Ohio to aid Remaking of old Buildings
By Stan Bullard, Crain's Cleveland Business
All told, the state awarded Northeast Ohio almost $9.8 million in tax credits that will help property owners finance an estimated $95 million in adaptive historic restoration projects if they also receive federal historic tax credits and meet U.S. preservation standards for them."
The Millennia Cos.-owned Illuminating Building at 75 Public Square scored a key Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit in awards announced Tuesday, Dec. 19, by the Ohio Development Services Agency.
Seven other Northeast Ohio projects landed the credits, but the iconic Terminal Tower at 50 Public Square was not among them, although building owner K&D Group of Willoughby had applied.
The Ohio Development Services Agency announced the local awards as part of $28.4 million in credits to 22 historic buildings in 11 communities at a ceremony in Mansfield. The Richland County city received two allocations, its first since the program's inception.
All told, the state awarded Northeast Ohio almost $9.8 million in tax credits that will help property owners finance an estimated $95 million in adaptive historic restoration projects if they also receive federal historic tax credits and meet U.S. preservation standards for them.
The Northeast Ohio projects are as follows, according to the state's news release:
Central School, 474 Church St., Amherst, Lorain County
Total Project Cost: $12,173,003
Total Tax Credit: $1,497,000
The former Central School, built of local sandstone in 1907, has been vacant for more than 30 years. A gymnasium was added to the original building in 1922. After rehabilitation, the building will serve the community as an assisted living residence.
College Club of Cleveland, 2348 Overlook Road, Cleveland Heights
Total Project Cost: $12,417,994
Total Tax Credit: $1,226,000
The project will convert a three-story brick mansion and a two-story brick carriage barn dating from 1905 to 14 apartments. The property's name comes from the College Club of Cleveland, a women's philanthropic group, which had operated a clubhouse there. An adjacent parcel will also be used to build 13 townhouses.
Dorn School of Expression, 7306 Detroit Ave., Cleveland
Total Project Cost: $1,814,324
Total Tax Credit: $249,999
Built in 1913, the building once housed residential units on the upper floor, and a retail space and a fine and performing arts school on the main floor. After the rehabilitation project is completed, there will be four apartments and two retail spaces in the building.
Fox Buick Sales Building, 2250 Front St.,Cuyahoga Falls, Summit County
Total Project Cost: $1,771,300
Total Tax Credit: $249,000
The Fox Buick Sales Building is a two-story commercial building along Cuyahoga Falls' main commercial street with an auto showroom on the first floor and apartments on the second floor. The first-floor commercial space has been vacant and will be rehabilitated into the home of the Ohio Brewing Co. and the residences will be rehabilitated.
Grossman Paper Box Co., 1729 Superior Ave., Cleveland
Total Project Cost: $10,828,212
Total Tax Credit: $1,072,100
The Grossman Paper Box Co. building dates to 1902 and once was home to a large packaging company that later became a warehouse. The rehabilitation project will create 49 new apartments, preserve the historic industrial character of the building and open blocked windows.
Hilliard Block, 1415 W. Ninth St., Cleveland
Total Project Cost: $2,226,750
Total Tax Credit: $250,000
The Hilliard Block dates back to 1849, and is one of the oldest buildings in Cleveland's Warehouse Historic District. Originally a grocery and dry goods store, the building was renovated into offices on the upper floors in the 1980s while retaining commercial space on the first floor. The rehabilitation project will convert the former office space to 18 apartments. The current first-floor tenant will remain in place.
Illuminating Building, 75 Public Square, Cleveland
Total Project Cost: $51,371,441
Total Tax Credit: $5,000,000
This project includes the historic Illuminating Building, built in 1914 on Cleveland's Public Square, and the nearby Key Center office tower and hotel complex. The Illuminating Building's second through 14th floors will be converted into a total 119 residential units. The ground floor will be renovated into retail spaces.
St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 2280 W. 11th St., Cleveland
Total Project Cost: $2,318,267
Total Tax Credit: $249,999
The St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Church was once the center of the Ukrainian community in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood, and later became home to an Hispanic church. The project will transform the building into corporate offices for a company moving into the neighborhood.
Fierce competition
The purchase of Key Center on Public Square's northeast corner assisted Millennia, an apartment and hospitality firm now based in Key Tower, with its application for the state aid for the nearby Illuminating Building.Millennia's request noted it is spending on its previously announced renovation of empty office space and the lobby in Key Tower as well as adding restaurant event, and commercial spaces in the hotel.
Penny Martin, a state spokeswoman, said the Key improvements were considered part of the project cost for scoring. However, she said, when the state calculates the credit it does so only for the historic preservation project. However, buoying the cost of its project helped Millennia land the state credit that had eluded it three times previously.
Frank Sinito, Millennia CEO, declined comment on the company's plans for the Illuminating Building and the award.
Doug Price, K&D Group CEO, said in a phone interview he was disappointed by the outcome but noted his firm has benefited repeatedly from the program in five other downtown Cleveland projects.
Price said K&D is studying how to cobble together about $50 million to add apartments to the landmark office tower without the state preservation tax aid. He said K&D hopes to land a $5 million state brownfields loan to help fund asbestos abatement at the skyscraper.
"I'm not going to cry poor about it," Price said, but he noted competition from other parts of the state for the funds is increasing, and the amount available for awards decreased by the state's creation of larger catalytic awards which reduce funding available for other projects.
The Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit program is administered in partnership with the Ohio History Connection's State Historic Preservation Office. The State Historic Preservation Office determines if a property qualifies as an historic building and that the rehabilitation plans comply with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior's standards for rehabilitation.
"Preserving historic buildings saves the unique history of our neighborhoods and downtowns," said David Goodman, director of the Ohio Development Services Agency. "It also adds to the quality of life the community offers residents and visitors."
Many of the buildings are vacant and generate little economic activity. Once rehabilitated, they will drive further investment in adjacent property. The state said developers do not receive the tax credit until project construction is complete and all program requirements are verified."