Article published October 16, 2008
Findlay tour to show off downtown recovery
Boosters hoping show of 6 gems will change mindset on flooding
The Grand Hall of Findlay's Elks Lodge at 601 South Main St. is among six downtown gems that will be open to visitors tomorrow. Boosters want the public to know that much of the downtown is thriving a year after the flood. The tour buildings will be open from 5 to 8 p.m., and a reception for visitors will be from 8 to 9 p.m. at the Elks building. Tickets are $7.
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By JENNIFER FEEHAN
BLADE STAFF WRITER
FINDLAY - Last year's devastating flood left a lot of people feeling like downtown Findlay was washed up.
Downtown boosters led by the Hancock Regional Planning Commission are hoping to change that mindset by inviting the public to go inside six downtown buildings they might not otherwise get to see.
"This came about because there's just been so much focus on the flood and 'Oh, what's going to happen to downtown?'•" William Homka, regional planning director, said.
"It makes it seem like there's such a disinvestment and while it certainly has issues, all of the projects on this tour were done before the flood and they're still thriving."
Between 5 and 8 p.m. tomorrow, visitors can go inside:
•129 East Crawford St., where Corporate Research International, a Fortune 500 company, has its offices in what used to be the Kirk warehouse.•337 South Main St., where Factory Direct International has its design studios and offices.
•323 South Main, known as the Rawson Building, home to Aardvark Media Productions.
•409 South Main, where Sharon Rooney has transformed the first floor for her real estate business, Rooney and Associates, and turned the upper floor into her home.
•521 South Main, where TFC Architects and Engineers does business in a partially restored building that includes its original cast iron staircase.
"I've been in a lot of these buildings, but I know a lot of people haven't, and I thought, 'Let's get people reinvigorated and excited about downtown,'•" Mr. Homka said.
The final stop on the tour is the stately old Findlay Elks Lodge, 601 South Main, where a reception will be held for tour-goers from 8 to 9 p.m. in the rarely seen third-floor Grand Hall.
Earlier this year, the Elks announced plans to try to sell their longtime home because they no longer could afford to maintain it.
Matt Klein, a Findlay lawyer and exalted ruler of the organization, said that when no viable offers were made, the Elks decided that if it wanted to survive, it needed to remodel the basement-level lounge that was damaged in the flood and try to attract new members.
He said he was happy to open up the private club for the tour.
"This is a no-brainer. We get people who otherwise wouldn't step foot into our building and maybe we'll get a few new members or get community members to consider us for a special event," Mr. Klein said
"I think it's really good for all of our downtown. After that flood last year, we still have some empty strorefronts. The more we can get people to realize there are still good things downtown, maybe we'll attract a few more people downtown," he said.
Tickets for the tour are $7.
Mr. Homka said proceeds will go to the Community Foundation of Findlay-Hancock County to help pay the $3,000 annual dues required if Findlay becomes a Main Street community - a goal of the newly formed Downtown Building Owners Association.
Contact Jennifer Feehan at:
jfeehan@theblade.com
or 419-353-5972.
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