sells donuts, cinnamon rolls, cookies, and more. For more information, visit their Facebook page here.

InsideOut Studio, the Butler County Board of Developmental Disabilities art initiative, will move its studio into 150 High Street and will open a retail space. Other announced tenants for the building are StarTek, Jackson's Market and Deli, and Joslin Diabetes Center. For more information, read the Journal-News article here.

The Cincinnati Business Courier's Innovation and Technology Awards celebrate startups, entrepreneurs, and lifetime successes in innovative fields. Vora Ventures, the company associated with Vora Technology Park that specializes in building innovative IT companies, is a finalist in the Tech Company of the Year category.

kW River Hydroelectric, a Hamilton Mill startup, is the developer of the Williams CrossFlow Turbine, a power generation unit designed to operate when installed on low-head dams. It is a finalist in the Outstanding Advanced Engineering Innovation Category. Perceptive Devices, another Hamilton Mill startup, is the developer of the ground breaking PERCEPT-D™ technology that allows users to gain access and control a wide range of computer devices hands-free, without the use of voice communication or a mouse. The company is a finalist in the Best Device/Application Innovation category.

In March 2015, the renovations to the historic Artspace Hamilton facade were revealed. After the removal of the facade added in the early 1970s, the building was covered by scaffolding and plastic. Jacob Stone created a timelapse of the facade reveal that can be viewed by following the link here. Slated to open in May 2015, the 42 Artspace Hamilton Lofts are leasing up quickly. For more information on leasing and to download an application, follow the link here.

Hamilton's tap water was again named the "Best Tasting Tap Water in the World," at the 25th Annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting, in Berkeley Springs, WV.  This is the second time in five years the City of Hamilton has won the award. For more information, read the Journal-News article here.