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Group seeks historic listing

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By Samantha Sommer, Staff Writer 7:55 PM Saturday, July 18, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — A local preservation group wants a north-side neighborhood to find a home on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Springfield Preservation Alliance has sponsored an application to the Ohio Historic Preservation Office to list the area roughly bound by Limestone Street, Ferncliff Place, and McCreight, Woodlawn, College and Wittenberg avenues as the North Side Historic District on the national register.

It’s common sense, alliance President Kevin Rose said.

It has a great history — ties to the formation of Wittenberg University, beautiful architecture and three of Springfield’s well-known architects and some big businessmen lived there, he said.

“It’s a remarkable neighborhood,” Rose said.

A state board will consider whether to recommend forwarding the application to the National Park Service for a final review, said Barbara Powers, head of the inventory and registration department of the Ohio Historic Preservation Office.

Last week, the office had advertised a hearing for Tuesday, July 21, to gather input on the proposal. The alliance asked for a postponement, likely until October, after it learned many neighbors and city officials didn’t know about the meeting.

“We realized we should have done more to make sure everyone was aware of the meeting,” Rose said.

The postponement pleased Mayor Warren Copeland. He had drafted a letter requesting a delay because of the short notification and a conflict with a city commission meeting.

“Between now and then, we need to have a significant community discussion about whether this is a good idea or not ... Our primary goal was to give people an opportunity to participate,” he said.

One discussion will be whether the request could affect a grant application the city submitted to rehab homes in the area with federal stimulus dollars and make them more energy efficient, Community Development Director Shannon Meadows said.

The listing could help facilitate the historic reviews of the area required anytime federal funds are used, Powers said. It would not limit private owners’ ability to modify their homes, she said, but does offer some owners possible tax credits for renovations.

“It recognizes that properties are worthy of preservation because of their importance and the story they tell,” Powers said.

For more information on the request, e-mail the alliance at contact@restorespringfield.org.

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