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28 Buildings 'Irreplaceable'

28 Buildings 'Irreplaceable' image
Parent Issue
Day
21
Month
December
Year
1973
Copyright
Copyright Protected
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
OCR Text

An architectural survey of buildings in the downtown area was released yesterday by the Historical District Commission listing 28 structures as having "outstanding irreplaceable architectural value." The survey was conducted by local architects and historians under the direction of U-M Prof. Kingsbury Marzolf. Although prepared for more specific goal, the survey provides the city with documentation about vwhere buildings of architectural value are so this can be considered in planning matters. Marzolf , at a meeting of city planners and the Historical District Commission, pointed out the survey considered only architectural significance and not the importance of buildings may have played in the city's development. A total of 700 pareéis were considered in the survey, but some 200 were dropped because they were either vacant or parking lots or modern buildings (constructed after World War II). The 500 remaining buildings were then graded within their style group by an evaluation team. Points were awarded for the ed characteristics, and a final assign-i ment of each building to a letter ] ry was made. Marzolf said the buildings receiving the highest marks were not necessarily th most attractive buildings. Instead, the final grading .categories "A" through "D", were givern to each building afcording to its condition . The booklet presenting the report carried a drawing of probably the best known of the buildings given an "A" classification - the central fire station at Huron and Fifth Avenue. Marzolf referred to it as "a symbol of our efforts to j save these buildings." Other well known buildings in the 45block area covered by the survey include: Nickels Arcade; the old Post Office building at Main and Catherine; the DKE Chapel, E. William St.; the Masonic Temple on S. Fourth Avenue, which Marzolg noted is scheduled for demolition to make way for a new federal building; Wahr-Sallade House; southeast corner of División and Ann; Moses-Rogers House, the southwest corner of División and Ann; Kempf House, also on S. División Street; Palmer-Lyan House, northwest forner of División and Ann; Muehlig Building, on Main and Washington; First National Building, the southeast corner of Main and Washington; the Fischer Hardware Building on E. Washington; the Haarer Building, on W. Liberty St.; the oíd Michigan Bell Telephone Building, E. Washington; and Grinnells, on S. Main Street. Marzolf said the survey was performed at a cost of about $1,000, compared to the $10,000 to $30,000 it would have taken had it been done by a professional firm. With the downtown área completed, he said steps should be taken to conduct similar surveys in other areas.of the city.