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Downtown named to National Trust List


Allan

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that is so funny that you posted that I was just getting ready to do it too! Check out the link to the National Trust too.

http://www.nationaltrust.org/11Most/2005/detroit.html

DETROIT -- The city's collection of more than 200 downtown historic places is scheduled to be named today as one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, D.C., which has produced the annual list since 1988, said it was rare to highlight an entire geographic region. The nonprofit advocacy group typically spotlights individual buildings such as Tiger Stadium, which has sat largely unused since 2000 when the Detroit Tigers moved to Comerica Park.

Detroit's historic assortment of buildings has been threatened recently by the high-profile demolition of the Madison-Lenox Hotel and the ongoing dismantling of the Statler Hilton Hotel.

"We highlighted Detroit because of the great tragedy that happened with the Madison-Lenox, as well as to highlight the mindset that seems to exist in Detroit to tear down older buildings," said Richard Moe, the National Trust's president. "The city should work with preservationists more closely to inspire creative ways to save those buildings."

City leaders said they have helped save more historic structures in the last four years than at any time in history, including residential loft projects in the Kales, Ferguson and Woolworth buildings as well as mixed-use projects in the Eureka, Hartz and Rose buildings. The city also stepped up enforcement of building codes earlier this year to encourage owners of vacant buildings to redevelop their properties.

"We will continue to preserve historic buildings when economically feasible, but unfortunately we don't have an unlimited budget," said George W. Jackson Jr., president of Detroit Economic Growth Corp., a development agency in Detroit. "What we don't want to do is preserve blight."

Moe said Detroit trails most other major cities on historic preservation, citing Chicago, Philadelphia, St. Louis and Denver redevelopment efforts.

Francis Grunow, executive director of Preservation Wayne, a historic advocacy group in Detroit, said the National Trust will help spotlight Detroit's threatened architectural treasures nationwide.

"We would like to see outside developers come to Detroit to help save our buildings," he said.

You can reach R.J. King at (313) 222-2504 or [email protected].

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Well at least some good could come of being on this list. It looks like people are expecting people to see some of Detroit's buildings on the list and get interested in maybe renovating them. It really is sad that the whole area is put on that list.

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Downtown Detroit has been named to the National Trust for Historic Preservation's annual list of the 11 most endangered places in the country.

http://www.detnews.com/2005/business/0506/02/C03-201541.htm

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I just learned that Providence is the only city to have it's entire downtown listed. And I just learned of the fate of the Madison-Lenox Hotel incident. Shame on you Detroit. It could/would never have happened around here, where 22% of ALL buildings and properties on the National Trust are in the Providence area.

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