A lifelong Toledoan and his business partner are hoping to bring new life to an area of downtown considered by many to be an afterthought.
Fred Treuhaft and Blake Underwood are prepared to invest "millions" of dollars into an eight-building section of the Vistula neighborhood just northeast of downtown. Mr. Treuhaft has acquired eight existing structures between Locust and Lagrange streets running north and south, and Summit and Superior streets east and west.
The development will be known as Gateway at Lower Town.
"We became aware of the buildings on Summit Street and thought those would be ideal to relocate Blake's business, and on top of that, do something for Toledo," Mr. Treuhaft said. "It's to kickstart that Vistula area and make some things happen. There are still some beautiful properties back there and we thought we could make a difference."
One of the buildings in their possession is the former Westminster Church built in the 1800s. In the early 1900s it was converted to a gymnasium for St. John's College.
Plans call for the building to be refurbished and converted to office space with a second-floor mezzanine. Mr. Underwood is one of the owners of technology firm Nemsys, which has already committed to moving from its current location on South St. Clair Street.
Other development plans call for restaurants and a pedestrian walkway on Ostrich Lane. Renderings call for murals on the sides of buildings and new facades for the structures.
Mr. Treuhaft envisions an area similar to Detroit's Corktown or Short North in Columbus.
Architect Andy Knopp of Thomas Porter Architects, who is assisting with the project, said the existing alleyway lends itself to a walking path.
"With an outdoor seating area and string lighting, we're just trying to create a more inviting atmosphere and use art to make it an attractive space compared to what it is today," Mr. Knopp said. "We'll put in new concrete so it feels like a pedestrian street. The tenant spaces we're creating with the church and attached buildings will hopefully make it feel well-rounded."
Longtime Toledo preservationist and retired professor Ted Ligibel is excited about the possibilities in Toledo’s oldest neighborhood.
“It sounds like a good project for that neighborhood because it is such a special area,” Mr. Ligibel said. “It's good to see some attention being paid. It was a really thriving and energetic place [in the late 1800s] with people on the streets, horses and carriages, industry, and very prominent residences. It's a textbook of American architecture and Toledo history.”
In addition to being the city’s oldest neighborhood, the Vistula area is also one of the poorest, according to a 2019 report from the University of Toledo Jack Ford Urban Affairs Center. The study found, among other things, that more than 30 percent of households in the neighborhood received federal Supplemental Security Income assistance. It also has one of the highest unemployment rates in the city.
The 70,000-square foot development is located in a federal opportunity district where landowners can defer paying taxes for several years in exchange for investing in impoverished or underserved communities. Mr. Treuhaft is applying for historic tax credits to help with renovation costs, and work could start as soon as this spring.
Mr. Truehaft said he has shown the property to "a few people" and is on the cusp of signing a listing agreement with a major commercial real estate company.
"We're then going to go full throttle and get Blake in by the end of the year or early 2021," Mr. Treuhaft said. "We want it to be a destination — something that's cool and interesting and place people want to come down to."
Mr. Treuhaft feels the are is seeing momentum and mentioned a downtown outdoor refreshment area — a designation in state law that sets aside a specific area where adults can drink alcohol outside — is being considered for Summit.
City spokesman Ignazio Messina said the city is aware of the project and supports the endeavor.
"This is an exciting project and we are working with the developer in any way we can," he said.
First Published February 26, 2020, 10:49 p.m.
