CITY OF CHELSEA
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
7:30 A.M., THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009
DRAFT
Present:
Jackson, Feeney, Flintoft, Galvin, Heydlauff, Morrel-Samuels, Myles, Pierce, Schwarz, Winans, Hanifan
Absent:
Frisinger, Holman
Others Present:
Bill Harmer, Lynn Fox, Chelsea District Library; Kevin Riley, Chelsea Market; Greg Raye, Charles Shiver, Cathy Clark, Jackie Frank, Robert McLeod, Janet Bernath; Leann Smith, Jackson Citizen Patriot; Scott McElrath, Janet Ogle-Mater, Donia Dunlop-Herndon, Jane Creswell, Mark Creswell, Carey Church
Longworth\Jackson Street proposal – Mark Creswell presented a proposal to the Board to purchase the property for $100,000 and secure financing to install a small animal zoo the the buildings. He noted the educational and conservation value as well as making it a rescue, rehab and replacement facility. The Great Lakes Zoological Society will solicit funds from foundations and historical preservation organizations. Several guests spoke in favor of preserving all the buildings, citing their sources which say the” Livery building is eminently re-usable.” Attorney Flintoft noted that he would not support any plan that did not have all the financing committed. “We are asked to give up our authority over the project.” The cost of renovation and adaption is quoted to be approximately $1.1M. Zoning Administrator Drolett pointed out that there is no accommodation for a zoo in the C-5 District, and if the zoning was changed it would open up the entire district to this special use zoning. Heydlauff's concern was the abandonment of the long range plan the DDA has already voted to proceed with.
5.
Motion by Myles, second by Morrel-Samuels to delay the demolition of the two buildings for 60 days, until October 3 DDA Board meeting. Roll Call Vote: Morrel-Samuels, Galvin, Winans, Jackson voted YES; Heydlauff, Flintoft, Schwarz, Pierce voted NO. Absent Holman, Frisinger and Myles (who left before the vote was taken.)
6.
Meeting adjourned at 9:30 a.m., without completing the agenda.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
New Destination in Chelsea
A new family destination is being created in Chelsea, Michigan.
The GLZS Zoo will be an indoor zoo featuring reptiles, amphibians, birds, small mammals,invertebrates, & fish.
The Zoo’s primary objectives are education and conservation. We also participate in the rehabilitation and rerelease of endangered native animals and the rescue and placement of displaced pets.
Location
The Great Lakes Zoological Society wants to locate this awesome wildlife experience in the heart of downtown Chelsea in the Longworth Buildings. If you are in favor of this location or if you are opposed to it, please visit our website blog spot and vote:
http://www.glzszoo.com/location-blog
Great Lakes Zoo
Business Office:
300 N Main St
Suite 4
Chelsea, MI 48118
Phone: 734-433-9670 ext. 16
Fax: 734-433-9671
http://www.glzszoo.com
E-mail: info@glzszoo.com
A Great Family Zoo!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Chelsea Standard
Thank you to the Chelsea Standard for the history published in the paper and posted on this blog. We look forward to the continued excellent coverage by our hometown paper.
Friday, August 21, 2009
LONGWORTH BUILDINGS
Facing the railroad tracks, close to the train depot are three diverse historical buildings that complement Chelsea’s somewhat forgotten industrial neighborhood. They are known as the “Longworth” buildings linked together in Chelsea’s industrial past for the last 100 years. Their presence provides a visual continuity and a sense of place to anyone passing by. Architecture styles range from the commercial brick Victorian of the early 20th century, to Art Moderne of the late 30s and early 40s. One building is a rustic cinder block structure built to be used as a livery and barn.
Mack Building
The oldest middle brick building was constructed in circa 1901. A. R. Welch, with prior Chelsea Manufacturing Co. success in manufacturing bicycles, moved in to build about 10 prototype Welch automobiles. One of the early investors of the Welch Manufacturing Co. was Chelsea banker George P. Glazier and later his son Frank Glazier. The Chelsea-made Welch car was exhibited at the 1903 Chicago Automobile Show. Only four Welch autos are known to exist today; one is displayed at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. After Welch went bankrupt, he left Chelsea, merged with Pontiac continuing to manufacture the Welch and Oakland cars until 1911 when the firm was sold to General Motors Corp.
Glazier Stove Company bought the building in early 1904, using it as building No. 18 to store or assemble Brightest & Best stoves until 1907. The Chelsea Tribune moved in late 1907 and published a new newspaper that year which lasted until 1923. Space was shared with Chelsea Screw Co. starting in 1913, and Chelsea Elevator Co. The Mack Co. of Ann Arbor bought the building in the teens.
Sometime in the 1920s, Warren R. Daniels of Daniels Motor Sales, took over this building. Daniels was a sub-dealer for Dodge Bros. automobiles. He received his first car the day before Thanksgiving in 1917, and sold his first two cars in March of 1918 to Jules Strieter and Herb Paul. In 1925 Daniels was Chelsea’s Buick dealer, and by 1933 he added the Oldsmobile line. It was during Daniel’s ownership in the 1940s that the front Art Moderne car showroom was added. Daniels Motor Sales, Inc. was sold to the Sprague family, and eventually moved south of Chelsea to become the Faist-Morrow Buick dealer.
The second floor is said to have been used by Chelsea Milling Company in the 1930s. Mabel Holmes, the creator of packaged Jiffy mixes, may have packaged some of the first boxed mixes there. Fluorescent light bulbs were once manufactured in the building also.
For many years Longworths loaned the vacated front car showroom and adjoining floor space for various community uses. After Heydlauff’s Frigid Products’ devastating August 1970 fire, Longworths loaned this space for Heydlauff's business to continue business until their new appliance store could be built.
Longworth Plating Plant
The Longworth Plating Co. legacy began in 1946 Marion Longworth in the Clock tower building as a continuation of the industrial plating business which had started previously at the Federal Screw Company. In 1952, Longworth bought the livery building spending three months remodeling it for the industrial plating business. Later on in the decade he acquired the Mack building, with car showroom which had been used by Warren Daniels and later Sprague Motors.
The Heydlauff family business used the showroom for about 6 months in 1970 while their present building was being built . A disastrous fire destroyed their old building in 1970 and the showroom proved very adaptable for their purposes and thus saved their business.
Longworth specialized in industrial electroplating which included decorative auto parts and hand-rack plating using cadmium, nickel, tin, copper, zinc and chromium. They also did barrel and still plating. Plating mechanical components with these metals provided protection against friction, heat, rust and corrosion.
Marion Longworth retired in 1984 during his 38th business year. Longworth Plating was carried on by his son David, and daughter Flo Ann. David’s daughter Kim, and son Kent, represented the third generation in the business. Through the years Longworth’s work force averaged 10 employees, with Homer and Bill Beach working for about 40 years. Ed, Ted and Walter Bennett were a few of the old-time employees. By the closing year 2002, Odis Richardson had worked there 38 years in electroplating.
Chelsea House Livery Building
A few feet east of the Mack building, a Livery stands retaining the last vestiges of Chelsea’s horse and buggy days with its sign “Chelsea House Livery-Feed and 10 Cent Barn.”
John Wagner, proprietor of the Chelsea House Hotel, built this livery in 1905 to replace previous structures that served the same function in the same location. Since 1863, the hotel livery had been a place for customers to park their horses and carriages during their stay in Chelsea. Horses were stabled on the upper floor; feed and carriages were housed on the ground floor.
It appears that Wagner sold the Livery to B. J. Conlan some time in 1911 while he was still the proprietor of Chelsea House. In 1916 Chelsea House was sold and renamed the Crescent Hotel. A 1918 Sanborn map shows the Conlan Livery as a “horse and auto” livery open into early 1920s. The Jones Co. used the building for a used car garage and repair shop into the 1940s. Leigh Palmer of Palmer Motor Sales used the Livery to store cars during World War II.
Interim Livery building uses included a processing warehouse for onions, and wool storage and processing by a man named Alber.
Today the three buildings set quiet and vacant, devoid of noise from industrial machinery or the loading and unloading of supplies. Longworth Plating closed in 2002, selling the property to the City of Chelsea in December of 2008.
Mack Building
The oldest middle brick building was constructed in circa 1901. A. R. Welch, with prior Chelsea Manufacturing Co. success in manufacturing bicycles, moved in to build about 10 prototype Welch automobiles. One of the early investors of the Welch Manufacturing Co. was Chelsea banker George P. Glazier and later his son Frank Glazier. The Chelsea-made Welch car was exhibited at the 1903 Chicago Automobile Show. Only four Welch autos are known to exist today; one is displayed at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. After Welch went bankrupt, he left Chelsea, merged with Pontiac continuing to manufacture the Welch and Oakland cars until 1911 when the firm was sold to General Motors Corp.
Glazier Stove Company bought the building in early 1904, using it as building No. 18 to store or assemble Brightest & Best stoves until 1907. The Chelsea Tribune moved in late 1907 and published a new newspaper that year which lasted until 1923. Space was shared with Chelsea Screw Co. starting in 1913, and Chelsea Elevator Co. The Mack Co. of Ann Arbor bought the building in the teens.
Sometime in the 1920s, Warren R. Daniels of Daniels Motor Sales, took over this building. Daniels was a sub-dealer for Dodge Bros. automobiles. He received his first car the day before Thanksgiving in 1917, and sold his first two cars in March of 1918 to Jules Strieter and Herb Paul. In 1925 Daniels was Chelsea’s Buick dealer, and by 1933 he added the Oldsmobile line. It was during Daniel’s ownership in the 1940s that the front Art Moderne car showroom was added. Daniels Motor Sales, Inc. was sold to the Sprague family, and eventually moved south of Chelsea to become the Faist-Morrow Buick dealer.
The second floor is said to have been used by Chelsea Milling Company in the 1930s. Mabel Holmes, the creator of packaged Jiffy mixes, may have packaged some of the first boxed mixes there. Fluorescent light bulbs were once manufactured in the building also.
For many years Longworths loaned the vacated front car showroom and adjoining floor space for various community uses. After Heydlauff’s Frigid Products’ devastating August 1970 fire, Longworths loaned this space for Heydlauff's business to continue business until their new appliance store could be built.
Longworth Plating Plant
The Longworth Plating Co. legacy began in 1946 Marion Longworth in the Clock tower building as a continuation of the industrial plating business which had started previously at the Federal Screw Company. In 1952, Longworth bought the livery building spending three months remodeling it for the industrial plating business. Later on in the decade he acquired the Mack building, with car showroom which had been used by Warren Daniels and later Sprague Motors.
The Heydlauff family business used the showroom for about 6 months in 1970 while their present building was being built . A disastrous fire destroyed their old building in 1970 and the showroom proved very adaptable for their purposes and thus saved their business.
Longworth specialized in industrial electroplating which included decorative auto parts and hand-rack plating using cadmium, nickel, tin, copper, zinc and chromium. They also did barrel and still plating. Plating mechanical components with these metals provided protection against friction, heat, rust and corrosion.
Marion Longworth retired in 1984 during his 38th business year. Longworth Plating was carried on by his son David, and daughter Flo Ann. David’s daughter Kim, and son Kent, represented the third generation in the business. Through the years Longworth’s work force averaged 10 employees, with Homer and Bill Beach working for about 40 years. Ed, Ted and Walter Bennett were a few of the old-time employees. By the closing year 2002, Odis Richardson had worked there 38 years in electroplating.
Chelsea House Livery Building
A few feet east of the Mack building, a Livery stands retaining the last vestiges of Chelsea’s horse and buggy days with its sign “Chelsea House Livery-Feed and 10 Cent Barn.”
John Wagner, proprietor of the Chelsea House Hotel, built this livery in 1905 to replace previous structures that served the same function in the same location. Since 1863, the hotel livery had been a place for customers to park their horses and carriages during their stay in Chelsea. Horses were stabled on the upper floor; feed and carriages were housed on the ground floor.
It appears that Wagner sold the Livery to B. J. Conlan some time in 1911 while he was still the proprietor of Chelsea House. In 1916 Chelsea House was sold and renamed the Crescent Hotel. A 1918 Sanborn map shows the Conlan Livery as a “horse and auto” livery open into early 1920s. The Jones Co. used the building for a used car garage and repair shop into the 1940s. Leigh Palmer of Palmer Motor Sales used the Livery to store cars during World War II.
Interim Livery building uses included a processing warehouse for onions, and wool storage and processing by a man named Alber.
Today the three buildings set quiet and vacant, devoid of noise from industrial machinery or the loading and unloading of supplies. Longworth Plating closed in 2002, selling the property to the City of Chelsea in December of 2008.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Background Information
The Save the Livery Coalition advocates adaptive reuse of the livery building.
Many experts agree that contamination is best handled by capping and sealing the floor and ground rather than through demolition (estimated to cost $55,000+). A structural engineer and two local builders recently inspected the livery and do not agree that the building is structurally unsound--another widely held belief.
Read the history of the Longworth Buildings. You will read that they are significant to the transportation corridor on Jackson Street that brought people to Chelsea as well as industry in town. The livery is located next to the Chelsea Farmers Supply, the rehabilitated and adaptively reused first hotel in Chelsea. In the early days of Chelsea, people exited the train at the Chelsea Depot, perhaps checked into the first hotel, and used horses and buggies kept in the livery.
The Save the Livery Coalition is dedicated to saving the livery from demolition that would produce 16/17 parking spaces.
Check back frequently. The DDA granted a 60 stay of demolition on August 20th in order to give Great Lakes Zoological Society time to work on the proposal for a destination small animal zoo in Chelsea. Another reason for families to come to Chelsea! (look for the link below)
Not only would families appreciate the zoo, but retaining the exteriors of the historic buildings provides another opportunity for historic tourism. History equates to business for our business owners.
Many experts agree that contamination is best handled by capping and sealing the floor and ground rather than through demolition (estimated to cost $55,000+). A structural engineer and two local builders recently inspected the livery and do not agree that the building is structurally unsound--another widely held belief.
Read the history of the Longworth Buildings. You will read that they are significant to the transportation corridor on Jackson Street that brought people to Chelsea as well as industry in town. The livery is located next to the Chelsea Farmers Supply, the rehabilitated and adaptively reused first hotel in Chelsea. In the early days of Chelsea, people exited the train at the Chelsea Depot, perhaps checked into the first hotel, and used horses and buggies kept in the livery.
The Save the Livery Coalition is dedicated to saving the livery from demolition that would produce 16/17 parking spaces.
Check back frequently. The DDA granted a 60 stay of demolition on August 20th in order to give Great Lakes Zoological Society time to work on the proposal for a destination small animal zoo in Chelsea. Another reason for families to come to Chelsea! (look for the link below)
Not only would families appreciate the zoo, but retaining the exteriors of the historic buildings provides another opportunity for historic tourism. History equates to business for our business owners.
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