A controversy, fired by uninformed ax-grinding, has been raging on Facebook over the future of the “Old Hospital” at 416 W. Wooster Street. A change of zoning request is currently pending to permit the creation of a duplex. For those genuinely concerned about property values as well the fate of this historic building, which I purchased in “as is” condition a couple of years ago, please consider the following facts.
I believe the building was constructed in the 1860s or ‘70s, making it the oldest, still existing, structure on Wooster Street. It was commissioned by one of the early medical practitioners of our region: Dr. Andrew J. Manville, a prominent citizen in his day. He played a key role in relocating both the Wood County seat of government and the county fair from Perrysburg to Bowling Green.
However, Dr. Manville did not intend the building to be a single-family home. He had it constructed to house his medical practice as well his family. As was customary in that era, the doctor saw patients and even performed surgeries in a specially outfitted section of the house.
The building became our “Community Hospital” and served as the main medical center of Wood County from 1932 – 1951. Numerous residents of northwest Ohio were born in the hospital over this time, despite the fact that no elevator was available to take laboring women to the second-floor birthing room. For all of these reasons, I am committed to rehabilitating the badly deteriorated structure and preserving as much of its historic character as I feasibly can.
As long as I’ve lived in the neighborhood (since 1996), at least four of the historic buildings on W. Wooster between Church and Maple Streets have been multi-unit rental properties. Currently, to the best of my knowledge, two of these are well-maintained duplexes. Driving by, many people probably assume they are single-family homes. Another is an eight-unit apartment building, which also appears adequately maintained, at least on the exterior, and one has been unoccupied for the past decade, if not longer. The latter has deteriorated considerably over that time.
In addition, within these same two blocks, there is also a minimum of two single-family homes that are currently under rental. One of these has been occupied since last fall by a group of five unrelated young people. Those who have expressed concern about multi-unit rentals need to realize that R-1 zoning alone does not protect neighborhoods. Only caring people can do that.
If there was a demand for hundred-year-old, near-downtown homes for single-family use, wouldn’t some of the buildings I’ve mentioned—certainly, the unoccupied one—be getting offers? Wouldn’t we see restoration projects underway? How long should we sit and wait for such well-heeled, civic-minded buyers to show up? Most families able to afford large homes tend to prefer the new construction available at the far end of Wooster St., adjoining Stoneridge.
If anyone reading my words knows of a single-family buyer interested in a historic building in need of hundreds of thousands of dollars in restoration, please feel free to put them in touch with me. I’m happy to discuss possibilities, although I don’t understand why this hypothetical buyer enjoys greater trust than myself, a current and nearly 30-year resident of the adjoining block. Any purchaser could turn around the next day and create a rental at 416 without dividing the space into a duplex. At over 3270 square feet (which excludes the full basement and large attic), the undivided building could easily house twenty people. I propose to house from three to eight people in two units. Because the structure currently has no plumbing, no heating system, and no drywall, my project is nothing like the practice of chopping up an intact, functional home into multiple apartments.
Before requesting a zoning change, I discussed possible development of 416 with dozens of people, including neighbors, realtors, the boards of nearly every local non-profit organization, and officials from the State of Ohio’s Office of Historic Preservation. Not one individual or group expressed interest in investing in the property, much less overseeing the work. Indeed, the Office of Historic Preservation recommended creating housing units as I am hoping to do.
Anesa Miller
Bowling Green
