HHA Urges School District To Consider New Proposal For 1927 Building Property

The John and Alison Quagliata Charitable Family Foundation (“Quagliata Foundation”) and Hudson Heritage Association (“HHA”) have presented two separate proposals to the Hudson City School District (“District”) that will preserve the three-acre site of the 1927 Building property located on Oviatt Street in Hudson and prevent it from being sold to a private developer.

Currently, the District has an offer on the table from a developer to demolish three-quarters of the historic 1927 School Building and construct 13 townhouses and condominiums behind the 1927 Building facade. A draft letter of intent created on behalf of the District in 2021 proposes to sell the entire property to the developer, including the 1927 Building and the 1893 Saywell House, also located on the property, for $250,000.

On April 6, 2022, John and Alison Quagliata, on behalf of the Quagliata Foundation, proposed a donation of $710,000.00 to the District to cover the planning and implementation costs to reuse the 1927 Building property for an outdoor learning area to be held and controlled by the District for the direct benefit of Hudson students. The Quagliata proposal is consistent with both the deed restriction limiting the use of the property to school purposes in place when it was transferred to the District in 1926, and the Master Facilities Plan promoted by the District in 2017. The proposal also furthers the District’s mission to provide a safe, nurturing and diverse learning environment. It would involve the use of the property for an outdoor learning area for students and would also retain the oak trees and limit the use of the Elm Street alley to protect against pedestrian and traffic conflicts. Finally, the proposal mitigates against any impact on the taxpayers, covers other costs concerning the reuse of the 1927 Building property, and ensures that students are directly benefitted.

On April 28, 2022, HHA presented the District with a second proposal-contingent upon and complementary to the Quagliata Proposal being accepted. The HHA proposal includes: (1) an offer to purchase the 1893 Saywell House for more than the appraised value as determined by the District in 2021 so it can be restored and maintained as a private residence in the Historic District under Landmark status; (2) funding and coordination of an Historic American Building Survey (HABS) to document the building and site that will be filed with the Library of Congress; (3) support from HHA to nominate, sponsor and work with the Ohio History Connection (formerly the Ohio Historical Society) to seek an Ohio Historical Marker describing the site and its significance to Hudson’s educational past; and (4) a donation of $50,000 to the District to salvage key architectural components of the front facade of the 1927 Building to be used in the design of the project by the District if the District desires.

Both the Quagliata Foundation and the HHA proposal support the District’s intent for the property as outlined in the latest Hudson Schools’ Master Facility Plan, support student learning and experience, consider the impact of potential development on the immediate single-family neighborhood in the heart of Hudson’s historic village core, and align with the original 1926 deed restriction on the property.

“We appreciate the enormous generosity of the Quagliata Foundation, whose proposal has paved the way for HHA’s contingent proposal,” Kathy Russell, co-president of Hudson Heritage Association said. “We also appreciate the generosity of another donor who has enabled HHA to fund the preservation initiatives presented in the HHA proposal. The caliber of Hudson’s schools is one of the primary reasons families choose to move here. But just as important, families choose to move here because of Hudson’s unique character, anchored by its Historic District. The 1927 Building and the land on which it sits are pivotal to the vitality of Hudson’s Historic District. These proposals provide a solution to a challenging situation, and we hope the Hudson City School Board will seriously consider them as it prepares to make a decision about this property.”

The District is currently reviewing all proposals and is expected to make its decision this month.

About the John and Alison Quagliata Family Charitable Foundation: Founded in 2014, the John and Alison Quagliata Family Charitable Foundation was organized as an Ohio non-profit corporation for charitable, education and scientific purposes. It provides cash donations to a variety of organizations. The Foundation provides support for educational access for children, including artistic and cultural disciplines, medical research and patient care and initiatives combating community deterioration. Support donations are within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.