the mill could be torn down. Ohio Department of Transportation officials
held a public meeting Wednesday to allow for public comment regarding
the building's future.
ST. MARYS — State officials Wednesday afternoon held a meeting to allow
public input regarding the future of a St. Marys staple. Representatives
from the Ohio Department of Transportation and the city of St. Marys
gave brief remarks regarding the High Street bridge project. Under the
proposed project, the city is considering the possible demolition of the
grist mill.
"What we are calling the reservoir mill, which is the grain elevator
owned by St. Marys Hardware, has been determined eligible for the
National Register," ODOT District 7 spokesperson Tricia Bishop said. "It
was an early feature on the canal and it's considered to have statewide
significance."
Bishop said part of the bridge replacement could impact the structure
because of its deteriorated status. Since the mill has been classified
as historic, Bishop said state officials wanted the public's input as to
what should or could be done to preserve the building.
"If you have concerns over the demolition of the mill, which again is
just one of the things that could happen, we hope you talk about that,"
Bishop said.
Mark Droll, of Kohli & Kaliher Associates, is part of the design team
working on the bridge project for the city. The project would replace
the bridge that runs above the Miami and Erie Canal.
"We're going to put railing on the bridge to match the railing that's on
the other one," Droll said. "It's going to be the same width going
through there and will clean up the whole section real nicely."
Droll said the bridge is showing a lot of deterioration, including
damage to its steel and beams. The bridge, Droll said, has outlived its
life.
The new, single span bridge would continue the look of Lock 13. The
project will require the removal of the old abutments, excavation and
the driving of 45-foot long pilings.
"We do have some work that comes up adjacent to the mill," Droll said.
"We would have to deal with that during construction or we'll have to
see where our work limits will go."
If the mill is not removed, Droll said there is a possibility the
structure would be severely damaged because of the construction of the
bridge.
"That building is not in the greatest of shape," Droll said. "We are
weighing those options of how to best design the bridge without
impacting the mill. But should the mill become impacted, we're going to
have to deal with the issue of can it withstand construction. That is
what is unknown at this point."
According to a report prepared before the meeting, the mill was built in
1847, two years following the completion of the Miami and Erie Canal.
The power for the mill was generated by water from the mill race — which
funneled water from the canal.
Jim Heinrich, an officer with St. Marys Hardware, said he attended the
meeting to gather information regarding the project and to examine all
possible options for the mill.
"I'm really here today to listen and to learn," Heinrich said. "I have
not taken a position yet at this time."
City Engineer Craig Moeller said the bridge was built in 1941. Moeller
also said the foundation the bridge was built on dates back to 1888.
The deck was replaced in 1983 and the railings were capped 13 years ago.
The project was initially scheduled to take place in 2012. Moeller said
the time frame has changed to 2013 or 2014.
Bishop said the public meeting was held to allow as many people as
possible the option of speaking up regarding the project.
She encouraged residents who were unable to attend the meeting to go to
www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D07/PlanningandPrograms/Pages/PID83122.aspx,
where forms can be filled out and mailed electronically.
"We're going to move forward and determine what is actually needed to
build the project," Bishop said.
"If we have no involvement in that building and the building can just
stand, then we won't be harming a historic resource and we'll just move
forward and the building can just continue to stand there and continue
to deteriorate the way it already is. If we have to get into the
building, then we'll move forward with the assumption that we're going
to harm the building, we'll bring our consulting parties together to try
and identify mechanisms to mitigate the harm. Things like a recordation
of the building, aesthetic treatments in the vicinity of the project —
that kind of thing."
source: http://www.theeveningleader.com/content/view/272662/1/
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