TOLEDO, OH, 10/9/17— Two up-and-coming Toledo real estate developers, Erin Claussen and Matt Rubin, have been awarded the Young Professional Scholarship by Heritage Ohio, Ohio’s official historical preservation and Main Street organization. The award was created by Heritage Ohio to recognize and facilitate new opportunities for emerging preservationists in Ohio.
Claussen and Rubin will be presenting on their respective downtown Toledo development projects at the Heritage Ohio Annual Conference on October 18 in Columbus. The scholarship award winners will also receive complementary conference registration and hotel accommodations.
Claussen, the founder of a real estate development and historic preservation company called Toledo Revival, is in the planning and pre-construction phase of the redevelopment of the Hotel Royal property on Broadway just south of downtown Toledo.
Rubin, the founder of Crane Development, is leading the revitalization of one of the most distressed blocks of Adams street. His first project, Fowl & Fodder restaurant, is set to open this fall at 614 Adams St near the Valentine Theatre.
“The projects by these emerging preservationists are consistent with the downtown Toledo Master Plan as developed initially through the 22nd Century Committee and now through the Downtown Toledo Development Corporation,” says Rachel Bach, president and CEO of the Downtown Toledo Development Corporation. “It is critical that we engage young leaders in the development of our downtown and surrounding communities as we continue to invest in and build our new downtown Toledo for generations to come.”
About ERIN CLAUSSEN
Trained as an archaeologist, Erin of Toledo Revival has worked in cultural resource management since receiving her MA in Anthropology from Western Michigan University in 2010.
Erin relocated to Toledo in 2015 and began to look for ways to practice and advocate for historic preservation as a tool for redevelopment and revitalization in her adopted city. With that in mind, she became interested in a 1900 Italianate commercial building at the south end of downtown, the Hotel Royal. In January of 2017 Claussen purchased the Hotel Royal property and she launched Toledo Revival, a real estate development and historic preservation and cultural resource management consulting company. To learn more, visit www.toledorevival.com
About MATT RUBIN
Matt Rubin is an advertising executive and urban real estate developer in Toledo, Ohio. Matt founded Crane Development Ltd. and has contributed to downtown Toledo’s revitalization by leading the redevelopment of one of the most distressed blocks in its urban core. Matt received his BA in Political Science and MBA in Leadership from the University of Toledo. While at UT, he championed campus bike and complete streets initiatives as student government president. Matt lives in downtown Toledo with his wife, Breanne, and serves on the Ohio Commission on Service and Volunteerism and is the President of the City of Toledo Ottawa-Jermain Park Advisory Board. For more information, visit www.cranedevelopment.com
About HERITAGE OHIO
Ohio’s official historical preservation and Main Street organization, Heritage Ohio fosters economic development and sustainability through preservation of historical buildings, revitalization of downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts, and promotion of cultural tourism. For more information about Heritage Ohio, visit www.heritageohio.org