Toledo Club: Re-Imagining an Icon 2025

Reimagining an Icon THE TOLEDO CLUB 2025 2 3 5 1 4 T H S T R E E T, T O L E D O , O H 4 3 6 0 4

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Change is inevitable, Growth is optional

Message from the Board The legacy of those who came before us at The Toledo Club began over a century ago with the vision of our city’s leaders, who believed that to be a great and prosperous community, an institution like The Toledo Club was required. They planted a tree.

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he White House. Fenway Park. The Flatiron Building.

Each a historic, iconic structure. Each, at various times, in need of renovations to stay contemporary and structurally sound. The Toledo Club is such an icon in the Glass City.

And it’s in need of an update.

Founded in 1879, The Toledo Club (originally named The Draconian) was created as a place where businessmen could discuss trade and enjoy camaraderie. As the Club grew, a stunning five-story clubhouse was built on the corner of Madison and 14th.

Regarded as one of the most beautiful and notable pieces of architecture in the city, myriad improvements have been made to the Club over the years, but now it’s time for a more substantial change. Not only do we intend to transform the physical structure, we intend to reimagine the Club itself.

We enjoy the benefits of their vision as we play squash, meet friends in the Oak Room or enjoy dining in the Club. Many of our parents shared that experience, and we hope that our children will have the same opportunity.

Now is the time to be the ancestors our children and city deserve as we begin a major campaign to keep The Toledo Club healthy, vibrant and sustainable.

Your Board of Directors has engaged experts in planning for a renewed Toledo Club to serve you better now and in the future. The process has included extensive member interviews, planning by architects and designers who are versed in club amenities, plus the hiring of new management at all levels. Looking forward, while preserving our legacy, we envision this campaign as Toledo Club 2025.

“You’re sitting in the shade today because a long time ago someone planted a tree.”

– WA R R E N B U F F E T

The results are stunning! After great diligence, we are prepared to present the roadmap to maintain critical infrastructure while creating new and timely amenities throughout the Club.

We look forward to sharing Toledo Club 2025 with you and discussing how you can aid in supporting The Toledo Club as we move forward.

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Necessity is also the mother of reinvention A CLUB FOR TODAY To say The Toledo Club has a rich history would be something of an understatement. Our roots date back to the late 1800s, making us practically synonymous with Toledo itself. But that can be a double-edged sword. Times change, and when your history dates back more than a century, times really change. What The Toledo Club was, is not what it can be today. Not if it wants to stay relevant in the 21st century.

“The Toledo Club is – and needs to be known as – a community treasure where all are welcome and a hub of downtown activity.”

OUR VISION To provide an exceptional social, athletic, recreational and dining experience for those seeking an active lifestyle within facilities maintained at the highest quality by a professionally trained and dedicated staff for our members to enjoy and be proud of when hosting their family and friends.

A CLUB FOR TOMORROW As a proud member of the downtown community, we have a vested interest in seeing it thrive. To that end, we’re involved in a couple of exciting new projects. One is the Toledo Social Innovation District which we’re in the center of, geographically speaking. This initiative, spearheaded by the City of Toledo and ProMedica, seeks to make numerous improvements like bike paths, high-capacity transit, green streets, parks and more to the area inside Adams, Washington, Michigan and 21st streets. It also seeks to invest, on an ongoing basis, in innovation, job training, social services, entrepreneurship and education.

So, we’re reaching out. To whom? Everyone. We’re actively recruiting people who may not consider themselves potential Toledo Club members. Young.

Diverse. Progressive. We’re also working to make the Club the spot downtown for dining, unwinding, weddings and events, as well as improving the networking and athletics the Club has always been known for.

OUR MISSION To preserve, protect and pass on The Toledo Club ethos, legacy, values and commitment to enriching the lives of our members while responsibly adapting to the changing lifestyles of current and future members and their families.

We’re also, as a historic site in UpTown, excited to be a part of the new UpTown Master Plan, which seeks to take all that’s great about this unique district and leverage it to transform the area into a model of neighborhood diversity. With a unique mix of businesses, educational facilities, arts, entertainment and social services, UpTown is poised for a renaissance and The Toledo Club along with it.

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Visions dream big, Plans get it done In this new era, in this new, more connected downtown, how does The Toledo Club thrive and grow its membership? Partnering with Signature Group, The Toledo Club has worked out an 11-point strategic plan to answer those very questions. Those 11 points fall into three areas where we will be focusing our efforts in the coming years.

Pro Shop

OUR PEOPLE

OUR PRODUCT

OUR BRAND

Anyone who’s ever managed an organization will tell you, you’re only as good as your people. For that reason, The Toledo Club will invest in building a more highly motived staff. We’ll review our employee compensation package to ensure it’s competitive.

We’ll leverage the expertise of professionals to guide master plan recommendations. And we’ll create a new governance group for initiating activities, programs and events.

Our next area of emphasis is the Club itself. The cornerstone of the new Toledo Club will be the physical renovation of some of our core spaces. But we’ll be improving the Club in other ways, too, like a more robust social, recreational and events calendar. We intend to invest in our already renowned squash program to take it to another level.

And we’ll be updating The Toledo Club’s membership model in a way that adds accessibility and encourages growth.

To further our brand and reputation, The Toledo Club intends to identify worthwhile not-for-profits to support, to be more assertive about promoting our renovated dining and relaxation spaces, and to reposition our wellness, fitness and spa facilities to make it a primary feature of The Toledo Club member experience.

Fitness Studio Lounge

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Phase One Projects “Reality can be beaten with enough imagination.” That’s what Mark Twain used to say. And bending reality to match our dreams is something the members of this club know a thing or two about. What can The Toledo Club be? What will it be? And what part of that future is now?

That depends, in part, on the level of funding we’re able to achieve, which depends on you. Beyond the much-needed infrastructure upgrades, here are the initial renovations that will truly begin to transform the look and feel of The Toledo Club.

This is where it all begins.

This is Phase One.

LOBBY CAFÉ/BAR This central hub of club social activity will serve as both a daily coffee bar with healthy grab & go food options and a gathering spot for evening social activities.

MOTOR ENTRY/WELCOME DESK A new greeting area will be constructed with a reloacted security desk at the Club’s main entry point.

LOBBY MEN’S & WOMEN’S RESTROOMS The existing Main Level men’s restroom and barber shop will be renovated to create both men’s and women’s facilities on the first floor.

RELOCATED BARBER SHOP The Barber Shop will be relocated to the current coat closet area to take advantage of the natural light from the large 14th Street windows.

SQUASH LE VEL FITNESS ST UDIO A new coed fitness studio on the Squash Level will take the place of the current men’s locker room. Glass enclosures and openings to the squash courts will enhance and modernize the squash and fitness experience and community.

OBSERVATION LEVEL WOMEN’S LOCKER ROOM The expanded Squash Level fitness studio will be further enhanced by a new Observation Level women’s locker room and restroom, as well as a new men’s locker room on the main level.

NE W WEDDING SUITES The current bridal/groom suite and corridor will be renovated to give them a more modern, open feel.

MAIN KITCHEN The main kitchen will be completely rennovated with new equipment, contemporary finishes and a modern layout for enhanced efficiency.

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INSPIRATION IMAGES

More than Skin Deep At the outset, we’ll begin with all the existing mechanical systems in need of refurbishing. Elevators. Plumbing. Electrical. Heating and air conditioning.

All the basics a structure needs to have in place to function seamlessly. But infrastructure upgrades don’t stop with the existing systems. We plan to put new ones in, like energy-efficient tech that makes better use of natural resources, Wi-Fi 6 throughout the building and charging stations for electric vehicles.

NEW SQUASH LE VEL E XERCISE STUDIO

UPDATED WEDDING SUITES

NEW LOCKER ROOMS

UPDATED KITCHEN RENOVATION

COMING SOON AF TER When Phase One is successful and complete, there’s going to be a Phase Two. And we have some pretty big ideas in mind regarding what’s to come.

– Redefine the Club’s main entrance with a motor entry addition – Add an outdoor rooftop gathering area for social activities – Create a more inviting tavern space UPDATED TAVERN

UPDATED MOTOR ENTRY

OUTDOOR DINING

UPDATED CENTENNIAL ROOM

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THE TOLEDO CLUB 235 14TH STREET TOLEDO, OH 43604 419-243-2200 TOLEDOCLUB.ORG