MyHometownOhio :: Updates from Mansfield, New Philadelphia and Tiffin

This week, the Mansfield News Journal profiled the first of the new homes now under construction in Mansfield’s “Chamber District,” an area of redevelopment surrounding Downtown. Our July 25th story profiled the ambitious plans of local leaders to re-populate traditional neighborhood areas through targeted construction of affordable housing in vacant lots. As the recent story points out, the houses are being fabricated off-site by inmates of the Mansfield Correctional Institution, and will sell for approximately $100,000 – although a financial incentive will forgive much of that debt should the new owners reside on-site for a given number of years.

In New Philadelphia, the controversial rezoning of an area near downtown for a Walgreens Drug Store has hit another potential hurdle. The structure is planned for a section of the City’s historic Franklin Square, as we shared in an October 11th story, and drew substantial criticism and protest from New Philadelphians concerned about preserving the historic integrity and character of their central city area. As detailed in this recent Times-Reporter commentary, on November 27, New Philadelphia City Council approved the rezoning by a 4-3 vote, however a local attorney has indicated that he intends to file a referendum action on the rezoning – thereby placing the issue on the ballot. This would also have the effect of delaying construction and, as the paper points out, the public would very likely vote down the proposal.

In a recent issue, the Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune reported that the local County Commissioners have come much closer to moving forward with demolition of the Seneca County Courthouse, choosing to close a window on submissions of qualifications on demolition on November 30. As we shared in a September 1st story, the demolition of this landmark building, designed by noted architect Elijah E. Myers, would represent the first 19th century courthouse demolished in Ohio in a generation. The other endangered courthouse, in Defiance County, is now is less danger, given the overwhelming defeat in November of a tax issue to fund its demolition.

Photo: Welcome Sign, Downtown New Philadelphia/kev72/CreativeCommonsLicense

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Re: Updates from Mansfield, New Philadelphia and Tiffin

by Toby on Mon 11 Dec 2006 10:26 AM EST | Permanent Link

I love history and the Seneca County Court House is a neat building. But it has so many problems that to keep it would virtually bankrupt the city of Tiffin -- which has a big enough problem with a shrinking job base.

It would be sad to see it go, after living in its shadow for five years in downtown Tiffin. But, there is a difference between preservation and crazy. And this building has reached the point where saving it is almost crazy.

Unfortunately.

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