Rethinking historic preservation

The imminent loss of another historic building in Lansing — this time the Preuss Building in Old Town — is yet another punch in the gut. Built in 1875, it is the latest in a string of historic structures recently lost to neglect, with no one to throw them a lifeline before it was too late.

How does this happen? Why do we leave the fate of the city’s historically significant buildings to chance? It might be owned by someone who will take care of it, or it might not. A neglectful owner could allow it to deteriorate to the point of no return and apparently we just have to accept that’s how it works.

Two buildings that appeared on an at-risk list we published in 2022 are now gone for, at least ostensibly, that very reason: Eastern High School and the Glaister House. As noted by historical society President Bill Castanier in our updated story last week on endangered historic buildings: “What creates a situation that a building, which at one time was very usable and open to restoration, is put in a position where it has to be torn down?”

It’s a good question, and we offer a corollary: What will it take to devise a system of monitoring and intervention to ensure that it doesn’t continue? Unless we change the way we look at the problem and come up with a better approach, the status quo will continue to favor destruction over rehabilitation of at-risk properties.

We have opined previously in this space that Mayor Andy Schor should convene a group of stakeholders to rethink the city’s approach to the identification and preservation of historic structures. Such a group could begin by defining what we consider worth saving. What makes a building historic? Its age? Its architectural splendor or significance? Its role in the city’s history as a notable place or the home of a notable person?

Once we establish the criteria for what deserves saving, the city can develop a plan to be more proactive about engaging with the owners of historic properties and helping them leverage the resources, if needed, to keep the property in good condition.

Most of the time, the city’s visibility into the condition of any given private property extends only to whatever an external inspection reveals, unless a repair-related permit requires an interior inspection. We’re not suggesting an intrusive approach that tramples on the rights of property owners. However, we do think proactive outreach and engagement with the owners of historic structures could be the foundation of an early warning system that a property is at risk.

We were disappointed to hear Mayor Schor pass the buck to the historic preservation community to raise money to fund the acquisition and preservation of historic buildings in the city. If Ingham County can have a millage to protect farmland, surely a small millage can be put on the ballot in Lansing to generate a modest sum to advance the cause of historic preservation.

If he’s unwilling to convene a group of interested stakeholders or consider a millage, at least Schor could task the city’s mostly moribund historic district commission — which has canceled 10 of its last 12 scheduled meetings — with developing a systematic approach to identifying historic properties, recommending a policy framework for ensuring they are maintained, and considering a funding source to do the real work of preserving our city’s proud history.

It is difficult to come to any other conclusion but that the mayor is largely disinterested in historic preservation, except when it falls in his lap. When it works, it works, apparently, but he’s not willing to spend significant political capital, or city resources, to develop a gameplan to prevent the loss of even more Lansing history to the wrecking ball.

We’re not optimistic that the city will start acquiring and rehabbing historic properties, but we are hoping that Schor will step up to the plate and show some leadership on this issue. Let’s get the conversation started and move the needle toward a more sensible approach to saving our city’s dwindling historic structures.