UM-Sparrow to save old Eastern’s cupola, destroy many other artifacts

FRIDAY, March 21 —University of Michigan Health-Sparrow said today that it intends to preserve old Eastern’s cupola, despite preservationists’ concerns.

But there is little hope for  remaining artifacts that have not already been salvaged, UM-Sparrow spokesperson John Foren said.

UM-Sparrow announced plans last summer to tear down old Eastern to make room for a $97 million psychiatric hospital on the school's grounds. UM Health acquired old Eastern as part of its takeover of Sparrow Health System, which bought Eastern from the school district in 2015. Old Eastern closed in 2019.

Foren said that the hospital system had “donated some artifacts to the school district, to the planned Ovation Center and for our planned memorial garden at the site.”

However, he said removing remaining artifacts would be difficult. A list of specific items marked for preservation was not immediately available

“The issue now is that there are health and safety issues with getting anything out of the building at this point, besides the fact that so much material was exposed to asbestos and mold over the years,” Foren said.

Sparrow has consistently declined community requests to allow preservationists to evaluate the building.

Tiles and light fixtures are among artifacts that preservationists are trying to save.

“One of the things is the chandeliers in the auditorium,” said Andrew Muylle, an Eastern alumnus who has been fighting UM-Sparrow. “There are at least 10 on the ceiling that, as far as I know, are still there."

Rebecca Stimson cited “lighting fixtures, walnut paneling and architectural features in the auditorium, and the tiles." Stimson and Muylle are members of the Coalition to Preserve Eastern High School and Promote Mental Health.

She was referring to tiles that appear to have been made by Flint Faience, a historic Flint tile company run by General Motors in the 1920s, according to Pewabic Pottery archivist Annie Dennis. Flint Faience tiles can be found in the Detroit Masonic Temple and other historic structures. Dennis said they are frequently mistaken for Pewabic tiles from the famed Detroit pottery company.

Foren said that UM-Sparrow had “reached out in recent months to the alumni association and others about artifacts they may want to save and have not received much response.”

Jim Lynch, the alumni association’s president, said the claim was a partial truth.

"They have asked, but they wanted us to walk through the building, and we wanted to bring some other people in to walk with us, including a preservationist,” Lynch said. “They did not let us, so we decided not to continue with that.”

Lynch said no UM-Sparrow made no other attempts at outreach and that the alumni association had not directly been offered artifacts.

Muylle said he had sent a letter to Foren and others months ago and received a similar response.

“John Foren responded in an email then and said that they were working with preservationists and alumni to preserve artifacts,” Muylle said. “As far as I know, no one in the coalition was approached.”

Stimson said she has heard of no alumni receiving artifacts.

“Alumni have repeatedly expressed an interest in those artifacts, and at a time when the building wasn’t being demolished,” Stimson said. “It doesn’t seem real to me, because they’re saying that, but I don’t know who they’re talking to.”

Stimson also said alumni have been reaching out about preserving artifacts from the building since long before demolition began.

“We’ve been reaching out since before the plywood was put on the windows,” she said.

Meanwhile, the demolition crew appeared not to be active today after having finished tearing down portions of the school’s east side. Still standing were the school’s west wing and auditorium, the focus of preservationists’ efforts.

A receptionist for E.T. MacKenzie Co. of Grand Ledge, which is demolishing old Eastern, said late this afternoon that no one was available who knows the demolition schedule.