16 award winners from across Michigan were selected in five categories, including: Building, Citizen, Community, Preservation Gem, and Lifetime Achievement.  This year, the awards ceremony is one of the highlights of the 32nd Annual MHPN Conference, “Model Change-Over: A New Era for Historic Preservation in Michigan.”

Seven Building Awards are presented for projects completed within the last three years. Winning projects may be a restoration or rehabilitation, and must include exterior work, but may also include interior work.  While many think of preservation as the multi-million dollar restoration of large historic landmarks, preservation is not limited by size, location or cost.This year’s winners include:

1945 Standard Oil Gas Station, Detroit. Creative thinking led to the adaptive reuse of this World-War II era Art Moderne gas station into a local pharmacy, preserving its distinctive design while giving it new life.

5716 Wellness, Detroit. Formerly known as the San Telmo Cigar Factory, this 1910 building, the only known remaining wood-beam building designed by Albert Kahn, now houses agencies providing health and wellness services to the surrounding neighborhood in Southwest Detroit.

Accident Fund Holdings, Inc. National Headquarters, Lansing. The adaptive reuse of Lansing’s Art Deco Ottawa Street Power Station from a power generation facility to Class A office space kept a major employer downtown and restores one of the city’s most distinctive buildings to functional use.

Almont Historical Museum, Almont. The village of Almont’s only remaining historic wood structure was returned to its nineteenth century charm and now serves as the home of the community’s Historical Museum.

The Armory, Lansing. After decades of military service, Lansing’s 1924 Armory was adapted as the collaborative headquarters for seven local non-profit organizations, preserving its military character and history of community service.

Flat Iron Building, Grand Rapids. Three of Grand Rapids’ oldest buildings, dating from the Civil War era, were rehabilitated to provide office and retail space. The buildings are now fully occupied for the first time in over 60 years.

Newberry Hall, Detroit. Originally serving as housing for nursing students in the early 1900s, Newberry Hall suffered from 20 years of vacancy and deterioration before being rehabilitated as affordable market-rate housing in Detroit’s thriving Midtown.

The Citizen Award is reserved for an outstanding individual or individuals, who through personal effort and/or involvement in historic preservation projects have made a significant contribution to the preservation of Michigan’s heritage. The winners of this year’s Citizen Awards are:

Claire Gregory, Bay City. A Bay City native, Claire used her own money and hard work to restore the George and Maria Mann house, utilizing 98% locally purchased materials and providing jobs for local companies and craftspeople in the process.

Martin Overhiser, Marshall. Martin secured nearly $900,000 in grants and matching funds and leveraged thousands of hours of volunteer time to make major improvements to the Marshall Historical Society’s three museums, including the famous Honolulu House.

The Community Award is presented to a community; e.g. neighborhood association, business preservation group, historical society, etc., that has engaged in a comprehensive plan for historic preservation related projects. The winner of this year’s Community Award is Eastern Market Corporation, Detroit. Over the past several years, the Corporation has renovated two of its historic sheds to maintain the Market’s legacy as “Detroit’s Kitchen.”

The Preservation Gem Award is presented to an outstanding preservation project that includes restoration or rehabilitation of an element of a building, or of a structure or an object. The winners of this year’s Preservation Gem Awards are:

The Basilica of St. Adalbert Domes Restoration, Grand Rapids. The copper domes of St. Adalbert’s, the only basilica in Michigan, were carefully removed from their bases, restored with hand-crafted materials, and removed to their prominent place on the skyline of Grand Rapids.

The Michigan Theatre of Jackson Mechanic Street Cupola Restoration, Jackson. The cupola above the Mechanic Street Façade of the 1930 Michigan Theatre of Jackson was meticulously restored as part of a 20-plus year effort to rehabilitate the theatre.

St. Mary’s Catholic Church Steeple Restoration, Grand Rapids. The slate-clad bell tower steeple of St. Mary’s Church was fully restored with the original carefully documented slate pattern and colors.

The winners of the final award category, the Lifetime Achievement Award, are selected by consensus of the Network’s senior leadership.

The individuals who receive this award have worked throughout their careers to promote historic preservation in the State of Michigan.  In 2012, three recipients have been selected to receive the MHPN Lifetime Achievement Award.

Thomas Fitzpatrick, Ann Arbor. Tom Fitzpatrick has been a leader in the structural engineering of historic buildings and structures for over 45 years. Since 1995 he has headed his own firm, Fitzpatrick Structural Engineering, in Ann Arbor.

Deborah Goldstein, Bloomfield Hills. Deborah Goldstein is being honored for her over thirty year career as a historic preservation specialist and city planner for the City of Detroit.

David White, Flint. David White has devoted his professional career, private endeavors, and community service to the advancement and preservation of Flint and Genesee County’s cultural resources.

For more information about the Michigan Historic Preservation Network visit www.mhpn.org.

June 11, 2012 at Travis Pointe
Click here to register!

The Dumke Open was established in 2011 as a source of funding for the Rae Dumke Development Fund.  Click here to learn more about Michigan Architectural Foundation programs.

Dawn has served on the Canton Township Board of Appeals for five years. This board is responsible for resolving situations where property owners are planning a project that does not meet the zoning ordinances of the township.  The board seeks compromises to make sure the zoning ordinances are upheld, and to promote aesthetics and safety in the community.

Dawn’s experience as an architect has given her the ability to quickly understand issues brought to the board, and to help solve problems.  She is part of a very knowledgeable group of individuals, many of whom also have experience in construction.  “I’ve learned a lot by being on this board, and I have been able to help solve problems too – it’s what I do for my clients!”

Serving in public leadership positions with this depth of understanding of the built environment demonstrates how architects can have a great impact on our communities as they continue to grow and evolve.

Click here to view a video of the Robert B. Aikens Commons.

The Master of Urban Design [m.U.D.] in Sustainable Urbanism is a post-baccalaureate Urban Design degree program within the College of Architecture and Design (CoAD) at Lawrence Tech. The m.U.D. is a 32 Credit Hour Master Degree which builds on existing courses, and can be completed in three (3) semesters. We welcome students with diverse undergraduate degrees and backgrounds! The program features a pedagogical and research emphasis that builds upon the University’s commitment to its urban, suburban and Great Lakes Basin context. The m.U.D. is designed to develop a body of knowledge, skills, and experience in Urban Design with a focus on sustainable urbanism. This is a balanced and holistic systems approach to design and policy initiatives that address the complex environmental, economic, and social forces that effect global City + Regional form.

The demand for urban designers is projected to grow, because urbanization is a worldwide trend in the 21^st century. It is estimated that 75 percent of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050, so studying urbanism now will prepare you for the world of tomorrow!

You can find more information about this exciting program by contacting Program Coordinator, Constance Bodurow at 248.204.2886 or cbodurow@ltu.edu.

For the course of a century, Flint has ridden peaks and valleys of affluence followed by decline, and now a new, sustainable renaissance. During the MHPN conference, participants will be provided an opportunity to visit some of the highlights of the city through one of four tours.

The first tour, “Sacred Spaces, Special Places: An afternoon Walking Tour of the Churches and Stained Glass Windows of Downtown Flint” will be on Thursday, May 10, from 1:45 – 5:00 p.m.  The churches of downtown Flint present a rich array of architectural details, designs by well-known architects, and a stunning display of stained glass windows.  A comfortable walk reveals treasures such as St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, the First Presbyterian Church, Court Street Methodist Episcopal Church, and St. Matthew’s Catholic Church.

Bringing this tour alive are the guides who are architects and stained glass historians, representatives of the churches who will provide historical overviews of their places of worship, and an MHPN leader who will share the efforts of MHPN to bring Partners for Sacred Places to Michigan.  Presenters of the tour include: Barbara Krueger, who lectures on “The Art and Architecture of Stained Glass” and volunteers as a Research Assistant of the Michigan Stained Glass Census; Park Smith, a lifelong resident of Flint, a member of AIA Michigan and past chair of the Flint Historic District Commission; Freeman Greer, a historical architect who serves on both the Flint Historic District Commission and City of Flint Planning Commission; and  Nancy M. Finegood, MHPN Executive Director, who also serves as a member of the Oakland County Main Street and MSHDA Michigan Main Street Advisory Boards.

The second tour, “Bricks, Bridges and Buildings: A Twilight Walking Tour of Downtown Flint” is scheduled for Thursday, May 10, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.  Walking along Flint’s main artery, Saginaw Street, participants experience one of the oldest native American trails and its successive periods of commercial development: lumbering to carriage-making, automotive production to higher education.

Participants will visit the 1895 Durant Dort Building, birthplace of General Motors; stop at the Durant Hotel and the First National Bank; then the early 20th century work of pioneering urbanist John Nolan; the pre-WWII buildings by Albert Kahn, John Eberson, and Smith, Hinchman & Grylls; Lawrence Halprin’s mid-century design for Riverbank Park; and finally current strengths in education will be showcased by the late 20th century works of Gunnar Birkerts, William Kessler, and others. This tour will be led by Jackie Hoist, AIA, a preservation architect, certified Building Inspector, and member of the Flint Township Planning Commission; and Ron Campbell, AIA, a Flint native, Ron is a Principal Planner and Preservation Architect for Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services.

The third tour, “Mid-Century Modern in Flint: A Walking and Bus Tour of Key Sites in the City,” will be on Friday, May 11, from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon.   The automotive industry brought modern styling, sleek lines, and innovative materials to the American public, and so did Modern architecture.  Current work by the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office’s Michigan Modern project is establishing our state’s role in Modernism’s international evolution.    As a center of auto-making, taste, and early wealth, Flint offers fine examples of Modernism.  This tour visits the City of Flint Municipal Complex; the International Style buildings of the Flint Cultural Center, with emphasis on the Institute of Art and the Public; and Woodside Church.

Tour leaders discuss those in Flint who favored Modernism, the architects chosen, the stylistic characteristics of what they created, and the current threats and opportunities.   This tour will be given by Brian D. Conway, Michigan’s State Historic Preservation Officer; Karen P. Swanson, AIA, who in 1992 she formed a partnership with her father, Robert Saarinen Swanson.  Swanson/Swanson Architects, Inc. marked the fourth generation of architectural practice beginning with the internationally known work of Eliel Saarinen in 1886 and serves on the Cranbrook Art Academy Board of Governors; and Ron Campbell, AIA, Principal Planner/Preservation Architect, is responsible for providing historic planning and technical assistance to Oakland County Communities.

The final tour, “Wheels of Time: A Journey through Flint’s Automotive History – an Exploration by Bicycle or on Foot” will be Saturday, May 12, from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon.  The Flint River Trail, a linear park that blends nature and history, takes you on a journey through Flint’s automotive past.  Your guides from Friends of the Flint River Trail, as well as MotorCities National Heritage Area Wayside signage and markers placed by the Genesee County Historical Society, explain where early automotive leaders created the future, where Chevrolet, Buick, and other manufacturing buildings stood, where workers made known their demands on a growing industry, and where the people of Flint built automobiles for an entire nation.  Originating at conference headquarters, bicyclists pedal to four locations – Carriage Town, Site of the Flint Sit-Down Strike, Kettering University, and the Flint Cultural Center, including the Whaley House.  Tour walkers will drive their personal vehicles to locations in Carriage Town and at the Whaley House for their walks; their visits to the other locations will be on their own.   Leading the tour are: Bruce Nieuwenhuis, a board member of the Friends of the Flint River Trail (FFRT);  Jack Minore, active with the FFRT Chapter and a former Flint City Councilperson and Michigan House Representative; Freeman Greer, historical architect and member of both the Flint Historic District Commission and City of Flint Planning Commission; Park Smith, AIA, a lifelong resident of Flint, and incoming president of the Michigan Architectural Foundation; David White head of the Scharchburg Archives at Kettering, president of the Durant Dort Carriage Company Foundation, as well as Chief Steward and Treasurer of the Flint Automobile National Heritage Area; and Heather Burnash, associate attorney at Simen, Figura & Parker, Michigan, is the former Executive Director of Whaley Historical House, and is currently a board member of the Genesee County Historical Society and a Commissioner on the Flint Historic District Commission.

INSIDE LAFAYETTE PARK exhibition

April 14 – 22^nd | Lafayette Park Retail (1565 East Lafayette) | See image below for hours and additional info

Entitled, “INSIDE LAFAYETTE PARK”, this multi-event design celebration will occur between April 14-22nd and is co-curated by The University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture (UDMSOA), Lawrence Technological University (LTU), and Wayne State University, and in conjunction with rogueHAA, Preservation Detroit, The Art Deco Society, Lafayette Foods, and the Detroit Creative Corridor Center.  At the core of the event is an exhibition, comprised of varying design content:

• “The Settlement Shape” as authored by The school of architecture at the Milan Polytechnic.  This traveling exhibition showcases the culmination of ten years of research and documentation on Detroit’s Lafayette Park.  This exhibition utilizes models, drawings and photographs to trace the history and theories of Ludwig  Mies van der Rohe’s, Ludwig Hilbersheimer’s, and Alfred Caldwell’s visionary design.  Having spent the last year touring some of the major universities in Europe, this exhibition is now making its debut in Detroit.
• “Thanks For the View Mr Mies” as authored by Danielle Aubert, Lana Cavar, and Natasha Chandani. This portion of the exhibition includes photographs of Lafayette Park residents by Corine Vermeulen and Vasco Roma, as well as reproductions of neighborhood newsletters and event invitations from the past 50 years, courtesy Cordelia Brown. The book ‘Thanks for the View, Mr. Mies’ is forthcoming from Metropolis Books this Fall.
• “Black Bottom” as authored by rogueHAA and showcases the historical significance of the Black Bottom area prior to the Mies’ urban renewal project.

We are enhancing the exhibition with a diverse array of events, including but not limited to the following:

•April 14th 6-9pm: Opening Reception and opening remarks
•April 20th: FLOWER CABIN dance performance video screening
•April 21st 6-9pm: rogueHAA panel discussion – URBAN FUTURES – and closing reception
•April 22nd: Society of Architectural Historians tour through Lafayette Park and through the exhibit

URBAN FUTURES panel discussion

April 21  | Lafayette Park Retail (1565 East Lafayette) | 6 pm – 9pm

URBAN FUTURES will explore the role of large scale urban visions, and consequent realities, in post-industrial cities. The legacy of Modernist urban renewal projects is largely a story of failed aspiration, economic rationalization and displaced populations. Yet despite the controversy surrounding its implementation, Detroit’s  Lafayette Park development has achieved many of the goals of Modernist planning and urban renewal, creating arguably one of the most vibrant and diverse neighborhoods in the city. Does this speak to the unique conditions of Detroit? Does Detroit offer similar opportunities for avant- garde planning and large scale urban interventions today? What successes and sacrifices accompany the Modernist social agenda, and are there lessons to be learned as we seek to engage in equitable and sustainable redevelopment here and in other post-industrial cities? URBAN FUTURES brings together six distinguished professionals to expound upon these difficult questions:

Danielle Aubert – WSU Professor of Graphic Design
Robert Fishman – U of M Professor of Urban Planning
Kevin Harrington – Professor of architectural History, IIT
Michelle S. Johnson – Historian/Civil Rights Consultant
Hilanius Phillips – Former head city planner, Detroit
Brent D Ryan – Assistant Professor of Urban Design and Public Policy, MIT
Jamie Witherspoon – Moderator, rogueHAA

Once again, a full description of the panel and exhibitions can be found on our facebook page or on our newly improved design blog.  To help make this week-long pop-up exhibition event a success, we encourage you to forward this email onwards to colleagues, post this information within your website, or add it to your newsletter.  Following the event we will post a video and written summary of the event on our blog. 

rogueHAA would like to formally thank Lafayette Foods for the usage of their storefront for this event.  Without their generosity, this event would not be possible.

rogueHAA is an architecture + design advocacy collaborative that promotes intelligent design discourse + higher design standards for our shared environment.

Mark was also involved with several urban design projects for Toronto, and a team of professionals that developed a planning strategy with the Governor of Mississippi to reestablish 70 miles of coastline after Katrina hit.

Mark has spent tremendous time and energy traveling to study urban environments globally in over 350 cities to understand the ways cities work and how their architecture and urban environment developed.  He is intrigued by the impact of culture – history, politics, and social conditions – on the development of the world’s urban centers.  Because he has spent his career as a student, continually learning how things are done, he has a distinctive global perspective on projects and insight into solutions.

This has been a tremendous benefit for him in his Planning Board and Mayoral roles with the City of Birmingham.  It is much easier to promote an idea when it has been done elsewhere, and you’ve seen it.  This perspective enables Mark to confidently recommend design ideas to solve challenges faced by the City.

Serving in public leadership positions with this depth of understanding of the built environment demonstrates how architects can have a great impact on our cities as they continue to grow and evolve.

Check out their projects by clicking here and get involved!

Click here for the Detroit News article and photos!