PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The historical Toledo Central Post Office building built in 1911 is a beloved historic landmark saved from demolition over the years and converted into a vocational school in 1966. Innovation and historic preservation goals intersected at the former post office, now known as the Jefferson Center. Today, the Jefferson Center is an innovative hub fostering tech startups through education, training, and mentoring. The renovation design integrates historic preservation with modern innovation, highlighted by an inspirational atrium featuring a tiered floor with natural maple wood seats and stairways leading to upper balconies. Key historical elements, such as mosaic floors and rotundas, were meticulously restored. The Central Post cafe, enhanced by a discovered monumental steel arch, serves as a major program element. The Jefferson Center successfully creates a collaborative environment for diverse individuals to develop new technologies, supporting the growth of Toledo's future enterprises.​