Historic overlay district proposed for Dorr Street corridor

An effort to develop a historic overlay district reflective of and reminiscent of the historic Dorr Street corridor was announced Wednesday.

“It's really been a journey to get to this point,” Robert Smith, founder and president of the African American Legacy Project, said at a news conference. “It seems like these are the first steps, but the first steps really started 20 years ago when we first started documenting Dorr Street and trying to impress upon the community the value of this community, and we think that today represents a milestone that we're about to reach.”

The overlay would require specific design standards for development and serve to protect the character of the area in keeping with the residents’ desire to recognize and preserve historical attributes.

Before the mid-1970s, when the city began an extensive federally backed “urban renewal” project in central Toledo, the Dorr Street corridor was a hub of social life where dozens of businesses — most owned and operated by minorities — flourished.

The area boasted restaurants, shops, grocery stores, dry cleaners, business offices, financial institutions, doctors' offices, churches, hardware stores, salons, lawyers' offices, theaters, nightclubs, and more.

Last year, the city of Toledo assigned city planners and urban designers from the Collaborative consulting firm to perform a visioning study that would explore opportunities for potential future development along the Dorr corridor. A community meeting was held to share the proposed vision.

“I think there's been a lot of talks in the past, but this started when we got the grant [of $25,000] from GM, and they did like a vision for that area — and it didn't really go well,” said Esther Tetteh, city planner with Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commission. Ms. Tetteh was at that meeting where many area residents made it clear that they vehemently opposed any plans for the area without the community’s input beforehand.

“But we learned a lot of lessons from that,” she said, stating the importance of careful planning to avoid future missteps. “We realized that to start the whole process would be to create a vision — an overlay — for the area, looking at the history of that area, and developments should be compatible with history. So, that is what we're trying to do.”

Much of the land along the corridor that was once home to thriving businesses now sits as vacant plots of grass that organizers deem prime grounds for a vibrant neighborhood to once again serve its residents.

“We look forward to seeing the work from the city and then rolling up our sleeves,” said Lucas County Commissioner Anita Lopez. “Obviously, any development on the Dorr Street corridor is good for all of us.”

Ms. Lopez said that while talks of revitalization have been going on for years, there is a new energy and new ideas at the county.

“When we bring development, it brings jobs. When we bring jobs, it brings a positive, brighter community for our next generation and ours that are here today,” she said. “So as county commissioner, I look forward to working with Mr. Smith and pulling in as many resources as I can.”

The Legacy Project is hosting a day trip to the Columbus King-Lincoln Historic District on July 10 to show by way of example how a city successfully executed a similar project.

“What's really interesting is [that] the former mayor of Columbus, Michael Coleman, is going to present to us and thankfully, Mayor Coleman is native Toledoan and is willing to share his wisdom,” Mr. Smith said.

Larry James, the architect of the Columbus project led the transformation of a once decaying community into a thriving district by using its history. By taking a wide array of discerning people to see the area live and in person, it is Mr. Smith’s hope that ideas, hope and energy is sparked.

While there appears to be traction, for now, city planners are only in the “talking phases,” Ms. Tetteh said. “Nothing is set in stone,” and there is not a timeline designation.

“Overlay districts usually take a while because we have to form a committee and we have to do a lot of research and design,” she said. “The plan can be ready, but you have to see the development, and people have to come in and invest.”

Mr. Smith also announced the group’s new brand strategy: “We are one.”

“The importance of this is to drive not just within the context of [this] community, but within the context of a larger community,” Mr. Smith said. “We have this thread that we share across communities. We know how to build relationships inside and outside of the Dorr Street corridor.”