Photo: Downtown Marion
When the weekly list of new listings on the National Register of Historic Places was issued on March 25 by the National Park Service, proponents of local history and preservation-based economic development had broad smiles on their faces.
In a single day, two Ohio downtowns saw large numbers of commercial and residential structures officially recognized as National Register Historic Districts.
In Lucas County, the new Toledo Central Business Historic District took the existing Madison Avenue Historic District and expanded it to cover a wider area. In promotional materials, supporters in Toledo pointed to the fact that the metro area lags behind others in Ohio in the use of historic tax credits.
The recognition comes after the City created seven new Community Entertainment Districts in the center business district to promote economic growth and development.
The Toledo Central Business Historic District is bordered roughly by Madison Avenue, the Maumee River, Adams, Jackson, Cherry, Summit, Monroe, 10th, and Michigan Streets.
In Marion, 109 properties are part of the new Marion Downtown Historic District. As in Toledo, economic development was at the forefront of nomination activity. As part of that process, a 66 page report was created detailing the history of each building in the district.
According to Vaughn Sizemore, economic development director for Downtown Marion, Inc. and as reported by the Marion Star, “Sizemore noted that Downtown Marion receiving historic designation at both the state and national levels is the next step in the city’s development.”
The new district is bounded by Center, Vine, Pleasant, and Orchard Streets.
