Ohio Rallies for Courthouse
By Margaret Foster | Online Only | June 19, 2008
Fans of a long-vacant Ohio courthouse celebrated last week when the town of Tiffin blocked Seneca County's plans to demolish a 1884 Beaux Arts structure.
On June 10, the town's architectural review board unanimously denied the county's request for a certificate of appropriateness to demolish the Seneca County Courthouse. The board instituted a 90-day waiting period to allow time for commissioners to consider other options.
"It was a small win," says Joyce Barrett, executive director of Heritage Ohio. "There's a glimmer of hope, but it's by no means a save."
Heritage Ohio is organizing a rally this Sunday "to show Seneca County that this is not just a local issue." Indiana's famed "Courthouse Girls," a group of senior citizens who published a racy calendar to raise money for an endangered courthouse, plan to attend the rally for the Tiffin structure, designed by Elijah E. Myers.
Although Mansfield-based MKC Associates determined the building to be structurally sound last year (noting a full-height crack in the west facade), county commissioners voted last August voted to demolish the courthouse, which has been vacant for decades and is currently used for storage.
"We're moving ahead with the salvage/demolition of the courthouse by putting the [demolition] bid packets out. We're going to receive them back in July. We're going to continue to push ahead," Commissioner Dave Sauber told the Toledo Blade earlier this month.
On June 23, a day after the rally, commissioners will meet with the architectural review board to discuss alternatives to demolition. No deadline has been set for a final decision on the building's fate.
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Comments
Submitted by andy at: October 15, 2008
Excuse me Stephanie, Tiffin may be a small town, but it is not sad. This issue is important to many people throughout Ohio. Just because you may think it is unimportant does not mean it is. I am a citizen of Tiffin, Ohio thank you. Maybe next time you will have some respect.
Submitted by stephanie at: August 16, 2008
Robert, this just shows the what a sad little town this must be. They have something there that could be their pride and centerpiece of the town but not enough people who care.
Submitted by robert at: June 25, 2008
I cant even imagine that someone in this day and age would even think about tearing down a jewel like this courthouse. You people in Toledo need to get rid of Commissioner Sauber