Is Langston Hughes’ boyhood house worth saving?

What to do with Langston Hughes’ condemned Cleveland home? We linked to an earlier story saying that it's safe, for now, but Cleveland is trying to figure out where to go from here. Though the Cleveland Landmarks Commission wants it designated a historic landmark, Regina Brett at the Cleveland Plain-Dealer suggests that keeping the house standing might not be prudent. Even if it is financially viable, perhaps there are better ways to honor a writer we love—like reading his work:

It's tempting to turn the home of writers into museums to honor the writers, bring in tourists, and preserve the cultural legacy of a neighborhood. But she's visited 55 homes of famous writers in America and found that many of them suffer financially. To do well, they need to be in a good location and have a big operating budget. Last year, foreclosure hit the Edith Wharton House in Lenox, Mass., and the Mark Twain House in Hartford, Conn.

It could cost up to $100,000 to fix up just one home. Some believe it's worth the investment to inspire students who would come to visit. They want to replicate the movement to save Superman's house, the Glenville home where Jerry Siegel and his buddy Joe Shuster created a mild-mannered reporter who transformed into a superhero faster than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.

It might require a superhuman effort to save the Hughes home.

Anne Trubek, an associate professor at Oberlin College, has a unique view on what happens to the homes of writers when they become museums. Her book, "A Skeptic's Guide to Writers' Houses," comes out in October. When I talked to her, she asked tough questions: Did this home play a significant part in Hughes' life? In his writing? Does that contribution justify the expense to restore the house, maintain and protect it? Will it draw visitors? An attempt to save a Langston Hughes house in Harlem fell apart.

http://www.cleveland.com/brett/blog/index.ssf/2010/08/honor_langston_hughes_by_readi.html