COLUMBUS – On Oct. 15, Heritage Ohio held its annual awards ceremony at the Midland Theatre in Newark as the opening of its annual conference. Over 100 nominations were received for 11 awards. The awards honor Ohio’s best projects, places, and people who create lasting impacts through historic preservation and community revitalization.
This year’s recipient of the Best Commercial Building Rehabilitation in a Large Community Award is the Longfellow Senior Housing project in Cleveland. The Henry W. Longfellow School, located at 650 East 140th Street in Cleveland, was built in 1924 by architect Walter McCornack. After its closure in 2011, the building faced the threat of demolition, but the Cleveland Restoration Society successfully had it designated as a national landmark. The existing school building was rehabilitated to create 30 apartments, while a new building was constructed with 50 additional units. Despite challenges in balancing historical preservation with modern requirements, the $23.7 million project was successfully financed through a combination of tax credits, loans, and grants.
This year’s recipients of the Best Commercial Building Rehabilitation in a Small Community Award went to Small Nation for the rehabilitation of Rainbow Row in Bellefontaine. The Rainbow Row Arts District project resulted in five storefronts and seven upper-floor living units. From start to finish, $1.2 million was invested into the Rainbow Row Arts District project.
This year’s award for the Best Downtown Placemaking Award was presented to the Village of Ottawa and Go Ottawa for the Ottawa EndZone. In 2022, the Village of Ottawa launched The Ottawa EndZone, a placemaking project on Walnut Street. With a $5,000 grant from the National Association of Realtors, the Go Ottawa volunteer committee created four parklets featuring a street mural, lighting, and planters—marking the first outdoor dining spaces in Ottawa. Since its October 2022 opening, The EndZone has become a vibrant public space, hosting events like summer music festivals, weekend live performances, and pep rallies.
The recipient of this year’s Best Ohio Main Street Committee Project Award went to Main Street Vermilion for The Buoy Tree project. Public Art Vermilion launched The Buoy Tree in June 2023, to create a 12-foot-tall, community-driven “tree” made of nautical buoys to honor Vermilion’s maritime history. Over 300 community members purchased and decorated buoys. Mediums used ranged from paint to decoupage, fabric to roping, beading, glitter and more. The project fostered creativity, community pride, and collaboration, paving the way for future public art initiatives in the city.
This year’s recipient of the Best Residential Building Rehabilitation Award is New Republic Architecture for the rehabilitation of the Moore-Knight home in Cincinnati. Constructed in the 1860’s as the home of Robert Moore, it was purchased by the Knight family in 1926, the first African-American family to reside in Price Hill. Over subsequent decades, the house was occupied by African American teachers and scholars, eventually being converted into multi-family apartments in the 1970’s. The New Republic Architecture team was enlisted to re-imagine this important Price Hill home for modern living. The initial design was confined to the historic home, but when the client required more space, the architects designed a complimentary modern wing. The completed residence totals 9,400 SF.
This year’s award for the Historic Theater of the Year Award was presented to the ArielAnn Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre in Gallipolis. The Ariel Opera House, built in 1895 by the Ariel Oddfellows Lodge and designed by state architects Packard and Yost, originally featured two street-level storefronts, a banquet hall on the second floor, and a lodge room on the third floor. The theater portion closed in the 1960s and fell into disrepair until musician Lora Lynn Snow began efforts to restore it in 1987 for use by the Ohio Valley Symphony. In 2005, Ann Carson Dater purchased the building and donated it to the Ohio Valley Symphony. The Ariel Opera House is recognized as one of the top 10 restored theaters in Ohio.
This year’s recipient of the Ohio Main Street Business of the Year Award is Barclay’s Men’sWomen’s Clothier in Piqua. Barclay’s, a family-owned business operating for nearly 80 years, is an anchor of downtown Piqua. Current owner Bert Harrison is highly involved in Mainstreet Piqua, sponsoring events like Taste of the Arts and the Holiday Parade, and contributing to beautification efforts and fundraising. The Harrisons are committed to downtown revitalization, and their dedication extends beyond their business, embodying a spirit of community service and historic preservation.
This year’s recipient of the Spirit of Main Street Award is the Reineke and Reinbolt families of Tiffin. The downtown revitalization movement in Tiffin began in 2009, with Bill Reineke playing a key role in forming the Tiffin Tomorrow group, which developed a 124-item improvement plan. The Reineke-Reinbolt families have since invested in over 15 properties, each with unique features, preserving historical character while offering modern amenities. The family actively contributes to the downtown community by sponsoring Third Thursday events, organizing the St. Paddy’s Day 5K, and encouraging employee participation in community efforts.
The recipient of this year’s Young Ohio Preservationist of the Year Award is Jack Newton of Cleveland. Newton began his historic preservation career in August 2019 as a Project Manager with GBX Group. In his first year, he oversaw the acquisition of 14 historic buildings, including a former YWCA in Nashville that was converted into housing. His most notable achievement has been organizing the inaugural National Summit on Historic Preservation Easements, where he coordinated speakers, developed content, and moderated panels, ensuring open community discussions. Jack is also active in Preservation Action, where he helps shape policy and strategies for federal legislation and appropriations.
The recipient of this year’s Ohio Main Street Director of the Year Award is Main Street Marietta’s executive director, Jen Tinkler. Jen is in her third year of leading the downtown revitalization efforts in downtown Marietta, is described as someone who sits on almost every board in town, and is credited with growing great connections with the local Chamber, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Port Authority. Tinkler worked tirelessly with Marietta City Council over the last year to ensure that Main Street received much needed ARPA funding, allowing the program to provide more grants for growing businesses and to update equipment they needed and grow their programming and have adequate financial reserves. Tinkler strives for excellence in all she does, managing a very large board with differing viewpoints and personalities, and does it all with grace and excellence.
The Heritage Ohio Joyce Barrett Historic Preservation Hero Award was presented to Ben Sutherly of Troy. In early 2020, a tornado damaged the upper parapet wall of the Odd Fellows building in Troy, prompting the owner, and eventually the City, to call for its demolition. This led to a four-year struggle, led by Ben Sutherly and the Troy Historic Preservation Alliance, to save the building and the 1840s courthouse building to the rear of the Odd Fellows hall, which played a key role of national significance in 1846 with the journey of the of the emancipated Randolph Freed people from Virginia to Ohio. Ben’s relentless dedication and efforts ensured the preservation of both the IOOF building and the courthouse, which would otherwise have been demolished. Ben’s commitment to historic preservation is evident in the personal sacrifices he made, including leading a legal fight against the City and property owner, advocating at public meetings, and organizing a robust social media campaign. His unwavering passion saved two important historical landmarks in Troy.
Heritage Ohio promotes economic growth through the preservation and revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods across Ohio. Heritage Ohio is the coordinating agency for the Ohio Main Street Program and is the designated statewide Ohio preservation partner with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Through saving the places that matter we can all build a community and live better. Learn more about how to become involved by visiting www.heritageohio.org.
Submitted by Heritage Ohio.
