Mshda Shpo 20180411 Lhd De
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Michigan State Housing Development Authority State Historic Preservation Office West Grand Boulevard African American Arts and Business District, Detroit Staff Comments, April 10, 2018 On page 3, under History, Grand Boulevard, the history presented here seems a bit confused and incomplete. The plan for Detroit was based on L’Enfant’s plan for Washington, DC, which was based on the plan for the City of Paris. While Bela Hubbard may have been an early supporter of the idea of a boulevard, its actual construction occurred much later as part of a City Beautiful plan for Detroit. A few sentences on the development of Detroit’s City Beautiful plans and features, such as the Civic Center and Belle Isle, in relation to Grand Boulevard would be in order. The map is inadequate. It should be large enough to include readable street names and numbers. It is difficult for a reviewer to comment on the proposed district boundaries without being able to see where vacant land and parking lots occur within the district. How many total resources are actually in the district? The information on the total number of resources and the number of contributing and non-contributing should all be in place. On page 2, the second paragraph mentions one non-contributing resource. Why is it noted in n the boundary justification? Seems like an odd place for it. Is the total number of resources 33? The report needs to include a period of significance for the district. On page 11, paragraph 2, it states that “many of the Motown artists lived and went to schools in the neighborhood. “ Did any live in the houses that are included in the district? If so, this should be noted. The report should include more information about the significance of the firms located in the district-- and the people that owned them--to Detroit’s black community. On example, on page 15 it states that Edward Brazelton served as president of the Booker T. Washington Business Association. But what was the purpose of that organization? How long did Brazelton serve as its president and during what period? What did the Association accomplish under his leadership? Regarding the insurance firm of Lewis & Thompson, the significance is hard to follow. The law firm of Lewis & Munday, one of the first minority- owned municipal bond dealers, is significant in its own right but little information is included in the report. How long were they located at 2621 W. Grand Boulevard? The section on architect Nathan Johnson should be more explicit regarding his work in Detroit. Reminisces are less important in a study report than precise details such as the span of his career or when he established his office on Grand Boulevard. Regarding Johnson’s architectural style, it appears to be less “Googie” and more organic in nature, in the vein of Eero Saarinen and his work (Examples: Ingalls Hockey Rink in New Haven and Dulles Airport in Washington, DC) On page 19, the section entitled “Other Significant History” does not tie in the events of 1967 to the proposed district and how those events impacted the people and resources on West Grand Boulevard. Just to mention it is not sufficient, it should add to the context of the district. The building descriptions are good and seem to be concise and detailed. However, the report should provide some information on the architects when known (Nathan Levine is simply mentioned) as well as the original owners of the houses in the district. The resource at 2671 W. Grand Boulevard has a 1960 addition that displays features associated with International style commercial buildings from the period that appears to be intact. Has it gained its own significance over time and is it considered a contributing feature? There are a lot of typos and grammatical errors that need to be corrected. Some examples: On page 7, paragraph 2, line 1, “the Great Migration” didn’t attract blacks to Detroit, jobs and opportunity did. The migration was an outcome. On page 15, the last paragraph reads “the floral shop, . .was like many other blacks of the time” when what was actually meant was that Edgar Brazelton was like many other blacks of the time. On page 15, Walton A. Lewis’s name is included as Walton Lee Lewis and Beaubien Street is misspelled. The West Grand Boulevard Corridor. Photos d Preliminary Draft: Proposed West Grand Boulevard Historic African American Arts and Business District 1 By resolution dated March 14, 2017, the Detroit City Council charged the Historic Designation Advisory Board, a study committee, with the official study of the proposed Historic African American Arts and Business District in accordance with Chapter 25 of the 1984 Detroit City Code and the Michigan Local Historic Districts Act. The proposed West Grand Boulevard Historic African American Arts and Business District consists of 32 contributing buildings built between 1905 and 1926. Primarily composed of residential architecture on the north and south sides of West Grand Boulevard, it is located just west of the New Center Area, the John C. Lodge Freeway (M-10), and Henry Ford Hospital and east of 14th Street. The district is approximately 4.5 miles north-northwest of Detroit’s point of origin in Campus Martius Park in downtown. MAP BOUNDARIES The boundaries of the proposed West Grand Boulevard Historic African American Arts and Business District, shown in on the attached map, are as follows: Beginning at the intersection of the centerline of West Grand Boulevard and the centerline of 14th Street; thence northerly along the centerline of 14th Street to the northern line extended of Lot 6 W 5.64 FT 5 AND S 7.50 FT OF VAC ALLEY ADJ OSBORN & MC CALLUM SUB L10 P51 PLATS, W C R 8/80 50.64 X 207.50; and further extended to E 39.36 FT 5 4 AND S 7.50 FT OF VAC ALLEY ADJ OSBORN & MC CALLUMS SUB L10 P51 PLATS, W C R 8/80 87 X 207.50; thence easterly along said Lot Line and its extension to the centerline of the east-west alley first north of West Grand Boulevard; thence easterly along the centerline of the east-west alley just north of West Grand Boulevard to the centerline of Kipling Street; thence southerly along the centerline of Kipling Street to the centerline of West Grand Boulevard; thence easterly along said centerline of West Grand Boulevard to the extended east Lot Line of 24 THRU 22 LOTHROP & DUFFIELD LAND CO LTDS SUB L23 P38 PLATS, W C R 8/77 120 X 135; thence southerly along said Lot Line and its extension to the centerline of the east- west alley just south of West Grand Boulevard; thence westerly along said centerline to the centerline of Holden Avenue; thence westerly to the east Lot Line of 9 THRU 1BLK A 2 HAMLIN & FORDYCES SUB L16 P10 PLATS, W C R 8/76 42645 SQ FT; thence southerly along said Lot Line to the east-west alley just south of West Grand Boulevard; thence westerly along said centerline to the centerline of Wabash Street; thence north to the centerline of West Grand Boulevard; thence westerly to the intersection of the centerline of West Grand Boulevard and 14th Street. BOUNDARY JUSTIFICATION The boundaries identified are inclusive of historically significant properties that have been utilized for or by the African American music industry, business and institutional community. The boundaries incorporate one (1) non-contributing buildings and also vacant land. The boundaries also include one building, James H. Cole Home for Funerals, that was designated as a local historic district in 2013. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Address criteria A, B and C as outlined in the National Register Criteria. Under Criteria A, Commerce (business); Ethnicity and Race; Arts and Entertainment, Planning/Development; Under Criteria B, names associated with Motown that are embedded in the history of music in Detroit, the United States, and the world; under Criterion C, the typical yet distinctive residential architecture from the first quarter of the twentieth century. HISTORY Grand Boulevard The district is located on parcels abutting West Grand Boulevard. “The Boulevard” as many Detroiters know it, at its inception was a tree lined thoroughfare, spanning 12 miles and connecting the western portion of the Detroit River with the eastern portion through a scenic route. Bela Hubbard, a community leader, attorney, historian and lumber baron created the vision for this boulevard based on the inspiration of Paris, France and that city’s famous broad streets, park amenities and grand boulevards designed by Baron Georges- Eugéne Haussmann. This plan helped contribute to of Detroit’s nicknames as the “Paris of the West,” amongst other attributes of the City that added to that moniker. At the time, the proposal would create what was considered a U-shaped box around the city, as it was the city limit proper at that period and thought to be the final boundary of expansion. It wasn’t until 1891, that the plan for the Boulevard was realized, after funding was secured. Construction finally began 15 years after its initial proposal, largely due to the support of Detroit Mayor Hazen Pingree. The year 1913 marked the completion of a major achievement for the City in the form of the beautifully decorated boulevard, lined with flowerbeds, trees and other pleasurable features. Neighborhood History In the early 20th century, the portion of West Grand Boulevard in the vicinity of the proposed district was just opening to a new housing subdivision development. The original homes were primarily occupied by the middle-upper class spectrum of citizenry.