A little-known function of the
Ann Arbor Historic District Commission has been to circle Ann Arbor neighborhoods in search of homes and buildings whose owners have done exceptional jobs of rehabilitation and preservation. The search committee didn't come up short this year. Fifteen homes and businesses, dating from pre-Civil War days to the mid-century, and a handful of other individuals received awards for their efforts at last Monday's Ann Arbor City Council meeting.
To qualify, among other criteria, the homes and buildings must be at least 50 years old but they do not have to be in a designated historic district.
Award recipient Herb David, owner of Herb David Guitar Studio in a Dutch Colonial Revival house at 302 E. Liberty St., has "just been a big advocate for the block that he's on, despite all the development pressures," Awards Committee Chair Susan Wineberg says. And Martin Soave rehabbed a small home at 508 Fourth St. on the Old West Side that sat "empty for 12 years, and it had raccoons living in it."
New this year, "Mid-Century Modern is getting more attention," says Wineberg. Six such properties were recognized, five of which are in the Ann Arbor Hills neighborhood. Many homes in the neighborhood were designed by architect luminaries such as Eero Saarinen and Alden Dow.
Nancy Deromedi and Tracy Aris, founders of the group
A2Modern, received a special merit award for their work in promoting this architecture through walking tours, exhibits, lectures and publications.
Source: Susan Wineberg, awards committee chair, Ann Arbor Historic District Commission
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar