Lost & Found

Landmarks and the preservation and history community at large have regrettably lost several friends recently. Still in shock over the news, we extend our deepest sympathy to our President Donna Laidlaw and her family for the untimely death of her husband, Bill Laidlaw, Ohio’s State Historic Preservation Officer and Executive Director of the Ohio Historical Society.

In addition, we have lost two founding trustees: Henry Hunker passed away in the spring and Dixie Sayre Miller passed away this summer. I had the pleasure of being mentored by both in the 1980s while working in the Central Ohio Regional Preservation Office of the Ohio Historic Preservation Office, which was housed at Columbus Landmarks. Both of these stalwart individuals moved the agenda of historic preservation and the mission of Columbus Landmarks Foundation leap-years forward through their leadership and support.

We continue building partnerships old and new: working in conjunction with Columbus Historical Society and United Way of Central Ohio to follow-up on history initiatives related to Columbus’ upcoming bicentennial in 2012; co-sponsoring a standing-room only workshop on Financial Incentives for Historic Properties with Preservation Ohio; and collaborating on a centennial celebration with the Athletic Club of Columbus.

Successful events this past summer have included over 20 neighborhood walking tours, City Hop and Hidden Treasures: Keys to the Past. Our 10th Annual City Hop brought 1,100 people to downtown Columbus to tour a variety of living units and generated critical funds for our coffers. Thanks to Kevin Wood and Donna Carstens, co-chairs of this mega-event, and the hundred other volunteers who helped to make it happen. Adding icing to the cake, City Hop was presented Heritage Ohio’s 2009 “Most Creative Fundraiser Award.” Over 120 individuals attended our first Hidden Treasures event at Columbus Architectural Salvage, and although sweltering, it was a delightful evening with food, music, door prizes and camaraderie at a most intriguing venue.

Purchase your tickets now for the 25th Anniversary of our James B. Recchie Design Award and Preservation Awards on October 8th, where we will be socializing over food and wine at the 5:30 reception followed by a retrospective of the Recchie Award and the announcement of our 2009 awards winners.

On the advocacy front, The Gunning House is still awaiting a buyer; it and the Trautman Building were selected as two of the “2009 Top Ten Opportunities” by Heritage Ohio, and it and Elam Drake Farm were listed on Preservation Ohio’s “2009 Most Endangered Historic Sties.

The advocacy committee, under Charissa Durst’s leadership, received an update on a new master plan for Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center from Columbus City Schools; continues to work with the owner and the City regarding the Deardurff House; met with Columbus Compact and other stakeholders to brainstorm about the Trolley Car Barn; was a consulting party regarding the impact of the Scioto Mile project along the riverfront on historic resources; and attended a hearing regarding the future of historic churches in the King-Lincoln Bronzeville neighborhood

After busily reading resumes and holding interviews with a cadre of well-qualified candidates, I am pleased to announce the hiring of Amy Minnick as our new Field Representative. Amy, who hails from South Bend Indiana, brings over five years of experience working with local preservation initiatives. Thanks to the Preservation Services Committee chaired by Bill Lantz and Jennifer Sandy of the Midwest Office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation who assisted in this process. We are thrilled to have Amy aboard.

OHSPAB Scoop

I was in attendance at the Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board (OHSPAB) meeting on Friday where they voted on proposed nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. This board only meets three times per year. Four of the five nominations reviewed were from central Ohio and all four were approved for forwarding on to the National Park Service for federal review. They were the Hayden Building (20 E. Broad) and the “New Hayden” Building (16 E. Broad) on capitol square, (check out the article in April 17 Dispatch about these nominations), the Born Capital Brewery Bottling Works (570 S. Front St.) in the Brewery District and the Groveport School (715 E. Main St.) in Groveport.

At this meeting, the board also voted on the Ohio Historic Preservation Office grant committee’s recommendations for Certified Local Government grant applications. Two applications were submitted by the City of Columbus, one for emergency roof repair for Green Lawn Abbey (this grant application was prepared by and will be administered by Friends of Green Lawn Abbey) and one for preparation of a National Register district nomination for the Old North Columbus commercial district (North High Street/Dodridge area) (this grant application was prepared by and will be administered by the University District Organization, in conjunction with Landmarks). Both applications were recommended for funding in full (although conditional, based on Federal appropriations being what they estimate they will be). Thanks to Randy Black for shepherding these grants through the proper channels at the city. We would not have been eligible to apply for these funds without his support.

Preservation initiatives are moving forward in Columbus in spite of the economic downturn! Kathy

Hello.

Welcome to Columbus Landmarks Foundation’s blog entry. I admit that one of the greatest frustrations for me, as part-time Executive Director, is finding the time to consistently communicate about the work Landmarks is doing, whether it be providing updates on critical issues, sharing news of upcoming events, celebrating the saves or bemoaning the losses regarding our city’s historic resources. Things happen so quickly, that too often by the time we publish a hard copy newsletter, we are several steps ahead of what’s being reported. Through this blog I hope to solicit your input on various topics, including establishing priorities among the many advocacy issues brought to our attention or creative programming ideas, for example.

So off the cliff we jump, with the launching the 1st phase of our revamped website (columbuslandmarks.org), the publishing of a monthly e-newsletter, tweets on Twitter, friends on Facebook, photographs on Flickr, a video on YouTube, and agog with a blog.

Please join in the conversation,

Kathy Mast Kane