Council grants Historic Status to Wells Sherman House

The Kent Wells Sherman House will be declared a historic property — once it's moved to a permanent location.

Kent City Council voted this week to bestow historic status upon the house, which dates to the late 1800s and has ties to Kent’s namesake family.

Council has the authority to identify local historic properties as part of an effort made in 2012 for the city to earn certified local government status through the Ohio Historic Preservation Office. Kent underwent that process last year in order to bestow the designation upon Acorn Corner, which was renovated this year and has since opened to the public.

Bridget Susel, Kent’s Community Development Department director, said the status for the Kent Wells Sherman House won’t become final until it is placed on a permanent foundation.

“It has to be a permanent structure,” she said.

Right now, the house remains on mover’s cribbing on land owned by Kent State University at the dead end of East College Avenue, where it was moved in August 2012 to avoid demolition and allow for the start of construction on the Esplanade project.

Roger Thurman, vice president of the Kent Wells Sherman House Inc. board, which is working to relocate the house, said they anticipate moving the house this summer to a lot owned by the group at 247 N. Water St. pending a final decision in the court case over the move.

“We are prevailing against that,” Thurman said of the court case, which is in the administrative appeal phase.

Council voted unanimously in committee Wednesday to grant the designation. Council will vote again this month to finalize the designation, and the Ohio Historic Preservation Office will be sent official notice once the house is relocated to a permanent site.

Wednesday’s vote came with minimal vocal public opposition compared to the dozens of people who signed petitions and gathered at past public meetings to speak out against the relocation of the house to the lot, which has been used for decades by Standing Rock Cultural Arts, supporters of which filed the lawsuit last fall trying to stop the relocation.

Only two people spoke against the move, including Jeff Ingram.

Ingram is executive director of the arts group but said he spoke for himself and not SRCA Wednesday.

“What we’re losing to preserve this house is a lot more than we’re gaining,” he said, referencing the lost green space that has since been cleared of trees in preparation for the move.

The court case has mired financing for the relocation, as Kent Wells Sherman House Inc. has been unable to obtain any bank loans due to the cloud cast over the title by the lawsuit.

Still, Thurman said the group has been able to secure enough private financing to move forward with the project. He said they anticipate the court case will end in their favor, at which point they will be able to secure bank financing for the bulk of the cost.

Ann Ward, chairperson of the Kent Wells Sherman House board, said this house is one of only five left in the city with a direct connection to the Kent family.