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July 2009 - Vol. 23, No. 7
Kerri Broome, editor
 
 
In This Issue

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 CRS Annual Meeting to Convene July 15
 at Sarah Benedict House

CRS 2 color logo The Annual Meeting of the Cleveland Restoration Society will be held at its Sarah Benedict House headquarters, 3751 Prospect Avenue. A new slate of officers will be elected, followed by refreshments and a chance for informal discussions with trustees and staff. Weather permitting; refreshments will be served in the beautiful Volunteers Garden. Please join us and find out more about how your membership dues benefit our regional homeowners and their communities.

 


 SAT and Preserve America Update
 house subcommittee boosts FY2010 funding

The House Appropriations Committee approved its subcommittees' spending allocations for FY2010 in June, including $32.4 billion for the Interior Department, which represents a 17% increase over FY2009. In addition, the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee provided the Historic Preservation Fund programs with $90.5 million, including $30 million for Save America's Treasures and $6 million for Preserve America.

 


 Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits
 third round of applications

Beginning July 1 and continuing to September 30, the Ohio Department of Development is accepting applications from owners of historic buildings to obtain historic preservation tax credits for their projects. $17.5 million is being made available for this phase. Award winners are to be announced by December 30. The fourth, final, round, which will allocate approximately $24 million, will begin January 1, 2010 and will close on March 31, with awards to be announced by June 30, 2010.

 


 Ohio Historical Society Funding Threatened
 proposed budget cuts

The Ohio Senate recently slashed funding for the Ohio Historical Society, following years of state disinvestment in history and preservation. The Senate changes cut funding for the Society from $13.8 million two years ago to $10 million for Fiscal Years 2010-11. This represents the lowest allocation of state funding for the Society since 1994 ($9.6 million, or $13.8 million in inflation-adjusted funding). Included in the cuts were:
  • $750,000 funding for the 58 historic sites and museums under the care of OHS and its local site;
  • teacher training and educational programs that leverage federal funding;
  • funding for the Local History Office, which serves more than 800 local historical organizations;
  • support for National History Day in Ohio - a national program that originated in Ohio;
  • staffing for the Civil War anniversary (2011-2015) initiative; and
  • the state historical markers program for 1,200 of historic sites across Ohio.


 


 New Cleveland Ordinance
 extends tax abatement to some historic building owners

Cleveland City Council passed legislation on June 8 that reflects action taken by the Ohio Legislature last year (Ohio Revised Code 3735.67) that grants qualifying historic properties an additional 10 years of tax abatement. Under the new state and Cleveland ordinances a property qualifies "if the dwelling is a structure of historical or architectural significance, is a certified historic structure that has been subject to federal tax treatment under 26 U.S.C. 47 and 170(h), and units within the structure have been leased to individual tenants for five consecutive years." This is of particular interest to apartment owners who are converting to condominiums at the end of the original recovery period.

 


 Cleveland Trust Tower Deal Falls Through
 back to square one

Cleveland Trust Tower Marcel Breuer's Cleveland skyscraper is once again in limbo. Developer Doug Price has withdrawn his planned renovation for the tower complex, which puts it back on the shoulders of the Cuyahoga County Commissioners. Apparently, Price lost a key potential tenant. It is uncertain at this point what the County will do to recover the more than $40M of taxpayers' money that has been poured into this beleaguered venture.

 


 Euclid Avenue Master Plan
 concerns about competing interests

Will Midtown (between East 55th and East 79th Streets continue to move toward market-rate housing and private commercial investment or social services and subsidized housing? This is the question that concerns Midtown Cleveland Inc. and other interested parties who have been encouraging the former, but face challenges from the latter. In the current difficult economy, there is a temptation to accept anything - however that clearly may not be in the best long term interest of the city. CRS supports Midtown Cleveland's position for a vibrant mix of uses for this stretch of Euclid Avenue. You can see the master plan at Midtown Cleveland's web site.

 


 Countering Foreclosure in Cleveland Heights Update
 agency initiative has its first project

In our February issue, we reported that a subsidiary called Home in the Heights had been formed by the Home Repair Resource Center to purchase and renovate vacant houses in Cleveland Heights. We are pleased to report that they now have their first buyers, Mark Finkenbine and Nadelane Joseph, who have acquired a house on Westover Drive that is currently undergoing renovation which is anticipated to be completed by mid August. The HRRC's program includes buying, renovating and selling 11 vacant houses in the coming year. The objective is to help stabilize areas with high foreclosure rates and to improve high-vacancy neighborhoods. Additionally, the organization has started new home buyer education and down-payment assistance programs.

 


 Akron's Cascade Mills Site
 next phase of development

Cascade Mills Project Plan Since 1989, a concerted effort has been made to commemorate Akron's early industrial and canal history at a site on the west side of Howard Street between West Market Street and the Little Cuyahoga River. The Mustill House and Store opposite Lock 15 has been restored as a museum and Canal Visitor Center. The structure, together with the adjacent site of the Schumacher Mills (oatmeal), is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places. A $1.5 million campaign through the Cascade Locks Park Association is now underway to fully develop the mill site, furthering the objective to make the site a major urban green space as well as a historical educational opportunity.

 


 John Debo to Retire
 leadership crucial in developing CVNP

John Debo with Secretary Salazar During the past 21 years, John Debo (shown here right, walking with Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar) has played a key role, working closely with former Congressmen John Sieberling and Ralph Regula and other interested parties, in transforming the original Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area into today's Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the sixth most visited national park in the country. Major developments during his tenure include: the Ohio & Erie Towpath Trail, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's stations and infrastructure, the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Initiative, visitor centers, the Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center and legislation for the 110-mile Ohio & Erie Canalway from Cleveland to New Philadelphia. Fortunately, John will continue to bring his creative talent to our region as chief development officer of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association, the park's nonprofit support group. CRS congratulates John Debo on his outstanding contribution to Northeast Ohio and looks forward to his continued achievement in the years to come.

 


 In Memoriam: Tim Elliott
 restored west side homes

The Cleveland Restoration Society was saddened to learn of the death of Tim Elliott on Friday, June 19. Tim was 64 years old and had suffered several strokes in recent years. His ability to bring new life to older houses was widely recognized and will be missed. In the words of Cleveland's housing judge, Raymond Pianka: "He could walk into a place that was falling apart and not see it as it was but what it could be." Active in restoration for decades, Tim has been honored by Cleveland Magazine and in 1993 received an Award of Excellence from the Cleveland Restoration Society for his excellent rehabilitation work.

 


 2009 Benefit Update
 we are accepting auction items

Baldwin Water Plant We are continuing to gather items to auction for our October benefit, to be held at the Baldwin Water Works in Shaker Heights in October. If you have an item or service that you would like to donation, please download this form and return it to Felicia Hall at 3751 Prospect Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115. Contact Felicia with any questions at 216-426- 3110.

 


 Sarah Benedict House Event Rental
 a wonderful venue for your next meeting or reception

SBH Garden Wedding Why not hold your next event at the historic 1883 headquarters of the Cleveland Restoration Society? The first floor, with elevator access, caterer's kitchen and public restrooms, offers four handsome rooms of varying size that can be leased either individually or in combination to meet your needs for a focus session, cocktails, buffet luncheon, or wedding reception during the day or evening and on weekends. An added plus is direct access to the house's lovely garden, with its colorful flowers and bubbling fountain. To plan your special event contact Felicia Hall, 216-426-3110.

 


 Calendar of Events
 what to do, where to do it, and when to go

July 8
Walk and Dine
5:30 - 11:00 pm, $$
Historic Gateway Neighborhood


July 10 - 12
Ingenuity Fest 2009
Festival of Art and Technology, $
Playhouse Square Center, Cleveland


July 11
Pilgrim Congregational UCC: "A Gem in the City"
2592 W. 14th St., Cleveland, 10:30 am
Pilgrim Congregational UCC


July 15
Cleveland Restoration Society Annual Meeting
Sarah Benedict House, 9:00 am
3751 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland
Cleveland Restoration Society


July 15-18
33rd Annual Conference and Theatre Tour
Cleveland, registration is open
League of Historic American Theatres


July 19
Taste of Tremont
1:00 - 8:00 pm
Restore Tremont


July 22
"Reweaving the Neighborhood Fabric"
Part of the "Building our Future Beyond Foreclosure" Series
MOCA Cleveland, 5:30 - 8:00 pm
8501 Carnegie Ave., Cleveland
Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs
Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition


July 23
Building Doctor - Richfield
Richfield Historical Society, 3907 Broadview Rd., 7:00 pm
Ohio Historic Preservation Office
Richfield Historical Society, 330-659-0336


July 25
Cycle Canalway
Ohio Canal Corridor


 


 Save the Date!
 

October 3
Cleveland Restoration Society Annual Benefit
Baldwin Water Works, Shaker Heights
Contact Felicia Hall for more information
Cleveland Restoration Society, 216-426-1000


October 13-17
2009 National Preservation Conference
Nashville, TN, registration open
National Trust for Historic Preservation


 


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