Review and Compliance

Ohio Modern Survey

In 2009, the Ohio Historic Preservation Office launched the Ohio Modern initiative. The goal was to establish a foundation of information to help future researchers, projects, and designation of architectural styles, property types, and building technology in Ohio from 1940-1970.

The opportunity for us to complete a history-architecture survey identifying and evaluating Recent Past properties and neighborhoods in eight Dayton-area communities was the first of its kind, not just for us as a company, but the first comprehensive study to be done for Mid-Century resources in Ohio. We partnered with Historic Preservation professionals Nathalie Wright and Kathy Mast Kane to document 500 properties in the City of Dayton and neighboring suburban communities including Centerville, Huber Heights, Trotwood, Fairborn, Kettering, Oakwood, and Vandalia.

One aspect of studying properties from this era that sets it apart from all others is the availability of living architects, builders, developers, who designed, built, and created the Modern landscape extant today. We can appreciate and study Art Deco, Greek Revival, or Beaux Arts style buildings, but we don’t have the valuable insight of being able to directly interview the craftsmen and people behind their construction.

It was a highlight of the project to conduct oral history interviews with local builders, contractors, designers, and architects from the era. The interviews provided one of a kind opportunity to fully understand the trends, excitement, and essence of the Mid-Century building boom.

We put all of this rich knowledge into an architectural survey report that now serves as a resource for OHPO on mid-20th Century resources, including a 108-page section just on architectural elements and materials. The findings were presented at the Ohio Modern: Preserving Our Recent Past symposium at The Ohio Historical Society.

Services We Provided