First Springfield building added to local register in nearly 30 years


Springfield Register of Historic Properties

The following districts and buildings are on the local register by the Springfield Historic Landmarks Commission, including:

• The South Fountain Preservation Area

• The East High Street District

• The former Springfield News-Sun building, 202 N. Limestone St.

• Fellowship Spring Hill, 714 N. Limestone St., formerly known as Church of God Sanctified, Third Presbyterian Church or Northminster Presbyterian Church

• The Bushnell Building, 14 E. Main St. and 16-18 N. Fountain Ave., formerly Wren’s Department Store

• Pennsylvania House, 1311 W. Main St.

• IOOF Home for the Aged, 404 E. McCreight Ave.

• Wittenberg University’s Myers Hall

• The Heritage Center, 117 S. Fountain Ave., formerly known as The Marketplace

• The Arcade Building, located on the southeast corner of East High Street and South Fountain Avenue, now demolished

• Clark County Veterans Memorial Hall, 300 W. Main St., now demolished

• Innisfallen Greenhouse/C.A. Reeser House, believed to be the site of the first successful mail-order nursery, now demolished

Staying with the story

The Springfield News-Sun has reported extensively on the debate about historic preservation and downtown buildings, including recent stories examining parking and a proposed downtown commission.

The former Springfield News-Sun building was added to the Springfield Register of Historic Properties on Tuesday, the first to be added to the list since 1986.

The city commission unanimously approved the addition of the 202 N. Limestone St. property.

Building owner Jim Lagos didn’t attend the meeting Tuesday, but earlier told the News-Sun he now has no plans to demolish any portion of the former newspaper building and is currently seeking tenants for the property.

In October, a grassroots group took to social media in an effort to save the 85-year-old building, which had been rumored to be demolished. In just a few days, the page had thousands of likes on Facebook and more than 100 community members came to the Oct. 14 Springfield city commission to discuss preserving the building and other downtown sites.

“I’m very pleased with the city, Jim (Lagos) and the grassroots group on working together,” said Vicki Rulli after the city commission meeting Tuesday night. She owns the former Winchester Carton Building downtown and has been active in the preservation effort.

The Springfield Historic Landmarks Commission nominated the building to be placed on the local historic register without the consent of Lagos. He later agreed to place the original section of the building on the register.

Cox Media Group sold the building in February to Lagos Apartments IV Inc. The News-Sun now operates out of 1 S. Limestone St., Suite 1010, in downtown Springfield, leasing space from Lagos.

The current historic register includes 12 individual landmarks, nine of which are still standing. Three buildings have been razed — Memorial Hall, the Arcade that once stood where the Courtyard by Marriott is now; and the Innisfallen Greenhouse/C.A. Reeser House that was believed to be the site of the first successful mail-order nursery business.

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