Historic Tax Credit Eliminated from  

House Tax Reform Plan: What You Can Do

February 26 was a watershed moment for the federal historic tax credit and the campaign to save it. On that day, Dave Camp (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, released a discussion draft of his vision for a comprehensive tax that would eliminate the federal historic tax credit. The National Trust and its partners in preservation and allied fields, including the Cleveland Restoration Society, have been working hard to raise awareness of the threat to the historic tax credit posed by Congressional tax reform. Now we need your help. Please urge your representative to contact Speaker of the House John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor with the message that repealing the historic tax credit would eliminate an incentive that has a proven track record of revitalizing communities and creating jobs. More than ever before, now is the time to speak up for the historic tax credit. Click here to make your voice heard! 

CRS Members' Reception on Friday, March 14  

to Feature Talk on Schweinfurth 

Join the Cleveland Restoration Society on Friday, March 14 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. as we welcome our members to the historic Sarah Benedict House. Tour our headquarters, meet our staff and trustees, and learn more about our programs and events. CRS trustee Anthony Hiti will speak about the recent ARTneo exhibit entitled "Charles F. Schweinfurth, Uncompromising Architect of Cleveland's Valiant Age". This exhibit encompassed the work of one of Cleveland's most important early architects.  Members are encouraged to attend the reception and to bring any family members or friends who may be interested in joining CRS. Reservations are required. Click here to reserve your spot. Please share the name of any guests when you register. 

Call for Proposals for National Preservation Conference

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is looking for input in planning the upcoming National Preservation Conference. Do you have an opinion on what you think hot topics are for preservation? Heard an inspiring speaker you think would resonate with the audience at the conference, to be held in Savannah November 11 - 14? Have a suggestion on what people need and want to hear? Session ideas and Field Study proposals are due March 17, 2014. Affiliate Event submissions are due April 1, 2014. Click here for more information.

OHPTC Round 12 Accepting Applications

The application period for Round 12 of the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit program is now open. The application form can be downloaded under 'Program Information' on the program website. A total of $30 million in tax credit allocation is currently available for Round 12 applicants. All applicants are required to schedule pre-application meetings with both the Office of Energy and Redevelopment and the Ohio Historic Preservation Office prior to submitting an application. Applicants are encouraged to contact both offices early in the application submission period to schedule the meetings to ensure availability. The Ohio Historic Preservation Office can be contacted by calling 614-298-2000. Please note that applications must be submitted (not postmarked) to the Office of Energy and Redevelopment by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 31, 2014. Approved applications will be announced on or before June 30, 2014.

The Office of Energy and Redevelopment is pleased to announce the addition of a new funding pool for projects with qualified rehabilitation expenditures (QREs) between one and eight million dollars. This intermediate project set-aside will reserve 25 percent of the allocation in each round for projects of this size, similar to the existing small projects set-aside for projects under one million dollars in QREs. If any of the tax credit allocation reserved for intermediate projects is not used, it will be allocated to other projects in the application period.

Contact Nathaniel Kaelin at [email protected] or 614-728-0995 if you have any questions about the application or to schedule a meeting.

Anthony Hiti Named  

Slovenian Man of the Year

Congratulations to Anthony Hiti, vice chair of the Board of Trustees of the Cleveland Restoration Society, who will be honored as the Slovenian Man of the Year on Saturday, March 22. Anthony has been a steadfast CRS trustee for a number of years and he chairs our Advocacy Committee with a steady hand. He has given countless hours of volunteer time to evaluate historic buildings in need of architectural insight. Many a historic church is preserved because of Anthony. He has chaired and serves on the Historic Resources Committee of the AIA, Cleveland chapter. He proposed and facilitated the merger of CRS's and AIA's historic preservation awards. Anthony is an expert on Modernism; he co-authored the book and exhibit, Cleveland Goes Modern. Most recently, he has curated the exhibit, Charles F. Schweinfurth: Uncompromising Architect of Cleveland's Valiant Age, at ArtNEO. Congratulations, Anthony!

Bob Keiser Retires as Secretary of Cleveland Landmarks Commission

The Cleveland Restoration Society would like to congratulate Bob Keiser, long-time secretary of the Cleveland Landmarks Commission, on his retirement. Bob came to the City of Cleveland under a federally funded environmental internship program under which he completed the historic building survey of the Franklin Circle Historic District. In 1983, he was hired as the first professional preservation staff member for the Cleveland Landmarks Commission. He completed surveys of Brooklyn Centre, Little Italy, Edgewater, and Buckeye Road. In 1989, Bob was appointed to serve as the secretary of the commission. His legacy as secretary includes the administration of 36 National Register Historic Districts, 26 local historic districts, and 312 individual landmarks and the establishment of the Cleveland Architects Database, a listing of architects and master builders that have worked in Cleveland from the 1820s until the 1930s. A native of Toledo, Bob is an Ohio State University alum, with a BA in Urban Studies, who also has earned an MS degree from Eastern Michigan in Historic Preservation, Preservation Planning. Bob is taking some time to travel, and looks forward to leisurely days partaking in board gaming, one of his favorite hobbies, as well as continuing working on his family genealogy project. Friends and colleagues are planning a spring celebration in his honor at CRS's Sarah Benedict House.

Shaker Heights Second Annual Photo Contest

The Shaker Heights Landmark Commission invites you to capture what you love about Shaker Heights in the second annual Preservation Month Photo Contest. The contest was created in honor of National Preservation Month, which is celebrated each May by preservation organizations across the country. The Landmark Commission formally recognizes the City's historic places through the designation of landmarks and the annual Preservation Awards program. Now, you are invited to celebrate your favorite places in Shaker. They are looking for striking digital images that celebrate the best of Shaker Heights. Share images of what makes the city special and beautiful to you. Winners will be selected in each of the following categories:

• Homes/buildings
• Landscape/nature
• Street/sidewalk scenes
• Architectural elements (front doors, chimneys, windows, metalwork, etc.)
• Sundry (anything that doesn't seem to fit in the categories listed above)

Submissions will be accepted online through April 1, and winners will be announced May 1. The contest is free and open to the public. Click here for more information.

Shaker Heights 2014 Preservation Awards  

Nominations Due April 25

Is there a project in your Shaker Heights neighborhood that deserves recognition? The Shaker Heights Landmark Commission is now accepting nominations for the 2014 awards program. Exterior improvement projects completed within the last two years are eligible. Click here for the nomination form and to see past award winners. Contact Ann Klavora at [email protected] or 216-491-1436 with any questions.

Shaker Historical Society Appoints  

New Executive Director

The Shaker Historical Society has announced the appointment of Dr. Ware Petznick as the new executive director.  She initially came to the society in January 2013 as a volunteer to assist with school tours, within a month she was hired as the director of education & administration.  She has a wealth of museum experience, and is excited to tell the Shaker Heights story, past, present and future. Congratulations Dr. Petznick!

Summit County Cultural Assessment

The findings of a recent Arts and Culture Assessment for Summit County have been made available. This report provides nine key findings about the arts and culture sector in Summit County, including its financial health and stability, its connection to the community and how it fits into Summit County's future. The assessment was conducted February through September 2013. Learn more here.  

New Superintendent for  

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

The National Park Service has named Craig Kenkel as the new superintendent of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. He currently serves as superintendent at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. Of his new position, Kenkel said, "Since first visiting the park in 1992, Cuyahoga Valley has been on my personal 'top ten parks list.' That one can find this incredible river valley park rich with history, nature, and opportunities to play and learn in a large urban/suburban area is wonderful and compelling; I look forward to professionally and personally experiencing this park." Welcome!

Space Available at the     

Sarah Benedict House

Are you looking for office space right now? The beautiful third floor of the Cleveland Restoration Society's headquarters, the Sarah Benedict House, is currently available for lease.  This light-filled space includes approximately 1,500 SF of fully improved office space: five+ rooms, restroom, and storage facilities. The first floor meeting rooms of the Sarah Benedict House are also available for use by third floor tenants, as is the adjacent garden. A kitchen is provided for catering and tenant use. Click here for more information. CRS will be holding an open house soon. Contact Felicia Hall at (216) 426-3110 or [email protected].

AIA Cleveland "Friends of Architecture" Visioning Session

AIA Cleveland is studying the opportunities and logistics of offering an AIA Cleveland "Friends of Architecture" subscription to the local general public. If you are interested in exploring this idea, you are invited to attend a meeting on Thursday, March 13 at 5:30 p.m. at AIA Cleveland, 1001 Huron Road, #101, Cleveland. If you have any questions, contact Christopher Tadych at [email protected].

Building Enclosures Symposium and Annual Meetings Bring National Expertise to Cleveland

Cleveland will host annual meetings of the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS), Building Enclosure Technology and Environment Council (BETEC) and Building Enclosure Council (BEC) national chapters in conjunction with a full-day symposium on High Performing Building Enclosures this spring. This national gathering, together with an acclaimed speaker line-up, will bring top building enclosure experts from around the country to our city. Many in this group are likely to influence the technical and political direction of the sustainable buildings of the future. Reflecting the growing vitality of the Great Lakes region in general and Cleveland in particular, the technical symposium is titled "Great Lakes Renaissance--Symposium on High Performing Building Enclosures." It is jointly organized by the BEC-CLE and AIA Cleveland chapters and will be held on May 9, 2014, at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Cleveland. All building professionals interested in the science of enclosures are invited. Early registration is highly recommended. There are a limited number of discounted registrations available. Learning credits from AIA, USGBC and RCI have been approved. For more information and registration materials, visit www.bec-cleveland.org.