Springfield Register of Historic Properties
The following districts and buildings are on the local register by the Springfield Historic Landmarks Commission:
•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
Formerly listed, now demolished
•The Arcade Building, located on the southeast corner of East High Street and South Fountain Avenue
•Clark County Veterans Memorial Hall, 300 W. Main St.
•Innisfallen Greenhouse/C.A. Reeser House, believed to be the site of the first successful mail-order nursery
Staying with the story
The Springfield News-Sun has reported extensively on the debate about historic preservation and downtown buildings, including recent stories examining downtown parking and a proposed downtown commission.
The Springfield Historic Landmarks Commission and preservationists are targeting more structures in town to be given historic designation.
The commission and preservationists will compile an initial list in the next two months, then will discuss it in more detail at a March 9 meeting.
The members will also work with prospective building owners who may be willing to place their structure on the list. They also discussed possibly changing the criteria for how structures can be nominated for the Springfield Register of Historic Places.
Last month, the original portion of the former Springfield News-Sun building, 202 N. Limestone St., was placed on the local registry, the first addition since 1986. Cox Media Group sold the building in February 2014 to Lagos Apartments IV Inc. The News-Sun now operates out of 1 S. Limestone St., Suite 1010, in downtown Springfield.
Structures discussed for consideration during a meeting this week included:
•The Gammon House, 620 Piqua Place.
•The Center Street YMCA, at the corner of Center and Pleasant streets.
•The former Springfield and South High School, 700 S. Limestone St.
•Hartman Rock Garden, 1905 Russell Ave.
•Wittenberg University’s Recitation Hall.
Several other structures discussed included Warder Public Library and Westcott House, which are already protected as part of the East High Street Historic District but could also be protected as individual structures.
“It’s really a working list,” said Marta Wojcik, a member of the Landmarks Commission.
Several community members were invited to discuss the possible list, including architect Steve Sharp, historian Kevin Rose, former Springfield City School District superintendent Edna Jean Harper and former Landmarks Commission member Basil Fett and his wife, Claudia.
In the 1980s, the city hired Benjamin D. Rickey and Co., a historic preservation consultant, to help formulate an initial list to be placed on the local registry, Sharp said. There was also a list of African-American sites which could be deemed historic, Basil Fett said.
“I think it’s worthwhile to open up the discussion again,” Rose said.
The Gammon House was approached by preservationists about possibly placing the structure on the local historic register, said Chairperson Betty Grimes. She plans to speak with the Gammon House Committee about the possible designation. She agrees the former Underground Railroad stop has historical significance.
“It should be recognized,” Grimes said. “Personally, I’m glad they did consider us.”
The Gammon House currently holds tours and several events throughout the year. It recently received an $80,000 grant as part of the state capital budget.
“We’ve had people come from all across the country,” she said.
The former Springfield and South High School was discussed for inclusion on the list. However, the Landmarks Commission has no jurisdiction on publicly owned buildings, according to the city’s codified ordinances.
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