Sunday, May 07, 2000

Preservationists find they must take on tough battles

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Fights can last years, take toll

By Randy McNutt
The Cincinnati Enquirer

        When Kris Krider moved to Lawrenceburg six years ago, he was enthused about the Indiana city's past as much as its future.

The Jesse Hunt House in Lawrenceburg (Michael Keating photo) | ZOOM |

        The Dearborn County native wanted his children to live in a town of about 5,000 people — a town that he remembered as an architectural treasure.

        But these days things have changed for Mr. Krider and the home of the Argosy Casino. He is living in Portland, Ore., after co-filing a lawsuit last year to stop Lawrenceburg from tearing down the old Jesse Hunt House, a Federal-style building that dates to about 1818.

        “We won, but it cost me,” said Mr. Krider, a 38-year-old urban planner who studied architecture. “I lost friends over it. I lost sleep. But what could I do? The city intended to wipe out three full blocks of historic buildings on High Street.

        “After the suit, my family took a lot of heat. I love Lawrenceburg dearly, but the inaction of the community hurt me. I beat myself over the head and ran into so much negativity and roadblocks that it drove me crazy.”

        Lawrenceburg is only one historic-preservation battleground in a region that's rapidly growing. As the suburban population sweeps in all directions like an army on the march, landmarks and other icons have come under fire in the battle between progress and preservation.

        Suburban growth indirectly threatens old buildings because it reroutes economic vitality onto the main highways and sucks the energy out of smaller towns, Mr. Krider said.

        “It's drawing the lifeblood out of their downtowns,” he said. “When the buildings start looking pretty sad, people call them eyesores. What they don't understand is that our social problems can't be solved by tearing down all the old buildings. It's not their fault, but they're taking the blame.”

        Jay Antenen of Hamilton understands. When he and his historic preservation group first heard of plans to tear down Hamilton's old High Street Bridge, they hired their own expert to inspect it.

        Twelve years later, Mr. Antenen and Citizens for Historic and Preservation Services (CHAPS) are still fighting. The Ohio Department of Transportation plans to replace the four-lane bridge — built over the Great Miami in 1914 — with a six-lane bridge. Officials say it will help smooth the city's growing traffic flow.

        The new bridge will cost $5.5 million to $7.5 million in state and federal funds, and be finished by 2005, said Michael Samoviski, Hamilton's director of Public Works.

        “The state still has some legal hoops to jump through before they can build the bridge,” Mr. Antenen said. “This isn't over yet. I maintain that it would be much less expensive to rehabilitate the bridge.”

        The 600-foot bridge, a part of Hamilton's Civic Center Historic District, has been nominated for the National Register of Historic Places. And that, Mr. Antenen said, makes 12 years of effort worthwhile. “I've been at this for so long, it doesn't faze me,” he said.

        As the battle of the bridge continues, Mr. Antenen points to one hard-fought victory: Hamilton preservationists saved the old Anthony Wayne Hotel, built near the Great Miami in the 1920s. It reopened in January as an apartment complex for seniors.

        An old industrial city, Hamilton has been a flash point of preservation issues in the last couple of years. The city is trying to develop three Victorian buildings in the middle of High Street. Across the street, an old opera house is being privately restored as offices.

        “Yet the city people and the chamber of commerce opposed saving the hotel,” said Nancy Tryloff of Historic Hamilton Inc. “They wanted it torn down yesterday. I hated to be at loggerheads, but when you're in love with a building, you can't help yourself.

        “Then suddenly, after 10 years, everybody decided that maybe they should save the Anthony Wayne. Now, the city is more receptive to the idea of saving worthwhile buildings.”

        In Lawrenceburg, officials and preservationists have decided to establish a review system to prevent future disputes, said Mr. Krider. He, along with Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, worked to preserve the old home.

        City Superintendent Jeff Henson said Lawrenceburg, like other communities, is squeezed between reality and good intentions.

        “Preservation has been a major issue in town,” he said. “Some people favored just doing away with it (the Hunt House), but the historical society pre vailed.

        “What this all boils down to is, we have a lot of old buildings with historic value. We don't want to get in the way of progress or anything, but we'd like to progress and keep our historic buildings. We'll save them if we can do it without impeding progress.”

        In Lebanon, people aren't taking their picturesque city for granted. Last year, some concerned residents formed the Lebanon Conservancy Foundation to preserve more than history.

        “We took a drive and saw all the destruction,” said foundation president Marilyn Haley, who's also a resident and downtown shopkeeper. “Since the '50s they have torn down 200 houses, and it's got to stop.”

        The foundation is seeking community support for a Heritage Square downtown, with an 1855 Queen Anne house on Cherry Street as its centerpiece. The square, to be completed by Lebanon's 2002 bicentennial, would include parking, green space and several other old buildings, possibly used as offices, shops or residences.

        The foundation's greatest success has been to stop — so far, at least — the demolition of a Federal house on North Mechanic Street. The home, badly damaged by a November fire, was to be torn down for parking space.

        But Conservancy Foundation research showed the house was likely built by Shakers around 1808 — the earliest house still standing in the city. Its experts claimed the building was 42 percent damaged and salvageable, contrary to what the property owner contended.

        Such incidents don't surprise Bruce Goetzman, a Cincinnati architect whose specialty is historic preservation.

        “The impact on communities that were, up until now, fairly remote, is being felt,” he said. “It's not that far to Wilmington anymore. Maineville in Warren County is a boomtown. Once quaint, rural properties are now quaint, suburban properties.”

        Back in Lawrenceburg, renovation continues on the Hunt House. A settlement assures that a whole block, including the Hunt House, will be preserved, Mr. Krider said.

        “It was a significant victory,” he said. “We're trying to save the character of High Street, not the individual buildings per se. But I don't know about the future. It's human nature to tear things down without having any plan.”

        Staff writer Cindi Andrews contributed to this report.        

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