A BRIEF HISTORY
UpTown holds a unique place in Toledo’s history. Most
see the area only as it exists today, not realizing the grandness
of its past. UpTown was platted into development sized lots
between 1855 and 1901. Demand for housing close to downtown
spurred residential development shortly thereafter. By the
late 1800’s, trolley lines extended along Adams, Monroe
and Washington Streets providing convenient transportation
to downtown and heightening the district’s appeal.
Stately mansions of Toledo’s more wealthy residents
were constructed on large lots fronting the major streets,
with the smaller interior lots developed with less pretentious
homes. Commercial development, attracted by the expanding
population, began to appear on the streets traveled by trolleys,
particularly Adams and Monroe Streets.
Continued expansion
of downtown Toledo during the early 1900’s
and the growing demand for housing resulted in many of
the single family homes being demolished to make way for
apartment buildings. Auto service garages and parking lots
were constructed along major streets and businesses that
catered to the needs of downtown companies began to appear.
During this time, the Toledo Catholic Diocese acquired
several lots on the corner of Madison and 23rd Streets
including the home of prominent banker Col. Sheldon C.
Reynolds, and constructed what would be the first building
of the Mercy Hospital complex. The facility has grown to
occupy the entire area between Jefferson and Madison and
21st and 23rd Streets. The early 1900’s also brought
the construction of the Toledo Club at Madison and 14th
and the new main Post Office (now the Jefferson Center)
at Madison and 13th.
In the late 1920’s and 1930’s,
further redevelopment happened with the construction of
the Hillcrest Hotel (1929) and the Macomber (1938) and
Whitney (1939) Vocational High Schools.
Development lagged
after World War II, but in the 1950’s
and 1960’s, several mid-century modern commmercial
buildings were constructed in close proximity to the Mercy
properties. More recent developments include construction
of the new St. Paul’s Methodist church on Madison
to replace its original building which was destroyed by
fire in 1979.
The late 1980’s experienced continued
improvement including: The Toledo Trust operations building,
now The Source at Monroe and 14th, SSOE, Brooks Insurance
and the Lucas County Juvenile Detention facility.
More
recent developments include the Toledo Metro Federal Credit
Union on Adams Street, the Toledo Lucas County Main Library
expansion, the UpTown Arts Apartments on 14th and the New
Cheney Flats at Adams and 17th.
In 2005, Toledo City Council
adopted the UpTown Association’s
proposal to create an Arts and Entertainment Village overlay
for the UpTown district. The Association also partnered
with a local developer to pursue redevelopment of the long-vacant
three story building at 1301 Adams into a mixed use project
containing ground floor commercial space and market-rate
apartments on the upper floors.
Other changes include the
continued conversion of streets back to two-way use including
Washington and Monroe Streets. Portions of Madison and
Jefferson were converted in mid 2006 with plans by the
city to continue as funds permit.
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