National 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.

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 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.

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

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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.       

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.