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Editor:
The teardown of the oldest commercial buildings, now 220 years old, in the state of Ohio would be sacrilege. Those buildings were deeded March 23, 1805, one day following Thomas Jefferson receiving the final payment from Lewis Kinney for the land to be known as New Lisbon, Ohio. Tearing them down would result in the loss of an entire half block of Lisbon's downtown. Who doesn't awe at the archway half-way up that block?
In Europe, it is against the law to tear down anything over 200 years old. They must wait to be restored. There are buildings in Lisbon, Portugal, for example, built when the Crusaders' horses walked their cobblestone streets, which was before Columbus discovered America, that have stood abandoned,and are now being restored, 900 years later. They have learned, that once restored and functional again, they draw business in a way that a new building cannot.
What foolishness that in one of the oldest towns in Ohio, -- Lisbon -- that has the greatest concentration of historic structures in one area, and people consider tearing them down, without seeing that same potential. It is like throwing gold away.
Anyone who knows how to date buildings by their bricks will tell you these are very early hand-pressed bricks, dating to the early 1800s. The bricks on the Market Street buildings saved from destruction match those of the Courthouse Inn as well, and the Courthouse Inn is considered Ohio's oldest brick building.
This is our state's oldest history, and anyone knowledgeable in restoration can make these equally beautiful and functioning, providing the village, and county seat, with buildings that bring pride and tax dollars not only to our village but our county as well. But unless protected from teardown, can mean a loss that can never be replaced.
Look at a Zillow map of Columbus (Zillow is a real estate site). Where Columbus is zoned historic, between High Street and Parsons Avenue, you see houses and businesses that have been restored, listing for a million dollars, more or less. Look at those buildings, they are buildings you would see in Lisbon, only their demolition is prohibited. And historic restoration guidelines are in place. Then look beyond their historic boundaries, on that same Zillow map these districts unprotected, and they are selling tops for $30,000 to $50,000 (Lisbon).
Stronger measures need to be taken to protect our buildings and downtown before it is all gone. Then we have nothing. Being the oldest, being the county seat, having the bike trail, all of which combine bring fresh faces to our town, perhaps investors … they all work together to building a future. Lose our buildings, and we lose it all.
Stevie Halverstadt
Lisbon