CINCINNATI — The Evanston community is at odds over the former Hoffman school building and whether it should get a historic designation from the city.
The City Planning Commission voted 6-1 against the historic designation in a marathon meeting Friday, with public comment and the vote taking more than two hours.
"We haven't had this many people signed up for an item since FCC,” said Commission Chair Byron Statworth.
The building is now owned by Christ Temple Baptist Church, who wants to sell it to a developer.
Kingsley and Company, the developer who plans to buy it, is against the historic designation. It has a contract with plans to demolish the building to build housing.
"There's no doubt that Hoffman is a beautiful building, but we're in an affordable housing crisis and the community's needs and the cities needs far outweigh preserving,” said Sonya Jindal Tork, whose firm represents Kinglsey and Company.
The developer’s plans include 350 mixed income units, which Principal Chinedum Ndukwe said during the meeting this would include units at 30%-60% of Area Median Income (AMI), units at 40%-80% AMI and market rate units.
Members of the Christ Temple Baptist Church congregation and leadership as well as other community members all spoke at the meeting, some saying the issue is about business owners and their rights.
Christ Temple Baptist Church Pastor Peterson Mingo said it’s not the church asking for the historic designation, it’s an outside group.
"But still, they're going to tell us what to do with our property,” he said.
Others said it’s a race issue too, since the church is a predominantly black congregation and many who are in favor of the historic designation are white.
On the other side of the issue, some shared personal stories like Carrie Stacy who said she lives nearby the building and goes there regularly with her family.
"It's 507 toddler steps from my front door to the fence of the Hoffman school property,” she said. "We go for family whiffleball tournaments we host there.”
Others pointed out preserving the building is part of the Evanston Neighborhood Plan and housing could be built without demolishing the building.
“Reusing the school is in itself sustainable as it will keep demolition debris out of the infill and maintain a building that has been around for 100 years,” said Beth Johnson, Executive Director of the Cincinnati Preservation Association.
The issue goes to Cincinnati City Council next for a final decision.
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