Perspectives Header
  Kerri Broome, editor
July 2012  

CRS logo
In This Issue
National Rightsizing Task Force Visits Cleveland
2012 Annual Meeting on July 17
Heritage Home Program Expands
Free Webinar about Heritage Program on July 18
CRS Summer Benefit Highlights Calfee Building July 28
Round 8 of Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit Announced
Zoar, Ohio Named to Trust's 11 Most Endangered
Murals Found at John Marshall High School
Landmarks Nominated in Cleveland's Ward 8
See Photos Documenting Revival of St. Luke's
Read about Cleveland's New Hostel
Summer Activities in PlayhouseSquare
National Preservation Conference Early Registration Extended
Rent the Sarah Benedict House
Office Space For Rent
More About CRS

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rightsizing hearingNational Rightsizing Task Force Visits Cleveland

Cleveland Restoration Society was pleased to host the Rightsizing Task Force of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in Cleveland on June 25 and 26. The task force members toured the city and region and held a public discussion (pictured above) at Cleveland City Hall. The visit was the first stop on a listening tour to a number of American cities to help inform the task force as it crafts policy. Task force members are observing how local and state officials, preservation organizations, institutions and grassroots organizations participate in historic preservation. The task force sees Cleveland as a model city for such efforts, and hopes to use information gathered here to inform future policy directions.

 

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation is an independent federal agency established by the National Historic Preservation Act to advise the President of the United States and Congress on historic preservation matters. The Council recently established the task force to investigate rightsizing - the response of cities and regions to significant population loss and the resulting excess buildings and infrastructure. As we reported to you in Perspectives last month, a study on rightsizing has already been released by the task force.

 

 

Tune in to The Sound of Ideas Tomorrow  

If you'd like to hear more, CRS President Kathleen Crowther will be appearing on 90.3 WCPN's The Sound of Ideas tomorrow, July 10 at 9:00 a.m., to talk about the task force's visit and explore the challenges that vacant homes and buildings present to cities. See more details here.

 

 

 

 

 

2010 Annual Meeting

Annual Meeting Scheduled for July 17

On Tuesday, July 17 the annual meeting of the Cleveland Restoration Society will be convened at 9:00 a.m. at the Sarah Benedict House, 3751 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland. The new slate of trustees will be elected, followed by refreshments and a chance to have informal conversation with trustees and staff. Come find out what's new with CRS! The meeting is FREE for CRS members. Plenty of parking is available at the Benedict House. RSVP here. Not yet a member? Membership starts from as little as $35 for twelve months! Join now or call 216-426-1000 for more information.

 

 

 

 

Heritage Home Program logo

Heritage Home Program Welcomes New Cities

The Heritage Home Program welcomes the cities of North Royalton, South Euclid, and Westlake! Now owners of homes more than fifty years old in these cities are eligible for free technical advice from program technical staff, and may be qualified for a home rehabilitation loan at a 2% rate! Visit www.heritagehomeprogram.org or call 216-426-3116 to learn more.

 

 

 

   

Free Webinar on July 18 to Feature Heritage Program

Do you want to learn how to offer the residents of your community a 2% loan program for residential rehab? Then Heritage Ohio, in cooperation with the Cleveland Restoration Society, is offering a free webinar later this month just for you! Join Tom Jorgensen, chief operating officer of the Cleveland Restoration Society, on Wednesday, July 18 from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. to learn more about the Heritage Home Program. The program offers free technical assistance and a 2.0% fixed rate loan for rehab of houses that are 50 years old or older. The Heritage Home Program is looking for local partners across the state to make this program available to your residents. Learn about how the program has been successful for twenty years in Cleveland and how it can now be available to your community. To register for this webinar, please click here.  

   

 

 

 

Calfee Building interior 

See Beautifully Restored East Ohio Gas Building at CRS Benefit on July 28

On July 28, the Cleveland Restoration Society will be holding one of our signature benefit events at a wonderful restoration project in downtown Cleveland, the new Calfee Building. You will be transfixed by the glamorous re-do of the old WKYC building - originally constructed as the East Ohio Gas Building - on E. 6th Street. A new era begins! We will have dinner on the main floor, cocktails on the mezzanine and trolley tours of our city's impressive Cleveland Mall of civic buildings. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. Individual tickets are $225 per person and registration is open. The proceeds are very important to our organization and we greatly appreciate your support.

 

 

 

 

National City Bank Building

Next Round of Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits Awarded

In late June the Ohio Department of Development announced the Round 8 recipients of the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit. This round awarded $35.8 million in credits to 18 owners planning to rehabilitate 44 historic buildings in ten communities across the state. The projects are expected to leverage more than $237.5 million in private investments. The awards were made possible through renewal of the program in the state's Fiscal Year 2012-2013 budget. The budget, signed by Governor Kasich last year, allocates $60 million annually to the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit program. Three Northeast Ohio projects, the Truman Building and Vincent Tower (National City Bank Building, shown above) in Cleveland and the Franklin Hotel in Kent, received credits in this round.

 

Also in late June, Governor Kasich signed SB 314, which included new provisions to Ohio's Historic Preservation Tax Credit allowing lessees of historic buildings to take advantage of Ohio's rehabilitation tax credit program. Lessee guidelines now mirror those of the federal tax credit program. The changes should help to facilitate the syndication process, lowering its transaction costs. See the enrolled bill here (PDF).

Photo from the Plain Dealer. 

 

 

 

 

Save Historic Zoar photo

Zoar Village in National Trust's 11 Most Endangered List

The historic village of Zoar, Ohio has been named to the National Trust for Historic Preservation's 11 Most Endangered Properties List for 2012. Zoar, in Tuscarawas County, was founded by German Separatists in 1817 and retains many buildings and charming character. The village is faced with an uncertain future due to a deteriorating levee. The Army Corps of Engineers is studying various options. You can show your support for saving Zoar by contacting the Corps here. Photo from www.savehistoriczoar.org. 

 

 

 

 

 

John Marshall mural Murals at John Marshall HS Confirmed

Following an inquiry in May that was supported by CRS, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District has confirmed the presence of murals at John Marshall High School. Initially there was concern that the murals were WPA-era artwork, but they turned out to have been created by four students in 1942. Read more about the rediscovery of the murals in this recent Plain Dealer article. John Marshall has been closed to students and is scheduled for demolition.

 

 

 

 

Sidney Hillman Memorial Building

City of Cleveland's Ward 8 Landmark Advocacy Update

Since late last year, CRS has been conducting a survey of Ward 8 to help Councilman Jeffrey Johnson determine potentially eligible landmarks and districts in his ward. We identified thirty-seven potential landmarks and two districts. Public hearings were held for seven of these local landmark nominations at the Cleveland Landmarks Commission's June 28 meeting: Agora Theatre (Metropolitan Theatre/Koblitz Building/WHK Studios); The Film Building; Immaculate Conception Church, School, Rectory, and Accessory Buildings; North Presbyterian Church; Rockefeller Park Tennis Courts; St. Philip Neri Church, School, Rectory, and Convent; and Sidney Hillman Memorial Building (pictured above). Click here for more information and a photo gallery. These will now move on to City Council for approval. Councilman Johnson will continue to nominate landmarks and districts throughout the year. We are thankful to the Save Lower Prospect Facebook group for helping us survey the potential districts.

 

 

 

 

St. Luke's by Lauren Pacini

See the Revival of Saint Luke's Hospital

Photographer Lauren Pacini has captured the long-awaited rebirth of Cleveland's Saint Luke's Medical Center into St. Luke's Manor, a residential property. St. Luke's is located on Shaker Boulevard and was built in the 1920s. Pacini's photo gallery can be viewed here. Beautiful!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cleveland hostel logo

Read about Cleveland's New Hostel

Located near the West Side Market, the city's "first modern hostel" will soon open for business. The hostel is in a three-story building completed in 1900 and will hold 60 beds. Read a great article on the venture recently posted to Fresh Water Cleveland here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

camera

Show Us Your Cleveland Photo Contest

LiveCLEVELAND!, the civic marketing agency that lives on the third floor of the Sarah Benedict House, invites all to explore our city through the eyes of a photo lens. Participants in this year's photography contest are encouraged to explore Cleveland's neighborhoods and capture the best of what our city has to offer. Entries to the photo contest are accepted through August 31. To be considered for the grand prize, participants must enter at least one photo in each of these four categories: 1) Recreation/Active Living, 2) Nature/Green Space, 3) People of Cleveland, and 4) Imaginative Skyline. There are two additional categories, Black and White and HDR Photography. For more information and to see the judging criteria click here.

 

 

 

 

NPC logo

National Trust for Historic Preservation Annual Conference

The National Preservation Conference, convened by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, will be held this year in Spokane, Washington from October 31 to November 3. The theme of the conference is "Beyond Boundaries", as in bridging chasms, breaking tradition, and exploring what going beyond boundaries can do to move preservation deeper into the consciousness of Americans of all ages, backgrounds, and outlooks. Early, discounted registration ends on July 31.

 

 

 

 

Youth and Beauty exhibit
1920s Architectural Tour of Cleveland Landmarks
In the spirit of the Cleveland Museum of Art's current exhibition, "Youth and Beauty: Art of the American Twenties", the museum and CRS are teaming up to offer a tour of Cleveland's architectural landmarks of the 1920s. The tour will be held twice, first on August 5, and again on September 9, both dates from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Just as the exhibition celebrates the spirit of the 1920s in visual art, this Lolly the Trolley tour will explore Cleveland's 1920s boom in architecture, looking at both public and private structures, as well as diverse architectural statements from revival styles to Deco. Architectural historian and CRS Honorary Life Trustee Ted Sande, AIA Emeritus will lead the tour.  Register through the museum's ticket center at 216-421-7350. Space is limited to 35 participants on either date. Please register by July 29 for the August 5 tour or September 2 for the September 9 tour. The cost is $30 (CMA Members $25). (Artwork: Luigi Lucioni (American, 1900-1988). Paul Cadmus, 1928. Oil on canvas, 16 x 12 1/8 in. (40.6 x 30.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Dick S. Ramsay Fund, 2007.28)

 

 

 

 

Rent the Sarah Benedict House  

for Your Event 

Are you looking for a unique venue for your next special event or business meeting?  Consider the historic Sarah Benedict House, located in the heart of the MidTown neighborhood at 3751 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland.  Built in 1883, the house is fully restored and rehabilitated and offers four accessible rooms on its first floor, two restrooms, a catering kitchen, and a beautiful garden. There is ample, free parking. Contact Felicia Hall for more information.       

 

 

 

small tile

Office Space Available in MidTown

The historic Sarah Benedict House has a suite available for rent. Share the third floor with prestigious Cleveland nonprofits looking for a roommate. The house is well-located in an established neighborhood with easy access to highways and downtown and ample, free parking. In addition to the fully improved office space, there are meeting rooms on the first floor of the house available for use for free. The garden, open seasonally, can also be reserved for events, and is a wonderful spot for a restful lunch break.  A kitchen is provided for individual use or catering. To arrange a tour and find out more contact Felicia Hall.       

 

 

 

Events

Upcoming Events

   

July 11

15th Annual Walk & Dine

Begins in the Arcade

5:30 - 11:00 p.m., call 216-771-1994 for reservations, $$

Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corporation

 

July 12

"Your Roof: Bottom/Up, Top/Down Sustainability"

Cleveland Heights Main Library

7:00 p.m., register at www.heightslibrary.org or call 216-932-3600, FREE

Cleveland Heights Landmark Commission

Cleveland Heights Historical Society

Heights Library

FutureHeights

Heights bicycle Coalition

Home Repair Resource Center

 

July 14

Workshop: "Textile Care in Your Own Home"

Oberlin Depot, 240 S. Main St., Oberlin

10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., registration required, $$

Oberlin Heritage Center

 

July 16

Neighborhood Series Workshop: "Exterior Painting and Historic Color"

Stark County District Library, DeHoff Branch, 216 Hartford Ave. SE, Canton

3:00 p.m., FREE

Heritage Home Program

 

July 17

Annual Membership Meeting

Sarah Benedict House, 3751 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland

5:30 - 7:30 a.m., reservations requested , FREE for members 

Cleveland Restoration Society 

 

July 17 - 21

Celebration of 100 Years of West Tech High School

Opening ceremony on July 17 at 10:30 a.m. in the school auditorium

Activities each day from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., including tours of the building

Enter at the Willard and West 93rd Street doors

For more information call 216-631-9822

West Tech Alumni Association, Inc.

 

July 18

Webinar: Heritage Home Program

10:00 - 11:00 a.m., registration required 

Heritage Ohio

 

July 25

Neighborhood Series Workshop: "Porches: History, Design and Construction"

Stark County District Library, Madge Youtz Branch, 2921 Mahoning Rd. NE, Canton

3:00 p.m., FREE

Heritage Home Program

 

July 25

ULI Kickoff to the International Markets Conference

Market Garden Brewery, 1931 W. 25th St, Cleveland

4:00 p.m., reservations required, $$

Urban Land Institute - Cleveland

 

July 26

Neighborhood Series Workshop: "Maintenance & Efficiency for Your Older Home"

Stark County District Library, North Branch, 189 25th St. NW, Canton

6:30 p.m., FREE

Heritage Home Program 

 

July 28
Summer Benefit
Calfee Building, 1405 East Sixth Street, Cleveland
5:30 p.m., reservations required, $$$



 

 

Save the Date  

   

 

August 5 

1920s Architectural Tour of Cleveland Landmarks
Space is limited, register by calling 216-421-7350, registration required by July 29, $$
Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland Restoration Society

    

August 8

Neighborhood Series Workshop: "Preservation 101"

Stark County District Library, North Branch, 189 25th St. NW, Canton

6:30 p.m., FREE

Heritage Home Program 

 

September 2

"Shaker at 100: The past, present and future of an American Utopia"

A talk by Steven Litt, Art and Architecture Critic of The Plain Dealer

Part of the "Come Back to Shaker" Weekend

Stephanie Tubbs Jones Community Building

1:00 p.m., registration required, FREE

City of Shaker Heights

 

September 2

Home Tour: Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Future: Architectural Aesthetics over the Century

Part of the "Come Back to Shaker" Weekend 

1:00 - 5:00 p.m., tickets available now, adults only, $

City of Shaker Heights

 

September 9

"Come Home to Lakewood" Home Tour

1:00 - 6:00 p.m. (Patron Party on Saturday, September 8)

Lakewood Historical Society

 

September 9

1920s Architectural Tour of Cleveland Landmarks

Space is limited, register by calling 216-421-7350, registration required by September 2, $$ 

Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland Restoration Society 

 

  

Cleveland Restoration Society
3751 Prospect Avenue

Cleveland, OH  44115

(216) 426-1000

www.clevelandrestoration.org