Hidden Spaces tours areas not often seen

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

This Friday, local residents will get to explore some downtown areas that have not been seen by the public for decades during Main Street Van Wert’s Hidden Spaces tour.

While some of the tour sites are not in the best of condition, others are almost breathtaking in the amount of space some downtown buildings contain.

Buildings on this year’s tour include the Humphrey-Hughes building at the corner of Market and Main streets that currently houses Corner Treasures, the East Main Street building that houses Schrader Realty, the old Western Auto building on East Main Street, the building housing Ink Again on West Main Street, The Bachwell Center in the 100 block of North Washington Street, and a building in the 200 block of South Washington Street that formerly housed Humble Bumble (which moved to the former TAG Menswear store on North Washington).

Dan Baisden, MSVW project manager, said new buildings are selected each year for the tour, which is in its fourth year. This year’s tour runs from 4:30 until 7:30 p.m. Friday, and is self-guided, which means tour-goers can start and end at any building on the tour — or even skip one or two, if they choose.

The tour sells just 250 tickets, though, so those wanting to take the tour should contact the MSVW office at 419.238.6911 soon to get tickets. Tickets are $10 apiece.

Baisden said he hopes those who take the tour hit every stop, since he feels there is something of interest to be found in all of the buildings.

Something that surprises nearly everyone who has taken past tours is the amount of unused space in the downtown area. The buildings, nearly all built from the mid-1800s into the early 1900s, have considerable space on their second — and sometimes third — floors.

While the space is usually in need of renovation to be usable, the fact that some downtown buildings contain 20,000, and even 30,000, square feet of space means there is the potential for considerable development in the downtown area.

Some of that development is taking place, or will soon take place. Sticky Rammel is developing upscale housing in a building he owns on South Washington Street, while local realtor Chet Straley recently purchased the former Western Auto building for renovation as commercial space on the first floor, and housing on upper floors.

The tour is also important because it is the primary fundraiser for Main Street Van Wert, Baisden said, which means those supporting the non-profit downtown development entity should definitely purchase tickets to this event.

As always, the Hidden Spaces tour provides plenty of interesting architecture, along with spaces that few have visited in many years.