Historic Melbourne Flats purchased

Photo courtesy of Queen City Survey

The historic Melbourne Flats building at 39 W McMillan Street (BIRD'S EYE) in Clifton Heights has been purchased for $275,000.

The 12,300-square-foot building, which was designed by Joseph and Benjamin Steinkamp in the Beaux Arts style and erected in 1898, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

In recent years, the structure has been plagued with problems.

Last July, the Department of Buildings and Inspections issued 22 seperate code violations ranging from exterior masonry, porches and steps to interior violations for defective joists, holes in the plaster and defective electrical fixtures.

James Baumer (dba Melbourne Flats LLC) was the buyer, but no plans for the property have been announced.

The adjacent vacant lot at 28 W Hollister Street was also part of the sale.

American Can named local landmark

City Council has approved unanimously the designation of the American Can property as a Local Historic Landmark.

Inclusion on a local landmark list makes the project eligible to receive the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit.

The tax credit is equal to 25 percent of the developer's rehabilitation expenditures.

Only 100 tax credit certificates can be issued over any one year period*.

The American Can building, built in 1921, is a nearly unaltered building in the Commercial Style and was home to one of the nation's largest can manufacturers, employing as many as 1,000 people by the early 1950s.

The building is the 29th site to be named a Local Historic Landmark.

Developers Bloomfield, Schon & Partners still hope to have the building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A decision on that isn't likely until at least December.

Upon completion, the American Can Factory Square will contain 93 market-rate apartments and 30,000 square feet of commercial space. There will also be a new 20,000 square foot office building, 13,000 square feet of retail on the adjacent Myron Johnson property, and 30 townhomes along Langland Street.

Further reading, photos and maps:
BC: Scooped on the American Can story (7/19/07)
BC: Northside: American Can Factory Square (5/16/07)
BC: Northside: American Can Factory Square (3/17/07)

* Usually issued as applicants come along and not on a specific date.

Scooped on the American Can story

Well, the Enquirer scooped me yesterday on the American Can developers' desire to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

What I had prepared is at the very end of this post.

So to make up for that I have put together a collection of American Can photographs. Click to enlarge. The photo will open in a new browser window.

This series of photos and captions was part of a report prepared by the Department of Community Development and Planning's Historic Conservation Office. I do not know who actually took the photographs.






American Can project seeks Local Historic Landmark designation

In an effort to obtain state tax credits, the developers of Northside's American Can Factory Square project are hoping to have the site declared a Local Historic Landmark by the City.

To receive the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit, a building must be certified as a local landmark by its local government or must be on the National Register of Historic Places.

Developers Bloomfield, Schon & Partners are hoping for the local designation because a decision on their inclusion on the National Register isn't likely until December, or later*, and the state tax credit is a significant portion of their funding plan.

The tax credit is equal to 25 percent of the developer's rehabilitation expenditures. Only 100 tax credit certificates can be issued over any one year period**.

The American Can building, built in 1921, is a nearly unaltered building in the Commercial Style and was home to one of the nation's largest can manufacturers, employing as many as 1,000 people by the early 1950s.

The City's website lists 28 sites as Local Historic Landmarks. The property also abuts the Northside NBD Historic District.

The City Planning Commission and the Historic Conservation Board have endorsed the Local Landmark designation.

A public hearing on the designation will be held in front of the City's Economic Development Committee on July 31.

Upon completion, the former factory will contain 93 market-rate apartments and 30,000 square feet of commercial space. There will also be a new 20,000 square foot office building, 13,000 square feet of retail on the adjacent Myron Johnson property, and 30 townhomes along Langland Street.

Building Cincinnati: Northside: American Can Factory Square (5/16/07)
Building Cincinnati: Northside: American Can Factory Square (3/17/07)

* The National Park Service deemed the project eligible in 2006 and the City's Historic Conservation Board recommended it to the Ohio Historic Preservation Site Advisory Board in June. They will then make a recommendation to the Keeper of the National Register, who isn't likely to make the decision until December.

** These are generally considered on a first-come, first-served basis and not released all at once on a certain date.

College Hill: Laurel Court

(Photo from www.laurelcourt.com)

Laurel Court, on the corner of Belmont and Oakwood avenues in College Hill, is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Larry and Judy Moyer, the current owners, are opening up the property for all kinds of events, including teas, ice cream socials and concerts. They even rent out the property for events like weddings and reunions.

So what exactly IS Laurel Court? From the Laurel Court website:

Laurel Court was built for Peter G. Thomson, founder of The Champion Coated Paper Company. Started in 1902 and completed in 1907, it is one of America’s best surviving examples of the opulent homes built during the “gilded age”. Upon its completion, Laurel Court was described as "the most sumptuous and palatial in this part of the country….finished with all good taste can command." Laurel Court, located in the Cincinnati community of College Hill, was built on an estate of approximately 23 acres, on the highest point in Hamilton County (greater Cincinnati).

Laurel Court is a beaux-arts structure designed by architect James Gamble Rogers. Modeled in the style of the Petite Trianon in Versailles France, Laurel Court stands today as one of the finest residences in America, and one of many notable works of James Gamble Rogers. Its stately chiseled granite exterior, and elegant interior finishes, display the skills of the artisans who created this distinguished residence.

Today, the main house, cottages, and carriage house rest on 7.5 acres of land, enhanced by a French garden, Japanese garden, a classical wisteria-covered pergola, and many statues and fountains. Laurel Court was listed on the National Historic Register in 1979.

Check out the Laurel Court website. There's all sorts of historical stuff, including an interior photo tour from 1907, as well as a thorough listing of events.