For a long time Jefferson Center represented one of Toledo’s most intractable problems. A grand, historic vestige from Toledo’s past that had lost its purpose and sat empty, reminding the city of its better days. In 2011, the one-time post office and alternative school was briefly slated for demolition — one more relic destined to be lost to the wrecking ball.
Flash forward to today and Jefferson Center represents an entirely different trend. It will be the latest building to be restored with the help of historic tax credits and poised to give a major boost to Toledo’s economy.
ProMedica, which bought the Jefferson Center from Toledo Public Schools for $1.2 million in 2019, and the California tech company Bitwise recently received a $4.5 million historic tax credit to help with the $30 million restoration project that will turn the building into an incubator hub for tech and non-tech businesses.
Toledo has had terrific success with these historic grants. ProMedica received a similar credit to help turn the long-empty Toledo Steam Plant into its new downtown headquarters. The grants were also instrumental in the revival of the Tower on the Maumee (the former Fiberglas Tower), Hensville, and Fort Industry Square, among other buildings.
In almost every case, saving a historic structure for reuse is not financially possible without historic tax credits. Restoration projects often come with design challenges and pricey rehabilitation costs, so tax credits are critical in making them affordable.
Also in every case acquiring the grants has required a cooperative effort from the region’s elected leaders and the business community. Wide, unified support for the projects has been key to success.
And with each success, not only is a historic building saved, but jobs are created, homes are built, businesses are given a new home.
Now the Jefferson Center project stands to be the most successful historic tax credit project for the city so far. ProMedica and Bitwise expect to create 400 jobs for Toledoans, and 500 tech jobs in its first three years of operation.
The Jefferson Center, which has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1972, needs plenty of work. The long-empty building has plaster falling onto the stairwells and vines growing inside the third floor. The rehabilitation plan calls for solving those issues and renovating the interior for its new purpose, as well as restoring the building’s iconic facade.
Cities can and do revitalize by letting development sprawl into green space or by tearing down and building new. But cities, like Toledo, that do the hard work to save their landmarks and restore them for exciting new purposes are taking good care of both history and the future.
First Published July 8, 2021, 4:10 a.m.
