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Owners hold the keys to Poland’s historic buildings
By Ashley Luthern
Driving along South Main Street in the village, visitors will pass more than 25 historical buildings, dating as far back as 1804.
Many likely would assume that the village has a historical-preservation ordinance to protect these structures.
“That idea is a myth. Poland Village has virtually no preservation laws at all,” said J. Michael Thompson, who has been chairman of the planning commission in the village zoning department for six years. His village home is 191 years old.
Thompson said he wants feedback from village residents about historic preservation and whether the village government should pursue regulations.
Although there are architectural- and design- review processes for incoming businesses, there are no laws regulating what can and cannot be done to an existing historical structure.
Historic ordinances would put limitations on private-property rights, said Atty. Anthony D’Apolito, village solicitor.
“We can ask that they generally maintain them, but we can’t make them take care of them. We only expect someone would appreciate the homes,” D’Apolito said.
“Maintaining a historic home is good to a point,” Mazur said. “You can’t impede progress. If they want to add on or change the color, they should be able to do that.”
The president of the Poland Historical Society said changes are acceptable to a certain extent.
“My goal ... is to preserve what Poland was, not re-create what never was. A lot of times, [owners] take [a historical property] to the point where it looks brand new. You have to leave some character flaws,” Joan Madej said.
Becky Rudzik has been balancing living in a historic home with the needs of living in the 21st century.
Rudzik grew up in Poland, graduating from Poland Seminary High School in 1989, and spot-ted her “dream home” on South Main Street when she was 5.
Rudzik lives with her family in the Kirtland-Hine house built in 1845, across from the Poland Presbyterian Church. The home was built by George Kirtland — the son of Turhand Kirtland, one of Poland’s founders — and later was occupied by his niece Emma Kirtland, who married Samuel Hine.
Rudzik’s husband, Mark Rogenski, was hesitant to buy the house when it was up for auction. The dirt floors in the basement, an unused second story in the home and one bathroom for the 4,400-square-foot home were enough to worry him, Rudzik said.
The couple purchased the house in 2002, knowing a huge project faced them. A year of renovations was needed to ready the house for Rudzik, Rogenski and their three children, Libby, Ellie and Marik, to occupy it.
“I’ve always loved this house. We put in bathrooms. We have every modern convenience, but you can still get a sense of what it looked like when it was first built,” she said.
The property, including the house, barn/garage and the 1890 playhouse, is valued at $285,200, according to the Mahoning County auditor’s website.
To offer your ideas about historic preservation in Poland, send letters to Poland Village Planning Commission, 308 S. Main St., Poland, OH 44514.