Save the Bell Tower Cincy

06/14/2022

Hope!

Progress in mediation has led to an opening to Save the Bell Tower!

An independent third-party engineering report has identified a new path for both the immediate repair and long-term rehabilitation of the 127 year old structure. In a joint statement with OTR A.D.O.P.T., First Lutheran Church has expressed a commitment to save the bell tower if the community can raise sufficient funds to complete the work outlined in that report.

This is great news for the bell tower, the congregation, and the entire Over-the-Rhine community!

We now need your help to make preserving the Bell Tower a reality. Whether you previously made a pledge, or whether you are just now hearing about us, we are asking you to make a tax-deductible donation at this time to the Cincinnati Preservation Association at the link below. CPA will be collecting the funds for the immediate repairs to the bell tower. (If for some reason repairs to the bell tower do not occur, we will reach out to you individually to refund your donation).

https://cincinnatipreservation.org/donate-to-save-first-lutheran-church-bell-tower/

Time is of the essence, so we ask that you make a financial contribution as soon as possible. Thank you so much for your unwavering belief in this project, and, of course, for your financial support!

02/26/2022

URGENT — ACTION NEEDED

The historic landmark First Lutheran Church Bell Tower is in SERIOUS DANGER of DEMOLITION.

The City Of Cincinnati Government plans to release demolition permits to the Church on Monday, and DEMOLITION could BEGIN THIS WEEK.

Please email Pastor Ferguson and the First Lutheran Church Cincinnati leadership team as soon as possible, urging them to accept the City’s request to get back into mediation with the community to reach a win/win for all parties.

Emails:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Please also email and call your council members and City Solicitor Andrew Garth urging them not to release demolition permits until mediation can be had to find a win/win.

Emails:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Calls:
Andrew Garth: 513-352-3345

https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/council/contact-us/

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Background Information to Use for Calls and Emails:

- The Community has worked in good faith for many months to find a win/win that allows the church to save their bell tower and to flourish in their beautiful building.

- With the help of pledges and donations from 110 community members and 12 organizations, we have raised $490,000 and are asking the church to take the money and repair their bell tower so they can get back in their building.

- We have also offered to raise an additional $1 million for a longer term, full restoration of the bell tower to return it to its former glory.

- The Church hired engineer Randy Wilson of THP Limited Inc. — the same engineer who did the engineering for the ill-fated Gamble House — whose proposed upgrades would cost $3 million, making it impossible to save the bell tower.

- A Second engineer commissioned by the Community found that the tower is not an immediate danger to the public, is in relatively good condition, and can be repaired and made safe at a fraction of the cost.

- The City’s Chief Building Official Art Dahlberg agrees that the second engineers repairs are sufficient to make the tower safe and to allow the City to lift their orders.

- The Community has offered to pay for a third engineer to resolve the engineering dispute, but the offer has not been accepted.

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Please do not be mean in your emails or comments. Please be kind. First Lutheran Church congregation has been a valuable member of the community for 180 years and we want them to continue their ministry on Washington Park. They are not our enemies.

We need to come together as community members with level heads and reach a win/win solution in this time of hyper partisanship. Neither side has been perfect in this. Now is the time to come together for the common good.

WE URGE YOU TO MAKE CALLS AND SEND EMAILS

Monique John
THP Limited Inc.
Councilmember Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney
Chris Heckman

First Lutheran Church and the Community are urgently working to restore the 126-year-old Bell Tower rising over Race Street in Over-the-Rhine.

08/27/2021

We've received some feedback that we have not shared First Lutheran's position with the community. Our team considered sharing this information more broadly but ultimately felt that the statements would likely draw negative attention to the church because they did not say why the latest proposal was rejected. It was not an attempt to share less than the full story.

Throughout this process, our intention has always been to provide relevant and important updates to the community. It is in this spirit of transparency that we share the messages provided to us on 8/9 & 8/19 by the church regarding their decision.

You can read them at otradopt.com/bell_tower/

We remain hopeful that this decision will be reversed and appreciate your continued support.

Letter to Supporters Proposal to FLC Leadership Letter from Art Dahlberg JCA Engineering Report Donate via PayPal Pledge OTR ADOPT is a community partner in the effort to save the First Lutheran Church Bell Tower. Map

08/27/2021

Without regular maintenance it’s no surprise that a 126-year-old bell tower would need a little TLC, however there is no sign of imminent collapse.

The latest engineering report stated that “the bell tower structure was in good condition with limited areas of repair noted on the site.”

The needed work does not rise to the level of substantial as defined by the building code.

Funding to support the tower has come from private donors. We have the money. We have a plan. Let’s 🔔

otradopt.com/bell_tower/

08/26/2021

The 126-year-old bell tower’s fate has been uncertain for months as the church pursued funding, including from the city of Cincinnati. The money raised by preservationists and others has come from the private sector. The city ordered the bell tower’s demolition on Nov. 10, 2020, because of deterioration and structural concerns.



Cincinnati Business Courier

08/25/2021

Take a listen to see what Danny Klingler from OTR A.D.O.P.T. had to say in an update to WLWT.

"This approach has been approved by the city, meets the code standards, meets all the safety requirements, and we have the money to do it."

08/24/2021

How different would this skyline look without that beautiful bell tower soaring over Washington Park?

We currently have:

🔔 a city approved engineering plan

🔔 the funding in place to support that plan

We must !

🗣 Let’s hear it from you, Cincy! Head to the church and take a selfie, post a video, or comment on our feed and tell us WHY this place matters.

08/21/2021

Tonight we shared with our supporters an update regarding the fate of the bell tower.

A copy of that letter can be found at otradopt.com/bell_tower/

Here’s the highlights:

🔔 Julie Cromwell & Associates (JCA), a reputable local engineering firm, has created a solution that would

🔔 The City’s Chief Building Official has officially acknowledged that JCA’s approach meets the City’s code requirements

🔔 We have secured the necessary funding to support the stabilization and restoration work as proposed by JCA, which would repair the tower back to its original condition and add additional structural support

🔔 We have secured a contractor who is willing to mobilize to begin stabilization work immediately

🔔 Knowing this, First Lutheran leadership stands by the June 23 decision to demolish the tower

So what now?

Our team will continue to work towards a path to stabilize and restore the tower until it no longer stands. We are encouraging you to:

✔️ Send a letter of support to local media, including opinion pieces

✔️ Spread the word to your friends and colleagues

✔️ Make a pledge to help fund the restoration if First Lutheran changes their plan

Other actions such as an appeal of the city's demolition permits and protests are being considered. If you want to lend your support in those ways, feel free to send us a DM. And of course, if you have ideas or thoughts you’d like to share directly with the church, contact information can be found at firstlutherancincy.org/faith.

We are forever grateful for your continued support and passion in preserving this 126-year-old icon.

08/11/2021

We have been met with another hurdle in our efforts to save the bell tower as the church leadership team did not accept our most recent proposal. They responded with the following statement:

"After thorough reflection and conversation, guided and informed by the varied complexities and considerations outlined above, we have reluctantly, yet resolutely, voted to stand by the June 23 decision to demolish the bell tower."

However, we did receive some useful feedback and continue to pursue additional solutions that could result in saving the tower. Our challenge is time, and demolition is imminent. We are not giving up.

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?

It's time to once again use your voice for good in respectfully asking the leadership team to reconsider by sending them a message through [email protected].

Similar to your messages to city council, let them know why this place matters and deserves to be preserved. Tell them what you believe the tower adds to the community, how you experience it, and/or what will be lost if it is destroyed.

08/06/2021

This week we had the opportunity to once again speak with the church leadership team about our continued efforts to save our beloved bell tower. We presented them with a proposal that contained a new engineering report, a revised construction bid, and updated fundraising numbers that we believe is compelling enough to halt demolition and move forward with preservation.

Our presentation has generated a great deal of conversation and the leadership team is processing a lot of new information in a short amount of time. While we don’t have an update to give you right this moment, we hope to have good news to share in the coming days.

Keep the faith, tower supporters! And stay tuned…

First Lutheran Church is a vibrant congregation in in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio located on the streetcar line directly across from Washington Park.

07/13/2021

We may have been quiet for the last few weeks since a decision was made to bring the tower down, but let us assure you we are continuing our fight. Our team has been working tirelessly, working with engineers, contractors, and donors to find a new path amenable to all parties. Keep the faith and stay tuned for updates we hope to share soon!

📸: Paul Muller