Tag Archives: historic preservation

Talking about Highland Cemetery’s Starkweather Chapel, and the history of Ypsilanti’s death industry

By Mark | December 18, 2019

The Starkweather Chapel in Ypsilanti’s Highland Cemetery, for those of you who may not have noticed, has been undergoing some much needed renovation work this past year. Here, with more on the history of the building, and the preservation work that’s been done thus far, is a conversation I just had with lifelong Ypsilanti resident […]

Posted in History, Ypsilanti | Also tagged 1841, 1883, Ainsworth Mill, animal infestation, Barry LaRue, Battle of Bunker Hill, Beezy's, big death, Bill French, coffins, Daniel Quirk, DTE, Ebay, Elijah McCoy, EMU, funerals, George McCoy, grave digging, Greek Revival, Highland Cemetery, Historic District Commission, historic places, Historic Preservation Office, home funerals, Huron River, J.E. Moore’s Furniture Store, Jasper Pennington, John D. Pierce, John Starkweather, Mack & Mack Furniture Store, Mary Ann Starkweather, Mason & Rice, memorial services, Normal College, Old Ypsilanti, oral history, plaster, Playboy, pornography, Prospect Cemetery, Prospect park, public art, public education, renovations, solar power, SPARK East, stained glass, Starkweather Chapel, Starkweather Hall, Starkweather House, State Historic Preservation Office, Stevens T. Mason, the funeral industry, underground railroad, Walter Loomis Newberry, water fountains, winter receiving vault, Ypsi history, Ypsi Solar, Ypsilanti, Ypsilanti Public Library | 6 Comments

The rehab of 209 Pearl is finally getting underway

By Mark | June 21, 2016

As it’s been a while, I thought that I should give you an update on the renovation of 209 Pearl Street. Since my last post, things have changed a bit. Most notably, we’ve chosen not to have a loft apartment on the second floor, and instead build-out more offices for Landline Creative Labs. It wasn’t […]

Posted in 209 Pearl, Architecture, Art and Culture, Landline Creative Labs, Local Business, Locally Owned Business, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Also tagged blood on hands, Historic District Commission, Jesse Kranyak, renovations | 10 Comments

State of the City 2013: Shaping Ypsilanti

By Mark | March 5, 2013

The following was sent out this evening by Ypsilanti Mayor Paul Schreiber. I thought that I’d pass it along for those of you who don’t happen to be on his mailing list. (A PDF version, which includes relevant links and accompanying graphs, can be found here.) For the most part, I think Mayor Schreiber does […]

Posted in Ypsilanti | Also tagged AATA, Administrative Hearings Bureau, city income tax, Climate Action Plan, Corner brewery, Cross Street, Dreamland Theater, Eastern Michigan University, EMU, Facade Improvement Program, Family Dollar, Ford, Growing Hope, gun control, guns, Hamilton Crossing, historic district, Hope Clinic, Jon Ichesco, Krampus Ball, LED street lights, manufacturing, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, Michigan House Bill 5225, Mittenfest, Non-Motorized Transportation Plan, Parkview Apartments, Paul Schreiber, porn, public safety, public transportation, Ralph Lange, Recreation Department, Reimagine Washtenaw, Rutherford Pool, Shadow Art Fair, Shape Ypsilanti, Smith Furniture, State of the City, street lights, Sweetwaters, tax incentives, Ted's Campus Drugs, VIsteon, Water Street, Water Street Redevelopment Project, Welch Hall, Ypsilanti City Council, Ypsilanti City Master Plan, Ypsilanti Fire Department, Ypsilanti police department, zoning | 47 Comments

Good work, Township! You now look like every other chain-glutted strip mall wasteland in America.

By Mark | May 31, 2011

I try not to rant too much here. Believe it or not, I restrain myself for the most part. I try, as best as I can, to limit my posts to subjects where I believe I have positive, constructive things to add. That’s not so much the case tonight, though. There’s nothing positive left to […]

Posted in History, Mark's Life, Rants, Special Projects, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Also tagged 1964, bowling, fast food, Golfside, good design, hideous places, local economy, retaining Ypsi businesses, sense of place, sign museum, South Dakota, Starkweather House, Washtenaw Avenue, Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, Wes Prater, Ypsi Arbor Bowl, Ypsilanti Historical Society | 9 Comments

Update on the Ypsi-Arbor sign… There’s still time to save it, but does anyone care?

By Mark | April 23, 2011

As I mentioned in my last post about the Ypsi-Arbor sign, I wrote to Washtenaw County Commissioner Wes Prater and asked him to intervene, stop the auction, and protect the historic sign. Well, I just received his response. Here it is, in its entirety. “I agree with most of your concerns. It would benefit the […]