Ohio Heritage joins Buckeye Hills Regional Council for educational workshop

MARIETTA, Ohio (WTAP) - Ohio Heritage joined Buckeye Hills Regional Council to discuss how to create vibrant downtowns and thriving communities through the Main Street approach.

The educational workshop included an overview of community revitalization and the role it has for pride and quality of life.

Matt Wiederhold, executive director of Heritage Ohio explained the workshop.

“We are doing this as an invitation by communities coming in they’re seeing what’s going on around the state, they see the financial incentives for preservation, and they want to learn more about how they can bring those tools to their communities. In places like Marietta, they wanted to learn more about certified local governments, so we added that as a component for the day.”

The workshop shifted to a deep-dive discussion on Federal and State Historic Preservation Tax Credit programs for historic building rehabilitation.

Wiederhold believes old buildings are Ohio’s largest asset.

“If you renovate it, you can put in new businesses, you can build upper-floor housing to help meet our housing needs in Ohio. That really is an asset to the community. Once you put a building back online, you’re increasing the income-tax, you’re increasing the property taxes...Empty buildings don’t generate any income and they don’t add to the quality of life in the community.”

Heritage Ohio has been traveling throughout Ohio to host these educational workshops.

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