Making Preservation a Priority

by Kathy Mast Kane, Executive Director

At year end, we ask our supporters to consider making a gift to Columbus Landmarks Foundation so that we can continue the vital work of our organization. In addition to monetary donations (which are always appreciated!), there are other ways to make preservation a priority in Columbus:

1.  Give a gift membership to a friend or family member who is an old building devotee.

2.  Volunteer on one of our committees or for an event.

3.   Bring a friend to one of our Bicentennial Events, including lectures, bus tours, tavern tours, a Shadowbox special event and a Heritage Ball.

4.  Take a walking tour with us & explore downtown or one of our many historic neighborhoods.

5.  Be our eyes & ears ~ notify us when you become aware of a preservation concern or threatened building.

6.  Nominate your favorite preservation project for our Annual Design & Preservation Awards next fall.

Thank you for making preservation a priority ~ we are grateful for our many supporters and look forward to an exciting 2012!

Landmarks Ghost Tours - More than Just Spirits

by Nellie Kampmann
Columbus Landmarks Foundation Education Committee

Do you think that haunted houses are only decrepit old buildings that no one would ever want to spend time in?  Think again!  Some of the most haunted sites in Columbus are also hauntingly fascinating.

While the particular sites visited may vary on any given ghost tour, there is no dearth of spooky historical buildings in Columbus.  Sites on past tours have ranged from a War of 1812 military headquarters to a stop on the Underground Railroad to a couple of Victorian houses of ill repute. You never know if a Landmarks ghost tour will take you to a tavern where the ghosts have stayed on long past closing, a theater with a few extra audience members, or business that was inconveniently built over an old cemetery.

One of the best parts of the ghost tours is getting to go inside a few of the haunted buildings.  In some cases, where the owners have restored them to reflect the period when they were built, it feels like you are actually stepping back into time.  You can almost sense the layers of history emanating from the walls.  It’s not unusual on the ghost tours to see the guests’ jaws drop from the sheer beauty of the places they visit.  For people who never thought that they would be interested in historic preservation, it is a wonderful introduction to our architectural heritage.  It’s scary to think that without the efforts of historic preservationists, these places may very well have ended up as ghosts themselves!

So, if you are looking for something spooky to do this Halloween season, please join the Columbus Landmarks Foundation on one of our many ghost tours.  An added bonus of the ghost tours is that the money raised by them goes to help keep historic buildings from looking like the old haunted house stereotype.

Nellie Kampmann is the author of A Haunted History of Columbus, Ohio and works professionally in the field of history.

A Twist on 2011 City Hop Reflects Columbus Character

by Doreen Uhas Sauer, Columbus Landmarks Foundation President

This year, City Hop concentrated on one neighborhood – the Gay Street corridor. From the tailored living spaces of Neighborhood Launch to the Atlas Building’s architectural pedigree, we mixed the old with the new at this year’s event, a fitting way to mimic our city’s fascinating conglomeration of history and potential.

After 30 years of involvement with Columbus Landmarks, living and teaching in this community and immersing myself in its history, I’ve concluded that unlike any other Midwestern city, Columbus was always destined to be different.

Why? Here are just a few of my reasons:

•                      Diverse Business — Columbus has historically been a hub for a variety of business and avoided being tethered to just one industry, which has sheltered the city from becoming part of the rust belt and its decline.

•                      Well-Groomed Neighborhoods — An interesting blend of people and heritage, with a rich tradition of German immigrants, brought to this city a sense of order and stateliness, seen even in the crisp appearance of our groomed neighborhoods and streets.

•                      Interesting Location — Columbus is at the crossroads of so many well-defined regions of the US – the South, New England and northern areas – making for an unusual mingling of ideas and traditions. The city has gone from being on the 19th century National Road to being an international airport gate for Africa, Asia and Central America, lending Columbus a rich and diverse culture.

•                      Stable Economy — Historically, the city was the beneficiary of a substantial defense contract after WWII, jump-starting the local economy and setting the course for a stable financial future.

•                      Strong Business Minds — A very close-knit business community was—and continues to be—fostered by civic-minded individuals.

•                      Research and Creativity — A wellspring of new ideas and creativity is nurtured by the people attracted to this center of university research and government.

As we move deeper into the next decade of the 21^st century, stronger and more vibrant than ever, it’s events like City Hop that remind us to take a closer look at what we’ve already built — to gain a sense of pride and connection with the places we pass by every day.

Doreen Uhas Sauer is the President of Columbus Landmarks Foundation. She has been involved with the organization for more than 30 years, promoting education, advocacy and preservation of the cultural landscape of Columbus. A perpetual student of local history, she is also the co-author of Columbus and The Ohio State University, Then & Now.

Why City Hop Will Reveal the City Slicker in You

Top 4 Reasons You Should Come to City Hop

by George O’Donnel

It’s almost time for City Hop. As a trustee of Columbus Landmarks Foundation who has 35 years of experience in the real estate industry, one might say I have a fetish for good architecture … Which is why I’m thrilled to be a part of the Columbus Landmarks 12th Annual City Hop tour of downtown Columbus.

City Hop has grown from just a few hundred people to close to 1,500 attendees, and we’re expecting even more this year since the event coincides with Independents’ Day, a downtown event celebrating independent art, music and entrepreneurship. So, why should you come to City Hop? I’ve narrowed down my list to the top 4 reasons you shouldn’t miss this great event:

1.       Live downtown for a day: You’ll tour some fabulous downtown condominiums and get a feel for what urban living in Columbus is all about. Our downtown is home to some fabulous structures and spaces. From the Columbus Commons; to Scioto Mile; to Neighborhood Launch; to historic landmarks like the Supreme Court Building; to arts venues like the Palace Theatre; you can spend the rest of the day after the tour soaking in the vibrancy of downtown Columbus. While many Midwest cities show the battle scars of economic woes, events like City Hop reveal the tremendous life our city has embraced. From organizations like Columbus Landmarks Foundation to city residence revitalization initiatives like those sponsored by Mayor Coleman and other city leaders, we should be proud of the rich and vibrant downtown life we’ve created.

2.       Immerse yourself in Columbus history: Spend some time at City Hop admiring our city’s architectural masterpieces. Along the Gay Street corridor, take in the detail of the high, ornate ceilings, finely detailed Art Deco Features and stunning building exteriors. Take an up-close look at the Wyandotte Building exterior, on Broad Street at Wall Street, designed by Daniel Burnham —that’s the same architect who designed the famous flatiron building in New York City. Along the tour, City Hop guides will share the hidden history and stories of Columbus heritage through the lens of its architecture.

3.       Experience a cutting-edge neighborhood: I’m a lover of both historic and fresh architecture, and that’s just one of the reasons that I love City Hop. Start your tour at Neighborhood Launch and view some urban residences that rival the chic amenities and style of New York City’s SoHo. Featuring seven parks with water fountains, a tree-lined boulevard and miles of decorative wrought iron fencing, you’ll get an inside look at urban living at its finest.

4.       Do something different! City Hop is the perfect chance to spend your weekend in a brand-new way. Spend a few hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. touring our city’s finest architectural gems, and then stick around for Independents’ Day between noon and midnight at Gay Street and Pearl Alley. It’s the perfect downtown day. Get your tickets for City Hop!

George O’Donnel is Vice President of Arshot Real Estate Services. He has more than 35 years of experience in the real estate industry, which has helped to fuel his fascination with great architecture. George is a trustee of the Columbus Landmarks Foundation and was the co-chair of the 2010 City Hop event.

Celebrating Columbus Treasures

Join us this month in celebrating National Historic Preservation Month – themed “Celebrating America’s Treasures.”  We have planned several activities in May to celebrate Columbus treasures.  At our Annual Meeting on May 12, we are showcasing one of Columbus’ historic and architectural treasures, the Columbus Maennechor located in the Brewery District (info). Other tours and events include a bus tour focusing on the architectural remnants of the Civil War, “mystery” historic tavern tours and walking tours of the Franklinton neighborhood and Fort Hayes Historic District (tickets/info).

Historic Preservation is many things to many different people. To some it is about preserving for future generations the cultural, historical, architectural and archaeological record of our built environment. To others it is all about the economic development shot-in-the-arm that a rehabilitated building in the center of a disenfranchised commercial strip or residential neighborhood can provide.  To yet another audience, the sustainable practice of reusing existing buildings and structures – the ultimate recycling – is the message that hits home to them about historic preservation.

To Columbus Landmarks Foundation, it is all of the above and then some. Recent activity in Columbus exemplifies this diversity of interests, resources and initiatives. Ranging from notable downtown landmark buildings including the LeVeque Tower and the Atlas Building looking to revitalized futures with new ownership, to the recent ribbon-cutting at the Old National Road Condominiums on E. Main St. in Olde Towne East, an exemplary illustration of a successful public/private partnership between Columbus Compact Corporation, the City of Columbus and many other collaborators. This project serves as a vibrant reminder that the neighborhoods surrounding our downtown core are some of Columbus’ greatest historical assets.  Furthermore, the urban core is being reinvigorated as one of Columbus’ newest neighborhoods with its now-established and expanding mix of residential and related amenities.

Every day is a day to celebrate Columbus treasures at Columbus Landmarks Foundation, but this national proclamation provides the perfect opportunity for us to share with you the merits of supporting our organization. Preservation Month is the perfect time to make a commitment to the cause. Please join us.

Play & Win - Virtual Scavenger Hunt

by Erin Pope

Columbus Landmarks Communications Committee

As this seemingly endless winter continues and our plans for pleasant neighborhood walking tours seem months away, we are happy to unveil a virtual scavenger hunt featuring downtown Columbus landmarks. You will need to follow us on Twitter (@ColsLandmarks) to participate, but the prize is worth it … a $50 Cameron Mitchell Restaurants gift card.

It is our hope that as you walk/drive/ride through downtown, you’ll have a chance to look up and appreciate some of the architectural gems of Columbus and their interesting features.

Here’s how the scavenger hunt works: once a week for the next four weeks, we will post a TwitPic of a feature of a downtown landmark to our Twitter Account. If you can identify it, don’t @reply – you’ll give away the answer! Simply send us a direct message, identifying the building by address or name. If we’re not following you, send us a Tweet or @reply letting us know you’ve got the answer.

We will keep track of the correct answers and at the end of the four weeks, the individual with the most correct answers will win a $50 Cameron Mitchell gift card. If there are multiple people with the same amount of correct answers, a winner will be chosen in a drawing at random.

Rules: only one guess per week per person. You must send your answer to @ColsLandmarks via Direct Message. Your answer will not count if left on the TwitPic, Facebook account or @reply on Twitter. We will keep a tally and notify the winner by Direct message.

We appreciate all those who follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Introducing the Protest - I mean Advocacy - Committee

by Charissa W. Durst

Columbus Landmarks Trustee & Advocacy Committee Chair

Happy New Year! It is now 2011, and I am now going into my fifth year as the Chair of the Columbus Landmarks Foundation (CLF) Protest—I mean Advocacy—Committee. You’d think that by now, I would remember the name of my committee! Actually I do know the name of my committee, but some days it’s a little confusing on what this committee actually does.

Wikipedia defines “advocacy” as something that an individual or group does to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions. In reality, we protest the demolition of historic buildings all over town. Hence, we are also the Protest Committee. But how do we get to this point?

First, our committee finds out about a building that is typically facing imminent demolition or some other issue. This typically happens when committee members read the papers, watch the news, or are sent articles about these issues. Sometimes, a CLF staff member just gets an e-mail asking what we plan to do about issue X, which is then forwarded to, you guessed it, me.

First, CLF determines whether the issue or resource is truly significant, such as being a National Historic Landmark, listed on or eligible for National Register of Historic Places, locally designated or eligible, or included in Ohio Historic Inventory. We will also check if the issue or resource holds any urban significance in the Greater Columbus Metropolitan Area and whether the issue or resource is directly relevant to our mission and vision.

CLF will then check if the issue is well defined and addresses local or regional preservation priorities and whether we will have the support of local or regional partners. If the issue passes all of the above, then one of the most important things to determine is whether we were contacted in time and if anything significant can even be done. Most of this initial research is conducted by CLF staff. If they are notified the evening before the bulldozer shows up, this committee is likely not going to be able to do anything about it.

Once an issue makes it to this committee, we find volunteers to conduct additional research and an assessment. This work often consists of visiting the project site and meeting with local/regional partners. Committee actions include developing a design solution, writing letters of support, and/or testifying at public hearings.

So, don’t wait until the demolition order has been issued or the roof has caved in to notify us. In your travels around town, keep an eye out for historic buildings that show signs of deteriorating, appear to be vacant, or suddenly have “for sale” signs in front. CLF can try to track down owners and provide them with anything from technical assistance to sources of funding for preserving the building. You can help us be the Advocacy Committee and not just the Protest Committee.

Charissa W. Durst is the President of Hardlines Design Company, an Architectural and Cultural Resources Management firm in Columbus, Ohio.