In Ann Arbor, historic preservation and rehabilitation has its rewards

Vintage home and commercial property owners in Ann Arbor who go to the extent of jimmying off asbestos siding to reveal original clapboards and replacing decayed trim with historically accurate replicas don't go unnoticed. Every February a vanful of preservation buffs makes the rounds of the icy streets, looking to spotlight exemplary historic properties.

For the last 23 years, the Ann Arbor Historic District Commission has presented awards to citizens and businesses for rehabs and projects deserving special merit, as well as preservation of properties they've owned and maintained for 10 years. Mayor John Hieftje presents the certificates at a city council meeting every June.

"We try to recognize people, some of whom are not getting any financial benefits out of it. They're just doing it because they believe in it," says Susan Wineberg, chair of the awards committee. The nine-member group is a mix of residents city-wide, some of whom are historic district commission members.

To be eligible, a property must be at least 50 years old. Among those honored in 2011 with a rehabilitation award was the Linder House, a bright aqua-hued co-op at 711 Catherine Street that's owned by the Inter Cooperative Council at the University of Michigan.

"The ICC is doing a great job... they seem to have a project every year," Wineberg says. The rehab included remilling of new wood trim to match the old, and historically accurate replacement windows and roof. "Usually things are not that much of a 100-percent overhaul, but that was a really major overhaul."

An adaptive re-use of the garage home base of Old House Gardens, an internationally-known antique flower bulb purveyor at 536 Third Street, also got the nod with a special merit award. After abandoning the search for a historic farm to use for his business, owner Scott Kunst remade the upper level of his barn-like garage into new office space. "Here's a local business guy who's really made good and is staying in Ann Arbor and reusing what he has," Wineberg notes.

Source: Susan Wineberg, Ann Arbor Historic District Commission awards committee chair
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar