Category Archives: What’s New
At left is an archival photograph of the southeast corner by Jeff Bates and at right is a cast iron corner brace at the screen door.HDC Continues Successful 10-year Relationship with Kramer Engineers
HDC first worked with Kramer Engineers at Hocking College in 2013 on a feasibility study to renovate a former bookstore building for the School of Music. The team is currently working on a new storage building for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in Fernwood State Forest. In the intervening years, major projects together include the Scioto Southland Recreation Center, Devon Pool Bath House and Mechanical Building, administration buildings in Clark County, and the John Bryan State Park Day Lodge. The relationship has also worked in both directions with HDC working as Kramer’s consultant on their projects for the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and Department of Developmental Disabilities.
At left, the Hocking College Bookstore, which the team concluded was originally a modular building, and therefore not acoustically suited for a music school and at right, the interior of the John Bryan State Park day lodge, with built-in devices in the ceiling to lift the one-piece solid wood table.
At left, the new Devon Pool Mechanical Building designed to match the Bath House and at right, the Scioto Southland Recreation Center with the renovated gymnasium left of the new entry and addition.
HDC Wins Diversity in Business Award
Hardlines Design Company was named an Outstanding Diversity Organization by Columbus Business First. The eight organizations and 10 individuals will be honored at a happy hour reception on Thursday, April 6, at the Columbus Museum of Art and will be featured in Columbus Business First in their April 7, 2023, issue.
Spring 2019
HDC President Charissa Durst presents at Circleville Rotary Club
After the article on Ohio’s historic theatres appeared in the Ohio AAAMagazine in November, HDC received a call from Bob Sneed to give a presentation on historic theatres to the Circleville Noon Rotary meeting in January.
Woodward Opera House featured in Revitalization Magazine
HDC’s opera house project appears in the Spring 2019 edition of Heritage Ohio’s Revitalization Magazine.
HDC completes drawings of the Ballville Dam
In 2017, HDC was asked by Commonwealth Heritage Group to join their team to provide Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record (HABS/HAER) documentation of the Ballville Dam on the Sandusky River, which was scheduled to be demolished. After the team was awarded the project, HDC conducted research at the city engineer’s office in Fremont, Ohio, and looked through construction drawings, historical photographs, and inspection reports of the dam. The team documented the dam prior to its demolition and during demolition in the summer of 2018, and in the first quarter of 2019 completed the drawings
Construction of the dam started in 1912 to provide hydroelectric power to the area, but the Great Flood of 1913 almost destroyed the dam. The dam was rebuilt and expanded in 1914-1916 with a steam plant added in 1916 to boost production needs. The steam plant closed in 1929, was reactivated during World War II, and then was demolished in 1954. The City of Fremont purchased the dam in 1960 to divert fresh water for storage and renovated it in 1969 to treat fresh water. The City constructed a new water treatment plant in 2013, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources made plans to remove the dam to allow the Sandusky River to revert back to its natural state.
HDC historic architect Charissa Durst completed the drawings, Commonwealth Heritage Group historian Elaine Robinson wrote the background history, and Dietrich Floeter took the large-format photographs before and during the dam demolition.
Devon Pool Bath House nears completion
With a Memorial Day pool opening closing in fast, the work on the Devon Pool Bath House is nearing completion. All of the exterior walls and and the roof structure are up, and the remaining work consists of installing exterior wall and roof finishes and interior work. The wet weather delayed construction, but work is still expected to be completed in April with the pool scheduled to be open Memorial Day weekend. Some last-minute, change-order work included adding a manhole to access an unknown sanitary line tap and providing a new tap and pipe for a future pool equipment building, which HDC has also been commissioned to design.
HDC starts work on Devon Pool Phase III
In January, HDC started work to design the final phase of improvements to Devon Pool. The project consists of replacing the two existing pool equipment buildings (one built in the 1930s and the other in the 1960s), replacing any pool equipment near the end if its life cycle, replacing the remaining old concrete deck, and making repairs to the toddler pool. The new equipment building will sit on the foundations of the existing buildings and enclose the space in between to create additional indoor storage space. Later this spring, the City of Upper Arlington will decide whether to retain the toddler pool as is, upgrade it to meet state health code, or replace it with a new amenity, such as a sprayground or splash pad.
OSU Cockins Hall Fourth Floor also nears completion
The renovation of the fourth floor in Cockins Hall at The Ohio State University for the Statistics Department reached substantial completion in March. The project started off as a fire alarm replacement project, but the scope expanded when OSU required the abatement of the asbestos-containing plaster ceiling between the fourth floor and the attic. OSU then required that the replacement ceiling not bear on any of the partition walls, to make future floor plan modifications possible without major construction. The Statistics Department then requested the renovation of the fourth floor to include a conference room named for a recent alumni donor. HDC was already working with Monks Engineers, a TEC company, on the fire alarm project and was tasked to lead the renovation work. This project consisted of alterations to the floor plan and new floor, ceiling and wall finishes along with the named conference room. During design, the existing 40-year-old air handling unit in the attic failed, and replacement of the HVAC system for this floor was added to the project, requiring alterations to an attic dormer and a new attic plenum to bring in sufficient outside air. Construction is scheduled to be completed by May to allow the Statistics Department to move back in over summer break.
Retrospective of HDC’s office beagles
The first office dog at Hardlines Design Company was Bagle the Beagle. Bagle came from the Delaware County Humane Society and of the six dogs available for adoption that day in 1993, she was the only one who didn’t bark. Bagle had previously been adopted but was returned because she was too afraid of the family’s son, and the shelter thought her original owner probably included males who beat her. Bagle was about a year old when she joined HDC, and it soon became evident that she was an alpha dog who loved to track rabbits.
At the end of 1996, a client in Athens, Ohio, who knew we had a beagle kept calling to see if we wanted to adopt a second beagle that was at Athens Pound Rescue. Sadie the Beagle came to the office over Christmas break and tried soooo hard to be Bagle’s best friend, but Bagle was not having any of it. As the alpha dog, Bagle expected Sadie to acknowledge her lead and do what she was told. I think Bagle expected this of the humans as well! Over the next few months, it was evident that Bagle was very unhappy at not being the only dog anymore, and she started limping and dragging her rear leg. Don’s mother’s daschund had died the previous year, so Don’s thought was to train Sadie to be a replacement dog for his mother. The Monday after Don took Sadie to Akron for the weekend, Bagle’s limp was cured and HDC’s employees were amazed at the spring in her step and the shine in her eyes, which they had never seen before. Bagle was perfectly happy to host Sadie for visits, as long as Sadie went home afterwards.
Bagle died of a heart attack in April 2004 at just over 12 years of age, probably as a result of chemotherapy for the thyroid cancer that was diagnosed in February 2004. Donut came from the Franklin County Dog Shelter in May 2004 as a wild eight-week old puppy who had been found on the street when she was four weeks old. However, she was so cute we spent the first year in weekly puppy training classes, trying to get her domesticated. Sadie actually came to the office for a visit and met Donut as a puppy, but you could tell Sadie was expecting to see Bagle. Just before she turned 12 in 2006, Sadie left us after developing a fast-growing stomach cancer.
Unlike Bagle, Donut had no concept of how to track rabbits. Donut’s DNA test indicated that she was 10-20 percent rat terrier, and I think the terrier portion was all in her brain. Donut loved to chase chipmunks and catch mice and play with them by tossing them in the air, which apparently is what rat terriers do. We said goodbye to Donut in December 2018 after her kidneys started to fail when she was almost 15.
Who will be the next HDC office beagle? That still remains to be seen, but it will likely be a puppy since Donut was the only beagle who was able to be trained to (mostly) come when called off leash. Stay tuned for updates!
Holiday 2017
Best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season and a prosperous 2018 from all of us at Hardlines Design Company!
Cathie, Brad, Megan, John, Charissa, and Donut
And here are our canine companions, who also want to chime in:
Charissa’s beagle Donut, in 2017
Brad’s buddy Baxter, dressed up in 2016
Sadly, John’s dog Roscoe passed away in 2017; here he is in 2011
Megan’s baby Sherlock, in 2017
Cathie’s 14 years old Casey, in 2017
If you would like a copy of the 2018 Donut calendar, click HERE.
Fall 2016
(originally posted October 31, 2016)
This Fall’s edition of What’s New highlights the company’s big move, showcases a rehabilitation project and a HABS project, and a new video offering featuring Donut.
Hardlines Design Company Sells Cultural Resources Division to Commonwealth Heritage Group
On April 11, 2016, HDC decided to divest itself of the cultural resources department in order to focus on architecture, historic architecture, preservation planning, and architectural history. See the following news articles for coverage:
HDC Completes Rehabilitation of Historic Church
View of Exterior and Interior of the Wildermuth Memorial Church in Carroll, Ohio
In the Fall of 2015, HDC was commissioned by the Wildermuth Memorial Church Board to prepare an assessment and recommendations report to rehabilitate the church for the congregation’s 200th anniversary in 2016. The church was likely built in the 1830s and then moved across the street to the current location in 1875 and moved further back from the road in the early 1950s to accommodate a road widening project. The Board approved the recommendations and commissioned HDC to move forward with the design and construction of all the recommended work. Exterior work consisted of a new faux wood shake roof on the church and a new asphalt shingle roof on the attached youth center, reconstruction of the furnace flue/chimney, and repair/refurbishment of the windows, siding, trim, and shutters. Interior work included removal of two levels of acoustical ceilings to restore the original ceiling height with a new drywall finish, removal of the carpet and restoration of the wood floor and base, and restoration of the original chancel floor with carpet only in the area of the 1970s expansion. The church held a 200th anniversary public open house on July 30, 2016, that was attended by almost 300 people.
HDC goes to Alaska for the First Time!
Exterior and interior views of Building 1190 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska
HDC was sub-contracted by Versar, Inc. to complete HABS documentation of a hangar proposed for demolition at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska, for the Alaska Air National Guard. In October, HDC President/Historic Architect Charissa Durst traveled to Fairbanks with Jeff Bates, who has been HDC’s HABS/HAER photographer for over 20 years. Building 1190 was one of four identical hangars constructed from 1946-1948 to prepare aircraft for transport to the Soviet Union under the lend-lease program after World War II. The other three hangars were lost to fire or demolished to make way for new construction. This hangar (Building 1190) was retained and has been used since 1958 as an air freight terminal under Air Mobility Command to deliver supplies to locations all over the world for all branches of the Department of Defense.
A Day in the Park with Donut
If you ever wondered what exactly Donut does when she’s at the park, check out this compilation video:
Fall 2015
(originally posted on October 22, 2015)
This Fall’s edition of What’s New showcases archaeologists in the field, historical building surveys, a special achievement for one of HDC’s marquee projects, and a special treat from Donut, the office beagle
Stewart Elementary School project achieves LEED for Schools Silver Certification
Stewart Elementary School in the German Village neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio
In August 2015, Stewart Elementary School in Columbus, Ohio, was awarded LEED for Schools Silver Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for its sustainable design and construction methods. Hardlines Design Company, the project’s Architect of Record, led a team that consisted of Columbus City Schools (Owner), Schooley Caldwell Associates (Associate Architect), MKSK Studios (Landscape Architects), Korda/Nemeth Engineering (MEP Engineers), Kabil Associates (Structural Engineers), Williams Interior Design (Furnishings), Smoot Elford Resource (Construction Manager) and Miles McClellan Construction Company (Contractor) to implement 51 points towards the school’s certification.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the nationally-accepted benchmark for the design, construction, maintenance and operation of green buildings. LEED ratings are based on a point system that measures the impact on the environment and those who use the building. The school’s sustainable design and construction efforts included:
- Water savings of more than 20% through the use of low-flow fixtures and faucets.
- Energy cost savings of 34% by utilizing a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VFR) system for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning to optimize energy performance.
- Diverted more than 861 tons of construction waste from the landfill, or about 96% of all construction waste generated.
- Using more than 10 percent recycled materials and 10 percent regionally sourced materials in the building’s construction, thereby saving transportation and production costs.
- Rehabilitating an existing downtown structure to minimize demolition waste and combat sprawl, eliminating the need associated with new buildings to clear new land and build new roads and other infrastructure.
HDC Archaeologists Complete Fieldwork on Prehistoric Sites in Maryland
HDC archaeologist Terry Glaze excavates a test unit in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland
In August and September of 2015, HDC archaeologists were tasked by AECOM/URS to evaluate six prehistoric sites located within the construction limits for the expansion of Maryland Route 404 in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland. The six sites had been previously identified after a survey in 1990, with no further work conducted until this year. Working in the steaming late summer weather of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, HDC excavated 378 shovel test pits and 56 one-meter-square test units at the six sites, recovering approximately 1,600 artifacts. The artifacts mainly consisted of debitage, with a limited amount pottery, projectile points, fire-cracked rocks, and groundstone tools recovered as well, along with a handful of historical artifacts dating from the mid-1700s to the present. The sites appeared to represent a series of short-term resource procurement camps. Analysis of these sites for National Register eligibilty is ongoing.
HDC surveys historic resources at the NASA Glenn Research Center
Building 4 at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Brook Park, Ohio
HDC was sub-contracted by Ross Barney Architects to conduct a Historic Resources Survey and National Register of Historic Places assessment for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at Glenn Research Center (GRC) at Lewis Field in Brook Park, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. The survey and National Register assessment included architectural survey of the exteriors of all standing structures within the Central Area of GRC, development of a historic context, and recommendations for a National Register-eligible district. The survey and National Register evaluation was completed to assist NASA and GRC in maintaining compliance with Sections 106 and 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, and to provide guidance for the management of historically significant built resources on the campus.
The GRC is highly significant in the history of American aeronautics. In 1940, the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA), the precursor to NASA, acquired land near the Cleveland airport for an aeronautics research facility, the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory. The focus of this facility would be on developing and improving liquid-cooled and air-cooled engines. Over the years, this facility would contribute to advances in turbojet technology, deicing, and rocket propulsion.
HDC staff performed the survey in June and documented 128 buildings, structures, and objects. After evaluating the resources, HDC proposed the creation of a historic district composed of 82 contributing resources. In addition, HDC recommended that two wind tunnel complexes, the 8×6 Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel complex and the 10×10 Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel complex, are individually eligible for the National Register, in addition to contributing to the proposed GRC historic district. HDC also recommends that Building 4, the Flight Research Building, is individually eligible for the National Register and contributes to the proposed historic district, because it is the most iconic building on the GRC campus, and the building retains the integrity necessary to convey its significance as a large open hanger and support facilities still used to house aircraft for GRC.
Donut’s First Movie!
Donut the Beagle has often been the target of still photographers since she first arrived at the office in 2004. When she posed for a photograph with Santa Claus at a local Petsmart, the photographer commented that she was “very attentive for a beagle.” (Was that a compliment?) When HDC president Charissa Durst first got a smartphone with video, she made test videos of Donut running around the backyard. It wasn’t until this year that she attempted to edit one of her videos and add free online music to it. This video shows Donut actually swimming in Big Darby Creek at Prairie Oaks Metro Park, with music by The Builders and the Butchers called “Cradle on Fire.”
Spring 2015
(originally posted by Charissa Durst on March 13, 2015)
2015 is a special year for Hardlines Design Company. Twenty-five years ago, Charissa Durst and Don Durst founded our company, never imagining the places it would take them and the people they would form relationships with. Throughout the year, our blog will highlight some of the special projects we’ve completed over the last 25 years. Read on for a sample!
The Ohio History Connection Commissions HDC with a Historic Structure Report
The Ohio History Connection (formerly the Ohio Historical Society) awarded HDC a contract to prepare a Historic Structure Report (HSR) of the Locktender’s House at the Lockington Locks Historic Site in Lockington, Shelby County, Ohio. The HSR will support the client’s efforts to obtain funding to complete the restoration and stabilization of a bypass spillway that lies between Lock 1 and the house, and to restore the house to its 19th century appearance. This site is the highest point of the Miami and Erie Canal. Construction on the canal started in 1831, and the canal was in active operation between 1845 and 1877. The village of Lockington (originally Lockport) was specifically founded in 1837 as construction on the Miami and Erie Canal moved north from Piqua. The Locktender’s House was the residence of the lock master during the period of operation for the canal. The lock master was in charge of overseeing the locks, including operation and maintenance.
The project is particularly challenging since very little documentation exists for the property. HDC staff field measured the building in order to produce CAD plans and elevations, and constructed a history of alterations through physical inspection and interviews with long-time nearby residents. This project is of special interest to company president Charissa Durst, who, as a graduate student, completed a design studio project at the site and inventoried several buildings in nearby Piqua for an architectural history class.
25 Years of Hardlines: A Look Back at HDC’s Work at Hill Air Force Base
In the spring of 1993, the National Park Service in Denver issued a request for proposals to prepare a Cultural Resources Management Plan (CRMP) for Hill Air Force Base in Utah. HDC had recently completed a similar project at the Naval Submarine Base in San Diego, and decided to submit a proposal. We were in the process of wrapping up the fieldwork for the documentation of the River Street Historic District in San Jose, California, which is why President Charissa Durst ended up writing and submitting the proposal from her aunt’s house in Lafayette, California, and made the discovery that back then, Federal Express offices in the Pacific Time Zone close way earlier than those in Eastern Time Zone!
The Hill AFB project involved inventorying all buildings/structures on the base that were 50 years of age or older. In the end, we completed 396 State of Utah inventory forms. The base originally consisted of two installations that later merged: Hill Field and the Ogden Arsenal. The buildings on the Hill Field side were fairly typical Army Air Corps facilities associated with World War II. The Arsenal buildings, however, were very interesting. They dated back to the 1920s and were designed to store explosive ordnance. The buildings included underground igloos, above-ground munitions magazines, and a railroad complex to move the ordnance around the base. We also encountered two civilian buildings associated with the Uintah Pipeline Company and the Wasatch Gas Company built in the 1930s.
In addition to the inventory forms, HDC was also tasked with preparing National Register of Historic Places district nominations for two potential Historic Districts: Hill Field and Ogden Arsenal. After completion of the base scope, the National Park Service commissioned HDC to prepare Level I HAER drawings of the more significant buildings. HDC ended up documenting three buildings associated with Hill Field and seven associated with the Ogden Arsenal.
HAER drawing of the various ordnance igloos on the base and cover of popular history.
After completion of the HAER documentation, the Air Force commissioned HDC to prepare a popular history titled From Arms to Aircraft. The historical text was prepared by a local university, which HDC incorporated into the book along with the HAER drawings and photographs. The book proved to be very successful and for many years was given to employees when they retired from the base.
Donut’s Christmas Sweater
Back when Bagle the Beagle and Sadie the Beagle roamed the office, they would each receive a Christmas goodie bag of rawhide treats. Although rawhide is reputed to cause dogs to become aggressive, we never had a problem with Bagle or Sadie. Donut, however, definitely became aggressive over rawhide treats, proving that it isn’t just an urban myth. As a puppy, she really liked rope toys (Bagle refused to touch them) and toys where she had to unscrew parts in order to get to the treat, which she figured out in 5 minutes. These days, we just get her clothing, such as bandanas, sweaters, and coats. Bagle refused to wear even a bandana, but Donut seems to prance around to show them off. We figure it’s because she has long legs for a beagle so the bandana doesn’t trip her. This holiday season, Donut received a bright green “Snoopy” sweater, just in time for the sub-zero temperatures in January!
Summer 2013
(by Andy Sewell, originally posted July 1, 2013)
Stewart Elementary School Enters Main Phase of Construction
Stewart Elementary School is the oldest school still in operation in the Columbus City School District. The original building was constructed in 1874. The main entry was on Stewart Avenue and the building contained four classrooms on each of the two main floors. In 1894, an addition was constructed to the west that contained two classrooms on each floor. In the mid 1920s, the front entry stair was removed and the space made into two small rooms on each floor. The entry was moved to City Park and a second stair constructed at the connector between the 1874 and 1894 wings. In the 1950s, two small basement rooms under the original front entry were combined to form a large multi-purpose room with a small stage. At this time, the front entry was moved back to Stewart Avenue at the 1920s connector location.
In the summer of 2010, a fire damaged the southwest corner of the 1874 wing. In spring 2011, Columbus City Schools commissioned Hardlines Design Company to design the renovation and addition to Stewart Elementary School. The project proved to be quite a challenge. The building lies within the German Village Historic District, which is the oldest and, some would argue, the strictest of the City’s commissions. In addition, the District purchased land across Pearl Street for playgrounds and playing fields, which lies within the Brewery District Historic District. This project therefore had to be reviewed by both commissions, and special meetings had to be set up so both sets of commissioners could comment at the same time.
Another challenge was the funding. Schools funded by the Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) are budgeted based on square footage, but without any concessions for building size; large schools are budgeted at the same per square foot cost as a smaller school. As a result, small schools are typically under budgeted, and Stewart Elementary School, at 350 students, is the smallest size school OSFC will consider funding. On top of all this, this project had the normal procedures of any urban school in the City of Columbus: zoning appeals, CC drawings reviews, and drawer E reviews for work in the right of way.
To maintain the construction schedule, HDC obtained approval from the German Village Commission to remove the connector between the 1874 and 1894 wings and issued an early demolition package, which was completed in spring 2013. HDC obtained certificates of appropriateness from both commissions along with all City review processes, and the main phase project is currently under construction with the goal of completion in time for the start of the 2014 school year.
Left: Stewart Elementary School before renovation. Right: Rendering of proposed addition
HDC Completes Zoar Historic Baseline Study for Corps of Engineers
The village of Zoar in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, holds a unique place in Ohio history. Founded in 1817 by a group of German Separatists fleeing religious persecution in Germany, Zoar is a well-preserved example of a nineteenth century communal society, with numerous surviving houses, buildings, and landscape features that illustrate the distinctive character of its inhabitants. The Society of Separatists of Zoar existed from 1817 to 1898, and was an agrarian communal society, with a small industrial component that produced raw material and finished products from natural resources and agricultural products. At their height in the mid-nineteenth century, the Separatists owned close to 12,000 acres and had over 300 members. They had two grist mills, a woolen factory, owned two iron furnaces, and operated sawmills. The Separatists played a role in the development of the Ohio & Erie Canal in the late 1820s, contracting to excavated 3 miles of the canal through their landholdings and building a lock and other components. Differing from other communal organizations like the Shakers, membership was largely limited to ethnic Germans, with very few non-Germans allowed to join the society. The Separatists were inward-looking, seeking to sustain their existing community rather than convert others to adopt their ways.
Zoar Garden House and Greenhouse
The historic value of Zoar was recognized early in the twentieth century, as residents took steps to preserve important landmarks, beginning with restoring the ornamental public garden in 1930. The community was threatened with inundation from the construction of Dover Dam during the 1930s as part of a massive flood control program in the Muskingum River watershed. However, the USACE was persuaded through public outpouring to protect Zoar with a massive earthen levee and an upstream diversion system, completed in 1938, rather than relocate the community as happened with other similar-sized villages in areas that would be in the new flood zone created by the dam. The village of Zoar may be the only such community protected because of its historical, rather than economical, significance. Portions of the village became a State Memorial in the 1940s, and the village was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969.
Over the course of the last 75 years, the Zoar Levee and Diversion Dam has served its purpose well, protecting Zoar from periodic flooding episodes. However, recent events have revealed developing flaws in the levee system that must be addressed by the Huntington District of the Corps of Engineers. To find a long-term plan to reduce risk to Zoar, Huntington is currently preparing a Dam Safety Modification Report (DSMR) for the Zoar Levee and Diversion Dam in accordance Section 2033 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2007, which among other things, requires Huntington to adopt a risk analysis approach to project cost estimates for water resource projects and ensure that the benefits and costs associated with structural and nonstructural alternatives are evaluated in an equitable manner. A building block of the DSMR is producing baseline studies of existing conditions at Zoar, including studies of environmental, societal, and historical factors. Huntington contracted Tetra Tech, Inc, to produce a historical property baseline study and a community impacts baseline study for the DSMR.
As a subcontractor to Tetra Tech, Inc, HDC completed the historic property baseline study for the Zoar Levee and Diversion Dam. The baseline study included exhaustive archival research to create an in-depth history of Zoar Village and its founders, the Society of Separatists of Zoar. The baseline study also examined the history of Zoar Village during the twentieth century. A survey of all above-ground resources within the 708-acre study area centered on Zoar Village collected information on 348 buildings, structures, and landscape features, along with three buildings and structures outside the study area confirmed to have Separatist associations. In addition, pre-contact and historical archaeology probability models were developed for the entire study area to aid in assessing project alternatives developed by the USACE.
As part of the this project, HDC also assessed the previous National Register documentation for the Zoar Historic District. The National Register assessment resulted in recommendations for a revised list of contributing resources, an expanded period of significance, and an expansion of the district boundary, although actually preparing a National Register update was not in the scope of the project. Meetings with consulting parties, stakeholders, and residents of the village took place in March 2013, with the baseline study documents completed at the end of June 2013.
HDC documents Columbus’ First Public Housing Project, Poindexter Village
Poindexter Village, located on Columbus’ near east side, is the city’s first public housing project. While not the first federally-funded public housing project in the nation (that honor goes to Techwood Homes in Atlanta), Poindexter Village is one of the earliest such projects built in Ohio. Construction of Poindexter Village began in 1939 at the site of “The Blackberry Patch,” a traditionally African American neighborhood near the Champion Avenue Public School and the Union Grove Baptist Church. The housing project was designed by the Columbus architectural firm of Richards, McCarty, and Bulford, and consists of 35 two-story buildings of multi-family housing, originally laid out in eleven blocks. The twelfth block (Block XII) was constructed in 1960 at the same time as Poindexter Tower.
Poindexter Village is considered to be historically significant for its association with the history and development of the Federal housing programs of the 1930s and 1940s. It is also associated with the early history and development of the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) and its efforts to provide safe, sanitary, and decent housing for low-income city residents as a result of the Depression-era housing reforms. In addition, Poindexter Village is significant for its association with the African American history of the east side of Columbus.
Poindexter Village was a bustling residential complex for years, but as the decades passed, the buildings within Poindexter Village began to show their age. While efforts were made to continually modernize the units, the expense to maintain and renovate the buildings began to outpace the ability to fund those projects. The CHMA has vacated the buildings and demolition of many of the buildings in Poindexter Village is currently underway to allow for redevelopment of the land.
Prior to commencement of demolition, the CMHA, in consultation with the City of Columbus and the Ohio Historic Preservation Officer (OHPO), developed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to mitigate the adverse effect caused by the demolition. In February 2013, the CMHA hired Hardlines to complete Stipulation II outlined in the MOA signed between the City of Columbus, CMHA, and the OHPO. Stipulation II required the documentation of Poindexter Village, including a narrative report, current photographic documentation, historic photographs, copies of existing and historical drawings of the buildings, and paper copies of Ohio Historic Inventory (OHI) forms for each of the eight row house types in Poindexter Village. Work to meet the stipulation was completed in June 2013. The documentation will be maintained at the State Library of Ohio and will be accessible to future generations interested in learning about this part of our city’s history.
Poindexter Village
Donut Finds a New Playmate!
We’ve always known that Donut’s play instinct is way stronger than her prey instinct. When she was two months old, she saw her first rabbit on a walk (it was almost as big as she was back then), but instead of chasing it, she gave a play bow and wagged her tail! That’s when we knew Donut just wasn’t going to be a very good hunting dog, unlike her predecessor Bagle. Maybe the traits go together: Donut really likes to play, and Bagle, being much more serious minded, hardly ever played.
Donut’s early playmates lived in the neighborhood, as many of the neighbors adopted puppies around the same time and brought them to the same field to play. Her best friend was a German Shepherd named Journey, who was two weeks younger. As a result, they were about the same size for a month, before Journey grew to be almost three times heavier at 85 pounds. Then there was Zoe, a hound mix; Lizzy, a golden retriever; Buddy, a black lab; and Finn, a yellow lab. Donut also ran with the vizlas, as our neighborhood for some reason supported four of these not-so-common breeds.
In the office, Donut got to play with Karly, the beagle that belongs to historian Roy Hampton. When Roy retired, Karly stopped coming to the office. However, HDC’s new architect Brad Curtis has a family dog named Baxter, who visits the office every now and then. Brad keeps these visits few and far between, since when Donut and Baxter play, everyone stops working to watch their antics. Baxter is Donut’s opposite: male, about a year old, and only 10 pounds in size. As a result, there is no competition and Baxter brings out Donut’s inner puppy (never lurking too far from the surface) as the two of them happily run around the office and wrestle. The staff looks forward to the days when Donut gets to play with Baxter, but we probably have to make sure no cats are visiting!
Donut and Baxter rest after wrestling all morning
Spring 2013
(by Andy Sewell, originally posted March 20, 2013)
HDC Continues to Work on the Woodward Opera House
The Woodward Opera House in Mount Vernon, Ohio, is the oldest authentic nineteenth century theatre in the United States; coincidentally, it is also the oldest active project at HDC. It was awarded to HDC in 2000, and company president Charissa Durst says, only partially in jest, that it was because they wanted someone young enough to live through the entire project without becoming senile. In the past 13 years, HDC has renovated two of the first floor retail spaces, added ADA public restrooms, rehabilitated the exterior (masonry, windows, and gutters/downspouts), and rehabilitated the second floor offices. The HDC team is currently working on expanding the existing fire alarm system into the adjacent Cooper Building (aka the “Annex”) to support a local foods market in one of the first floor retail spaces.
From 2011-2012, HDC staff worked feverishly to assist the Woodward Development Corporation in completing a state historic tax credit application for submittal in March 2012. The work paid off and in June 2012 it was announced that the Woodward Opera House was one of 45 projects in Ohio awarded historic preservation tax credits that put empty buildings back into the economic cycle and create jobs through construction activities and reoccupation of the buildings. HDC is currently waiting for official notification of the award of New Market Tax Credits in May/June. The goal is to complete construction on the remaining phases of the project by 2015.
See the project website for additional information: https://thewoodward.org/
The Woodward Opera House: Before the start of renovations and the building today
Hardlines Design Company Participates in Zoar Levee Public Meeting
Hardlines Design Company has been assisting the Huntington District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on preparing a historic properties baseline study as part of the Dam Safety Modification Study (DSMS) for Zoar Levee & Diversion Dam, located in the village of Zoar, Tuscarawas County. The DSMS is required to address performance issues with the levee. HDC is subcontracted to Tetra Tech, Inc., on the project. HDC’s role in the project consists of preparing a detailed cultural history of the Zoar study area; conducting a survey of all above-ground resources in the study area (buildings, ruins, bridges, dams, etc) to assess their historical significance; and constructing archaeological probability models to identify landforms within the study area with potential to hold certain types of archaeological sites.
Zoar Village was founded in 1817 by a group of German Separatists who were seeking a place to freely practice their religion and work together to create a community. Although not initially part of the plan for the settlement, the Separatists voted to pool their interests in the face of harsh economic conditions and a challenging environment, and became a communal society. The village prospered for much of the 19th century, but pressures from both within and outside the community finally resulted in a vote to dissolve the communal system in 1898. Since then, Zoar Village has remained a small, rural community, retaining a surprisingly high degree of historical buildings in good condition, while also managing to keep out most modern development, helping to retain the historic character of the community. This lack of modern development is partially attributable to the construction of Zoar Levee & Diversion Dam in the late 1930s, protecting the village from flooding, with the side effect of also discouraging modern intrusions, due to how the levee is sited on the local topography.
Part of our work with Huntington District included participating in meetings with project stakeholders and the general public to provide an update on progress and solicit important information about the study area that may be known to local residents, but not recorded in any documents. A set of these meetings were held March 6–7, 2013, at New Philadelphia and Zoar. Overall, HDC’s efforts in preparing the historic property baseline study have been well-received. Jennifer Sandy of the National Trust for Historic Preservation called our report “fascinating reading” and project manager Andy Sewell was interviewed at the public meeting for WKSU public radio. Zoar residents are keenly interested in the history of their community, and the historic properties baseline study should be a valuable resource to their research efforts, as well as serving Huntington District as an essential planning tool for addressing the future of Zoar Levee.
A typical streetscape in Zoar, Ohio
Donut the Beagle Is 9 Years Old on March 26!
It’s hard to believe, but the “Little Monster” is going to be 9 years old at the end of the month! Donut came to office on Friday, May 21, 2004, when she was 8 weeks old, which makes her birthday Friday, March 26, 2004. Recently, HDC staff came across a recruiting video for the USDA Beagle Brigade. The video is over 14 minutes long (the opening sequence is hilarious!) and includes tests to determine if your beagle is qualified to join the Brigade. Beagles have to be between the ages 1 and 3 and retire when they are 9 years old, so Donut is now officially a senior citizen. This, however, was not the first time HDC came across the USDA Beagle Brigade.
After Bagle the Beagle came to HDC in 1993, HDC started working with the National Forest Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It turns out that the USDA has a division called the Beagle Brigade (founded in 1984) to inspect luggage at international airports for food products. HDC then picked up a children’s book called Jackpot of the Beagle Brigade, which was written in 1987. Since Bagle was very calm, balanced, and highly food motivated, HDC staff thought she would have made a good member of the Beagle Brigade. Bagle, however, did not like crowds and probably would not have passed that portion of the test.
Donut likely would never have made it past Test #1, which includes having a stranger pull her tail. One of Donut’s early trainers said that we could only “manage” her quirks, not cure them. Everyone at HDC knows that Donut is tense, nervous, and very sensitive, so we leave her alone when she’s eating, do not accidentally sneak up on her from behind, and definitely do not pull her tail. On the other hand, she can be very friendly, responds immediately to her name, and will obey commands to sit, stay, lay down, and, an office favorite, play dead upon hearing the word “Bang!”
BANG!