From the 10/12/05 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune

 

Photo by Summit Street

 

Courthouse renovation gets one more shot

By Kendall S. Cable, [email protected]

 

In a letter to the Seneca County Commissioners, Tiffin Historic Trust representatives requested the authority to seek monetary sources to repair, renovate and restore the Seneca County Courthouse on behalf of the commissioners.  The commissioners, in Tuesday's meeting, agreed to the request and will ask the Seneca County Prosecutor's Office to draft a letter allowing members of the trust, as well as other entities interested in seeking such funding, to work on their behalf.

 

Full story: http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/news/story/1012202005_new02shot1012.asp

 

"I am still putting my stuff together," Sauber said. "I don't care what they do. My goal is still to tear it down and replace it."

 

Outrageous

From the 1/13/06 Fostoria Review Times:

 

 

Board ponders courthouse demolition possibilities

By TIM SOSTER

STAFF WRITER

 

SENECA COUNTY -- The board of commissioners are in the process of deciding if a construction project manager is needed for the possible demolition and reconstruction of the courthouse.  Commissioner Dave Sauber said it was a topic that needed to be discussed, and requested input from fellow commissioners Ben Nutter and Joe Schock. Sauber asked if the county should hire a design firm to help come up with specifications for demolition.  He said Jeff Stockner, with the Seneca County Prosecutor's Office, suggested the idea of a project manager.

 

http://www.reviewtimes.com/News/backissues/2006/Jan/ar_news_011306.asp#story4

 

Tearing the whole courthouse down would be a shame, but I wouldn't shed a tear if they removed the art deco clock tower  :-P

 

    "Schock said the cost per square foot to renovate would be higher than building a new building per square foot"

 

    But would the quality of the new building be the same? I hope he is not comparing a typical office building to a courthouse.

 

 

From the 1/29/06 Toledo Blade:

 

 

PHOTO: At the Coffee Break in downtown Tiffin, David Long, left, gets change from Pat McDonald, the bakery's manager. The fate of the Seneca County Courthouse is sometimes a topic of conversation. 'I think it probably should just be torn down,' she said. 'It's probably going to take a lot of money to rebuild.'  ( THE BLADE/ALLAN DETRICH )

 

PHOTO: The Seneca County Courthouse is 120 years old.  ( THE BLADE/ALLAN DETRICH )

 

Fate of courthouse dominates talk in Tiffin

By STEVE MURPHY

BLADE STAFF WRITER

 

TIFFIN - For decades, hardly anyone paid attention to the Seneca County Courthouse.  As other nearby counties replaced or refurbished their courthouses, the sandstone Beaux Arts behemoth in downtown Tiffin slowly deteriorated from a lack of maintenance and upkeep, even as courts and other county offices continued operating inside.  A belated attempt to fund a $7 million renovation ended in May, 2002, with a decisive rejection by voters. 

 

The county moved the common pleas courts and the clerk of courts out of the courthouse and into a newly built annex in March, 2004.  Now empty and crumbling, the 120-year-old landmark casts a long shadow over a city center that's struggling to hold on to its remaining restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues.

 

Full story: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060129/NEWS17/601290325/-1/RSS

From the 4/7/06 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

 

Commissioners may not allow Tiffin Historic Trust's courthouse study

By Kendall S. Cable, [email protected]

 

The Tiffin Historic Trust may not have the consent of the Seneca County Commissioners to move forward with a Seneca County Courthouse study, even though the trust agreed to pay the $10,500 tab.  Thursday, Seneca County Commissioner Ben Nutter told Lenora Livingston, the trust's president, and Leticia Patino, trust member, he would not allow the trust's study from DLZ to go forward until he has received the results of the county's space study.

 

Full story: http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/news/story/047202006_new04commissioners0407.asp

 

From the 7/12/06 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

 

Grants won’t cover costs to fix courthouse

By Kendall S. Cable, [email protected]

 

There appears to be no grants available to cover the entire cost of renovating the Seneca County Courthouse, according to information provided by Seneca County Regional Planning Director Paul Harrison and Grants Administrator Ann Bishop.  Their presentation Tuesday to the Seneca County Commissioners followed research Harrison and Bishop conducted based on information the Tiffin Historic Trust collected.

 

http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=2720

 

From the 7/21/06 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

 

Sending out an S.O.C. (Save our courthouse)

By Kendall S. Cable, [email protected]

 

Representatives of Heritage Ohio Inc., Columbus, and the Tiffin Historic Trust met with the Seneca County Commissioners Thursday regarding the Seneca County Courthouse.  Joyce Barrett, program associate with Heritage Ohio Inc., said she read the DLZ summary and respects the decisions the commissioners face.  “I think you’ve done the right thing by getting the space utilization plan,” Barrett said. “You can’t possibly make a decision without that type of information given to you and provided for you. And then when you get that information, you are sitting there and not comparing apples to apples. You’ve still got apples to oranges.”

 

Barrett attempted to dispel the perception of historic preservationists and said, “On the street, people think of us as “tree huggers” and we are hugging old buildings for the sake of that. It really goes so much more beyond that.”

 

http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=2869

 

For those following the action here:

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=8188.msg122380#msg122380

Oops...yeah, I totally forgot about this thread and put stuff in the Random Toledo thread.

 

Sorry!  Further updates will go here.

 

Ohio Poised To Lose Two 19th Century Courthouses

by Staff on Fri 01 Sep 2006 09:37 AM EDT  |

http://myhometownohio.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2006/9/1/2285926.html

 

 

For the first time in a generation, Ohio will be losing a county courthouse – this time, two of them.

 

This past month, County Commissioners in Defiance endorsed a plan to raze the Defiance County Courthouse and replace it with a new, “period-looking” courthouse. The proposal will be placed before voters on November 7 in the form of an eight-year sales tax, which would generate $13.5 million for the project. The two final options included a plan to renovate and restore the existing courthouse, built in 1871-1873, as well as an additional building.

 

Then, yesterday, County Commissions voted to raze the Seneca County Courthouse. The Seneca County Courthouse, which sits majestically in the middle of Downtown Tiffin, was constructed beginning in 1884, and was designed by Elijah E. Myers, a Detroit architect who designed no less than four US state capitol buildings -- the Idaho Territorial Capitol (1885), and the current state capitol buildings in Michigan (1879), Colorado (1887) and Texas (1882).

 

In making their decision, Seneca County Commissioners cited only the results of a space-needs study recently conducted on county facilities. No mention was made of consideration of the impact that the loss of such an iconic structure would have on the future of downtown Tiffin.

 

The Seneca County Courthouse was included on the 2005 List of Ohio’s Most Endangered Historic Sites.

 

In both Defiance and Tiffin, the courthouses were somewhat handicapped by inappropriate alterations that occurred in the mid-20th century, in both cases leaving the buildings the source of public derision. Nevertheless, particularly in Tiffin, the architecturally-important exterior remains in largely original condition.

 

County courthouses serve as more than “space” for governmental functions. Courthouses also serve as community and county icons, and most importantly as symbols of tradition and respect for the rule of law. When they sit in the midst of a downtown full of 19th-century commercial buildings, their loss can also serve as a discouragement for preservation-minded developers to enter a market and to invest. Downtown takes a giant leap toward “Anywhere, USA,” and as it what makes a community unique that makes it marketable, the potential loss is potentially catastrophic.

 

The last county courthouse razed in Ohio was the Franklin County Courthouse in Columbus, which was demolished in 1974.

 

Links:

 

Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune story: http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/News/articles.asp?articleID=3528

 

2005 List of Ohio's Most Endangered Historic Sites: http://www.ohiopreservationalliance.homestead.com/OMHSmaster2005.html

 

 

Photos of the Seneca County Courthouse that I took last year..

 

 

 

 

I can't believe someone, and by someone I mean a commissioner, would vote to actually demolish that building.  It's crazy and makes no sense.  What building will replace it?  I'm sure it will have the iconic statement of a Walmart . . .

All from the 9/1/06 Tiffin Advertiser Tribune:

 

 

Ruling: Raze

By Kendall S. Cable 

Staff Writer

[email protected]

 

The Seneca County Courthouse is to come down.  Request for qualifications from engineering firms are supposed to be sent out as early as two weeks for the courthouse’s demolition.  The commissioners voted unanimously Thursday to demolish the 33,472 gross-square-foot courthouse and replace it with a 25,000-30,000 gross-square-foot building.

 

The vote to adopt the commissioners’ “Space Needs Master Plan” containing an altered version of Option B — one of five options Stilson and Associates Inc. prepared — was rendered Thursday void of public discussion among the commissioners on details prior to its passage.  The architectural and engineering firm from Columbus — referred to as DLZ Inc. throughout the process — presented information publicly to the commissioners regarding the options several months ago.  “To renovate that building, our estimates show in the area of $13 million,” Commissioner Ben Nutter said about the 1884 courthouse. “Let’s say that addresses every issue in the building. At that point, we would still only be able to house three offices in that building. That doesn’t address our space needs, and we’ve spent $13 million.”

 

Full story: http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=3528

---

PHOTO: The front steps are seen in their state of disrepair.  PHOTO BY JIM SHOBE

 

Some reactions to decision mixed

By Kendall S. Cable, [email protected]

 

Opinions varied in the wake of the Seneca County Commissioners’ decision Thursday to raze the Seneca County Courthouse.  Franco Ruffini, Ohio Historic Preservation Office deputy, said, “In some ways, it is unfortunate that an adaptable use couldn’t be found for the courthouse if it couldn’t function as a courthouse.”  He said courthouses in other counties have been preserved, but understands the commissioners’ reasoning.

 

Full story: http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=3529

---

PHOTO: The third Seneca County Courthouse, shown above, was dedicated in 1884.  PHOTO SUBMITTED

 

A look back: Courthouse history revisited

 

In 1824, Seneca County was formed, according to “Temple of Justice, The Seneca County Courthouse,” by John E. Huss, May 11, 1983.

 

* On April 12, 1824, court took place in a two-story framed structure known as the Hedges Building located on Virgin Alley, according to “History of Seneca County, Ohio,” published by Warner, Beers and Co.

 

* In May 1829, the commissioners approved the use of the Methodist Protestant Church for court until a courthouse was completed, according to “History of Seneca County,” by Consul W. Butterfield.

 

* On Aug. 19, 1836, the first Seneca County Courthouse was completed, according to “History of Seneca County, Ohio.”

 

* In May 1841, the first courthouse burned to the ground, barring walls, according to “History of Seneca County.”

 

* In June 1843, the second courthouse was completed using walls from the first. John Baugher did “joiner-work” for $2,990; Jacob Emrick did masonry work for $800; and Alison Phillips did plaster work for $450, according to “History of Seneca County.”

 

* In 1866, an addition was built to the second courthouse, according to “History of Seneca County, Ohio.”

 

* In spring 1884, the courthouse was “removed” for the third courthouse, according to “History of Seneca County, Ohio.”

 

* On June 24, 1884, a cornerstone of the third courthouse was laid. Inside of it was placed a copper box of mementos, including newspapers of the time and sketches of community members, according to “History of Seneca County, Ohio.”

 

* The cost of the third courthouse project was estimated at $215,000, with the actual structure costing $149,127; “History of Seneca County, Ohio.”

 

* In spring 1885, the courthouse tower’s iron frame was constructed, according to “Temple of Justice, The Seneca County Courthouse.”

 

* On May 26, 1885, The statue of Justice was placed on top of the third courthouse, according to “History of Seneca County, Ohio.”

 

* In summer 1886, the third courthouse built in the “beaux arts” style was dedicated. The total project cost was quoted to be $222,522, according to “Temple of Justice, The Seneca County Courthouse.”

 

* In 1943, the iron dome was scrapped for the World War II effort. An elevator was added, according to the “Ohio Historic Inventory,” by the Ohio Historic Preservation Office, Columbus.

 

* In 1944, the tower was modernized, according to “Temple of Justice, The Seneca County Courthouse.”

 

* Throughout the years since 1944, attempts have been made to make minor repairs to the courthouse: clock repairs in 1971 and 1988; an internal paint job in 1982 for some $8,000; pigeon residue cleaning in 1989; new curtains, blinds and carpeting, restored paneling, bench tops and other items were addressed in 1996 for $24,542; an electrical upgrade in 1990 for $46,040; a heating upgrade in 1992 for some $10,000; and book lice extermination and the installation of two new doors on the first floor in 1994, all according to The Advertiser-Tribune.

 

Note: The $222,522 paid for the courthouse in 1885 would equal $4,567,282.97 in 2005, according to an inflation calculator at www.westegg.com/inflation

 

Compiled by Kendall S. Cable

 

http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=3530

 

boooooo  :-(

From the 9/8/06 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

 

Commissioners asked to preserve before razing

By Kendall S. Cable, [email protected]

 

Three members of the public attended Thursday’s Board of Commissioners meeting to respond to the board’s recent decision to raze the Seneca County Courthouse.  Leanne Wolff said, “I am not going to argue about what happens to it. I’m assuming it’s a done deal and is going to come down.  My concern is a matter of demolition.  I urge you to contact the historic salvage companies to remove both materials that will be reused in the new building and to determine what can be sold before demolition begins.”

 

http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=3622

 

From the 9/15/06 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

 

Commissioners to answer courthouse questions

By Kendall S. Cable, [email protected]

 

League of Women Voters President Shirley Smith is to appear before the Seneca County Commissioners during Monday’s board meeting to question the process by which the commissioners made the Seneca County Courthouse decision.  “We questioned the process that there was little or no opportunity for public discussion prior to the vote and that we questioned the lack of planning,” Smith said.  The League of Women Voters are requesting a plan be in place prior to the demolition of the courthouse — among other things — to ensure: enough space will be available to house county staff, security needs are addressed, access for all citizens, and a maintenance plan is in place, Smith said.

 

http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=3762

 

From the 9/19/06 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

 

Raising issues about razing

By Kendall S. Cable, [email protected]

 

The head of a local womens’ voters group is questioning whether Ohio’s Open Meetings Law was violated when the Seneca County Commissioners decided to have the courthouse razed.  Shirley Smith, League of Women Voters president, questioned whether the Seneca County Commissioners followed the law’s intent and deliberated the merits of a the chosen plan in public prior to accepting the “Space Needs Master Plan” for Seneca County Courthouse.

 

http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=3839

 

From the 9/23/06 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

 

Courthouse conundrum continues

By Kendall S. Cable, [email protected]

 

If requested by the Seneca County Board of Commissioners, Seneca County Prosecutor Ken Egbert Jr. will submit a written opinion regarding the legality of the process by which the Seneca County Courthouse decision was made, Egbert said.  “I did speak with the county prosecutor yesterday,” Commissioner Joseph Schock said during Thursday’s board meeting.  “He sent us a letter asking for a copy of the minutes, and I was under the assumption he had already received them but he has not — a copy of the minutes and the discussions of the meeting where we adopted the 15-year plan.  He would like to render us a written opinion.”

 

http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=3906

 

From the 12/21/06 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

 

Commissioners to create courthouse crush fund

By Zachary Petit, [email protected]

 

The Seneca County Commissioners are to complete another step toward razing the courthouse today.  Proceeding with their decision to demolish and salvage the structure, the commissioners are to consider establishing a fund at today’s board meeting that would house the money needed to pay for the project’s expenses.  In essence, the fund would serve as the monetary bloodline for the future of the courthouse.  “That’s basically the first step in putting the funds together for the engineering of the (courthouse) deconstruction,” board president Ben Nutter said.

 

http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=5535

 

From the 1/12/07 Fostoria Review Times:

 

 

Debate heats up again

By SANDRA WHITTA

Staff writer

 

Tension resurfaced as the Seneca County Commissioners took the next step toward the demolition and salvage of the county courthouse Thursday.  As part of old business, the commissioners stated their top choices of six engineering firms that submitted statements of qualifications.  Of those top choices it was decided four would be called in for interviews.  "When we go back to the interview process it will all go back to even," Commissioner Benjamin Nutter stated.

 

http://www.reviewtimes.com/News/backissues/2007/Jan/ar_news_011207.asp#story5

 

From the 1/19/07 Fostoria Review Times:

 

 

Seneca County Courthouse crusade lives on

By SANDRA WHITTA

staff writer

 

The effort to save the Seneca County Courthouse is far from over.  This sentiment was clearly demonstrated at a courthouse meeting put on by the Tiffin Historic Trust Friday afternoon.  About 30 concerned citizens gathered at the Tiffin Seneca Public Library to discuss what could be done to save the county courthouse.  "Most people think it's a done deal and nothing can be done about it. That perspective needs to change," Mary Lee Vadalabene, Tiffin resident and trust board member, said.  The purpose of the meeting was to express that sentiment and get citizens involved in a movement to save the courthouse.

 

http://www.reviewtimes.com/News/backissues/2007/Jan/ar_news_011907.asp#story3

 

From the 1/23/07 Findlay Courier:

 

 

Demolition plans proceeding

By JIM MAURER

Staff Writer

 

TIFFIN - A Mansfield firm has been chosen to develop plans for the demolition of the 19th century Seneca County Courthouse.  The Seneca County Commissioners on Monday unanimously selected MKC Associates after interviewing four firms last week. Another meeting will be held, possibly as early as Thursday, with MKC officials to discuss fees and a time frame for demolition of the 1884 structure.

 

http://www.thecourier.com/Issues/2007/Jan/ar_news_012307.asp#story6

 

From the 1/30/07 Fostoria Review Times:

 

 

Back to the board room

By SANDRA WHITTA

staff writer

 

After holding an executive session in error, Seneca County Commissioners will have another meeting Thursday with their top choice to engineer the demolition of the county courthouse.  The commissioners met in executive session Monday with MKC Associates Inc. to discuss contract negotiations.  Because the contract negotiations did not deal with collective bargaining, an executive session wasn't warranted, Commissioner Benjamin Nutter explained.

 

After talking with legal counsel, the commissioners had believed the executive session was allowed, but upon further review realized they had done so in error, Nutter stated. "We made a mistake. We will just have to do better in the future," he added.

 

Full story: http://www.reviewtimes.com/News/backissues/2007/Jan/ar_news_013007.asp#story2

 

From the 2/2/07 Fostoria Review Times:

 

 

Stroke of the pen to tumble courthouse

By SANDRA WHITTA

staff writer

 

Seneca County Commissioners will soon sign a contract for the engineering of the demolition and salvage of the county courthouse.  After meeting with MKC Associates, Inc. Thursday the commissioners agreed to sign a contract with the engineering firm at a cost not to exceed $35,000.  That cost includes the exploration of three options of how to deal with the demolition and salvage of the courthouse, according to MKC's proposal.

 

http://www.reviewtimes.com/News/backissues/2007/Feb/ar_news_020207.asp#story2

 

From the 2/28/07 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

 

Unnamed party asking courthouse questions

By Zachary Petit, [email protected]

 

As the Seneca County commissioners move closer toward razing all or part of the courthouse, a local lawyer spoke to them Tuesday on behalf of an unidentified client interested in saving the structure.  Attorney John Barga presented a five-page “compromise plan” letter to the board posing six questions involving courthouse alternatives he said could save taxpayers millions.  The letter asked the commissioners to answer the queries before spending more funds on courthouse studies and proposals.

 

http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=6814

 

Yes, Plan B sounds best. I wonder if that would include keeping the tower as well?

From the 3/16/07 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

 

Commissioners have another courthouse clash

By Zachary Petit, [email protected]

 

Even though an 18-cent appropriation and a pair of resolutions were the only business on the Seneca County commissioners’ agenda Thursday, a heated discussion of the courthouse still managed to arise within the boardroom.  After the commissioners conducted their normal session, local resident Rayella Engle posed various questions to the board about saving the structure slated to be either totally or partially razed.  “I think I speak for many, many people,” Engle said after the meeting. “People are afraid to speak up (and) I don’t know why.”

 

In the debate that included many of the usual courthouse points of contention — from the space study to the citizen-defeated tariff intended to repair the structure — Engle asked the board whether they have inspected tax credits to fund a restoration project.

 

Full story: http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=7108

From the 3/29/07 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

 

Another letter

By Zachary Petit, [email protected]

 

After receiving a second letter from an attorney seeking answers to courthouse questions on behalf of an anonymous client, a county official said Wednesday the board still will not draft a formal response to the document.  Local attorney John Barga recently sent the Seneca County commissioners a follow-up letter to his late February correspondence requesting answers to six questions involving the county’s 1884 courthouse slated to be either totally or partially razed.  In the letter, Barga builds another case for a reply and expresses surprise and disappointment the board didn’t respond to the first set of queries.

 

Due to the length of Barga’s letter, it could not be printed here, but can be viewed online at

www.advertiser-tribune.com/Columns/articles.asp?articleID=7339.

 

Full story: http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=7340

 

From the 4/3/07 Fostoria Review Times:

 

Courthouse waltz continues

By SANDRA WHITTA

staff writer

 

Word is expected back in about a month from the engineering firm designing three options to deal with the Seneca County Courthouse.  Seneca County Commissioners approved and signed a contract with MKC Associates Inc. for engineering services for the courthouse project Monday, sparking a lively debate.  "I would rather try to save this building and fail rather than not try at all," Kenneth Davidson, Tiffin, told commissioners opening the courthouse discussion.  MKC was hired to detail three options for handling the courthouse issue. The options are demolish the entire building, save parts or all of the facade and gut the interior.

 

http://www.reviewtimes.com/News/backissues/2007/Apr/ar_news_040307.asp#story5

 

From the 4/5/07 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

 

Pigeon, peeling paint peppers courthouse project

By Zachary Petit, [email protected]

 

Engineering firm representatives studying ways to totally or partially raze the county courthouse continued their work Wednesday inside the 1884 building packed with a clashing mix of ornate features and strewn debris.  Past the caution tape and into the closed building, MKC Associates Vice President James Schmidt provided an update on the job the Seneca County commissioners officially contracted Monday.

 

http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=7456

 

From the 4/6/07 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

 

Courthouse complaining continues

By Zachary Petit, [email protected]

 

From disagreements about the type of wood inside the courthouse to more discussions about using tax credits to save it, the Seneca County commissioners and citizens seeking to preserve the structure verbally clashed for the second time this week Thursday.  In the debate that echoed past points of contention such as the legitimacy of the 2002 vote to renovate the building, one resident asked the board for specific data and details about options for the structure slated to be wholly or partially razed.

 

http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=7473

 

From the 4/11/07 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

Courthouse three-step

By Zachary Petit, [email protected]

 

Longtime county resident Kenneth Davison described a new slogan to officials Tuesday about saving Seneca County’s courthouse slated to be totally or partially razed: “One, two, three.”  “It means The Ritz Theatre, the Shawhan Hotel, (and) it means the county courthouse,” he said, noting the former two buildings were restored from poor conditions.  “I think it’s utterly contradictory for us to rescue the theater and the hotel and then tear down the courthouse, which is the most important building in the county.”

 

Following the Seneca County commissioners’ regular meeting, Davison described to the board reasons for saving the structure he said should be gradually restored.  Among his different points, he said the failed 2002 vote for a 0.25 percent sales tax to fix the courthouse and other facilities was flawed.  Davison said there was never a county vote to specifically demolish the building, and considered the issue in relation to a school levy: just because the levy fails doesn’t mean the school is torn down, he said.

 

Full story: http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=7539

From the 4/17/07 Blade:

 

 

Preservationists rallying to save Tiffin courthouse

 

TIFFIN — A statewide preservation organization has placed the dilapidated Seneca County Courthouse atop its list of most endangered historic sites.  Thomas Palmer, executive director of Preservation Ohio, plans to speak at an April 28 rally in front of the old courthouse, which has been vacant since 2004 when the Common Pleas Courts and Clerk of Courts moved into a new annex.

 

Preservation Ohio contends demolishing the courthouse would have a devastating effect on the revitalization of historic downtown Tiffin and the whole community.  Last year, Seneca County commissioners voted to raze the courthouse, but hired an engineering and architectural firm to submit proposals for gutting the structure and building a new inside, preserving part of the courthouse and incorporating it into a new building, or saving some of its architectural features to use in a new building.

 

Full story: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070417/NEWS17/70417009/-1/RSS08

I hope they can save it,

it may cost more, but it will destroy that european styled beauty.

History is timeless, and i highly doubt they will build something as beautiful in its place.

From the 4/19/07 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

* PHOTO: New “KEEP OUT” signs and fencing now sit in front of the courthouse.  Photo by By Zachary Petit

 

Falling debris a concern

By Zachary Petit, [email protected]

 

Citing recommendations from an engineer who said chunks of the Seneca County Courthouse could fall off and injure passers-by, officials erected a fence Wednesday morning that now quarantines half of the building.  An e-mail to the Seneca County commissioners from structural engineer William Dickey Jr. said he was at the courthouse to gather data about options for the structure’s future, but while there, noticed deterioration and “significant” cracking on the southwest side of the building.

 

The document from the Marshall Miller and Associates official further notes the issue needs attention and involves a “particularly high possibility (of) someone being injured due to falling debris.”  Commissioner Mike Bridinger said the county had the maintenance department install the fence and associated “KEEP OUT” signs in response to the potential safety issues, and added he’s glad they did.

 

Full story: http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=7703

 

From the 4/20/07 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

Residents again rally for courthouse

By Zachary Petit, [email protected]

 

With more citizen input at a public meeting Thursday and a rally planned for next week, some locals are continuing the battle to save the 1884 courthouse slated by the county to be either totally or partially razed.  Among other speakers, long-time local Kenneth Davison addressed the Seneca County commissioners at their board session Thursday, inviting them to attend a courthouse rally and press conference 10 a.m. April 28 at the building.

 

Full story: http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=7725

 

Seneca County Courthouse on YouTube:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthzmt7sViE

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q4UBGqUk6s

From the 4/27/07 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

Rally set

By Zachary Petit, [email protected]

 

The fact he died almost 100 years ago won’t stop the architect of the Seneca County Courthouse from making an appearance this weekend at a rally to save the building.  Among other plans for the “Rally ’Round the Courthouse” event at 10 a.m. Saturday — including a declaration of the building as Ohio’s No. 1 most endangered historic site — local resident James Lee Austen is slated to impersonate the 1884 building’s designer, Elijah Myers.

 

But first, those planning the event needed to secure electricity at the courthouse grounds, which they did at Thursday’s Seneca County commissioners meeting.  After officials said citizens can’t plug into the building’s power themselves because of risks associated with falling debris quarantined by a newly erected fence, Commissioner Mike Bridinger volunteered to do the job.

 

Full story: http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=7840

 

Well, the keynote speech went well, and the folks in Tiffin are really giving it the ol' "college try."  Thought I would post a couple of pics from the day, including one from the interior of the Ritz Theatre...

 

Thomas/presOhio

 

Folks gathering before the rally begins:

 

Two shots of the local actor who portrayed Elijah Myers, courthouse architect -- this guy was a hoot and it came off very well...

 

 

Close-up of the "official" yard sign going in lawns all over Tiffin:

 

 

Ceiling, Ritz Theatre, Tiffin:

 

 

I notice the yard sign has the original tower, any reason why that would be?

presOhio...Thanks for the visuals!

 

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The write-up of the rally from the 4/29/07 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

Crowd rallies to ‘Save our Courthouse’

By Zachary Petit

 

A crowd gathered at the county courthouse Saturday despite the chilly and overcast morning, frequently applauding and raising their voices to echo a sentiment posted on a nearby sign: “Don’t tread on the courthouse.”  A trio of speakers — including an impersonator of the 1884 building’s long-dead architect — spoke on behalf of saving the structure slated by county officials to be totally or partially razed.

 

Following a rifle salute by the United Veterans Council, local resident Doug Collar kicked off the “Rally ’Round the Courthouse” event where state preservationists declared the building to be Ohio’s No. 1 most endangered historic site.  “There has been a very small group of people who have carried the ball on this,” he said.  “We have to expand it now, because if we don’t act soon it’s going to be too late.”

 

Full story: http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=7876

 

I notice the yard sign has the original tower, any reason why that would be?

No idea... my guess, though, is that since almost everyone hates the current tower, that it would not be a good image for a "Save the Courthouse" campaign.

^That is kind of funny. If the Courthouse is saved, I wonder if they (commissioners or preservationists) will ever seek to rebuild the old tower, or simply remove the art deco one. Personally, I kind of like the unusual tower.

 

Of course, I did grow up with the Butler County Courthouse. (another with a mismatched tower)

From the 5/2/07 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

 

No update, but old study discussed

By Zachary Petit, [email protected]

 

Even though an update from the company studying possible futures for the Seneca County Courthouse didn’t happen as planned Tuesday, the building found its way onto the commissioners’ agenda when citizens toting 2003 restoration plans addressed the board.  While representatives from Mansfield firm MKC Associates were absent because of an illness, local residents Kenneth Davison and Lenora Livingston showed the Seneca County commissioners 2003 plans drafted by van Dijk Westlake Reed Leskosky for officials at an estimated cost of about $190,000.

 

“The general public doesn’t have any knowledge of this, that we have pretty complete drawings by one of the top firms in the state of Ohio,” Davison said.  The materials — ordered by a former board of commissioners — place the cost of a restoration project at $6 million in construction, comprising a total of about $8 million.  Davison said figures for the three-phase project would need to be adjusted for inflation and noted the longer officials wait, the more the effort would cost.

 

Full story: http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=7936

 

Link contains a photo.  From the 5/4/07 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

 

Study to be unveiled in June

By Zachary Petit, [email protected]

 

Architects have set a date to unveil the three plans that could bring all or part of the county courthouse to the ground, officials said Thursday.  Seneca County Commissioner Ben Nutter said representatives from MKC Associates, the Mansfield engineering firm hired by the commissioners to study options for the building’s future, will deliver a detailed presentation of their findings June 4.

 

Nutter said the presentation will include drawings and specific cost figures for all the options, and he thinks the board will be able to make a decision soon after about what ultimately will become of the courthouse.  “In letters to the editor, we get accused of not having a plan, which couldn’t be further from the truth,” he said.  “I’m excited about actually moving into the physical phase of the process.”

 

http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=7972

 

From the 6/5/07 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

Courthouse survey says …

By Zachary Petit, [email protected]

 

Bringing an end to months of study — and resurrecting a restoration option that largely appeared to be off the table — the company hired to investigate plans for the Seneca County courthouse’s future presented its findings Monday.  Representatives of Mansfield engineering firm MKC Associates provided cost projections and other details for four courthouse options to the Seneca County commissioners and a packed house of about 30 people.

 

http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=8548

 

From the 6/8/07 Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune:

 

 

Nutter’s new courthouse designs

By Zachary Petit, [email protected]

 

A Seneca County commissioner unveiled a new plan to tear down the courthouse and replace it with a less expensive building Thursday, sparking heated internal and external debate that left open the possibility of silencing citizens on the issue at meetings.  Commissioner Ben Nutter presented his plan to the board for a smaller replacement structure he said will be more affordable to the county than the four other options presented by Mansfield firm MKC Associates Monday.

 

At the request of the commissioners, MKC investigated options for the building the board voted to raze in August to resolve a projected shortage of needed government operating space in the future.  The company presented their findings for four paths Monday, which included the revelation that renovating the structure would cost about $9 million — $500,000 less than the next option of tearing it down and building a new 32,000-square-foot courthouse.

 

Full story: http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/articles.asp?articleID=8596

 

This isn't sounding good.

 

I checked out the courthouse last week, its deterioration is really depressing.