Jasonhouse
January 24th, 2007, 05:17 PM
Cultural tourism could boost Plant City profile
City sees historic house as spark for revitalization
Tampa Bay Business Journal
January 19, 2007
by Jane MeinhardtStaff Writer
http://tampabay.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2007/01/22/story4.html?b=1169442000^1404838
PLANT CITY -- The restoration of a key historical landmark, a destination for a multicultural tourism market, is back on track after an unforeseen obstacle.
Historical restoration of the Bing Rooming House -- considered a key to jump-starting revitalization of the Lincoln Park and Laura Street area -- has resumed after a brief hiatus to allow for the drafting of new drawings for the project.
The restoration is happening in the city's predominantly black neighborhood and a once-thriving business district.
Once the two-story house is restored, it will be the Bing Rooming House Museum and serve as a black history repository and education center. The nonprofit Improvement League of Plant City Inc. owns the house and, in conjunction with the Friends of Bing House, holds fund-raising events for its restoration and development as a museum.
"This is a project that will provide a historical landmark for the community," said Henry Johnson, league president and a U.S. Postal Service supervisor. "It's a historically significant project that will promote economic development."
The house is a component of Plant City's plans for revitalizing the Laura Street area, said James McDaniel, community services director. A contract recently was awarded for a streetscape design for Laura Street that will include streetlights and sidewalks.
"The Bing House is considered the anchor of the cultural node for the neighborhood," McDaniel said. "There will be a business node at the west end and gateway signage tying it to downtown."
Splinter by splinter
A setback in restoration occurred when Heart Construction LLC of St. Petersburg, which won the $341,000 contract for the project's first phase, discovered stabilization of the 1918 house would require razing the first floor. The company began work in September and determined deterioration was greater than expected.
"The first floor was rotted," said Joyce Mitchell, Heart's managing director. "We had to stop and get permission to raze it because that was the only way to save the house. It was not razed piece-by-piece. It was splinter-by-splinter."
That required new drawings for the project, which were completed Dec. 28.
The house now perches atop stacked wooden blocks while a concrete foundation and walls are constructed. The second story will then be lowered onto the new walls.
The project's first phase was supposed to mainly consist of termite treatment, replacing rotten exterior wood and repairing the first floor and roof.
Legends slept there
The building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, was a boarding house for blacks during segregation and a business mainstay in Plant City's black community. Janie Bing, considered one of the first black women to own her own business during the early 1900s, operated it.
Satchel Paige and other Negro League baseball players and travelers such as pastors and truck drivers frequented the Bing Rooming House. It was also a place where youngsters attending nearby schools could get a free meal.
The rooming house at Allen and Laura streets was the focal point of what was then a flourishing business district for minorities in Plant City during segregation. It closed to the public in 1970 and was, until recently, the residence of James Washington, Bing's grandson who was born in the house and helped spearhead restoration.
The Improvement League plans to contribute at least $40,000 to the next phase of restoration and has developed a business plan for the Bing Rooming House Museum, which will be operated by board of governors.
It will initially be a free museum. Eventually the charges will be $3 for adults and $1 for children, and membership packages will be offered.
"This will be self-supporting, including any staff salary," Johnson said.
The league has received corporate support from Bright House Networks and Tampa Electric (NYSE: TE) and in-kind services from PBS&J and architect Stephanie Ferrell.
City sees historic house as spark for revitalization
Tampa Bay Business Journal
January 19, 2007
by Jane MeinhardtStaff Writer
http://tampabay.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2007/01/22/story4.html?b=1169442000^1404838
PLANT CITY -- The restoration of a key historical landmark, a destination for a multicultural tourism market, is back on track after an unforeseen obstacle.
Historical restoration of the Bing Rooming House -- considered a key to jump-starting revitalization of the Lincoln Park and Laura Street area -- has resumed after a brief hiatus to allow for the drafting of new drawings for the project.
The restoration is happening in the city's predominantly black neighborhood and a once-thriving business district.
Once the two-story house is restored, it will be the Bing Rooming House Museum and serve as a black history repository and education center. The nonprofit Improvement League of Plant City Inc. owns the house and, in conjunction with the Friends of Bing House, holds fund-raising events for its restoration and development as a museum.
"This is a project that will provide a historical landmark for the community," said Henry Johnson, league president and a U.S. Postal Service supervisor. "It's a historically significant project that will promote economic development."
The house is a component of Plant City's plans for revitalizing the Laura Street area, said James McDaniel, community services director. A contract recently was awarded for a streetscape design for Laura Street that will include streetlights and sidewalks.
"The Bing House is considered the anchor of the cultural node for the neighborhood," McDaniel said. "There will be a business node at the west end and gateway signage tying it to downtown."
Splinter by splinter
A setback in restoration occurred when Heart Construction LLC of St. Petersburg, which won the $341,000 contract for the project's first phase, discovered stabilization of the 1918 house would require razing the first floor. The company began work in September and determined deterioration was greater than expected.
"The first floor was rotted," said Joyce Mitchell, Heart's managing director. "We had to stop and get permission to raze it because that was the only way to save the house. It was not razed piece-by-piece. It was splinter-by-splinter."
That required new drawings for the project, which were completed Dec. 28.
The house now perches atop stacked wooden blocks while a concrete foundation and walls are constructed. The second story will then be lowered onto the new walls.
The project's first phase was supposed to mainly consist of termite treatment, replacing rotten exterior wood and repairing the first floor and roof.
Legends slept there
The building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, was a boarding house for blacks during segregation and a business mainstay in Plant City's black community. Janie Bing, considered one of the first black women to own her own business during the early 1900s, operated it.
Satchel Paige and other Negro League baseball players and travelers such as pastors and truck drivers frequented the Bing Rooming House. It was also a place where youngsters attending nearby schools could get a free meal.
The rooming house at Allen and Laura streets was the focal point of what was then a flourishing business district for minorities in Plant City during segregation. It closed to the public in 1970 and was, until recently, the residence of James Washington, Bing's grandson who was born in the house and helped spearhead restoration.
The Improvement League plans to contribute at least $40,000 to the next phase of restoration and has developed a business plan for the Bing Rooming House Museum, which will be operated by board of governors.
It will initially be a free museum. Eventually the charges will be $3 for adults and $1 for children, and membership packages will be offered.
"This will be self-supporting, including any staff salary," Johnson said.
The league has received corporate support from Bright House Networks and Tampa Electric (NYSE: TE) and in-kind services from PBS&J and architect Stephanie Ferrell.