Heritage Ohio Annual Awards: How to Submit a Successful Nomination
Wednesday, February 16th – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
The 2022 Heritage Ohio Annual Awards nomination period is now open!
Are you proud of the work being done in your community? Do you know someone who has done outstanding revitalization work? Then maybe you want to apply for Heritage Ohio’s statewide awards.
We have 16 award categories to honor the people, organizations, and projects that are making Ohio a better place to live. Want to know more about the award categories and how to submit a successful nomination that will get noticed by the awards committee? Then attend this webinar!
Join Joyce Barrett and Frank Quinn as they introduce the various award categories, and share tips on completing the nomination forms.
Nominations are due by July 1, 2022.
Hayden Easement
16 E Broad St,
Columbus 43215
If you spend some time in the preservation field, you invariably will hit upon this truism: building rehabs don’t move in a straight line, from developer interest, to finished product 12 months later. In fact, more often than not, a rehab project may die a couple (few) deaths, before the building owner holds a ribbon cutting welcoming in new tenants. A dedicated developer is certainly part of the mix; however, financing may fall through, stopping a project dead in its tracks. The hoped for tax credit application may not be approved. The can’t miss tenant pulls out of a project. An owner partnership goes south. The real estate market takes a dive. Given all that can go wrong, it’s a wonder more projects don’t fail.
In December of 2009, we welcomed the latest round of Ohio tax credit projects in the soon-to-be Hotel Indigo on 20 East Broad Street in downtown Columbus. Then-Governor Strickland touted the arrival of the boutique hotel, and everyone was excited. However, as happens so often, the project announced with much fanfare never came to fruition.
Fast forward 10 years, however, and a new ownership group has taken control of the property, secured rehab financing, applied for and received an OHPTC award, and was ready to take the next step: protecting the buildings at 16 and 20 East Broad Street by donating a preservation easement to Heritage Ohio.
It’s wonderful just to see a historic rehab project reborn, but the owner donating a preservation easement is the icing on the cake. Although under a tight deadline to have everything filed by the end of the year, we completed our due diligence and decided to accept the preservation easement.
Executive director Joyce Barrett commented on the buildings, “The very heart of downtown Columbus, and Ohio, is the Statehouse at the corner of Broad and High, and receiving an easement on two historically significant buildings overlooking the Statehouse is an honor for Heritage Ohio. We look forward to safeguarding their historic character for generations to come.”
Columbia/Larrimer Easement
3161 N High St.
Columbus, OH 43215
In December of 2012, Heritage Ohio received a conservation easement on the historic Columbia/Larrimer Building, a commercial property located on High Street in downtown Columbus. If you’ve ever walked past the building you probably know it from its unique storefront windows: a recessed entry decorated with elaborate stained glass panels, with two domed storefront windows that advertise the former “BOTT BROS CIGARS” and “BOTT BROS BILLIARDS.” Although Bott Brothers has been out of business now for many years, the signage has gained historical significance in its own right, and that historical signage is a critical element that tells the story of building, and therefore, is an element protected by the easement.
Today, that area within the building once home to cigars and billiard tables is now home to Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus, and has been for many years. The history of the building itself is fascinating as it has undergone a number of changes and alterations over the years, including the removal of its top two floors at one point in the past.
Executive director Joyce Barrett commented on the unique aspects of the Columbia/
Preservation Month Webinars: Nonprofit Administration
Wednesday, May 8th – 1:00 pm-2:30 pm
Happy Preservation Month! Next week we’re bringing you the second in our 2019 Preservation Month Webinars | Profiles in Preservation, and our focus this time is nonprofit leadership in the historic preservation realm. We’ll be joined by Becky West of Columbus Landmarks, and our own Joyce Barrett, and a special moderator, Danielle Steinhauser of CT Consultants.
Stay tuned for registration info on future webinars happening May 15 (Preservation Consulting), 22 (Preservation & Local Government), and 29 (Real Estate Development).
Thank you very much to our Heritage Ohio members who help to make our work possible.
Become a member of Heritage Ohio today and enjoy a full year of monthly webinars and many other benefits.
Heritage Ohio’s Annual Preservation Month Photo Contest | Urban Renewal
Preservation Month is nearly here and 2019 marks the 10th year of our Preservation Month Photo Contest. This year’s theme is Urban Renewal, but with a twist. While Urban Renewal may have once consisted of demoing whole blocks of city buildings, without any care or thought about the people in the buildings, let alone the character of the buildings, Urban Renewal today means the revitalization of cities, its people, and its heritage.
So, here’s your contest assignment: take a picture that captures your community’s best Urban Renewal efforts, whether an event image in a revitalized business district, a historic building once slated for demo that’s been saved and rehabbed, or even the underutilized block of buildings that will, once restored, again contribute to the renewal of the neighborhood.
Once you get that perfect image, submit your entry using our online submission form below, or post to Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #HOUrbanRenewal. Our Preservation Committee will choose finalists, and we’ll open the contest to online voting. As in years past, your online votes will determine the winner!
Here’s your chance at photographic fame and a spot on the cover of Revitalize Ohio! Good luck!
Dates to remember
- Entries accepted through Friday, May 10
- Online voting of finalists Monday, May 20-Wednesday, May 29
- Winner announced Friday, May 31
2019 Photo Contest Submission Form
Preservation Month Webinars: Preservation Contracting
Wednesday, April 24th – 1:00 pm-2:00 pm
Happy (early) Preservation Month! We’re excited to announce our 2019 Preservation Month Webinars | Profiles in Preservation, focused on preservation professionals who work in different aspects of the HP field. We’re kicking off the series Wednesday, April 24, beginning at 1pm, with Lindsay Jones of Blind Eye Restoration for a discussion and her perspective on preservation contracting.
Stay tuned as future webinars will cover aspects of historic preservation such as real estate development, preservation consulting, and more. Additional webinars are scheduled for May 8, 15, 22, and 29.
Thank you very much to our Heritage Ohio members who help to make our work possible.
Become a member of Heritage Ohio today and enjoy a full year of monthly webinars and many other benefits.
Rawson Block Easement
321 S Main St.
Findlay, OH 45840
December of 2004 was an exciting time for Heritage Ohio’s nascent easement program, when it accepted its first easement, taken on the Rawson Block located in downtown Findlay. A lot has changed since we accepted that first easement nearly 14 years ago, including exterior protection as a result of the easement.
Before the IRS adopted new regulations on easements and their donations, only the façade of a building was commonly “donated” in an easement agreement, and that was the case with the Rawson Block. However, our Rawson Block easement also included a loss of development rights, insuring there is never any building “up” on the site. Now, the IRS stipulates that for an owner to realize a charitable contribution (and subsequent federal tax deduction) the entire building envelope must be included under the terms of the easement. The IRS also enacted new regulations to ensure that only legitimate nonprofit organizations such as Heritage Ohio hold easements on historic properties. In fact, the Department of Justice went so far as to bring suit against the Trust for Architectural Easements over its easement acceptance practices.
As is the case with many of our easements, the agreement included stipulations for exterior alterations and stipulations restricting new construction either on the property or above the building (the loss of development rights mentioned earlier).
Working with the Rawson Block owners was a unique experience, too, as the LLC owner of the building comprised more than 50 community members who pooled their money to purchase and rehab a historic landmark in their downtown. And it’s a lesson we still enjoy sharing today: before you die of old age waiting for the rich developer to come riding in on his real estate unicorn to save your buildings, gather your residents together, pool your money, and save your places that matter NOW! It can be done, as the folks in Findlay can attest to.
YOP: Collaborative Coloring Book
Saturday, January 26, 2019 at 1 PM – 4 PM
Join us to create a collaborative coloring book! We need your help to draw images of historic places in Ohio, that have been revitalized thanks to historic tax credits. No need to worry about your artistic skill level, because we will have tracing paper and printed images of buildings. Trace a building and add your own artistic flare.
Make sure to sign your drawing, because all of our illustrators will receive recognition in the coloring book.
This will be a fun opportunity for you to learn a bit about historic tax credits, learn cool new uses for old buildings, and flex your artistic muscles.
We will be at the Main Branch Columbus Metropolitan Library (96 S Grant Ave, Columbus, OH 43215) in meeting room 3A.
People of all ages are welcome to participate in YOP activities.
For more information about YOP and updates on this event check out their Facebook page
And the winner is…
Congratulations to Ashley Combs of Middletown for winning our Preservation Month Photo Contest! Ashley’s winning entry will be featured on a future cover of Revitalize Ohio, plus we’ll honor her winning image at our Annual Conference this October in Cleveland. Thank you to everyone who entered a photo this year, and to everyone who voted!
Rustic Treasure (Bank Vault inside the Historic Goetz Tower)
The Goetz Tower is a seven-story Art Deco building that was constructed in 1930 and is located in the heart of Downtown Middletown, Ohio. This is a beautiful historic building that offers unique architectural features everywhere you turn inside and outside. Over the years the Goetz has survived decades of changes that have occurred in our City. We look forward to the future and bringing this space back to life to be enjoyed by all.
Middletown is currently in the process of revitalizing its downtown and has been very successful in bringing new businesses and people over the last two years. Once renovated this building will become another destination location for visitors as well as provide a home for new residents. Every downtown that has come back from neglect and abandonment has done so with a residential component downtown. The Goetz Tower is a crucial component in the revitalization of Downtown Middletown.
The City of Middletown believes that this building has the potential to be converted into a destination location for premier space for offices, retail, and restaurants as well as offer luxury apartments for those wanting to get away from the suburban lifestyle and reconnect with their community in a place like our up and coming downtown.
Preservation Month 2018 Photo Contest open for entries!
Happy Preservation Month! We’re celebrating Preservation Month with our 9th Annual Preservation Month Photo Contest, now open for entries! Our theme for 2018 is “This building isn’t empty…it’s full of opportunity” so we’re looking for entries showing great potential for reuse for our historic buildings.
When you get that perfect shot, submit it to us via our online submission form here. We’re allowing one entry per person, so you have to choose your favorite and get it to us! You can also post your entry on our Facebook wall using the hashtag #heritageohiophotocontest. You can also enter through Instagram, again using the hashtag #heritageohiophotocontest. Once our Preservation Committee chooses finalists, we’ll open the contest to online voting. Your vote will help us choose the winner!
Once again, this year’s winner will have their image featured on the cover of Revitalize Ohio. Happy (early) Preservation Month and may the best photo win!
Dates to remember:
Entries accepted: Monday, April 16-Monday, May 14
Finalists announced: Friday, May 18
Online voting for finalists: Monday, May 21-Tuesday May 29
Winner announced: Wednesday, May 30
Some guidelines to remember: be creative and original with your photo composition…we love photo entries depicting historic buildings in use (or, for this year, historic buildings waiting to be in use); make sure your image highlights Ohio subject matter; and finally, use your best judgment as to whether or not you should get permission from the building owner before photographing your subject matter.
Maybe a photo of last year’s winning entry from Judith Khaner will help encourage your own ideas for a winning entry this year?
Del Monte Easement
341 South Third St,
Columbus, OH 43215
Last year at this time we were putting the finishing touches on an easement for the Del Monte Building in Columbus (no relation to the company supplying your bananas!) While many of our easements are taken on large commercial buildings in downtown areas, the Del Monte is a smaller example. Originally built as a six-unit apartment building in the early 1900s, the building served a need for living units as Columbus experienced a growth phase during the first quarter of the twentieth century.
The Del Monte is a handsome three-story masonry building with a buff stone foundation and simple cornice. The building features numerous window openings, so even in the early 1900s, the units must have had a light and airy feeling.
Joyce Barrett commented on the positive impact of the easement: “Even modest downtown buildings can benefit from the owner placing an easement on the property, making this a win-win for the owner and for preservationists. In the case of the Del Monte Building, we’ve ensured that a historic building not under local design review will be preserved and enjoyed for generations to come. And the owner can receive a tax deduction for donating the easement.”