Summit draws history devotees

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Summit draws history devotees

POSTED: November 2, 2007

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By Kevin Risner, krisner@advertiser-tribune.com />
A summit is under way in Tiffin this weekend. Local residents still can take part today between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Pfleiderer Center for Religion at Heidelberg College. The County Courthouses and Community Revitalization Summit began Friday and is to end this afternoon.

Today’s session is designed to be a community meeting and open discussion.

The Tiffin Historic Trust is co-sponsoring the summit with Preservation Ohio and Heritage Ohio, the two preservation organizations in the state. Thomas Palmer, executive director of Preservation Ohio, said this was only the fourth time this type of summit has been held in Ohio. The first was a summit to discuss preserving historic school buildings after the state launched its program for public school construction during the 1990s.

A cross-section of preservation leaders, preservation professionals, architects, government officials and other interested parties are gathering to consider the role of county courthouses in Ohio. The Seneca County Courthouse was often Exhibit A during discussions Friday.

Opening remarks from Alex Bobersky were focused on the Seneca County landmark. Bobersky is the board president of Preservation Ohio. Bobersky said the courthouse may have been built by men who fought in the war between the states, men who were capable of sophisticated workmanship.

Areas of discussion during the first day of the summit included courthouses and community development, courthouses as civic icons, courthouses and heritage tourism, courthouses as buildings and the provision of county services, courthouses and the law, and courthouses and funding.

Palmer shared about his youth. He said he grew up in Galion and spent time in Mansfield. He said he remembered when the courthouse was torn down in Mansfield and has seen evidence since that people in the community regret losing the building.

As a lawyer, Palmer tried cases in the Seneca County Courthouse. He said his first impression of the facility was not positive. His opinion has changed, he said.

Palmer told the group about the Crawford County facility that has been restored and enlarged. He said all the county and municipal courts are together in the facility. The Crawford County courthouse is an example of what communities can do to preserve and use historic courthouses, Palmer said.

Summit participants agreed courthouse restoration projects provide anchors for other downtown revitalization. The restoration of a historic public owned building can spark other restoration projects, the group said. They also agreed that demolishing a significant historic building can damage efforts at community revitalization.

Franco Ruffini, deputy state historic preservation officer, said some historic districts have endangered their status on the National Register of historic places by demolishing buildings within the district. The Seneca County Courthouse is one key building within a historic district.

Building preservation consultant Steven McQuillin said the county could access federal or state tax incentives for a restoration project. Even though the county has heard a legal opinion saying it cannot access those programs, McQuillin said is is possible if the commissioners were committed to pursue those avenues.

Franco Ruffini said other funding options may be in the works at the state level. The county is waiting to hear how much money Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland will propose in the next biennial state budget for a Seneca County Courthouse restoration project.

Bobersky said county residents should continue to lobby legislators for earmarked funds to complete a restoration project.

Joyce Barrett, executive director of Heritage Ohio, joined Palmer and Ruffini as leaders of the sessions. Barrett led a discussion about what county services should stay in a downtown area and what the potential economic impact is of those offices or services being present.

Barrett said a restoration project puts more money into the local economy through labor than new construction. With new construction dollars are spent to buy materials from distant places that do not benefit the local economy.

Today’s sessions are to include a presentation from Friday’s sessions, interactive group exercises and group discussions.

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