The Ohio Development Services Agency (DSA) awarded $28,370,452 in Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits to rehabilitate 22 historic buildings in 11 communities, the agency announced Tuesday.

The projects are expected to lead to approximately $165,386,833 in private investment, DSA said in a news release. The awards include projects in three communities — Amherst, Cleveland Heights and Mansfield — that are receiving an Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit for the first time.

“Preserving historic buildings saves the unique history of our neighborhoods and downtowns,” DSA Director David Goodman said. “It also adds to the quality of life the community offers residents and visitors.”

Many of the buildings are vacant and generate little economic activity. Once rehabilitated, they will drive further investment in adjacent property. Developers do not receive the tax credit until project construction is complete and all program requirements are verified.

The Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit program is administered in partnership with the Ohio History Connection’s State Historic Preservation Office. The State Historic Preservation Office determines if a property qualifies as a historic building and that the rehabilitation plans comply with the U.S. secretary of the interior’s standards for rehabilitation.

CENTRAL REGION

46 Park Ave. West (Mansfield, Richland County)
Total Project Cost: $1,100,000
Total Tax Credit: $249,900
Address: 46 Park Ave. West, 44902

This building is one of two projects to be funded this round in Mansfield and one of the first awards made in the city. Dating back to the 1890s, the downtown building once had two commercial spaces on the first floor with apartments on the second and third. After years of vacancy, the building will again be home to residents in the four upstairs apartments with small businesses on the ground floor.

Hedrick House (Mansfield, Richland County)
Total Project Cost: $364,700
Total Tax Credit: $78,675
Address: 159 N. Walnut St., 44902

Built in the 1860s, the home was remodeled into four apartments in the 1940s, but has been vacant for more than 50 years. Two residential units will be built in the house during the rehabilitation project, and historic features such as the staircase and woodwork also will be restored.

NORTHEAST REGION

Central School (Amherst, Lorain County)
Total Project Cost: $12,173,003
Total Tax Credit: $1,497,000
Address: 474 Church St., 44001

Located in the small town of Amherst, the former Central School has been vacant for more than 30 years. It was built of local sandstone in 1907, and a gymnasium was added to the original building in 1922. After rehabilitation, the building will serve the community as an assisted living residence, which will include a dining and activity hall located in the former gym. Residents’ rooms will be in the former classrooms. New elevators and ADA facilities will be added.

College Club of Cleveland (Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga County)
Total Project Cost: $12,417,994
Total Tax Credit: $1,226,000
Address: 2348 Overlook Rd., 44106

The College Club of Cleveland project consists of two buildings — the original three-story brick mansion and a two-story brick carriage barn. Constructed in 1905, the property was a single-family residence until it was purchased by the College Club of Cleveland, a women’s philanthropic organization, for use as a clubhouse. Plans call for the main house to be converted into ten apartments with four more located in the carriage barn. Thirteen new town homes will be constructed on an adjacent parcel.

Dorn School of Expression (Cleveland, Cuyahoga County)
Total Project Cost:  $1,814,324
Total Tax Credit:  $249,999
Address: 7306 Detroit Ave., 44102

Built in 1913, the building once housed residential units on the upper floor, and a retail space and a fine and performing arts school on the main floor. Though most of the interior historic details have been lost over time, the exterior retains arched window openings and dormers. After the rehabilitation project is completed, there will be four apartments and two retail spaces in the building.

Fox Buick Sales Building (Cuyahoga Falls, Summit County)
Total Project Cost: $1,771,300
Total Tax Credit: $249,000
Address: 2250 Front St., 44221

The Fox Buick Sales Building is a two-story commercial building along Cuyahoga Falls’ main commercial street with an auto showroom on the first floor and apartments on the second floor. The first-floor commercial space has been vacant and will be rehabilitated into the home of the Ohio Brewing Company. The upstairs apartments will also be rehabilitated. The building is situated on Front St., a former pedestrian mall at the center of Cuyahoga Falls’ revitalization efforts.

Grossman Paper Box Company (Cleveland, Cuyahoga County)
Total Project Cost: $10,828,212
Total Tax Credit: $1,072,100
Address: 1729 Superior Ave., 44114

The Grossman Paper Box Company building dates to 1902 and once was home to a large packaging company. The industrial building saw other warehouse tenants in later years before falling into disuse. The rehabilitation project will create 49 new apartments, preserving the historic industrial character of the building and opening blocked windows.

Hilliard Block (Cleveland, Cuyahoga County)
Total Project Cost: $2,226,750
Total Tax Credit: $250,000
Address: 1415 W. Ninth St., 44113

The Hilliard Block dates back to around 1849, and is one of the oldest buildings in Cleveland’s Warehouse Historic District. Built as a grocery and dry goods store, the building was renovated into offices on the upper floors in the 1980s while retaining commercial space on the first floor. The rehabilitation project will convert the former office spaces into 18 market rate apartments. The current tenant will continue to occupy the first floor.

Illuminating Building (Cleveland, Cuyahoga County)
Total Project Cost: $51,371,441
Total Tax Credit: $5,000,000
Address: 75 Public Square, 44113

This project includes the historic Illuminating Building, built in 1914 on Cleveland’s Public Square, and the nearby Key Center, which is a modern office tower and hotel complex. Floors two to 14 of the Illuminating Building will be converted into 119 residential units while the ground floor will be renovated into retail spaces. The owners intend to rehabilitate eight vacant floors of office space and the lobby in the Key Tower. Restaurant, event, and commercial spaces will be added in the hotel.

St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Cleveland, Cuyahoga County)
Total Project Cost: $2,318,267
Total Tax Credit: $249,999
Address: 2280 W. 11th St., 44113

The St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Church was once the center of the Ukrainian community in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood, and later became home to a Hispanic church community. The project will transform the church into corporate offices for a company moving into the neighborhood. Distinctive remaining historic features will be retained, and open spaces will be incorporated into the office design.

Northwest Region

Continental Baking Co. Building (Toledo, Lucas County)
Total Project Cost: $5,676,879
Total Tax Credit: $1,109,957
Address: 1101 N. Summit St., 43604

The former Continental Baking Company Building is located in Toledo’s historic Vistula neighborhood adjacent to downtown. Once the home of Wonder Bread and Hostess products, the building was used by other commercial tenants before becoming vacant in the 1990s. New owners plan to convert the industrial building into 24 market rate apartments along with two commercial office spaces on the ground floor.

Hyatt Block (Findlay, Hancock County)
Total Project Cost: $1,200,000
Total Tax Credit: $232,000
Address: 317-319 S. Main St., 45840

The Hyatt Block is a three-story building in Findlay’s Downtown Historic District. Except for one first floor commercial space, the building has been vacant for more than 10 years. After rehabilitation, the building will be home to an arts organization offering therapeutic and educational opportunities with offices on the second and third floors.

WESTERN REGION

Edward Wren Company Building (Springfield, Clark County)
Total Project Cost: $15,327,359
Total Tax Credit: $2,000,000
Address: 31 E. High St., 45502

Built in 1921 as a department store and bank in the heart of downtown Springfield, the building was remodeled over the years into retail space, then a warehouse, and finally office space before falling vacant for many years and nearly being demolished. The building will be revitalized as 28 market rate apartment units with a ground floor restaurant space.

Nesbitt House (Xenia, Greene County)
Total Project Cost: $416,327
Total Tax Credit: $87,822
Address: 136 W. Second St., 45385

Located near downtown Xenia, the Nesbitt House will be rehabilitated into four apartments. Built around 1890 as a single-family home, it was later divided into apartments. With Queen Anne and Eastlake styles, its rehabilitation fits well into Xenia’s city plan to encourage redevelopment of housing in the historic core.

Third Street Arcade (Dayton, Montgomery County)
Total Project Cost: $40,854,979
Total Tax Credit: $4,000,000
Address: 28 W. Third St. and 29 S. Main St., 45402

This project includes two buildings in the historic Dayton Arcade complex in downtown Dayton. The McCrory building, a three-story former retail building, was built in the 1920s but has been vacant for more than 20 years. The Third Street Arcade/Gibbons Annex building includes a retail arcade with apartments above; the exterior features a unique Flemish-style facade. Thirty-two apartments will be rehabilitated in the upper floors with office space on the second floor. In the McCrory building, future tenants include an entrepreneurial start-up center affiliated with the University of Dayton.

SOUTHWEST REGION

57 E. McMicken Ave. and 1662 Hamer St. (Cincinnati, Hamilton County)
Total Project Cost: $1,373,500
Total Tax Credit: $225,000
Address: 57 E. McMicken Ave. and 1662 Hamer St., 45202

This pair of buildings sits back-to-back on the same parcel in Over-the-Rhine. Built around 1880 in the Italianate style, the buildings housed apartments and commercial space, but both buildings have been vacant for at least 15 years. The project will rehabilitate nine apartments ranging from studios to spaces for small families. The building on McMicken will offer commercial space on its first floor.

Dow Corner Building (Cincinnati, Hamilton County)
Total Project Cost: $1,716,249
Total Tax Credit: $188,000
Address: 5901 Hamilton Ave., 45224

This building was once home to the Dow Drugstore, a local chain of stores, complete with a soda fountain. The second commercial space in the building hosted various tenants over the years from grocers and delis to five and dime and beauty supply stores. There are four apartments upstairs. In recent years, both commercial spaces and the apartments were vacant and in disrepair. The rehabilitation project will preserve the remaining historic features, such as a pressed metal ceiling in the commercial space, and will rebuild the historic store fronts.

Dollhouse and National City Buildings (Cincinnati, Hamilton County)
Total Project Cost: $1,410,549
Total Tax Credit: $155,000
Address: 5917 and 5932 Hamilton Ave., 45224

This set of buildings in Cincinnati’s College Hill neighborhood were both once important fixtures in the life of the community. The Dollhouse Building was home to Herbert Doll’s bakery and restaurant, which operated from 1914-1989. A string of short-term tenants used the space until it was vacated more than 10 years ago. The National City Building is the neighborhood’s only Art Deco/Art Moderne Building and served various banks from the time it was constructed in 1949 until it was vacated in 2006. Rehabilitation plans include commercial spaces on the first floors with restaurant tenants expected. The three apartments upstairs will be renovated for new residents.

Engine Co. 22 Firehouse (Cincinnati, Hamilton County)
Total Project Cost: $1,025,000
Total Tax Credit: $250,000
Address: 222 W. 15th St., 45202

Built in the 1880s as a firehouse, the building served the Cincinnati Fire Department until 1940. After that time, it was used for various industrial purposes and later artist lofts until it was vacated in 2015. Rehabilitation plans call for a mixed use with office space, indoor parking areas, and an upper floor rental unit.