Wrecking ball warms up for historic Mellus

The Mellus Newspaper building could come down as soon as tomorrow, now that the city has green lighted the demolition and local utilities have made the appropriate disconnections.

At the same time, the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance has issued a last-ditch call for development proposals to save the historic building.

"It will be demolished in a matter of weeks unless a guardian angel, a buyer, comes forward to purchase the historic building," says Leslie Lynch-Wilson, president of the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance.

City officials have already turned down other redevelopment proposals, including one that would have created dozens of jobs. The city's Downtown Development Authority and mayor seem to be the only people who believe the Mellus needs to come down after a number of groups and prominent individuals have publicly called for its preservation, including Wayne State University Urban Studies and Planning professor Robin Boyle and the Michigan Historic Preservation Office, which wrote a strong letter condemning the demolition order.

The 1940s-era building at 1661 Fort St. served as the home to Lincoln Park's local newspaper, then owned by William Mellus, for generations. The Mellus still has its original porcelain enameled Moderne commercial exterior, while the adjacent Pollak (named after Pollak Jewelers and also up for demolition) retains its terrazzo entrance sidewalk.

The buildings had been vacant for several years before the DDA purchased them last year. Some officials call them blight, but the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance argues that their salvation is an important step toward preserving the downtown's heritage and encouraging business and job creation.

Anyone interested in submitting a proposal for the Mellus should contact Lynch-Wilson at (313) 598-3137 or lalynch@wideopenwest.com.

Source: Leslie Lynch-Wilson, president of the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance
Writer: Jon Zemke

Wrecking ball warms up for historic Mellus

Related Tags

Recommended Content

Across Our Network