Mellus one of nation's most endangered historic sites?

Thursday, January 21, 2010 | Source: metromode

As city officials and local preservationists vie over the future of the endangered Mellus Newspaper Building, a historic landmark in downtown Lincoln Park, the question is: Is it one of the most endangered historic sites in the U.S.?

The Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance thinks so, nominating the longtime former home of the local newspaper for the National Trust for Historic Preservation's America's 11 Most Endangered List. The Mellus has been on the National Register of Historic Places for years.

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 building 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 Lincoln Park DDA purchased them for $175,000 in 2005. Some city officials call them blight, but the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance argues that their salvation is an important step toward preserving downtown Lincoln Park's heritage and encouraging business and job creation.

A Detroit-based business owner and developer made an offer to buy the two properties and another vacant adjacent structure to turn them into the new home for his healthcare business. The DDA turned him down, even though approving the deal would have meant bringing 20-30 new jobs to Lincoln Park and breathing new life into an otherwise dead block in a morbid downtown.

The city has signed a demolition contract for the buildings but has no future plans for the site. The demolition was scheduled for last December, but the state's Historic Preservation Office intervened. Now local preservationists and city staff are making their respective arguments for preserving or leveling the building to the state.

"To be demolished with no development plan makes no sense," says Karen Nager, executive director of Preservation Wayne. "In their (city officials') gut they want it down just because."

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, through its America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places has identified more than 200 threatened one-of-a-kind historic treasures since 1988. The list highlights historic places across the country that are threatened by neglect, insufficient funds, inappropriate development, or insensitive public policy. Designation on the list normally helps raise public awareness, rally resources, and save endangered sites. In various situations, the attention has gathered public support to save a treasured landmark and has been the spark to save important pieces of our history.

Source: Karen Nager, executive director of Preservation Wayne and the Lincoln Park Preservation Alliance
Writer: Jon Zemke