Progress called slow on Lathrop House site
By MIKE JONES
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Members of the Friends of the Lathrop House are frustrated over what they say is a lack of progress in finding a new location in Sylvania for the 1830s-era building.
The 2-year-old group named after early owners of the home, formed to save the building from demolition by its owners, the Catholic Diocese of Toledo.
The group’s interest in it is primarily from its earlier use as a stop for escaping slaves headed to Canada on the Underground Railroad.
St. Joseph Catholic Church parish intends to use the land and its surrounding 4 acres for buildings and to connect to land it owns east of the site.
Church officials said they intend to construct a multi-purpose building and develop recreational facilities on a total of 12 acres that the diocese owns.
Ted Ligibel, group chairman, said the organization has collected about $160,000 in cash and pledges to move the building, but now must rely on representatives of Sylvania and from St. Joseph to agree to a site so the building can be moved.
It has been "understood" that the house would be moved to property on the north side of the parking lot next to the Lathrop property, group members said.
The land is owned by the church, but could be exchanged for other parking lot land owned by the city.
Jim Moan, city law director, said the property on the west side of Main Street is something of an ownership "quilt" between the city and parish.
He acknowledged that talks between the city and church have languished over the last month or more, but said both parties had renewed contact recently.
Mr. Moan said one of the problems is in trying to determine a value for the different pieces owned by the two entities.
He said it is possible that a third party might have to be called in to suggest a compromise in the negotiations.
J. Richard Hoppenjans, a member of the church building committee, said that could be considered.
"We’re just trying to clear the land," he said.
The church agreed not to demolish the house as long as the group worked to move it from church property.
In addition to raising funds for the move, the group has entered into an agreement with the Toledo Area Metroparks, which will help position the house, renovate it and run historical programs once it is relocated.