Building Cincinnati reports on plans of a local investor to use the new Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit to renovate a late 19th century hotel and rowhouses into 68 market-rate housing units. Apparently project backers are hoping that the new credits can breathe new life into a project that has been stalled for some time. To get a good idea of the project scope, click here to access an overhead view of the area from Windows Live Local.

Not to be outdone, the I Will Shout Youngstown blog has declared itself the official chronicler for another renovation project – the Davis Building in Downtown Youngstown. So far, the blog is detailing work as it progresses (with photos), both on the interior and exterior, and promises to provide regular updates.

Dayton MostMetro, which is often a great source for Miami Valley urban and planning news, has taken a look at whether Dayton area realtors are actually steering prospective home buyers away from the city proper, including its historic neighborhoods. Not surprisingly, with such a proactive premise, over 25 people have responded to the post with their own comments – well worth a read.

While not Ohio-specific, this is a great overall website. “Ye Olde School” looks at efforts to preserve historic school buildings across the country – with several stories coming from the Buckeye State – no surprise given Ohio’s strongly pro-demolition school building program.

For a look at Northeast Ohio small-town life from the perspective of the next generation – the new blog, “I’m from Wooster, Ohio now?" is a great read. The author grew up in Michigan and is now attending school at the College of Wooster. His descriptions of life in Wooster, and his travels to places like Akron and Cleveland, show a sensibility to what makes Ohio “tick” – he has already discussed the impact of Wal-Marts on local prices, the Amish, the Wayne County Fair, abandoned malls, and more (click on “2007” under Blog Archive).

In recognition of the current situation in Tiffin, as well as the dialogue currently going on in other county seats concerning the future of 19th century county courthouses, Ohio’s statewide preservation organizations are joining with Tiffin’s local preservation organization to host an unprecedented event. Ohio’s first “County Courthouses and Community Revitalization” Preservation Summit will take place on Friday, November 2 and Saturday, November 3 in Tiffin.

Additional details will be forthcoming soon, but we wanted our readers to be aware of these dates at the earliest possible moment. Information about the event will be updated regularly on the Summit website, which can be found by clicking here.

Ohio is no stranger to a phenomenon common across the country – a decline in the size and vibrancy of in-town, mainline denominational Christian congregations. And, with the shrinking of people and finances, many church buildings are closing their doors and facing an uncertain future.

The challenges of maintaining large, open worship spaces is a daunting one in the face of dwindling resources. The national group Partners for Sacred Spaces works with denominational bodies to teach local congregations about the importance of regular maintenance, as well as to encourage them to think creatively about the full potential of their church buildings.

When a decision is made to close and to vacate a church building, congregations often find themselves weighing options closely – particularly the question of whether or not to sell a building for non-religious uses. Some groups, such as the 200-year old congregation of First Baptist Church in Lebanon, decide to transfer buildings to their regional denominational bodies to make that determination. While some buildings become home to new congregations, others find their ways to adaptive reuse. As profiled in a recent Cleveland Plain Dealer article, in Cleveland Heights a former Presbyterian Church sanctuary now functions as a local youth gymnasium. Others in Ohio have become museums, restaurants, art galleries, theatres, housing and even retail space. The Bar of Modern Art, for instance, is now housed in the former First Baptist Church on East Broad Street in downtown Columbus (more info here).

Photo: Urban Outfitters, Cincinnati, housed in the former Third Protestant Memorial Church - merfam/Creative Commons License