11 Most Endangered
Historic Buildings of Downtown Detroit
Year Listed: 2005
Location: Michigan
Current Status: Endangered
Threat: Development, Neglect, Poor Public Policy
Detroit's urban core boasts a rich array of architectural treasures reflecting its role as a major station on the Underground Railroad, an industrial powerhouse, the world-famous "Motor City," and the home of Motown-but today, many of these treasures are threatened by neglect and a lack of vision. The Statler Hilton Hotel is currently being demolished and the Madison-Lenox, a 2004 11 Most Endangered site, was demolished last month. Belle Isle, once a beautiful park, is now dotted with deteriorating facilities, and the once-grand Park Avenue neighborhood now lies dormant. While individual developers, property owners, and neighborhood groups have forged policies and used available tools to restore some areas, the city administration has been slow to embrace these opportunities and has failed to grasp the lesson that preservation can be a key to revitalization. In fact, a "hit list" recently issued by the city calls for the demolition of more than 100 buildings in preparation for the 2006 Super Bowl. The city is at a crossroads. Detroit's leaders can continue their demolition campaign, or they can work with developers and preservationists to breathe new life into old buildings and save the history of one of America's great cities.
Update
After the Historic Buildings of Downtown Detroit were listed as one of the National Trust’s 2005 11 Most Endangered Places, the Midwest Office, Preservation Wayne, and the Friends of the Book-Cadillac sponsored a series of Detroit Preservation Summits. After the initial meeting, over 60 representatives from more than 20 different preservation groups formed the Greater Detroit Historic Preservation Coalition and developed a Vision for Detroit, a strategy that proposes to make the reuse of historic buildings part of Detroit’s plan for the revitalization of the city. Representatives of the Coalition, along with the Midwest Office, are now sharing this aggressive strategy for incorporating historic preservation into the plans for economic development and revitalization with Detroit’s corporate, philanthropic, community and political leaders.
