Advocacy Alert: Euclid Avenue Church of God

At the Cleveland Landmarks Commission's July 12 meeting, a second request from the Euclid Avenue Church of God to demolish their landmark building was denied. The commission voted four to three against granting the demolition request. Voting against demolition were commission chair Jennifer Coleman, principal of Jennifer Coleman Creative LLC, an architecture and consulting firm; Laura Bala, historian; Thomas Coffey, senior counsel with Tucker Ellis & West LLP; and Michael Rastatter, Jr., Realtor with Howard Hanna. Voting in favor of demolition were Director of City Planning Bob Brown, Adrienne Bailey, Cleveland Division of Architecture and Site Development; and Allan Dreyer, Deputy Clerk for Cleveland City Council. Bill Mason, an architect with URS Corporation, recused himself because his firm has projects currently with The Cleveland Clinic. The Landmarks Commission unanimously rejected a request to demolish the church in June of last year. The congregation, with their attorney Kenneth Fisher, appealed to the Cleveland Board of Zoning Appeals and Common Pleas Court, which upheld the decision of The Cleveland Landmarks Commission. Currently the congregation is appealing through the Cuyahoga County Court of Appeals. Click the link above to see video from the Landmarks Commission's meeting. 

Constructed in 1889 as the Reformed Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, the Victorian Gothic style building is a rare survivor from the nineteenth century when Euclid Avenue was renowned as Millionaires' Row. The church was designed by architect Sydney Badgley, who also designed Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ and St. George Antiochian Orthodox in Tremont, as well as St. Timothy's Missionary Baptist on Carnegie Avenue. Commission Chair Jennifer Coleman spoke eloquently of the importance of these remaining historic resources. Fisher presented Ron Popa from the Cleveland Clinic's Foundation House to testify of his concern that debris was falling from the bell tower onto the Foundation's property at the neighboring Drury Mansion. Councilwoman Mamie Mitchell and Anthony Whitfield from Fairfax Renaissance Development Corporation also spoke in favor of demolition. Commission member Thomas Coffey argued that none of the standards laid out in the Cleveland Landmark's Ordinance to justify demolition had been met.  

Michael Fleenor, Director of Preservation Services for the Cleveland Restoration Society, was the only speaker against demolition. He questioned how well the property had been marketed for sale, as a small sign appeared only sporadically and the property did not appear to be listed on an MLS service or LoopNet. Fleenor also questioned why the listing price was three times the appraised value, a figure that would not lend itself to faith-based buyers or developers. The broker had written a letter to the pastor of the church saying that the price needed to be lower to "send a strong message to the market" of the congregation's determination to sell. The listing price became a strong point of discussion amongst commission members. While the church said they had an offer of $500,000 from the Cleveland Clinic, one of several Clinic representatives in the audience said that the Clinic had not made an offer on the building.

In denying the application, the commission asked the congregation to reevaluate listing price as well as looking at "other creative solutions" such as mothballing the building while the market on Euclid Avenue continues to grow; approaching local foundations for help, or looking at shared parking as a way to make the building more marketable.

National Book Tour  

"From Animal House to Our House" Stops in Cleveland Monday

Preservationist and award-winning writer Ron Tanner will present his humorous monologue and breath-taking slide show at the Carnegie West branch of Cleveland Public Library, 1900 Fulton Road, Cleveland, on Monday, August 6 at 5:30 p.m.   Admissions is free.  Ron has been wowing audiences across the country as he describes the adventures he and his then-girlfriend, now wife, experienced as they attempted to restore a wrecked Victorian house that had been home to a notorious fraternity for ten years. Ron's stop in Cleveland is part of a national tour.  While in Cleveland, he will also be spending some time interviewing preservationists for a project called "Preserving America," to be available online and in documentary form.  The interviews touch on challenges and issues in the preservation field and also highlight the personal histories of preservationists.  Kathleen Crowther, president of the Cleveland Restoration Society, will be interviewed for Preserving America.

Thanks for Your Support! 

On behalf of the Cleveland Restoration Society, thank you to all who supported our benefit dinner last Saturday evening. The proceeds of the event will be used to support CRS's work in the community. Projects such as the Calfee Building restoration cannot be done without the sustained advocacy efforts of organizations like ours that spotlight the value of our architectural heritage, and advocate for the financial incentives necessary for their revitalization. It was good to meet so many new people, and we hope we have inspired some of you to join CRS! See pictures from Saturday's event here.

Annual Report on Historic Tax Credit Impact Released

In July, the Historic Tax Credit Coalition and Rutgers University released their annual study on the economic impact of the federal historic tax credit. Researchers found that between fiscal years 1978 and 2011 the tax credit generated more than 2.2 million jobs and $83.7 billion in income. In FY2011 alone, the tax credit generated 64,000 jobs and $2.7 billion in income. The study was conducted by researchers at the Rutgers University Center for Urban Policy Research and commissioned by the Historic Tax Credit Coalition, a public policy advocacy organization. Click here to read the report.

Ohio Arts Council

The Cleveland Restoration Society is pleased to announce that we have recently been renewed for the second year of our two-year grant under the Ohio Arts Council's Sustainability program. The OAC's mission as a state agency is to fund and support quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically. Architecture is an art form - in fact, it is our most durable art form. Cleveland, the 5th largest city in the U.S. by 1920, contains a vast inventory of extraordinary structures, and CRS works hard to preserve, protect, and celebrate these precious treasures - from civic landmarks to houses in urban neighborhoods. We are so grateful to the OAC for its support.

Your voice matters too! Since 2008, the OAC has asked Ohioans to share their stories through an initiative called Take pART. Through Take pART, people throughout the state can go online and tell how the arts have made an impact on their lives and within their community. It's an easy way to build the case for historic preservation improving quality of life. Are you interested in sharing? Start here!

New Nominations to the National Register

Members of the Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board have voted to recommend that nominations for nine properties in Ohio be forwarded to the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places for her consideration. They include several in Northeast Ohio:

• Stan Hywet Poultry Keeper's Cottage, Akron (pictured here) 
• Richman Brothers Company, Cleveland
• Neal Terrace, Cleveland
• Oppmann Terrace, Cleveland
• Euclid Heights Historic District, Cleveland Heights
• Franklin Hotel, Kent

The board's recommendations were made on Friday, July 20, 2012, during a meeting held at the Ohio History Center in Columbus. As a result, nominations for each of the properties will be forwarded to the Keeper of the National Register, who directs the program for the U.S. Department of the Interior. If the Keeper agrees that the properties meet the criteria for listing, they will be added to the National Register of Historic Places. A decision from the Keeper is expected in about 90 days. Photo by Michel Chritton /Akron Beacon Journal.  

Jones Home Historic District Announced

In mid-July, a press conference was held by Cleveland Councilman Brian Cummins, together with local resident leaders, representatives from the Cleveland Landmarks Commission, Cleveland Restoration Society, Applewood Centers Inc., Stockyard, Clark Fulton & Brooklyn Centre Community Development Office to announce the newly designated Jones Home Historic District, located in Brooklyn Centre. The district is significant for its distinctive pattern of wider streets, spacious lots and rear lot line alleys that combined with the Jones Home for Children and its spacious park-like setting to stimulate the development of a turn of the century middle class residential neighborhood that survives largely intact today. Well-preserved architectural styles can be found in the neighborhood from its period of significance, 1872, when the area was first subdivided, through World War I, when the area was completely developed. The neighborhood is focused around four streets: Woodbridge, Marvin, Daisy and Library Avenues. There are 745 structures listed within the district, with 695 contributing and 50 non-contributing buildings. Read more about the new district here.

Envisioning the  

Detroit-Superior Bridge

Earlier in 2012, an initiative called "The Bridge Project" was launched to raise public awareness about the potential of Cleveland's Detroit-Superior Bridge and to engage the community for input on opening the lower level for public use. Now the Cleveland Design Competition has partnered with The Bridge Project to engage designers to propose compelling visions for the permanent use of the bridge, public access into and passage through the lower level of the bridge, and connectivity to surrounding neighborhoods. The Cleveland Design Competition is inviting professionals, students, firms and designers to re-imagine the abandoned lower streetcar level of the Detroit-Superior Bridge as a dynamic public space, performance venue and pedestrian experience. The registration deadline is September 10. Click here for more information.

AIA Cleveland Book Drive for Local High Schools

The Cleveland American Institute of Architects is looking for donations of design and architecture books or magazines. The materials will be distributed for use by students attending the Cleveland School of Architecture & Design at John Hay High School and the Academy of Interior and Fashion Design at Collinwood High School. If you have books or magazines that might be of use and would like to learn more, click here or contact John Workley via email or by calling 216-588-0800.

Lakewood's St. James Featured in Preservation

If you get the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Preservation magazine, you might have spied a familiar sight in the summer 2012 issue. St. James Church in Lakewood was pictured on page 14, in the "Transitions" section of the periodical. The shuttering of St. James in 2009, under the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland's reorganization plan, was recently overturned (one of the twelve to be overturned). This decision is the reason for the church's appearance in Preservation. 

Trail Mix - Peninsula

The Peninsula Valley Historic & Education Foundation and the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park are announcing a new collaboration in the Village. On Labor Day weekend, their union will result in a perfect location for the reinvented Trail Mix-Peninsula store, formerly Park Place on Main Street. The new store will accommodate the need for additional floor space as well as the desire for visibility to thousands of train visitors disembarking in town and the magnitude of trail users. When completed, the freshly refurbished 3,000 square foot space will be ideal for train, trail and tourist use. The building will provide greater space to accommodate the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway ticket sales, the wide range of National Park merchandise, souvenirs, literature and accessories, public restrooms and office space. The building was originally the F.A. Bigelow Coal Company in the early 1900s. It was then purchased by the "All-Matic Corporation" that manufactured clipboards there. During its peak years, the All-Matic Corporation was one the largest producers of clipboards in the United States.

Mantua Center School

The Mantua Historical Society is in the process of listing the historic Mantua Center School in the National Register of Historic Places. The school building, closed to students since 2004, was completed in 1914. It was built on two acres of land, surrounded by some of the earliest residences in its township. The 12,000 sq. ft. Greek Revival, two-story brick structure originally contained three high school rooms, four grade rooms, an office, restroom, and a gymnasium. In a distinct Western Reserve style, it has white pilasters that ascend from ground level to the roof line, which frame and divide the façade. A triangular pediment peeks above the second floor with a bull's eye window in the center. The school's construction is significant for two factors: it was built with techniques responding to the nationally significant Collinwood school fire, which took place in 1908 at Lake View Elementary School in Cleveland, and it was completed with sanitary facilities and a drinking fountain, which was unusual for rural schools from that time period. The school building is currently owned by Mantua Township.

National Historic Tax Credit Conference  

Coming Up in Kentucky

Develop partnerships, earn CPE credit, increase your practical knowledge, and get inspired at the National Historic Tax Credit Conference taking place in Louisville, Kentucky September 6-7. Novogradac & Company LLP, along with the National Trust CIC, is hosting the event, which tend to be an advanced educational opportunity for professionals. Click here to find out more. Early registration ends August 5.

East Versus West

A new exhibit, "East Versus West: Mapping Cleveland, the Western Reserve, and the Midwest", will examine how Cleveland residents have come to identify with one side of the city, why the geographic divider of the Cuyahoga River came about, and how it became so important. The new exhibit will open at the Western Reservation Historical Society History Center in University Circle on August 3, 2012 and will run through March 31, 2013. For hours and fees, see the historical society's website.

New Shaker Historical Society Exhibit

to Open

On August 21, an exhibit entitled "Celebrating Community Spirit" will open at the Shaker Historical Society and Museum. Focusing on the years 1955 through 1980 in Shaker Heights, the exhibit continues the story of the suburb, highlighting the formation of the Ludlow Community Association in 1957, followed by the Moreland and Lomond Associations, and the city's lead role in integration and in other community issues. The exhibit is one in a series created by the historical society to celebrate Shaker Heights' centennial this year. See the society's website for hours and fees.

"Come Home to Lakewood" House and Garden Tour on September 9

The Lakewood Historical Society's biennial house tour will be on Sunday, September 9 from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. This year's "Come Home to Lakewood" house tour includes a lakefront home, a Tudor, a Clifton Park Arts and Crafts, a Clifton Park Colonial Revival, a lakefront condo, a two-bedroom gem, and two businesses, all with lush gardens. The historic Nicholson House on Detroit Avenue will be open during the tour with the "Celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of Cowan Pottery" display. Advanced tickets for the house tour are $20 and are available now. A limited number of tickets may be available the day of the tour at the Nicholson House for $25 each. Tour tickets and tickets for the Patron Party on Saturday, September 8 can be purchased online at  www.lakewoodhistorymuseumstore.org. For details, contact the Lakewood Historical Society at 216-221-7343 or go to www.lakewoodhistory.org.

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.