In addition to our weekly Heritage Walking Tours, we’re also offering a number of differ-ent tours to suit all interests!

“In the Steps of Henry” | Tuesday, July 30 & Saturday, September 7 | 10:00am In col-laboration with the Woodward Avenue Action Association, we are offering two public tours via bus. Cost is $50 a person. For info on booking a private group tour, please visit our website.

Theatre Tour | Saturday, August 31 | 9:00am with tours leaving every 30 min Our best known, and most popular, walking tour! Purchase tickets today, as they are selling quickly! Cost is $45 a person and includes lunch at the Opera House.

Bootlegging Tour | Wednesday, September 25 | 6:00pm In collaboration with the Detroit Historical Society. Learn about the Bootlegging history of the Detroit River on this two-hour dinner cruise/tour. Cost is $55 for members or $60 for non members and includes dinner. To register, please call the Detroit Historical Society at 313.833.1801.

Historic Cemetery Tours | Saturdays in October | 2:00pm Each week, this walking tour will explore a different historic Detroit Cemetery: Woodmere (5th), Mt. Elliott (12th), Woodlawn (19th), and Elmwood (26th). Cost is $15 a person.

NEW! Works of Detroit Architects Donaldson & Meier | October 19 | 10am This four-hour bus tour will hit the highlights of their work. Cost is $45 a person.

For more info, or to register for our tours, please visit preservationdetroit.org/tours

Board of Directors

Melanie Markowicz President

James Young Vice President

Steven Levine Treasurer

Douglas Haller Secretary

Marion Christiansen Director

Robert Hovansian Director

Jennifer Ruud Director

Amy Elliott Bragg Director

Lisa Phillips Office Coordinator

Advisory Counci l

Rebecca Binno Savage Kraemer Group

Michael Hauser Detroit Opera House

Rachel Lutz The Peacock Room

Spencer Olinek DEGC

Krysta Ryszewski Wayne State University

Norman Silk Blossoms

Dale Morgan Blossoms

Amy Swift Building Hugger

Honoring Detroit’s

Rich Architectural

& Cultural Heritage

Since 1975

4735 Cass Avenue Detroit, MI 48201

If you would like to receive our newsletter electronically to save trees, printing & postage costs, email info@preservationdetroit.org.

4735 Cass Avenue Detroit, MI 48201

313.577.3559 preservationdetroit.org

———————— Summer 2013 Issue

Slow Roll Bike Ride, July 9th. Photo credit Kim Connell Creative Commons License Some Rights Reserved

Heritage Walking Tours Weekly thru September!

Every Saturday @ 10:00am

Midtown & Cultural Center - Departs from the David Mackenzie House

Downtown - Departs from Campus Martius/Fountain Bistro

Eastern Market - Departs from the E.M. Welcome Center

Every Tuesday @ 5:30pm

All tours are Downtown and depart from Campus Martius/Fountain Bistro

Skyscrapers: 1st Tuesdays

Albert Kahn Buildings: 2nd Tuesdays

Sculptures, Fountains and Art: 3rd Tuesdays

Art in the People Mover Tour: 4th Tuesdays

Preregistration is not required

but highly recommended!!

Preservation Detroit | Summer 2013 Issue

SPECIAL MEMBERS ONLY TOUR!! On Tuesday August 13, in partnership with WSU Insiders group, join us for a self-guided walking tour of 7 historic houses on Wayne State’s Campus.

RSVP to lphillips@preservationdetroit.org

Want to join us but not a member yet? Just mail in the form inside or visit

preservationdetroit.org/membership

National Trust Partners Network Convenes in Detroit In addition to our spring and summer programming, we were up to something special this May. PD teamed up with the Michigan Historic Preservation Network and National Trust for Historic Preservation to host the National Trust Partners Network Executive Retreat in downtown De-troit. Preservation leaders from across the country convened to network with their colleagues, sharing emerging trends, historic preservation success stories, innovative ideas and best prac-tices. It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase Detroit. The three-day Retreat was held at the Michigan Opera Theatre, with visits to the M@dison Building, Inn on Ferry Street, Freer House, and Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue, with a day of service at NSO’s Bell Building.

Sharing Detroit’s revitalization and historic preservation in action in a “shrinking city,” Preserva-tion Detroit organized a day of programming, started off by Daniel Kinkead, Director of Detroit Future City, who framed rightsizing issues around cultural and architectural heritage. A panel discussion of historic preservation, urban agriculture, and rightsizing opportunities and chal-lenges, with Detroit stakeholders Brian Hurttienne (Villages CDC), Dean Hay (Greening of De-troit), Juanita Jones (Detroit Land Bank Authority), Janese Chapman (City Planner/Detroit His-toric Designation Advisory Board), and Wendy Lewis Jackson (Kresge Foundation) was fol-lowed by a bus tour. It illuminated challenges facing Detroit, but also innovative strategies to confront them. Stops included the Green Garage, Heidelberg Project, Packard Plant, Detroit Riverwalk, Dequindre Cut, as well as the Brush Park, Midtown, New Center, Boston Edison, Indian Village, East English Village, Rivertown, and Lafayette Park neighborhoods.

A strolling reception organized by Dan Carmody of the Eastern Market Corporation highlighted how locally-sourced food and a strong entrepreneurial community support historic preservation and neighborhood revitalization. A special thanks to Ronnie’s Meat Market, Chef Leon Johnson of Market Studio Kitchen, Salt & Cedar, Frontera, Devita Davison, Joel Peterson and Rebecca Mazzei at Trinosophes, Gregory Holm and the Red Bull House of Art, among many who dis-played the spirit of Detroit to our guests. The Retreat was possible through support from Charter One Foundation, Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, Quicken Loans, Michigan State Housing Development Authority, Michigan State Historic Preservation Office, Michigan Main Street Center, and National Trust Insurance Services.

Welcome new board members Jennifer Ruud and Amy Elliott Bragg! Jennifer Ruud began in community organizing by volunteering with Detroit Synergy and has built on those skills by working with Inside Detroit, D:hive, and Green Living Science. Her involvement in Detroit over the last 10 years has turned her into a natural and genuine ambassador for the city.

Amy Elliott Bragg is the author of Hidden History of Detroit, blogs about pre-automotive Detroit history at nighttraintodetroit.com, and is the co-founder of the Detroit Drunken Historical Socie-ty. By day, Amy is director of content for Issue Media Group, an Inc. 5000 media company.

We are also pleased to announce the creation of an Advisory Council, which meets semi-annually to support the Board of Directors to evaluate strategic direction and serve as a re-source in building the organization’s effectiveness and capacity. The Advisory Council includes past PD leaders and community leaders with expertise in fields critical to our future success.

Our Tour Season is Underway!

Photo credit Tony Barchock/FrancisFotos.com

FYI: HDC (Detroit Historic District

Commission) Meetings

A Local Historic District is an area of historic significance that is regulated and protected by public review through the Detroit Historic District Commission, per the City Ordinance.

The HDC is the only legal means for regulation and enforcement of De-sign Guidelines and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for exterior changes, additions and improve-ments (including demolitions) to properties located in these districts. Detroit contains roughly 130 locally designated historic districts.

Public meetings are held the second Wednesday of every month at 5:30pm in the 13th floor auditorium of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center located at 2 Woodward Ave. Detroit, MI 48226.

2013 Meeting Dates: August 14

November 13 September 11

December 11 October 9

Membership Status:

New

Renewal

Address Correction

Membership Levels:

Student/Senior $20

Individual $35

Household $55

Patron $100

Benefactor $250

Heritage $500

Landmark $1,000

Founder’s Circle $2500

Payment Type:

Cash

Check

Mastercard

Visa

Name

Address

City State ZIP

Phone Email

Payment Information Total $

Credit Card No. Exp. Date

Cardholder Name Security Code

Signature Date

More about the architect: Louis Kamper

The fate of two historic hotels is uncertain after plans for a $650M hockey arena and entertainment district in the lower Cass Corridor were unveiled last month. The Hotel Eddystone and the Park Ave-nue Hotel, located at Sproat St. and Park Ave., are in the footprint of the arena site, according to information provided by the Detroit Downtown Development Authority and reported by the Detroit Free Press. Spokespersons for Olympia Entertainment and Ilitch Holdings have stated to the press and in private conversations with preservationists that plans are not yet finalized. Both hotels are on the National Register of Historic Places.

In Detroit's booming 1920s, hotel giant Lew Tuller planned a trio of new residential hotels along Park Avenue, hoping to expand his empire beyond Grand Circus Park. Architect Louis Kamper designed them all with Italian Renaissance touches, and they opened in quick succession: the Royal Palms and the Eddystone in 1924, the Park Avenue Hotel in 1925. (Today the Royal Palms is the Park Avenue House, and it's the oldest still-operating hotel in downtown Detroit.)

Tuller lost his Park Avenue hotels to foreclosure in 1928. The hotels continued to operate into the mid-1990s, and their decline from high-profile "starchitect" properties to middle-market residential hotels to transient housing mapped a

changing city.

Since 2005, the Eddystone and the Park Avenue have been Historic Districts unto themselves. The hope in designating them had been to secure tax credits to redevelop the hotels into condos, but plans did not materialize, and Tuller's big gambles remain vacant.

One bright note for the preservation of this historic area: The published arena district plan also includes the rehabilitation of three buildings in the Park Ave-nue Historic District: Detroit Life Building, Blenheim Building and 1922 Cass.

Born in 1861 in Bavaria, Kamper immigrated to the United States in 1882, and shortly thereafter was admitted to the architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White in New York. He moved to Detroit in 1889, becoming established in the firm of Scott, Kamper, and Scott.

One of his most important works of this time is the Colonel Frank J. Hecker residence, which still stands at the corner of Woodward and Ferry avenues. In 1890, he married Emilie Kling, the daughter of prominent Detroit brewer Phillip Kling. Kamper left the firm of Scott, Kamper, and Scott to become the general manager of the Kling Brewery on Jefferson Avenue.

He returned to architecture full-time in 1897, designing a wide range of build-ings. Early works included the Eighth Precinct police station, the Marvin M. Stanton residence, and the Hugo Scherer residence. As his practice continued to grow, he designed the Fine Arts Building, the House of Providence, and the entry gates and mausoleum for Roseland Cemetery.

In 1911, he designed a residence for James Burgess Book, Jr. The Book fami-ly became repeat clients, and Kamper would go on to help the three Book brothers re-envision Washington Boulevard as one of the country’s premiere streets. Louis Kamper designed the Book Building and its addition, the Wash-ington Boulevard Building, the Book-Cadillac Hotel, Book Tower, and Industrial Savings Bank, all on Washington Boulevard. For the Books, he also designed the Real Estate Exchange Building.

Other prominent downtown buildings included the Eaton (now Broderick) Tow-er, the Hotel Eddystone, and the Water Board Building. Kamper would contin-ue to practice architecture through the Depression, retiring in 1949. He died in 1952, leaving an architectural legacy that includes more than 350 separate commissions, concentrated in the Detroit area.

On June 21, Preservation Detroit hosted a lecture by Allan Machielse. He was kind enough to provide this synopsis to share with PD members who couldn’t make it. Our next lecture will be in November.

“The Speakeasy Project” Update In May, Preservation Detroit and the WSU Department of Anthropology started work on a collaborative project to re-search one of Detroit’s oldest buildings, 624 Third Street, known as Tommy’s Detroit Bar and Grill. Built in the mid- 1800s, it housed a number of factories, tool shops, and a speakeasy at various times. There’s even a blocked-off tun-nel in the west end of the basement.

Building and bar owner Tom Burelle, a member of PD, says “I’ve always loved Detroit history and this project gives me a chance to find out the true history of the building.”

Dr. Krysta Ryzewski, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, and member of our new Advisory Council, is leading two student teams (one for the history of the building, and one for the Purple Gang) in architectur-al, historical, and archaeological research. The teams are spending July on background research, using the collections at the Burton, the Reuther, and Preservation Detroit. In August they'll be working on-site at Tommy's

The project will wrap up with a par-ty at Tommy’s to reveal and show-case results in early December.

Gregory Piazza, a long-time Preservation Detroit volunteer, guides our Charles Agree and Cyril Schley/Walter Lentz bus tours. This year, we’re fortu-nate to have him facilitating the tour program and updating tour materials in our office.

Greg got involved in historic preservation while living in Detroit’s Palmer Park neighbor-hood. A veteran of bus tours

and guide books for the Palmer Park area, he has also volunteered with People for Palmer Park. Greg's exten-sive research formed the basis for Palmer Park’s National Register nomination.

His favorite building is in Palmer Park, at 999 Whitmore, one of Detroit’s first completely cast concrete residential buildings, designed in 1937 by Talmadge C. Hughes, founding secretary of the Detroit AIA chapter. As Greg points out, “It once boasted bronze sculptures by Marshall Fredericks.”

He is hopeful about recent progress in Palmer Park due to “enlightened owners...Shelborne Development.”

Preservation Detroit | Summer 2013 Issue

Photo credit Allan Machielse Creative Commons License All Rights Reserved

From 5-7pm meet and mingle with the PD Board and Advisory Council and learn about what we’re working on while you soak in the surroundings. There will be complimentary appetizers and drink specials for our members. Please be sure to RSVP to lphillips@preservationdetroit.org. Want to join us but not a member yet? Just mail in the form below or visit http://preservationdetroit.org/membership

Make an evening of it! Check out the Ellsworth Kelly exhibition; listen to live music in Rivera Court; or see a great movie at the Detroit Film Theatre!

Parking is available in the Cultural Center Lot on John R

($3, cash only). Please use group entrance on John R and a security guard will direct you.

MEMBERSHIP | Help us revitalize Detroit and save our architectural heritage Your donations to Preservation Detroit, a registered 501©3 non-profit, are tax-deductible.

Join Us Friday August 9 to celebrate the exciting redesign of DIA’s Kresge Court at a FREE Members Only Mixer!

Volunteer Spotlight: Greg Piazza

Flickr user Dave Garvin, CC license some rights reserved

A tale of two historic hotels & their fate