CHAPTER 6 • AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT SUMMARY 6-0 Affected Environment Summary Literature reviews were conducted to determine whether the project area contains natural and cultural resources or sites of concern that could be adversely affected by the proposed project. The review also looked for resources that would be considered a fatal flaw for one or more proposed alternatives. Natural resources of concern include potential wetland areas; habitats or occurrences of threatened, endangered, or special concern species; and locations of 100-year floodplains. Cultural resources of concern consist of historical or archaeological sites that are listed on, or are eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The NRHP is the Nation’s official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that are important in American or local history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture, and are worthy of preservation. In addition, an Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) literature review was completed to determine the presence of hazardous materials that could affect the proposed project and to identify areas that could be considered a fatal flaw for the preferred alternative. Federal and state databases were searched in an effort to identify areas of concern. The following figures appear at the end of this chapter to supplement information in sections 6-1, 6-2 and 6-3: • Figure 6-1 – Environmental Study Area • Figure 6-2 – Previously Inventoried Historical/Architectural Resources Not Evaluated for NRHP Eligibility • Figure 6-3 – Ohio Historic Inventory – Clusters and Previously Inventoried Properties • Figure 6-4 – Local Historic Districts and Landmarks • Figure 6-5 – NHRP Properties and DOE Historic Districts • Figure 6-6 – NHRP, DOE and Locally Designated within, or adjacent to, the Study Area • Figure 6-7 – Properties that May be Eligible for Historic Designation • Figure 6-8 - Archaeological Sites • Figure 6-9 – Environmental Site Assessment Data • Figure 6-10 – Summary of Details for each ESA site 6-1 Cultural Resources Literature Review A literature review for the US 35 Corridor study Montgomery and Greene counties was completed with the goal of identifying previously documented archaeological and architectural resources within the project area. The further goal was to determine whether there are portions of the project area where significant resources are known and can be avoided early in the planning stages. Formal Determinations of Eligibility (DOE) for the NRHP are designated by the Keeper of the NRHP or by a consensus determination between the State Historic Preservation Office and the lead agency sponsoring an undertaking that could affect a historic resource. A resource that has been formally determined eligible must be treated as if it is listed in the NRHP. 6-1a Literature Review Methodology In May 2003 a literature review of sources at the Ohio Historic Preservation Office (OHPO) was conducted for the project area to identify previously identified archaeological sites and resources listed on or eligible for the NRHP. 6-1 Data examined as part of the literature review included: • National Historic Landmark (NHL) and NRHP listings and files • NRHP DOE files • Archeological Atlas of Ohio (Mills 1914) • Ohio Archaeological Inventory (OAI) forms • Contract archaeology reports • Ohio Historic Inventory (OHI) forms • Ohio Historic Bridge Inventory and Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Bridge Inventory forms • Contract architectural history reports • Architectural history summer survey reports Also examined were Montgomery and Greene county cemetery records at the Ohio Historical Society Archives/Library and city of Dayton historic property records. 6-1b Previously Identified History/Architecture Resources Not Evaluated for the NRHP Buildings over 50 years of age are documented on OHI forms for any of several reasons. OHIs may be completed to evaluate a building’s eligibility for the NRHP, to provide an archival record of a building to be demolished, to assist in community, cultural, or architectural history studies, or to help with local preservation planning efforts. Not all of these uses of the OHI result in a Determination of Eligibility for the NRHP. Two bridges are located in the project area. The Fifth Street Bridge (SFN 5760119), a filled spandrel concrete arch bridge spanning the Great Miami River, is not included in ODOT’s list of select or reserve pool bridges and is not eligible for the NRHP. The railroad bridge over the Great Miami River (MOT- 1527-15) is a Parker through truss bridge that has not been evaluated for the NRHP. Only one previously inventoried property was identified in the Greene County portion of the project area. GRE-1037-1 is a Greek Revival church located on Dayton-Xenia Road. Apart from the resources discussed above, there are 335 previously inventoried properties located in the project area that have not been formally evaluated for their eligibility for listing in the NRHP. Most of these properties are nineteenth century residences, many vernacular, but also some exhibiting Gothic Revival, Italianate, or Queen Anne-style elements. There are also many nineteenth century buildings inventoried of a commercial or commercial and residential use. There are significantly fewer twentieth century residences and commercial buildings represented in the project area, according to the Ohio Historic Inventory. In addition to residences and commercial buildings, a variety of other building types from both the nineteenth and twentieth centuries have been inventoried in the project area, including churches, industrial buildings, apartment buildings, schools, and power plants. 6-1c Previously Documented Architectural Resources, NRHP or DOE-Listed Properties Review of the available literature identified 28 resources individually listed in the NRHP and eight districts listed in the NRHP. All of the listed resources are in the city of Dayton. The four largest districts are primarily residential; the remaining four districts are commercial and/or industrial. The individually listed properties are primarily residential and commercial, although civic, industrial, religious, and recreational buildings are listed as well. 6-2 The four largest NRHP districts are also locally designated historic districts. The Oregon Historic District, listed in 1975, is located south of Dayton’s central business district (CBD) and north of US 35, which provides the south boundary of the district. The district is primarily residential with some commercial properties. The South Park Historic District, listed in 1984 and expanded in 1988, is located between US 35, which provides its north boundary, and Wyoming Street and is just south of the Oregon Historic District. The South Park district is primarily residential with some commercial buildings. The St. Anne’s Hill Historic District, listed in 1986, is a short distance to the east of the Oregon Historic District and is also bounded on the south by US 35. St. Anne’s Hill is primarily residential with some commercial buildings. The Huffman Historic District, located northeast of St. Anne’s Hill along the north boundary of the project area, was listed in 1982 and consists primarily of residential buildings. The boundaries of the NRHP- designated districts and the locally designated districts do not necessarily coincide. The locally designated boundaries for the Oregon and South Park districts especially are broader than the NRHP- designated boundaries and encompass more land along US 35. The remaining four districts are located in or near the CBD. The Dayton Motor Car Company Historic District is located between Third and Fourth Streets at Webster Street and was listed in 1984. The district consists of vernacular industrial buildings. The Dayton Terra Cotta Historic District also was listed in 1984 and is located along Ludlow Street at Fifth Street. The district consists of Renaissance Revival commercial buildings. The Fire Blocks Historic District, listed in 1992, is bounded by Jefferson, Fourth, St. Clair, and Second Streets. The buildings are commercial and industrial in a variety of nineteenth and early-twentieth century styles. The East Third Street District is located east of Wayne Avenue, was listed in 2001, and is a locally designated historic district. The district consists of Commercial/Chicago style light industrial buildings. Three individually listed properties are within the boundaries of the St. Anne’s Hill Historic District. The Marcus Bossler House is a Second Empire-style residence listed in 1980. The Jacob O. Joyce House is an 1852 house remodeled in the Queen Anne style in 1889 and listed in 1983. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows Dayton Lodge No. 273 is a Second Renaissance Revival-style fraternal lodge hall listed in 1984. Many individually listed properties are located in or near the CBD. The Commercial Building (listed 1982), the Conover Building (listed 1975; local landmark), and the Lindsey Building (listed 1985) are all Renaissance Revival skyscrapers. The Dayton Arcade, listed in 1975 and also a local landmark, consists of a Renaissance Revival commercial building and a Jacobethan commercial building. The Dayton Daily News Building is a Beaux Arts commercial building listed in 1978 and also designated a local landmark. The Benjamin F. Kuhns Building is a Romanesque-style commercial building listed in 1978 and is also designated a local landmark. The United Brethren Publishing House is a Commercial/Chicago-style