Reserve Your Seat at the  

Celebration of Preservation

We're only a few weeks away from Greater Cleveland's annual awards program to recognize the best heritage conservation work done in our region over the last twelve months! The work of the jury is done and the award winners will soon be revealed. Now don't miss the opportunity to take part in this colorful, musical evening! The Celebration of Preservation takes place on Thursday, May 30 at 5:30 p.m. at the Allen Theatre, one of 2012's award-winning projects, located in Cleveland's magnificent PlayhouseSquare.  

Make your reservations now!  Individual tickets are $15 each for Cleveland Restoration Society or AIA Cleveland members ($40 for non-members). Click here to reserve your spot. 

Companies, there's still time to

• Be an event sponsor!  Click here.
• Place an advertisement in the event program! Click here. 

Thank you to our Platinum Level event sponsor,

The Sherwin-Williams Company  

May is National Preservation Month

May is Preservation Month and preservation and Main Street organizations across America, like the Cleveland Restoration Society, have been hard at work planning extra events to celebrate history and historic places. This year's theme is "See! Save! Celebrate!" and it shines a spotlight on the many distinctive historic places in our communities. The May issue of this newsletter is usually pretty lengthy with local Preservation Month activities, and this year is no exception.  Take advantage of all of these opportunities to see, save, and celebrate our wonderful legacy of historic resources in Northeast Ohio this month!

28 Cities are Now in the Heritage Home Program!

CRS welcomes:

• Bratenahl;
• Brooklyn;
• Chagrin Falls;
• Parma Heights; and
• Strongsville

to the Heritage Home Program! Their residents now have access to free technical assistance and low-interest rehab loans.  The only requirement is that the house be at least 50 years old.  For more information and a complete listing of the participating cities and villages, go to www.heritagehomeprogram.org.

Grant funds to repair damage to historic properties caused by Hurricane Sandy may be available to historic building owners in Cuyahoga and Ashtabula Counties

The Ohio Historic Preservation Office is one of nine state historic preservation offices eligible to apply for funding to address damage/issues directly related to the impacts of Hurricane Sandy on National Register listed or eligible for listing historic resources. No state is expected to receive more than $1.5 million for re-granting. All state applicants will be informed of their grant award amounts no later than August 31, 2013. Soon thereafter information on how property owners may apply for funding to address damage to historic properties will be made available. The focus of this funding is on development work, but additional eligible uses of this funding include developing architectural/engineering plans and specifications, economic feasibility studies, survey and damage assessments, and recordation of hurricane-damaged properties. The Ohio Historic Preservation Office needs your help to identify Hurricane Sandy's impacts to historic resources in northeast Ohio. If you know of specific damage/impacts to historic resources in Cuyahoga or Ashtabula counties please provide that information directly to the OHPO at ohpo@ohiohistory.org. It would be helpful to know the name of the property, its address, the name of the property owner or other contact, and an email address or phone number. The OHPO will contact property owners to determine the nature of the damage to the historic property, the proposed solution to said damage, and the approximate cost for the solution or repair. Please provide information to the Ohio Historic Preservation Office at ohpo@ohiohistory.org by June 14.

Five New National Monuments

President Obama recently designated five new national monuments, including one in Ohio. This is the first time the president has designated more than one national monument in a day, and every single one of them is rich in historic or cultural resources. The five new national monuments are:

• Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument, Ohio (Colonel Charles Young House National Historic Landmark shown)
• First State National Monument, Delaware
• Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument, Maryland
• Río Grande del Norte National Monument, New Mexico
• San Juan Islands National Monument, Washington

Click here to learn more about these monuments.

National Park Service Reviewer to be in Ohio

Since rehabilitations completed through the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit program must comply with the U.S. Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, the Ohio Development Services Agency would like to make you aware of an opportunity to engage with John Sandor of the National Park Service.  John Sandor is a historical architect and reviews federal rehabilitation projects from the state of Ohio to ensure the standards are followed. Sandor will be a featured speaker at the Heritage Ohio Annual Preservation & Revitalization Conference, to be held in Columbus on May 22 - 23. He will be presenting in two sessions on Wednesday, May 23, "Interpreting Secretary of Interior's Guidelines" and "National Park Service Roundtable". For more information about the conference, go to www.heritageohio.org. For more information about the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit program, contact Nathaniel Kaelin in the Office of Redevelopment at nathaniel.kaelin@development.ohio.gov 

National Park Service's Statistical Report on  

Federal Historic Tax Credits

As Heritage Ohio reported last month, the National Park Service releases a statistical analysis annually on the use of the Federal Historic Tax Credit.  The report for Fiscal Year 2012 was recently released, and on page 9 of the report there is great news for Ohio - we lead the country in Part II completions., you will see that Ohio fares well in the comparison of activity on a state-by-state basis, and even leads the country in Part II completions. You can read the entire report here.

2012 Annual Ohio Historic Tax Credit Report Released

On May 2, the Ohio Development Services Agency released its 2012 Annual Report on the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program. The report is a great reference on the value of the program. To date, 156 projects in Ohio have been assigned credits worth $327 million, and 67 historic buildings have been rehabilitated, for a total investment of $780 million. The report also highlights interesting case studies. Click here to see the report.

OHPO Accepting Nominations for Annual Awards 

Nominations are due by June 1 for the Ohio Historic Preservation Office's annual awards.  Each year the OHPO recognizes achievements in historic preservation by presenting awards in Public Education & Awareness and Preservation Merit. The nomination form is available online. Click here for more information and for a list of previous award winners. 

Cuyahoga Arts & Culture's Annual Report Released

Six years ago, the residents of Cuyahoga County created Cuyahoga Arts & Culture to strengthen our community by investing public dollars in arts and culture. Since then, CAC has invested more than $95 million in 208 arts and cultural organizations. CAC shares the impact that public dollars are having in our community in its 2012 Report to the Community, "Your Investment. Strengthening Community." To view the report, as well as videos highlighting the work of three of its cultural partners, click here. The Cleveland Restoration Society is proud to be a partner of CAC!

PlayhouseSquare Featured by National Trust

Very recently, the National Trust for Historic Preservation's PreservationNation blog featured an entry on Ray Shepardson and his work to revive PlayhouseSquare.  It's great reading! Click here.

Cleveland Public Library  

Wants to Hear from You!

Cleveland's libraries are gathering spaces for residents. They are integral parts of our neighborhoods and have helped in forging neighborhood identities and development for over 140 years. The Cleveland Public Library is proud of the services it offers to the community and values its patrons. CPL wants to hear your impressions about their work, programs and services. Its top priority is providing the community with services, resources and tools to engage in lifelong learning. CPL invites you to take a few minutes and complete a survey. Your input will help shape the libraries' work and future. To participate, click this link.

Nominate Community Leaders

The Cleveland Restoration Society is currently accepting nominations to fill a limited number of openings on its board and committees. Consider using your leadership skills as a trustee. CRS trustees support the organization's mission of using the powerful tool of historic preservation to revitalize our diverse communities, strengthening the regional economy, and enhancing the quality of life in northeastern Ohio. Successful candidates for trustee are individuals who have a deep commitment to their community, can attend meetings consistently, and can support CRS through event sponsorship and membership. Self-nominations are accepted. Share your time, talent, and treasure to make Cleveland a better place for future generations! Contact CRS for more information.

Paint Lakewood Applications Available

Applications are now available for LakewoodAlive's 2013 Paint Lakewood Program, which provides income-eligible residents up to $1,000 towards paint and supplies for the exterior of their homes. Additionally, Lakewood residents are able to receive free technical advice from the Cleveland Restoration Society on appropriate color schemes for the architectural style of their home. Maximum Income for a household size of one is $35,501 and of four it's $50,701. For more information, contact LakewoodAlive's Housing Outreach Program at 216-521-1554 or email Laura Krawczyk.  Application forms are available at the LakewoodAlive offices at 14701 Detroit Avenue, #LL10 or online.

Tower Light-up Night in Tremont  

on May 10

Light completely changes the look, the feel and the experience of a place.  During the Tremont Artwalk on Friday, May 10, the Byzantine Catholic Cultural Center at 2420 W. 14th Street in Cleveland, across from Lincoln Park, will offer the chance to experience the warmth, the beauty and the ambient glow of light transfigured, through an exhibit of exquisite stained-glass windows. These windows, from various locations throughout the Greater Cleveland area, are from the collection of Heninger's Church Supply, and are on-loan exclusively to the center for a limited time only. The exhibit will be open from 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. While you're touring the exhibit, be part of Tower Light-up Night, beginning at 8:30 p.m. For the first time in the more than 100-year history of Holy Ghost Church, the three domes of the church will be illuminated.  This has been made possible through the Steeple Lighting Program of the Cleveland Restoration Society, funded by the Reinhold W. Erickson Fund of the Cleveland Foundation.  Holy Ghost Church will be the first church lit entirely by new LED technology, as part of ongoing sustainability efforts taking place at the Byzantine Catholic Cultural Center. Click here for more information about the center.

"Take a Hike!" Returns to    

Downtown Cleveland 

The popular "Take a Hike" tours return to downtown Cleveland for a fifth year, and this year's offering has a new tour and two new historic characters. Every week, from May 15 through September 15, Take a Hike offers five free, guided walking tours in Downtown Cleveland featuring actors and actresses portraying important Clevelanders from the past. The Gateway District tour meets every Thursday at 6:00 p.m., the Warehouse District tour meets every Saturday at 10:00 a.m., the Canal Basin Park tour meets every Sunday at 10:00 a.m., the PlayhouseSquare tour meets every Tuesday at 6:00 p.m., and the new Civic Center tour meets every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. Each tour lasts approximately 90 minutes. The tours are free, but donations are encouraged to help fund future tours.  Two new characters joining the cast are Levi Johnson, an early Cleveland settler, and Coach Paul Brown.  Take a Hike is presented by Dollar Bank. For more information click here.

4th annual Scavenger Hunt Celebrating Preservation Month in Lakewood 

Participate in the fourth annual Scavenger Hunt and win great prizes! The scavenger hunt takes place from May 11 through May 21. A downloadable entry form and list of supporters will be posted on www.lakewoodhistory.org on May 11. Entries with all correct answers will be entered into a drawing to be held at a free Lakewood Historical Society program titled "Cleveland's West Side Market: 100 Years and Still Cooking" on Wednesday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. in the Main Lakewood Public Library Auditorium. Winners need not be present. More information will be provided on the entry form. Good Luck!

New Shaker Historical Society Exhibit

On Sunday, April 28, the Shaker Historical Society opened a new exhibit entitled "RE imagine + RE vitalize + RE invent: Transforming Shaker's houses and buildings for modern living, working, playing". This exhibition aims to show how Shaker Heights homes and businesses can be reconfigured to increase functionality, incorporated with green initiatives and updated, while maintaining the beautiful features and historic characteristics that make these buildings so distinctive. The exhibit will be open through Sunday, July 28. Also on display at the Shaker Historical Society, in the Jack and Linda Lissauer Gallery, will be the architectural designs and art achievements of William Gould. Gould specializes in en plein air painting and co-founded ArtSpace-Cleveland. The art exhibit, called "Paintings and Designs of Shaker Heights by William Gould" will be on display through Sunday, May 26. The historical society is located at 16740 South Park Blvd., Shaker Heights.

Ohio Chautauqua

The schedule of events has been published by the Ohio Humanities Council for the Ohio Chautauqua program that will take place in Lakewood June 25 - 29. Each day will feature a youth workshop in the morning at the Beck Center for the Arts, an adult program in the afternoon at the Lakewood Public Library, and an evening program under a tent in Lakewood Park. The evening programs will include local musicians and historic characterizations. All events are free and open to the public. For more information, click here.

Oberlin Heritage Center Offers History Walks

Back by popular demand, the Oberlin Heritage Center will offer a series of guided history walks on Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. from June through September.  Each is led by a trained docent who shares stories of those who lived, worked and went to school in Oberlin in days gone by. Walk topics include the "Freedom's Friends History Walk", "Scholars & Settlers History Walk", "I Spy Oberlin: History & Architecture Scavenger Hunt", and "Radicals and Reformers History Walk". Guided walks are approximately 60-75 minutes and are most likely to be enjoyed by ages 9 and up. History walks also are available to groups of eight or more at other times by appointment.  All history walk tickets must be purchased in advance. The fee is $6 per adult; free to OHC members, college students and children accompanied by adults. Visit www.oberlinheritage.org for the specific dates and times of the history walks.

Oberlin Heritage Center  

Summer Camps

Two new day camps will be offered by the Oberlin Heritage Center this summer and two continuing favorites are being brought back for kids and teens who enjoy creative, hands-on activities.  The "old" is "new" this year with the latest offerings focused on ancient world civilizations and the early pioneer settlers of our own nation.  Back by popular demand is the Architecture Camp for kids and "Behind the Scenes at the Museums" camp for teens.  The Heritage Center's summer camp program is a recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Ohio Local History Alliance, an association of local history museums and historical societies from throughout the state. For more information, contact Oberlin Heritage Center.

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.