Many buildings. Many battles.
Among the many commercial buildings she has restored and adapted for reuse is a commercial block along South Sixth Street that includes Maldaner’s Restaurant and the adjacent Trout Lily Cafe where she has lived in an upstairs apartment since her husband’s death a decade ago. She says she relishes the experience of living downtown. “If I ever feel lonely, I just walk downstairs and find people I know up and down the street. It’s a great way to live.”
Her first solo undertaking was the total renovation of her family-owned Pasfield Building at Sixth and Monroe streets. that now houses Merrill Lynch, and includes a modern addition and off-street parking. The project came about because of land left to her and her brother, Steve Bartholf. “Steve took the farm land, and I took the downtown buildings,” she says. Since then she has reha bilitated
five 19th century commercial buildings, creating 30 rental and condo apartments in the downtown area.
“Carolyn’s projects helped spark the renovation of other historic downtown storefronts and brought new activity back to downtown Springfield,” says James Peters, Landmarks Illinois president. All of her apartments are occupied, usually by lobbyists and legislators. She says she’s less concerned about state government’s shaky financial situation than she is about getting more places downtown where people with disposable income can dine and shop.
“Retail follows rooftops,” she says.
”When I decide on a project I look at it like a renter would. I can’t remember ever being asked where a tenant can park. Instead of waiting for offices to fill back up, we need places where people can live. Recently I’ve had calls from two different couples wanting to retire downtown.”
A member of numerous boards and commissions, Oxtoby helped found the Springfield Heritage Foundation which accepts donations of historic properties and matches them with prospective developers who will restore or rehabilitate them.
“She has accomplished great things in her hometown and is an example to all of us,” the awards jury noted. “Many buildings, many battles. Nothing seems to have daunted her.”
Julie Cellini writes about history and the arts for Illinois Times.
