May Newsletter

May 6, 2023

As HHA closes out the year, we would like to give special recognition and thanks to our all-volunteer Board of Directors. These individuals work tirelessly to provide quality programming, produce newsletters, research historic buildings, honor preservation and advocate on important issues to help protect the historical integrity of our community. We are grateful for their commitment and expertise as they help maintain the high standards of our organization.  

THANK YOU!

Nora Jacobs, Vice President/Marketing Committee Chair

Marty McCormick, Treasurer

Barbara Van Blarcum, Secretary

Rebecca Leiter, Research Committee Chair

Linda Matty, Program Committee Chair

Jon Ridgway, Newsletter Editor/Advocacy Committee Chair

Shelley Sedlacek, Preservation Awards Chair

Erin Dickinson

Nicholas Kent

Phil Leiter

Betsy Lockwood

Susan Newman

Curt Van Blarcum

Hudson Comprehensive Plan

Please make your voices heard! The Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee is working on a statistically valid Community Survey with ETC Institute, a firm that specializes in gathering data from residents to help local governments with community planning. The purpose of the survey is to determine the wants and needs of Hudson. Draft questions were submitted by the committee, revised, and discussed at subsequent meetings, and a final survey is being completed based on feedback. A random sampling technique will be used to select households, which will receive the mail survey. However, if you don’t receive one, you will be able to complete the survey online. The tentative dates for the survey are May 17 through June 14, 2023. HHA will remind you of this important research and your opportunities to participate as details are finalized.

For more information about the Comprehensive Plan, please click here.

1927 Building Agreement Governing Use of the Property 

On May 31, 2022, the Hudson City School District (HCSD) passed a resolution authorizing its representatives to enter into negotiations with the Quagliata family on the future use of 2.7 acres comprising the 1927 Building site that would require the property to be used for public school purposes. Upon reaching a mutual agreement, a donation to the HCSD was to be made by the Quagliata Family Foundation.

The Agreement was finalized in April 2023. Some of the provisions in the document are as follows:

• The Quagliata Foundation's donation to the School District may be used for any purposes consistent with the operation of a public school and for any purposes necessary to carry out the School District's obligations.
• Ten thousand dollars will be used to assist in the development of a concept plan for the property consistent with the Agreement.
• The use of the property is restricted to educational purposes that comply with Federal, State and local regulations, including but not limited to purposes consistent with the operation of a public school district.
• The use of the service alley on Elm Street will be limited to faculty/staff and emergency purposes (consistent with past uses) or may be eliminated entirely.
• A 99-year covenant obligates the School District to retain, keep, maintain, and preserve the lawn and oak trees that currently exist on the westernmost 180 feet of the Property, referred to as the “Preserved Area.”
• If the lawn and oak trees cannot be reasonably retained, kept, maintained, and/or preserved, the HCSD agrees that the “Preserved Area” will be kept as “open space” accessible to the public.
• The “open space” may include the following uses (and other similar uses) such as grassy areas, walkways, a rain garden or similar in-ground natural water run-off control, benches suitable for a park setting, natural landscape enhancements such as mounds or boulders, shrubbery, statues or monuments not above eight (8) feet in height, trees, or planting beds. It may not include structures other than those necessary to support the foregoing uses.

The agreement precludes the use of the 1927 Building salvaged artifacts on the site due to height restrictions. 

What is Demolition by Neglect?

In recent years, some of our most important and historic buildings reached a severely deteriorated state, most notably the Baldwin-Buss House. Monitoring structures for disrepair and neglect is important to preserving these cultural assets for the future. Below is a noteworthy article published by Preserve Rhode Island, a nonprofit group working to protect historic places through advocacy, stewardship, and preservation programs. Its content is relevant to all communities interested in retaining the historical aesthetic and fabric of their communities. Included below are pictures illustrating neglect in Hudson today.

Demolition by neglect is one of the most common and challenging issues facing historic preservation and historic district commissions across the country. If properties within historic districts are allowed to deteriorate to the point of requiring demolition, the character of, and rationale for, the historic district diminishes over time. Thus, tackling demolition by neglect is crucial to the survival of historic districts.

Rotted soffit due to neglect and poor gutter maintenance.

Rotted sill plate and fascia board due to clogged gutters and poor maintenance.

Location: Hudson, Ohio (2023)

Overt lack-of-maintenance is one strategy used by some property owners who hope it will lead to permission to demolish a building and reuse the property it sits on, often for a different and more intense purpose. Once a historic building has suffered extraordinary neglect, owners will argue that the cost of repairing the building in its deteriorated state is prohibitive and thus creates an economic hardship. And unless the local preservation by-law clearly defines what “economic hardship” is and how owners are required to prove that the hardship exists, communities are left deciding on a case-by-case basis whether economic hardship is an appropriate justification for demolishing a particular historic building.

Peeling and flaking paint on window casings and panes 

exposes the historic wood windows to rot and decay

 that may eventually require replacement.

Location: Hudson, Ohio (2023)

Demolition by neglect may also be used by some property owners to sidestep the authority of their community’s preservation or historic district commission. As a building deteriorates, local building officials may be forced to step in and address the public health and safety liability by ordering the demolition of the neglected property, regardless of its status within an identified and legally regulated historic area.

Property owners may also abandon their historic properties for various other reasons, including simply not having the financial wherewithal to maintain the property, and thus allowing the property to fall passively into the demolition by neglect category. 

The complete article and additional web resources pertaining to the subject can be viewed by clicking here.

Another instance of peeling and flaking paint

that compromises the building materials causing rot.

Location: Hudson, Ohio (2023)

Exterior Lighting Fixtures

In a quandary about how to size your exterior light fixtures? The most common error is selecting lighting that is too small. Fixtures that are undersized will get lost when viewing the house at a distance. Use these simple rules to help guide you:

• As a rule of thumb, fixtures should be sized to measure 1/4 to 1/3 of the front door's height because lanterns will appear around half the size from 50 feet away.
• If two lights are used on either side of a door, the pieces used can be slightly smaller, say one-quarter the height of the entryway.
• As a rule of thumb, outdoor entryway lights should be positioned at eye level, so that the center point is right around 66 to 72 inches above the floor.
• It is recommended that lights are placed 6” from the edge of the door.
• Pendant lights placed above your doorway should be at least 1/4 of the width of the doorway and approximately 1/5 the height of the doorway.
• For post and fence lighting, bigger is most often better. Perspective will make these fixtures appear smaller from further distances.

Hudson Garden Club

Congratulations to the Hudson Garden Club which will be celebrating its 75^th anniversary this year! As an organization, HGC is dedicated to spreading the knowledge and love of gardening, beautifying public property, and supporting education of horticulture and related fields.  

This year’s Home and Garden Tour takes place June 16 and 17. The club also sponsors a Garden Shop, Tea Room, and luncheon during the two-day event. Proceeds from the tour fund the Garden Club’s annual scholarships, grants, school programs, mentoring workshops, tree planting in Hudson and community gardening projects. Additional details about the tour can be found by clicking here.

HHA Membership

It’s time to renew your Hudson Heritage Association membership for the 2023/2024 membership year. Membership in HHA shows your commitment to historic preservation and supports HHA’s mission to preserve the historical architecture and streetscape of Hudson. Our donations and newsletter subscribers continue to grow – a testament to the work we do and the commitment of our audience. As great as that news is, to effectively continue our work, we need additional financial support. In fact, we hope that if you’re a long-time Hudson Heritage Association supporter and believe in our work, you will consider making an additional contribution this year to help sustain our advocacy efforts. If you’re joining for the first time, we welcome you to our membership and hope your decision to join will be repeated for many years to come.  Membership appeal letters will arrive in mid-May. Or, if you prefer, you may join or renew online by clicking here.

Your contributions are appreciated and are crucial to our success. Thank you in advance for your belief in our work!

HHA Programs

Hudson Heritage Association has concluded its monthly speakers’ series and will resume programs in September. Special thanks to Linda Matty and her committee for bringing us such an interesting array of topics.

HHA will host its members-only general meeting on Thursday, May 11 at 7:00 p.m. at the Chapel, Western Reserve Academy. Preservation Awards will be given to property owners who have made notable contributions to restore buildings that adhere to high preservation standards and honor the historical integrity of the property. The Distinguished Contribution to Hudson Award will also be granted to recognize the achievements of individuals who have contributed their time and energy to historic preservation. A wine and dessert reception will follow in the Wilson Hall Reading Room. If you haven’t already RSVP’d, please do so by clicking here.

Be well and stay healthy.

Kathy Russell & Diccon Ong

Co-Presidents

Hudson Heritage Association

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