Label
Zoning & Planning Committee
Title
Accepting the City Plan Commission’s recommendation for local landmark designation for the Building located in Uptown Toledo at 443-447 10th Street, in accordance with Toledo Municipal Code Section 1111.1002; and declaring an emergency.
Body
SUMMARY & BACKGROUND:
This request is for the review of the landmark designation for the building located at 443-447 10th Street. The City of Toledo currently has three locally designated historic districts; Old West End, Vistula, and Westmoreland. Two other properties in the City of Toledo have been locally designated in the last five years; the Fiberglass Tower/Levis Square, located at 200, 435 North St. Clair Street; and the Commerce Building, located at 15, 25, 31, and 39 S. Ontario Street. This would be the third locally designated building in the City of Toledo. The applicant is seeking the designation in order to obtain State Historic Tax Credits. They are also seeking to place the structure on the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural significance so it will qualify for Federal Tax Credits. The building is considered historically significant since it was constructed between 1892 and 1906 and is over 100 years old. The applicant proposes to use the building for office space to mirror other uses in the area.
The process for landmark designation outlined in the Toledo Municipal Code, Chapter 1111.1000 Historic Districts and Landmarks (Designation or Expansion), Section 1111.1104 Report Contents states the following:
The reports of the Plan Commission and City Historic District Commission, containing their written recommendations to the City Council, must include information about how the proposed historic district or landmark, or expansion, is of special historical and architectural significance. The reports must include the following:
A. whether the district or landmark proposed to be designated is listed on the National Register of Historic Places;
B. whether the district or landmark proposed to be designated provides significant examples of architectural styles of the past; and
C. a description of the district or landmark to serve as an informational resource. The description must include, but need not be limited to, the following:
1. a geographic description including location and its relationship to the entire City;
2. a description of the general land uses;
3. a general description of the building conditions;
4. a general description of the socio-economic characteristics;
5. a description of existing developmental plans or programs within or including the
historic district or landmark; and
6. a list of neighborhood organizations within or serving the historic district or landmark.
The required information for this landmark designation is delineated below.
A. Whether the district or landmark proposed to be designated is listed on the National
Register of Historic Places;
The applicant is currently applying for designation on the National Register of Historic Places. The process takes significantly more time than the local designation and they are estimating a response from the Department of the Interior within the next six to twelve months.
B. Whether the district or landmark proposed to be designated provides significant examples of architectural styles of the past;
The building located at 443-447 10th Street was built between 1895 and 1906, and is considered Italianate in style, a characteristic of early twentieth century structures. The façade of the building faces 10th Street. The main entrance appears to be in its original location. The building is three stories tall and is situated at the corner of Jackson Street and 10th Street. The windows on the third level are arched with a metal cornice, and two rows of dentilation patterns above them. The windows located on the first and second do not have specific details and were altered at some point in the past. The first floor is divided into two bays, the second and third floors both are 8-bays wide due to previous manufacturing uses.
The tenant building tenant was the Landers Brothers Company, who manufactured a variety of automobile components from 1906 to 1912. In 1912, another manufacturing company moved in called Electric Auto-Lite. Electric Auto-Lite only occupied the building for approximately a year and half before they out grew the space. By 1915, Tillotson Manufacturing Company moved in to the building and produced carburetors until 1917. Tillotson out grew the building and left to continue their global business in supplying carburetors to Motor Works, Indian Motorcycle, tractors, Whizzer motorbikes, and Harley Davidson.
In 1918, M.I. Wilcox Company moved into the building and manufactured awnings until 1921. The building was used for auto repair from 1922 to 1923. In 1924, the company changed their product a third time to manufacturing automobile tops. It is likely that the auto tops manufactured in the building were sold to Jeep as soft tops for their vehicles.
From 1924 through 1934, the building housed a manufacturing facility and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) Temple. The I.O.O.F. utilized the third floor as their gathering space and dance hall. The I.O.O.F. remained on the third floor when Chapman Manufacturing Company moved into the building in 1926, replacing M.I. Wilcox. The Chapman Manufacturing Company also produced auto tops there from 1926 until 1940.
After 1940, the structure was used for a gasoline station equipment manufacturing business among other uses. Until the 1940’s, this building played a huge part in the manufacturing of auto parts for Toledo’s auto industry and placed Toledo on the map as nationally known for its automobile components.
C. a description of the district or landmark to serve as an informational resource. The description must include, but need not be limited to, the following:
1. a geographic description including location and its relationship to the entire City;
The subject property is a .11-acre site that is located in downtown Toledo, and is bounded by 10th Street and Jackson Street. The warehouse sits on the northern corner of the city block, with an attached structure to the south for the emergency egress staircase to the building. The structure is a standalone building with no adjoining walls. The structure is located in the UpTown District and is part of the Downtown Toledo Master Plan, and is two blocks away from the Lucas County Court House.
2. A description of the general land uses;
The subject property is zoned Limited Industrial (IL). The structure operated as a manufacturing facility from its inception until after 1940. Surrounding land uses include a large office building directly to the north, to the west and south are parking lots, and to the east is the Family Court building.
3. A general description of the building conditions;
The history of the structure states it was used for manufacturing automobile parts until 1940. There is no mention in the buildings history that it was ever converted to another use. The details provided for the interior state that the building is structurally sound. The Residential Building Official for the City Of Toledo, Division of Inspection conducted an exterior review and found the structure appear to be structurally sound as well.
4. A general description of the socio-economic characteristics;
The future use of this structure is for office space to mirror other uses in the vicinity. Since Toledo and Lucas County have their court buildings, jail and other municipal buildings located in the downtown core, the future use of this building will blend in with its surroundings.
The Downtown Toledo Master Plan states that over 80 percent of Class A (largest of the three classes for office space) space is located downtown, and nearly a third of all office space is downtown. A large proportion of office employment and office buildings is in Downtown Toledo, which is an asset. The other classes of office space, B and C, are smaller in physical size and the rent is at lower rates compared to the high end of Class A.
5. a description of existing developmental plans or programs within or including the historic district or landmark; and
The Toledo 20/20 Comprehensive Plan and Downtown Toledo Master Plan both target this site for Downtown Commercial uses. The Downtown Commercial land use category is intended to accommodate a broad range of uses to reflect the downtown’s role as a commercial, government, cultural and entertainment center. Land uses are intended to be intense with high building coverage, large buildings, and buildings placed close together. The Uptown District Plan, adopted in 2014, also targets this site for downtown commercial uses and urban village. Additionally, the land uses are intended to be intense with high building coverage, large buildings, buildings close together, and to accommodate mixed-use pedestrian oriented development.
6. a list of neighborhood organizations within or serving the historic district or landmark.
The Toledo City Historic Districts Commission will have the authority to oversee any exterior changes to the Building if it is designated as a local landmark. The Toledo City Historic Districts Commission is charged with the responsibility of being the historical conscience of the City and exists to help preserve and protect Toledo’s historic resources.
Summary
NOW, THEREFORE, Be it ordained by the Council of the City of Toledo:
SECTION 1. In accordance with Toledo Municipal Code Chapter 11; Section 1111.1001 “Historic Districts and Landmark D; the landmark designation was initiated by a Resolution of the City Council, with referral to the Plan Commission and the City Historic District Commission for study and recommendation.”
SECTION 2. The Toledo City Historic District Commission reviewed the landmark proposal at their monthly meeting on May 29, 2018. The commission was very pleased to see the request and a motion of support was taken to endorse the application prior to the Toledo City Plan Commission hearing.
Staff supports designating the building at 443-447 10th Street as a local landmark because of its architectural significance. Additionally, the conversion to office space will allow the structure to remain a contributing building in the community. The significance of the building will be preserved and this designation enhances the ability of the Toledo community to preserve a part of the City’s history. Staff recommends once the re-design and end user is established, the property owner shall rezone the building from Limited Industrial to Downtown Commercial.
That the Toledo Plan Commission provided its study, review, and recommendation at its June 15, 2018 hearing and recommended approval of the landmark designation for the following reasons:
1. The 2014 UpTown Neighborhood Plan identifies historic building fronting and surrounding Adams Street as the main corridor of buildings that should be preserved to include utilizing the federal historic preservation tax incentives.
2. The 2014 UpTown Neighborhood Plan identifies the location of the building as the Downtown Connector District where the warehouse structure is a good reuse opportunity for a developer, and encourages historic preservation.
3. The building is historically significant in Toledo, Ohio as a contributing footprint in the UpTown district, and will assist in the downtown urban renewal projects that city have been developing over the last ten years.
SECTION 3. That “Landmark Designation” for the Building located at 443-447 10th Street in Uptown Toledo is hereby approved.
SECTION 4. That this Ordinance hereby is declared to be an emergency measure and shall be in force and effect from and after passage. The reason for the emergency lies in the fact that same has had Public hearings and approval from the Historic District Commission, the Toledo Plan Commission and the City Council Zoning and Planning Committee and is necessary for the immediate preservation and property.
Vote on emergency clause: yeas _____, nays _____.
Passed: _________________, 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