Detroit Buildings Land on National Endangered List

DETROIT-Historic buildings in and around the Downtown area are among the most endangered historic buildings in the nation, says a key preservation group. The National Trust for Historic Preservation listed “the historic buildings of Downtown Detroit” on its annual listing of the nation’s 11 most endangered places. The trust noted in particular that the Statler Hilton Hotel is slated to be demolished and the Madison-Lenox hotel–on last year’s 11 Most Endangered sites list–was demolished last month.

“Detroit’s builders gave the city a legacy of great architecture, but decades of neglect have put much of that legacy at risk,” says Richard Moe, president of the National Trust. “With the right incentives for rehabilitation and a firm commitment to preservation and reuse, Detroit can strengthen the economic vitality of its downtown and give its historic buildings the spotlight they deserve.”

There are 206 sites in Downtown Detroit listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The trust also says there are also dozens more not listed, but clearly eligible for inclusion, such as the original Motown Records recording studios, as well as sitesassociated with the Underground Railroad and the birth of the automotive industry.

The trust says many of the city’s Downtown historic buildings are scheduled for demolition or redevelopment including: Belle Isle, Broadhead Naval Armory; Capitol Park Historic District; Fort Wayne; Globe Trading Co. Building/Dry Docks Engine Works; Park Avenue Historic District; Statler Hilton Hotel; Tiger Stadium; and the United Artists Theater. The Washington-based trust was chartered by Congress in 1949. Since 1998, it has been privately funded. The organization has published an annual list of endangered sites for 18 years.