Downtown Ann Arbor CVS plans clear historic hurdle

Wednesday, June 17, 2009 | Source: Concentrate

Plans to finish turning an old house into a commercial storefront in downtown Ann Arbor cleared a major hurdle last week when the city's Historic District Panel gave the thumbs up to the idea of putting a CVS Pharmacy at 209-11 S State St.

"They still have to submit site plans," says Jill Thacher, historic preservation coordinator for the city of Ann Arbor. "We haven't seen those yet."

The property just north of the State Theatre originally started out as a single-family house in the late 19th Century. It slowly transformed into a bording house then a business then a storefront by the middle of the 20th Century. However, signs of the old house remained, such as its roof and gables which can be seen from above.

CVS wants to keep the historic, 2-story façade but tear out the house and hodgepodge of additions behind it so it can build a new pharmacy there. The developer still needs to go before the city's Planning Commission and Council for approval before construction can start.

Such transformations have become common in Ann Arbor as its downtown area has grown. Often what once was a line of houses turns into storefronts. Old Victorian roof peaks, windows, stair cases and plaster medallions are often still visible on these structures even though it has been decades since the last person lived there.

Source: Jill Thacher, historic preservation coordinator for the city of Ann Arbor
Writer: Jon Zemke