Downtown hosted Heritage Ohio Preservation Assessment workshop

Downtown Tiffin, under the Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership, hosted a two-day Heritage Ohio "Preservation Assessment Workshop" Monday and Tuesday. This event brought together community members and experts to focus on maintaining and preserving Tiffin's historic buildings. The first day featured an evening lecture at The Empire 138, delivered by David Mertz, a preservation specialist and former director of Belmont College's renowned Building Preservation/Restoration Program. Mertz provided valuable insights into maintaining historic structures, followed by a Q&A session. The lecture was attended by more than 20 community members, including representatives from the Tiffin Historic Trust, Tiffin City Council, Mayor Wilkinson, local contractors, architects, and property owners. The Reineke/Reinbolt Family and the Tiffin Historic Trust generously sponsored the workshop. On the second day, a team toured five historic properties in Tiffin to provide detailed preservation assessments. The group included David Mertz, Frank Quinn (Heritage Ohio Director of Preservation), Devin Miles (Heritage Ohio), Donna Gross (Downtown Tiffin Main Street Manager), Noah Paris (Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership), and building owners. The properties included: · 297 E. Perry Street (Heidelberg University Octagon House) · 52 E. Perry Street (Kildow Building) · 95 S. Monroe Street · 33 S. Washington Street · 131 S. Washington Street The building owners will receive comprehensive assessment reports from Heritage Ohio with recommendations for addressing maintenance needs. "It was an honor to host the Heritage Ohio Historic Preservation workshop here in Tiffin," said Mayor Lee Wilkinson. "This event highlights the rich history and architectural treasures of our community, offering an opportunity to learn from preservation experts while showcasing the incredible work being done to maintain and celebrate our historic buildings." The Preservation Assessment Workshops are made possible through the support of the State of Ohio. For more information about Heritage Ohio's historic preservation programs, contact Frank Quinn at fquinn@heritageohio.org.