Detroit pursues first citywide plan to save its historic buildings

[Airforceguy]

Detroit pursues first citywide plan to save its historic buildings

Detroit is attempting to create something it has never had before: a citywide historic preservation plan.The city is looking to contract with a consultant or company to help create a plan that ends up, in the words of its request for proposals, “supporting and enhancing Detroit’s existing preservation policy.” The city's policy is largely centered around establishing local historic preservation districts, of which there are nearly 150 already in existence.
The plan, if adopted, is expected to be updated regularly and address things like “new and innovative policy recommendations for the treatment of older and historic buildings and properties citywide,” the RFP says.The consultant chosen will work with the Planning and Development Department and others to create the plan. The city is looking for companies or consultants with experience in areas like historic preservation planning, real estate and economic development, land use and zoning law, plus other areas, including what the RFP calls “Detroit’s unique history and built environment.”


The RFP says Detroit’s historic preservation framework is generally a result of an ordinance that allows for the creation of the historic districts. The first — the West Canfield Historic District — was established in 1970. According to the RFP, they can encompass everything from a historic fountain to an entire neighborhood.

The deadline to submit responses to a city request for proposals to help craft the preservation plan, which is being paid for out of the general fund, is Tuesday. While Detroit has done things like examine many of the school buildings it owns to determine how to preserve them and things like neighborhood framework plans include historic preservation components in that geographic area, a citywide study along the lines that are being embarked on has not been done before, said Garrick Landsberg, the city’s director of historic preservation.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Landsberg said in an interview.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-e...servation-plan

[stasu1213]

This should had been a push years ago. Many historical buildings were razed so thar contractors could get richer

[Richard]

I do not think contractor is a good choice of words,as a contractor you make more money with restoration then you do with new build and you do not tell property owners to buy and tear down historical buildings so you can make money.

Or tell the city to demolish or aprove demolition permits for historical properties or force property owners to not mothball buildings while allowing demolition by neglect.

At the end of the day the buck stops at city hall .

Most of the smaller or independent investors that I know anyways are buying historical properties for restoration by rediscovering small towns that did not follow the scorch and burn policies.

I have a friend that bought a long closed Buster shoe factory,massive building that was closed for decades but secure so it was not trashed ,for $3000 sure he will collect less rents but he will not have to spend millions to just bring it back to the point of being able to convert it in the first place.

Because the city it was in made the owners make sure if they were not going to do anything with it,it would still be available for somebody in the future and not demolished.

[stasu1213]

I do not think contractor is a good choice of words,as a contractor you make more money with restoration then you do with new build and you do not tell property owners to buy and tear down historical buildings so you can make money.

Or tell the city to demolish or aprove demolition permits for historical properties or force property owners to not mothball buildings while allowing demolition by neglect.

At the end of the day the buck stops at city hall .

Most of the smaller or independent investors that I know anyways are buying historical properties for restoration by rediscovering small towns that did not follow the scorch and burn policies.

I have a friend that bought a long closed Buster shoe factory,massive building that was closed for decades but secure so it was not trashed ,for $3000 sure he will collect less rents but he will not have to spend millions to just bring it back to the point of being able to convert it in the first place.

Because the city it was in made the owners make sure if they were not going to do anything with it,it would still be available for somebody in the future and not demolished.

You are right. Contractor was a poor choice of a word. Demolition crew is a better choice. I think of the many historical 19th century homes that were allowed to sit and rot only for them to be razed throughout the 90s. I hope that the Skillman Branch library downtown would be on the historical list to be spared.