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Community Properties of Ohio, Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing, Moody • Nolan Architects, The Albert M. Higley Company, The Henning Company and Judith Williams, for the rehabilitation of over 200 historic 19th and early 20th century buildings in Columbus for use as affordable housing
The Cogswell Hall project combined rehabilitation work that qualified for the federal historic rehabilitation tax credit with affordability for extremely low income adults, green construction techniques, and significant new construction.
In 2002, the Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing purchased the Broad Street Portfolio, a collection of
more than 200 buildings in central Columbus that were mostly 80 to 120 years old and contained more than 1,300 apartment units. They had all been renovated in the late 1970s for use as Section 8 housing, had
suffered insensitive renovations and were generally in poor condition. The Corporation for Housing then formed a subsidiary management company, Community Properties of Ohio, to re-renovate and manage these apartment units in a more productive and enlightened manner. Their goal has been to maintain these properties as an affordable housing resource while making improvements that allow the buildings to once again fit into their respective neighborhoods in a positive manner.
Community Properties of Ohio and the project team worked over seven years to renovate these 200 buildings, which are located in seven different Columbus neighborhoods. Large numbers are included in National Register Historic Districts and qualified for the Federal Historic Tax Credit program. Others were in city-designated districts. As a result, the same high standards of rehabilitation were used for all properties, regardless of the building’s location and designation status.
The $100 million-dollar project included significant landmark historic properties like the Cambridge Arms Apartments Building, but the vast majority are brick multi-family and row houses.
Older renovations that closed off windows, removed porches, and modified entryways made the buildings instantly recognizable as low-income housing. An important goal of this project was to reverse that connotation and help residents build a sense of pride. Attention to details included masonry repair, re-opening of transoms, installation of historically appropriate windows and doors, and the rehabilitation of porches or other trim. The average cost per unit was $70,000.
Beyond the renovation, Community Properties of Ohio is dedicated to meeting the needs of residents through an innovative and holistic approach, based on five elements--including quality rehabilitation of the units, supportive services to residents, a community safety program, an active management and maintenance team, and creation of strong community partnerships. Helping children become successful is an important part of this equation, and Community Properties of Ohio sends more than 100 youth to area summer camps.
Please join me in congratulating Community Properties of Ohio and the design/construction team for a project that preserved 200 historic buildings and provides 1,300 families with quality affordable housing and opportunities to move beyond poverty.
Click
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to return to the list of 2010 Ohio Historic Preservation Office Award recipients.
Click
here
for a list of past Ohio Historic Preservation Office Award recipients.
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