Casino Area Advocacy Update 

The Cleveland Landmarks Commission tabled a request to demolish the landmark Columbia Building (shown here) after a heated three-hour hearing on May 26.  Constructed in 1908-1909 by Great Lakes shipbuilder Morris Bradley, the Columbia Building at 112 Prospect Avenue served as home to Dyke College/Myers University for a number of years. The proposal to demolish this Cleveland Landmark is to make way for a Welcome Center and parking garage for the new Rock Ohio Caesars Casino.  Although this parking garage would wrap around the Stanley Block, the Cleveland Restoration Society (CRS) is still concerned for the future of the Stanley Block as well.  The garage would also attach to the Gateway North Parking Garage which Rock Gaming proposes to purchase from the City of Cleveland. CRS representatives spoke out against this proposed demolition at both the May 12 hearing at Landmarks and the May 26 Landmarks Commission meeting. The Commission tabled the request and will rehear it at their Thursday, June 9 meeting.  Commission chairwoman Jennifer Coleman has called for a meeting between Commission members, the Historic Gateway staff, representatives of the Cleveland Commission, and representatives of Rock Gaming and their architects.  The purpose of the meeting is to examine other alternatives for parking that would spare the Columbia Building and to determine if the demolition of the Columbia Building is the best solution. CRS has requested to be part of this meeting.   

If you can't make the June 9 meeting, please consider writing to Robert Keiser, secretary of the Commission at rkeiser@city.cleveland.oh.us and Jennifer Coleman, chair of the Landmarks Commission at dpetit@city.cleveland.oh.us.

CRS is also concerned about a proposal by the casino developers to install a skywalk from their proposed garage into the second story of the Higbee Building. According to the Ohio Historic Preservation Office, there is no Section 106 handle on the casino project.  However, Forest City Enterprises received federal historic preservation tax credits on the Higbee Building and had to file a post-Part 3 amendment when the proposed use of the building changed.  If the casino developer chooses to pursue the skywalk, another amendment will have to be submitted and OHPO will have further review of the project.

Meet the 2011 Preservation Award Winners!

The Hanna Theatre was the place to be on the night of May 19, when Northeast Ohio's friends of historic preservation came together to celebrate the award-winning projects from the last year. Projects/individuals receiving the honors this year from the Cleveland Restoration Society and the American Institute of Architects, Cleveland Chapter are:

• Andrew Jackson House (Akron)
• Asia House (Oberlin)
• Residences at 668 (Cleveland)
• McCafferty Residence (Cleveland)
• Hayek Resident (Cleveland Heights)
• Eduardo Canano
• Camp Manatoc (Peninsula)
• Montessori High School (Cleveland)
• LorMet Building (Oberlin)
• Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens (Akron)
• Cleveland Institute of Art (Cleveland)
• FirstMerit Tower (Akron)
• Dr. Elwin Robison & Josh Haney
• Theken Terminal (Akron) pictured here 

Pictures from the event are on CRS's Facebook page.  Are you in any?  Check them out here (you don't have to be on Facebook to see them!). Tag yourself!

Support Ohio's Historic Preservation Tax Credit

The Cleveland Restoration Society joins with Heritage Ohio and colleague organizations in campaigning for the continuation of Ohio's extremely successful state Historic Preservation Tax Credit (OHPTC). The Economic Impact Study commissioned by Heritage Ohio through Cleveland State University demonstrates excellent returns. The study shows that for every $1 million dollars in tax credit allocated by the state:

• $8 million in construction spending occurs
• 80 jobs in construction related areas are created
• $32 million in total operating impact occurs
• almost 300 permanent jobs are created
• 31 cents of every dollar is paid to the state in revenue before tax credit is paid out

The most beneficial program to the state is an uncapped program with a cost benefit analysis for each approved project. This proven program pays for itself and has a tremendous return on investment for Ohio. The OHPTC is an essential economic development tool to make rehabilitating our historic structures viable and to re-energize our downtowns, large and small, all across Ohio.

This is a critical time for Ohio's tax credit. Across the country, the squeeze on state budgets is exerting tremendous pressure on governors and legislatures to scale back or eliminate crucial state rehabilitation tax credits. On May 12, the battle to save Michigan's state rehab tax credit program was lost. Following the House lead, the Senate voted to eliminate the state's historic preservation tax credit program. Advocates led by the Michigan Historic Preservation Network, with the support of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, campaigned vigorously for the preservation incentive, but the bill was sent to the Governor for his signature on May 17.

If you want Ohio's historic tax credit renewed, now is the time for you to call your elected representatives. Click here for contact information.

Pictured above are the Residences at 668 on Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, a past OHPTC project.  

NPS Releases New Sustainability and Preservation Guidelines

Interested in learning more about how to seamlessly integrate preservation and green building practices?  The National Park Service recently released The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation & Illustrated Guidelines on Sustainability for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings. Developed by the National Park Service's Technical Preservation Services division, these are the first official federal guidelines for how to make changes to improve energy efficiency and preserve the character of historic buildings. The Guidelines on Sustainability stress the inherent sustainability of historic buildings and offer specific guidance on "recommended" rehabilitation treatments and "not recommended" treatments, which could negatively impact a building's historic character. Illustrations of both types of treatments are included. The Guidelines are designed to assist building owners in planning rehabilitation projects that will meet the Standards for Rehabilitation.

Main Streets Conference Sessions Online 

The 2011 National Main Streets Conference took place in Des Moines, Iowa May 22-25. For the first time, though, the National Trust for Historic Preservation made many of the conference sessions accessible by "virtual attendance".  While the conference was live, those not able to get to Iowa could follow along via webcasts, blog posts, and live feeds.  Some of this material is still available online. To see the opening plenary, closing plenary, and some of the other conference sessions via video, click here.   

CSU to Move into Historic Building on Euclid

The Union Building, a historic building located at 1836 Euclid Avenue in Cleveland that has been mostly vacant for the past several years, will soon find a new purpose through a partnership with Cleveland State University. The eight-story tall building, which includes a connected six-story structure to the rear, street-level retail, and indoor parking, is about to undergo a rehabilitation that is scheduled to be completed next summer. The owner was awarded tax credits last year through the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit program. CSU will be leasing the Union Building for space for its office of advancement, registrar, treasurer, student newspaper, and student radio station.  The Northeast Ohio Medical University will also have space in the building.

Beer & Brats @ the Benedict

Make plans to spend Friday, June 17 after work at the historic Sarah Benedict House, enjoying a delicious Cleveland brat and some ice cold beer! CRS board chair Joe Marinucci and trustees Mike Cummins and Gordon Priemer host this summer party, back by popular demand, in the Benedict "biergarten" beside the house. A fundraiser for the organization, tickets are $50 per person and available online. RSVP by June 13.