Historic Longworth buildings get reprieve from wrecking ball in Chelsea
The Longworth buildings have been at the center of controversy between people who want them preserved and the Chelsea DDA, which voted in August to tear down two of them.
Lon Horwedel |AnnArbor.com
Two historic buildings in downtown Chelsea have gotten a reprieve from the wrecking ball until at least April.
Michael Jackson, president of the Chelsea Downtown Development Authority, said the board has decided to not to proceed with demolition until a plan for the site’s redevelopment is ready. The DDA will hire a firm to come up with that plan, he said.
Jackson said he could not comment on whether the buildings, known as the Longworth property, might be preserved as part of that plan.
“Anything could happen between now and April,” he said.
A group known as Preservation Chelsea has lobbied heavily for saving the buildings, located at 110 Jackson St. The property includes an old livery, which dates from 1905 and buildings known as the Mack Building, constructed in 1901, and The Daniels Showroom, which housed an auto dealership showroom. The Longworth Plating Co. bought the entire property in 1952 and used it for its electroplating business. The business closed in 2002. The DDA, which voted in August to tear down the livery and the Daniels Showroom, now owns the buildings.
Mark Creswell, a Chelsea business owner and member of Chelsea Connection, said the group at one point had an informal petition with about 700 signatures calling for the preservation of the buildings.
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Chelsea Connection member Michelle McClellan urged finding a way to save the buildings
"Historic architecture is a key ingredient to Chelsea,” she said. “The rehabilitation of the buildings is economically viable ... Working together can turn these buildings into an asset.”
Council member Cheri Albertson said she is glad that the DDA has decided to wait on the demolition.
"It will be a wonderful opportunity to partner with the different groups," she said. "Since there are no existing plans for this site, why not include them in the thinking?"
Jackson said whatever happens at the site, it will be an improvement for Chelsea but likely will not satisfy everyone.
“The DDA has looked at this as a gateway to Chelsea, and it’s been a very poor-looking gateway for 20-some years,” he said. “But something good will come out of it.
“Everyone on the board cares about the community. Board members are people who own businesses ... We care what happens, but we also really want to be fiscally responsible. We don’t want to leave the city ... with something that’s going to be an albatross around its neck.”
AnnArbor.com freelance reporter Alana West contributed to this report.
Comments
larry kramer
Wed, Oct 6, 2010 : 7:18 p.m.
I suggest that all those who want to preserve this historic building, pool their money, buy it, then preserve it (and, of course, pay property taxes on it). Looks like a shabby eye sore to me.
Tom Dodd
Mon, Oct 4, 2010 : 12:22 p.m.
Having a good Historic District Ordinance in place would have helped Chelsea protect its built environment. Without one, each property needs to be disputed separately and each issue is open to all sorts of changing political hassles.
fredric
Mon, Oct 4, 2010 : 10:16 a.m.
The Daniel's building would make a beautiful location for restaurant on the top floor and club on the bottom. Glass walls. Remember the "Gandy Dancer in Ann Arbor was not much better shape and look what they did with that. The Livery Stable is a part of history. Is a few new parking places worth losing these building's. Seems to be plenty of parking in Chelsea most of them time anyway, especially is the employees of the business's down on Main. Does Chelsea have a real future plan? Asked one business owner and member of the DDA that and he couldn't answer.
Elaine F. Owsley
Mon, Oct 4, 2010 : 9:18 a.m.
At least this isn't a burned out, falling down wreck like some of the "historic" properties the Ann Arbor preservation folks like to "save". Galbreath Gorman, a long-ago funeral director in Dexter, used to tell me stories about hiring a horse and sleigh there and traveling to Dexter when he was a young man. I guess there was more "happening" in Dexter than in Chelsea. One cold winter night, he told the horse to "go home" and snuggled down in the blankets. The horse took him to a farm on Lima Center Road.
Tii
Mon, Oct 4, 2010 : 9:13 a.m.
My, aren't they architecturally stunning...