TOLEDO, Ohio — Vistula is the oldest neighborhood in Toledo and perhaps the most invisible.
"There is a mentality and a mindset in the forgotten areas like the east side, the south end, in the north end - they have a stigma, and what we are trying to do is combat that stigma," said John Scott, head of the Vistula Historical Foundation.
But Scott knows this won't be easy.
The historic district, just north of downtown, is a work in progress and has been for years.
"Whenever the city does a presentation, Vistula is always a question mark," Scott said.
Like many older neighborhoods, it is a tale of two cities. Filled with a collection of historic and beautiful, stately houses, where some of Toledo's earliest founders called home.
Like the Eaton House of Robert Eaton, who founded the Lion stores.
Also, the Carson Pomeroy House, where Edward Libbey made his decision to move his glass factory to Toledo.
These proud structures speak to an earlier era; unique features and facades that make the heart of the passionate beat louder.
But not all.
For on some streets, the dignity of the past has been edged out by the derelict of the present. On the sidewalks once filled with dreamers, today grows the weeds of doubt.
But even in the weeds, hope springs eternal.
"It's getting people to come back over here, realizing we're right here, and as the city builds, you're going to see that starting off flow, you know, into these connecting communities, such as uptown and the East Side. It's that momentum that really motivates me," Scott said.
That momentum has begun.
Uptown continues to show robust new growth and interest with new stores and rekindled energy. In east Toledo, the Gateway Apartment and retail project is rising on the river’s edge.
So, can the Vistula neighborhood be far behind? Can it reinvigorate a belief in its future?
On Summit Street is Toledo Spirits, a local craft whiskey distillery that is growing quickly in popularity. Also on North Summit is the former Wonder Bread building, which is now earmarked for a loft apartments complex in the next year.
With the proximity of the waterfront so close to Vistula, Scott sees it as a natural attraction.
"We are one of the only neighborhoods actually on the waterfront, right off of downtown, with all the momentum that is going on," Scott said.
Scott said his group has now put together some money to develop a master plan concept for the area to connect it to downtown. He and other believers in Vistula are convinced that with the new sense of energy and vision in the core city, the time may be finally right for this oldest area of Toledo to reclaim not only it's past but it's future.
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