Twinsburg Old School Deemed Historical, Demolition Denied

The Twinsburg Architectural Review Board has deemed the Old School historically significant and denied an application for demolition of the 92-year-old building.

On Thursday, Sept. 5 the board voted 3-2 deeming the Old School historically significant and 4-1 in favor of denying the application to demolish it.

Member Marge Gantous voted against both motions and Chairman Don Spice voted against approving its historical significance.

"After touring it I believe that it can be saved, even though it will be expensive," Jennifer Frazier said.

The vote by the board marks a victory for the Committee to Save the Twinsburg Old School, a grassroots organization that has been fighting for months to save the building until a plan could be made.

"It's part of our history, it's part of our town," Michael Turle told the board. Turle has spearheaded this movement from the beginning and rallied hundreds of members in the community to support his cause.

"There's nothing appropriate about destroying history for lack of a plan," he said.

The message struck a chord with most of the architectural review board. Member Mike DiCillo had many concerns with deciding the building's fate without having answers to big questions.

"The comments some residents make are not emotional, they make sense," DiCillo said. He doesn't think the historical preservation part of the city's code has been solidified and that the board has to determine everything as it gets it.

Not all members were convinced, however.

"i do not feel that by tearing that down we are destroying the history of Twinsburg," Gantous said. "It's memory will live on."

Gantous told the crowd that she has seen the building from all angles and didn't believe it was worth the money of renovation.

For now the fate of the Old School will be stayed. City council could likely have the final say, even though it wasn't approved by the board.

The Twinsburg Historical Society's president, Audrey Kancler, said she wanted to see the building stay, and is glad it will... for now.

"It speaks well of a community when its history is valued and buildings are maintained."