Two new construction projects are contributing to the revitalization in the Warehouse District.

Hannon’s Block is a three-story red brick building located on 619 Monroe St.. It was built in 1872 and is in the process of being renovated into modern, “green living” apartment and town home-style residential spaces.

“It was a total mess when we got in there so we gutted it out. We still have a lot to do, but we can’t continue until we get a commercial tenant,” said Hannon’s Block leasing manager Lindsay Kozak.

Barring delays, the project will be completed in November. The building plans include eight units, six apartments and two town homes. The majority of the units will have two bedrooms; one will have three bedrooms.

“We are targeting the apartments and homes primarily toward young professionals who want to work and live Downtown but also toward empty nesters whose children have moved away and who no longer want to take care of a yard,” Kozak said.

Projects like Hannon’s Block signify a new wave of interest in the Warehouse District.

“[The property] is located right between the new Lucas County arena, Fifth Third Field and the SeaGate Centre, all major attractions in Toledo. It’s a great location and the neighborhood has a lot of potential,” Kozak said.

Lorenzen Realtors have recently sold an empty building at 610 Monroe St., a block away from third base at Fifth Third Field, to Hisham Zriem, who also owns the Maumee Chop House, an upscale restaurant on Holland Road. The project should be finished in the fall.

“I feel that the urban lifestyle is coming back, so this location would be good. A lot of people are living Downtown. There’s nightlife Downtown; there’s the ballpark and the sports arena. It’s become a vibrant area and that’s what Toledo needs,” Zriem said.

The restaurant downstairs is the focus of the project. It will be called Table 44 and will have a casual atmosphere with live entertainment on the weekends.

Hannon’s Block and 610 Monroe St. will bring an increased residential presence to the growing cultural and social activity in the Warehouse District.

A volunteer organization known as the Warehouse District Association is directly involved in urban renewal efforts in the district, which is traditionally defined by Monroe Street on the north, Logan Street on the south, 14th Street on the west and the Maumee River on the east.

“The purpose of the organization is to preserve the history of the neighborhood and to revitalize the entire Downtown area,” volunteer association director Kathy Steingraber said.

The association encourages the new construction in the area to promote a renewal of the opportunities that once existed there. Adding to the population of the area is a central goal.

“One new resident in the neighborhood increases the value of the neighborhood threefold,” Steingraber said.

Increased residency has three different effects on the neighborhood, she said. There is a social effect, as people begin to venture to local bars, coffeehouses, shops and cultural attractions.

There is a security incentive connected with increased residency. Increased street traffic is often an effective deterrent of crime.

There is also a financial effect, which benefits the entire Toledo area. The projects provide jobs in construction. Also, increased residency feeds local business.

“People like [the Warehouse District] for its small business atmosphere,” Steingraber said.

This entry was posted on Friday, May 15th, 2009 at 1:00 am and is filed under Downtown Toledo, Toledo Business Link.
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