Label
550 Clark St.
Historic Landmark Designation
Sponsor: Gadus
Title
Declaring the intent to designate the building located at 550 Clark Street, Toledo, Ohio a historic landmark; and declaring an emergency.
Summary
SUMMARY & BACKGROUND:
In 1872, Good Shepherd Church was established after 60 families of Irish descent petitioned the Bishop of Cleveland for permission to form a parish on the East Side. Once a permanent location was identified on Clark Street, the first two-story wood-frame church was built. The wooden building was constructed to house both the church and school at the corner of Clark and Nevada Streets under the guidance of Rev. Robert Byrne.
By 1875, Father Byrne resigned for health reasons, and Father Patrick O’Brian became the pastor. Soon after Father O’Brian’s arrival, he established the school with the help of the Ursuline Sisters, who served as teachers and would remain under their direction for 116 years. By 1893, the school had 144 pupils under the charge of four teachers.
In 1878, Father O’Brian was sent to another parish, and Father McCarthy became pastor. Under Father McCarthy’s leadership, the brick parish house was built in 1882. Over the next nine years, the parish increased to nearly 100 families, and leadership shifted once again. That was the year Father Patrick Barry began his ten-year pastorate.
In 1897, Father O’Brian returned to Good Shepherd to find that it had grown and gained financial strength. The original wood structure was no longer large enough to meet the needs of the parish. On St. Patrick’s Day in 1899, ground was broken for a new church on the southern edge of the parish lot. When the cornerstone was laid, a copper box was placed inside containing the names and photographs of Catholic luminaries.
Later that year, a fire damaged the original wood-frame church, so the congregation held its services outside in the rectory’s front yard or across the street in the commons. Construction on the new church continued until it was enclosed, but a lack of funding caused delays for two years. After much anticipation, the new church opened on December 1, 1901.
Soon after the new church was completed, the old church was torn down to make way for a parking lot. As the need for additional parking became apparent, the Krueger Greenhouse property across Nevada Street was purchased.
In 1915, the school building was added to the west side of the church and later had two large additions, with the last completed in 1950. The school building contained an auditorium, gymnasium, kitchen, cafeteria, and meeting rooms in addition to the classrooms. Peak enrollment hovered around 250 students. As the neighborhood declined, so did enrollment. In 1991, when projected enrollment dropped to 114 students, the school was closed.
The church continued to be a strong part of the community, serving its growing needs and acting as a meeting place for community gatherings. The parish worked with other nearby churches that were part of the Interfaith Clergy Council to schedule events such as a Unity Walk in 1967. They also held an annual variety show in the 1960s, and bingo became an important fundraiser in the 1970s. A food pantry and community clothes closet served the neighborhood throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
In 1997, the parish continued to hold strong with 1,800 members. The congregation was evolving due to a strong outreach to Hispanic families under the leadership of Father Robert Haas, the parish’s thirteenth pastor.
In April 1999, volunteer parishioners and professional craftspeople restored the plaster ceiling after a chunk of plaster fell during the Easter Vigil service. It was a challenging restoration due to the curved and painted ceiling. Damage to the subfloor was also discovered during carpet replacement and was repaired by Christmas Eve of that year.
Due to a decline in the congregation, Good Shepherd Parish was consolidated in 2015 with Epiphany of the Lord Parish on the campuses of St. Stephen and St. Thomas Aquinas, and the Good Shephard Church building was permanently closed. Regular Masses for Epiphany of the Lord Parish are still held at St. Stephen and St. Thomas Aquinas.
NOW THEREFORE, Be it resolved that:
SECTION 1. That this matter be referred to the Toledo City Plan Commission and the Toledo City Historic District for its review, recommendation and appropriate hearing date.
SECTION 2. That this Resolution hereby is declared to be an emergency measure and shall be in force and effect from and after its adoption. The reason for the emergency lies in the fact that same is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety and property, and for the further reason that this Resolution must be immediately effective so that the historic property will be eligible for the federal and/or state historic tax credit as soon as feasibility possible.
Vote on emergency clause: yeas _____, nays _____.
Adopted _________________, as an emergency measure: yeas _____, nays _____.
Attest: ________________________ __________________________________
Clerk of Council President of Council
Approved: _____________________ __________________________________
Mayor
I hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of an Ordinance passed by Council ________________________.
Attest: ________________________
Clerk of Council