Parchen Building Rehabilitation Underway - Cont'd

Recognizing its unusual architecture and visualizing its potential, Ellison, a designer of traditional buildings, purchased the property from Ohio City Near West Development Corp. a couple of years ago.  At the time, it was on the verge of demolition after efforts to rehabilitate it by the nonprofit organization fell through.  Ellison removed a fire-damaged frame building immediately west of it and a condemned small frame building to the east, enabling him to restore blocked-up window openings.  He also removed a plain rear wing that replaced an earlier one-story brick wing.  The east side has been landscaped and a bus shelter will rise in a pretty garden.  Ellison has parking in the rear and plans this season to landscape the west lot into a beautiful herb and flower garden.
 
The building has two storefronts, one of which is largely intact and under restoration, the other will be reconstructed.  It has spacious ceilings, especially on the tall second floor.  The unusual massive wood truss ceiling enables the hipped roof to be supported entirely on its perimeter walls.  Three skylights will light the broad staircase.  The intent is to move Ellison's architectural offices to this building and have living and additional work space, all with original ceilings and the historic windows preserved, with new windows in the restored openings matching exactly the originals.

David Ellison, who serves as organizer for Cleveland activities for Classical America, http://www.classicist.org/ has applied for federal preservation subsidies for this project.  Steven McQuillin serves as preservation consultant on this project.