Old Central Post Office, Toledo

The Old Central Post Office, now known as the Jefferson Center, stands as a significant historical and architectural landmark in downtown Toledo. Designed by James Knox Taylor and constructed in 1911, this building originally served as the city's main post office. Its Classical Revival style is evident in its stately stone exterior, copper-clad hipped roof, and the array of decorative acroterions at the roof's base. The building's architectural features include Doric pilasters and engaged fluted columns, which frame the grand entrance porticoes, lending an air of classical grandeur to its facade.

Over the years, the Old Central Post Office has undergone various transformations. From 1972 to 2000, it housed the Jefferson Center Vocational Rehabilitation School, serving a new purpose while retaining its historic essence. The building's design, with its one-over-one double-hung windows with transoms, decorative friezes, and architraves with triglyphs, has always been a testament to its Classical Revival roots. The second floor, set back and featuring arched windows, is obscured behind a stone parapet and balustrade, adding to its distinguished profile. The rear entrance, once the site of a loading dock canopy, now features a large transom, maintaining the building's historical integrity.

In 2021-2023, the Old Central Post Office underwent a meticulous rehabilitation, breathing new life into this storied structure. The restoration work preserved its architectural details, such as the fluted Doric columns and arched transoms with metal screens over the entrance doors, ensuring that its historical charm was not lost. Today, the building serves as a commercial office space, blending its rich past with modern functionality.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, the Old Central Post Office remains a cherished architectural gem in Toledo. I