State awards Lucas County $9.6 million to revitalize, demolish 24 sites
Posted By: Toledo Blade on August 8, 2024. For more information, please click here to read the source article.
The revitalization of the historic Nicholas and Spitzer buildings in downtown Toledo is getting a $3.6 million shot in the arm thanks to a state grant.
The two 115-year-old buildings at the “four corners” intersection of Madison Avenue and North Huron Street are being converted into residential space. The funding announced Wednesday will cover 75 percent of the total cost of removing of interior office partitions to prepare the buildings for the next stage of the conversion.
The money comes from $9,610,706 the state has awarded Lucas County for the purpose of revitalizing or demolishing 24 buildings and vacant sites in the Toledo area. The money is coming from the Ohio Department of Development’s Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program and is part of a total statewide expenditure of $67.3 million.
“This grant is for buildings that have reached their useful end or need to be repurposed,” said David Mann, the president and CEO of the Lucas County Land Bank. “Many of them are sites that we’re working on in partnership with governmental agencies and nonprofits.”
A feasibility study conducted in 2022 by Standvick Architects envisions a renovated Spitzer building with a shopping arcade, gallery and performance spaces, and market-rate apartments with artist-friendly amenities.
The same study calls for the reinstatement of the Nicholas building’s historic skylight and atrium, the addition of retail and restaurant spaces, construction of a rooftop community room and pool, and the inclusion of new market-rate apartments with full amenities.
“The demand for downtown office space doesn’t exist anymore, but there is incredible demand for downtown living space,” Mr. Mann said. “New life can be brought into old buildings, but it’s expensive and complicated. Getting grants like this is essential to making it happen.”
Cincinnati-based Model Group and their Toledo partner ARK Restoration & Construction are the contractors tasked with transforming the 11-story Spitzer and 17-story Nicholas buildings.
Preparation of the site of the old Champion Spark Plug factory on Upton Avenue was appropriated $900,000. According to Mr. Mann, although the buildings there were demolished long ago, a great deal of below-ground concrete and infrastructure components have to be cleared before the land can be redeveloped.
Metroparks Toledo is slated to receive $65,827 to fund its conversion of the Spuyten Duyval and Cottonwood Creek golf courses in Richfield Township into parkland. When completed, the project will add 226 acres to Secor Metropark, making it the third-largest park in the Metroparks system.
Already a prairie is growing by Central Avenue along the front of the property, while behind that the park system has planted 50,000 trees.
“The work on that conversion is pretty much done except for the demolition of an old banquet hall and club house,” said Scott Carpenter, the Metroparks director of public relations. “The total cost of demolition is $87,770 and this grant will fund 75 percent of that cost.”
The balance of the funds from the Department of Development will be spent on the demolition of blighted homes and smaller commercial buildings.
Blighted buildings “are standing in the way of progress, so it’s time to knock them down,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in announcing the grant. “Once these structures are gone, we expect to see new economic development opportunities coming into these neighborhoods.”
“These funds will enable our communities to turn forgotten properties into valuable assets that contribute to the modern economy,” said Lt. Gov. Jon Husted. “This is an investment in the future of Ohio.”
In addition to the Nicholas and Spitzer buildings, other properties slated to receive revitalization funds are 317 N. Superior St., 325 N. Superior St., 405 N. Huron St., and 22 Southard Ave.
The 17 properties slated for demolition include the former Tate Funeral Home at 3302 Lagrange St., the former Club Indigo at 3031 Monroe St., the former home of Post 531 of the American Legion at 881 Geneva Ave., and the former Child Study Institute at 428 10th St.
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