Greater Ohio Policy Center's Executive Director, Lavea Brachman, gave this plenary presentation at the "Historic Preservation in America's Legacy Cities" conference in Cleveland on June 6th, 2014.

1.  
Historic Preservation in America’s
Legacy Cities Conference
June 6, 2014
Lavea Brachman, Executive Director of Greater Ohio Policy Center

2. An outcome-oriented statewide non-
profit organization that champions
revitalization and sustainable
redevelopment in Ohio:
 Revitalize Ohio’s urban cores and
metropolitan regions
 Achieve sustainable land reuse
and economic growth

3.  Our greatest glory is
not in never falling,
but in rising every
time we fall.
(Confucius)
 I like the dreams of
the future better than
the history of the past.
(Thomas Jefferson)

4. The quality of significance in American history,
architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture is
present in districts, sites, buildings, structures, and
objects that possess integrity of location, design, setting,
materials, workmanship, feeling, and association, and:
• Are associated with historical events; or
• Are associated with the lives of significant persons in or past; or
• Embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of
construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess
high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable
entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or
• Have yielded or may be likely to yield, information important in history
or prehistory.
From http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/publications/bulletins/nrb22/

5. Preserving
culture
Preserving
quality of place
Preserving an
economy
Photos from
http://postcardparadise.blogspot.com/2010/04/streetcar-sunday-
akron-ohio.html and http://www.akronapex.com/vision.aspx

6. AnhistoricneighborhoodinDetroit

7. Source: Chart from GOPC, Data from Dayton Landmark Preservation Task Force including the
University of Dayton Business Research Group
71%
22%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Historic Districts Non-Historic Districts
% Increase in Property Value for Dayton
Neighborhoods from 1996 - 2012

8. 71%
395%
62% 22%
0%
50%
100%
150%
200%
250%
300%
350%
400%
450%
All Dayton Historic
Districts
Historic Districts
Receiving
Significant Other
Investment
Historic Districts
(Excluding those
receiving
significant other
investment)
Non-Historic
Dayton
Neighborhoods
% Increase in Property Value for Dayton
Neighborhoods from 1996 - 2012
Source: Chart from GOPC, Data from Dayton Landmark Preservation Task Force report, prepared
by the University of Dayton Business Research Group

9. From Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit
Program Annual Report

10. Goodyear Headquarters, Akron, Ohio, 2013
Photo from http://www.industryweek.com/expansion-
management/goodyear-opens-new-global-hq-slideshow
Tire plant, Akron, Ohio, 1964
Photo from
http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/11
/25_years_ago_driving_back_the.html

11. • Suburbanization
• Regional
migration
• Loss of central
functions
• Deindustrializatio
n
• Job loss
• Unemployment
• Impoverishment
• Weak demand
• Physical decline
• Vacancy and
abandonment
• Fiscal incapacity
• Deteriorating public
services

12. Housing Vacancy Rates for Legacy City Urban
Areas
Source: GOPC Chart, Data from ACS 3-year Estimates
9.0%
9.5%
10.0%
10.5%
11.0%
11.5%
12.0%
12.5%
13.0%
13.5%
2007 2012
Akron, OH
Cincinnati, OH--KY--
IN
Cleveland, OH
Dayton, OH
Detroit, MI
Toledo, OH--MI
Youngstown, OH--PA

13. Working with what you have and
making better use of existing
space
When an organization starts using
a computer system that is better,
less expensive, and smaller
Reducing packaging size by using
a box that minimizes empty space
while still protecting the contents,
removing waste and maximizing
transportation efficiency.
Matching a City,
its services, and
its infrastructure
to current
population and
needs

14. An end in
and of
itself?
Or a piece
of the
puzzle?
St. Luke’s Manor, Cleveland
Photo from
http://www.huduser.org/portal/about/ExcellenceHistPr
es_2012_1.html

15. The current supply of buildings
exceeds the demand.
Failure to demolish imposes severe
social and economic costs on urban
neighborhoods.
Strategic, cost-effective demolition is
vital to stabilizing and revitalizing
cities and their neighborhoods.
Content from Laying the Groundwork for Change by Alan Mallach
Dayton, Ohio
Photo from Downtown Dayton Partnership

16. Photos by GOPC

17. Maintain
streetscape
rhythm and a
coherent building
ensemble
• Setback
• Architecture
• Balance
between
buildings and
space http://www.virtourist.com/america/pittsburgh/44.htm

18. Develop tools for public and
private property
Private
Incentives
like grants
and loans for
property
improvement
Regulatory
strategies
Receivership
Public
Convey to
qualified
party for
rehab and
sale
Demolish

19. State
• Pass Neighborhood Infrastructure Assistance Program (SB149/HB219).
• Amend public nuisance statute (R.C. Ch. 3767.41) to include commercial
and industrial properties
• Tighten regulations around scrap metal recycling (R.C. Ch 4737.04)
• Request the Secretary of State to require LLCs and corporations to
register a statutory agent that is located in Ohio
• Establish Rehabilitation Building Codes that are separate from and more
flexible than codes for new construction.
Local
• Strategically align preservation and demo resources, targeting middle-
market neighborhoods and viable blocks within such neighborhoods
• On targeted blocks or corridors, eliminate blight entirely
• Aggressively use state and local tools to recover costs of demolition

20. Monitoring market shifts
county-wide
Funneling financial resources
Identifying target areas
Convening stakeholders
Facilitating rehab and
demolition
Clearing property title and
managing property inventory
Historic Building in the West End, Cincinnati, Ohio
Photo from http://www.hamiltoncountylandbank.org/portfolio-items/1201-linn/
Hamilton County Land Reutilization Corporation currently accepting
redevelopment proposals for the space.

21. Market
conditions
• Areas where demolition
would enhance reuse
potential of neighboring
buildings
Neighborhood
conditions
• A strong social fabric
• Active CDC-led
stabilization or
revitalization activities
• Features that suggest
greater market
potential,
• A significant planned
public investment in an
area, such as a new
school or transit station.
Eliminate ALL
blight on key
blocks or
corridors
• Blocks around a school
or along main
thoroughfare to a
school
• Area adjacent to new
private market
construction
• Area for targeted CDC
stabilization program

22. Cities should develop integrated neighborhood
stabilization programs where demolition, preservation,
vacant lot reuse, and other activities are linked
strategically into a comprehensive effort.
Cities should establish priority criteria.
Cities should engage a wide range of stakeholders in
decision-making.
Local demolition programs should incorporate specific
steps to prevent the resulting vacant lots from becoming
blighting elements, and ensure that lots are used in ways
that enhance neighborhood stability.
Content from Laying the Groundwork for Change by Alan Mallach

23. Slavic Village, Cleveland
Photo from http://slavicvillagehomes.org/1971-2/

24. Re-establish the
economic role of the city
Use assets to build
competitive advantages
Build stronger local
governance and
partnerships
Trumbull County Courthouse, Warren OH

25. Education Health Technology Sports
Tourism Manufacturing Food Arts & Culture

26. Downtown Mansfield, Mansfield Ohio
from http://www.hivelocitymedia.com/cities/Mansfield/
Physical Assets
Institutional and
Economic Assets
Leadership and
Human Capital
Assets

27. *Eingemeindung = Annexation
Population Development of Leipzig
Inhabitants

28. • Focus on downtown retail and residential
• Greening strategy (small and large scale)
• Shrinkage strategy in selected neighborhoods
• Preservation
Promoting physical redevelopment
• Using federal-state funding programs that support demolition
and rehab in East German cities’ distressed neighborhoods
Targeting select neighborhoods
• Tied to extensive data gathering and monitoring
Comprehensive planning – integrated across
city agencies

29. Old Town Hall
Photo from
abritabroad11.blogspot.com/
Waldstrassenviertel
Photo from http://www.architektouren-
leipzig.de/german/leipzig/tour_6.html#W
aldstrassenviertel

30. Communities and taxpayers face the legacy costs of a
19th century structure in a 21st century economy
Ohio’s current local government structure and state policies
impact availability of resources
Ohio’s population growth is stagnating
Ohio is 45th in population growth, but 8th in land consumption
Fragmented and duplicative local governments prevent
effective economic competition on world market

31. Local
Government
Private and
Nonprofit
Sectors
Anchor
Institutions
Neighborhood
Groups
Emerging High
Tech Sectors
Other
Jurisdictions
Other Levels of
Government

32.  Preservation is not a silver
bullet, but is a very important
tool
 Goal of preservation in legacy
cities should be to stabilize
communities
 Preservation should work in
tandem with strategic
demolition, policy changes
and other tools
 Preservation should align with
larger stabilization and
economic revitalization efforts
Cleveland Institute of Art, Photo from Ohio Historic
Preservation Tax Credit Annual Report, 2010

33. Lavea Brachman
Executive Director
Greater Ohio Policy
Center
lbrachman@greaterohio.org
www.greaterohio.org
614-224-0187
This presentation prepared in
part by Christina Cudney
Old West End, Toledo, Ohio
Photo from Smithr1981 Wikimedia Commons