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Comments:
Superior Township - 2004-10-26 13:32:57 Yikes. I'm glad the fire didn't damage the current apartments section on Cross, and spoiled the senior-housing project. My mom and dad are really impressed by the reuse of the high school--there was a similar old and beautiful high school in Toledo, where they live, that was just torn down into rubble, with no effort made to restore or reuse it. I think the seniors' apartments plan was an inspired one, and I think they did a great job in saving the useable part of the high school. It looks nice, and offers affordable (so far as I know) housing to a segment of the population who tends to need it. My goodness, they had quite a number of fire trucks there, didn't they? Must have been quite the blaze.* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 14:47:30 The Edye company offered twice as much for the property. Around 700,000 I believe, They are a bunch of slicko real estate speculators. It was easy to see that "their" plan was no plan. They offered more money for the building but the Public Schools sold it to the current owners for 300,000. I'll never forget the stare from the Edye guy as I stood up to speak at the public meetings. (They have signs in all the Geddes cornfields for years, just waiting to sell them to the highest bidders.) I'm glad that they went with the best plan and not the most money. Otherwise it will stilll be vacant and boarded up I'm sure. I watched the fire one night. It was a really cold night, and you could see the siloettes of the firefighters on the roof all night. Smoke was all around the clock. So glad it didn't destroy that. The project took so long it seemed it would never finish. The night of the fire I assumed it was set on purpose cause it was turning into a money pit.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 14:53:46 Wow--I'm impressed at the schools' turning down an offer more than double--I assume they did so out of concern for the site's future? $300,000 for such a huge site is peanuts--unless it was a total wreck inside.* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 14:55:16 The clock stops once and awhile. But at least it's correct twice a day. To be honest, I was really pissed when they tore down the gym. It was very cool and something I saw daily. It was my first real experience with "fighting city hall" although it was no fight and humbling. There is a lot of Hypocracy with the historic district. They can tear down soemthing like the gym but god forbid I don't paint my picket fence mauve.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 14:57:37 (has to ask) may I ask, did the city really make you paint your fence a certain color? I suppose I'm lucky in a way that mine is somewhat tacky chain link...* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 14:58:43 The Edye company representatives looked like Cheney clones drooling at the thought of their profits. The American Co. (I believe was their name) showed examples of their work and were more grandfatherly.* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 15:03:12 I do nothing on the outside of my house. It looks rather plain and unassuming. The inside is another story. Lots of moldings, clawfoot tub, oak columns, etc..I don;t want to deal with them at all. Bunch of hypcites with fancy houses that think they know whats best. They don't know shit. I respect trying to maintain a certain look, they just go way to far.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 15:04:27 Hmm. YD, do you know what Edye's plans for the site were? Just wondering how they thought they'd profit from the sale.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 15:07:06 Oops, you beat me, sorry. Clawfoot tub--how wonderful. There was one of those in a former house. I loved it. My favorite luxury was to take a bath in that huge tub. Yes, I agree with you--maintaining a certain look is reasonable. I don't have any personal experience with the Ypsi historical district crowd, however, so for a refreshing change I should withhold comment (while dying to hear details).* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 15:08:47 Now that I think about it, it sold for 150,000, Edye bid was 300,000. If you buy a square block for 300,000 and wait ten years, you can probably get well over a couple million. They're developer scumbags. I researched them. They showed a couple hypothetical half-assed plans but guaranteed nothing.* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 15:11:48 http://www.eyde.com/* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura again - 2004-10-26 15:11:56 Oh. Well, you taught me a lot I didn't know about the site history; thanks yd. Regarding the historic district, I did learn recently that it's quite difficult to qualify for a plaque. The entire home must be restored to its original appearance. The three mid-19th-century houses to the north of the Thompson don't have plaques because they have things like siding added. You can still see their age in their style and construction, though. I must say the siding on the northmost one of the trio is just a bit tacky on such a dignified house.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 15:14:02 Oops, you beat me again, excuse the disconnected reply. An East Lansing co., I see. Thanks for the link, YD.* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 15:14:14 My neighbors want to take theirs down. Because the plaque is made of plastic.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 15:15:53 Oh, how funny! I never realized that--sure enough, white plastic. After doing all that backbreaking work to restore an ornate Victorian, and painting it in three different colors, &c., &c.,.....you get a plastic plaque. That's hilarious.* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 15:19:38 Go look at the house of the chairwoman of the historic district. How does a 2000 sq ft addition with totally different siding qualify for "original appearance" Try to add the same siding to your house and see what they say. My house has been added to several times. Try to explain that to them. If a house has has three siding styles in 150 years which one do you choose? You don't, a bunch of snooty old ladies do.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 15:23:09 That's a good point--if it's changed over the years, what's "original"? 2000 feet is three times the footage of my whole house. Seems like it would be tricky to "blend" that into a historic structure.* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 15:24:49 Oh but the colors are so darned charming. Too much money and time on their hands. They expect the same from us commoners.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 15:30:28 Well, in a way I guess I'm lucky not to have to worry about such things...I have just a very simple, tiny cottage, aluminum siding, nothing to fret over. I wouldn't want the historical headache, anyways, and don't have the time (or $) to do all the work involved. * * * * * * * * * * * * Chairwomans house - 2004-10-26 15:32:20 http://www.ugotpal.com/default.asp?sID=13&mID=1 If this is historical I'll kiss her ass* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura again - 2004-10-26 15:33:02 There was a lovely Victorian on the north side of Cross at the top of the hill leading down to the Thompson building that sold a couple of years ago for a paltry...$217,000. I was aghast that it was so incredibly cheap--for such an old beauty. * * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 15:34:43 Complete with 2000lbs of mouse droppings included* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 15:36:03 :) yes, perhaps. Hmm, that link you just posted seems a bit troublesome...* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 15:37:56 And she'll have the final decision what kind of freakin mailbox you can nail to your house. Ge wiz I wish I was as smart. Good thing shes around keeping everyone on their toes.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 15:40:49 I must say that does seem a bit over-managed. Did they have one and only one style of mailbox way back when?--I doubt it. At least one of the original metal letter-slots is still visible in the doors of Depot Town buildings, which is interesting to see.* * * * * * * * * * * * Bytheway - 2004-10-26 15:47:12 Tacky chain link rules.* * * * * * * * * * * * German Shepard - 2004-10-26 15:48:10 It keeps the nefarious ones out and the furry monster in.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 15:51:03 Indeed--that's exactly why I put it up. Although at 40 lbs. my dog is not quite "monster" size. I'm just waiting till the fence gets nice 'n rusty. Then it'll look extra special. My attempt to plant what was billed as a "flowering fence" of mixed bushes along it, to hide the fence, is what we can safely call a complete failure. But at any rate. I don't worry about it.* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 15:52:17 The hysterical police didn't come banging on your door when you ut it up? 1000 bucks or I tell.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 15:58:58 No, it was just a matter of building one straight section that connected the southern fence section and the northern section. It was all open in front, so I dug holes, sunk the poles, poured cement, used a level to make sure the poles were straight, used the level the other way to make sure the poles were the same height (with string), put on the rail, attached the chain link fabric, stretched it with the then-running pickup, measured and hung a gate. It was kind of fun to do, actually. Hmm, empty pockets here, yd, sorry. * * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 16:02:37 When I attended a meeting one time, they talked about they're "Drive-by" scedules. Where they take turns driving around neighborhoods looking for anti-historical scofflaws like yourself. How can you stomp your foot on history like that? Better watch out, they might read this and come over.* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 16:05:18 I think the fence should be constructed of African bobinga wood. The first carts that made their way into Ypsi were used to make the earliest fences. The bobinga was grown fromseeds carried in the toe jam of slaves long ago. Now thats historical research. The rest is nonsense* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 16:06:33 Ah--um, (thinks fast, or tries to) chain link was widely used in 1948*, when my little house was built for, presumably, young GIs and their newlyweds. So...it's a "period fence" and (crosses fingers) historically accurate. *maybe.* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 16:08:02 You had a permit right? wink, wink, nod, nod...Rules: no chain link, no t-11 siding, no aluminum siding or doors, I could go on and on...* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 16:09:52 Oh, you beat me to comments again, sorry for the disconnected reply. Actually, I'd be interested to know how the whole biota have changed since Potowatomie days. Oddly enough there are a number of trinkets and doodads inside the house that are much older than the house itself, like my treasured historical trivet and maps and bla bla--I love having that old stuff around.* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 16:12:15 http://www.cityofypsilanti.com/boards/bd_historic/factsheets/fences.pdf* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 16:16:13 Hmm...those permit-related rules must be more strict in your part of town since lots of folks have many of those items in my neighborhood--wait, I live in the Twp., that's probably why. I have everything you mention on my house, except "t-11 siding"; I don't know what that is. Vinyl, I'm guessing.* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 16:16:58 I found a photo of my house 1893, It was surrounded by chain-link. SHows what they know, and shows what they just don't like. (Albeit chain link with wooden posts.)* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 16:18:48 Wow!--how cool to live in such an old house! I'd love that. Also, I had *no* idea chain link was that old--that's very interesting, too. I'm checking out that pdf...thank you for the link, yd.* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 16:24:22 If you are west of Prospect you are probably in the historic district. You can have all that stuff and they can't do anything about it. Your just not supposed to add any of that stuff. Living in a very old house is ok. I like it. I had jihad on the mice last year and so far there are none this year. I'm an animal lover but when there are 20 of them in sight at all times, that is enough. When it starts to look like someone dumped a bag of black rice all over the house that's enough. When you get into bed and feel them run across you, that;s enough.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 16:25:43 "Full perimeter fencing is not allowed"...? Why not? What if you have a dog? That seems odd. And "split-face block may be acceptable in some instances." Well, that clears things up--whatever split-face block is. One wonders how many additional "fact sheets" they have...* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 16:30:10 Nope, east of Prospect (though it's interesting to learn that that's the approximate line). Sounds like you certainly had mice, all right. The bed-mouse would do it for me. And the poop. I had a bad mouse problem last winter, till I laid sticky traps everywhere--they worked well. I too like animals, and seeing mice doesn't startle me, well, ok, it does a little, but I don't feel like catching the hantavirus that some mice carry. * * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-10-26 16:33:23 Many, many fact sheets. "May be acceptable in some instances= if they like you, if it seems you have alot of money, if they know you. The sweetest thing that happened was about two months ago. While I was in the backyard the furry monster started leaping/barking at the fence. There was two super old ladys, like 90. After I calmed the monster down they asked if I lived there. I said I did. They said they grew up in the house. It took several minutes to lift and push one of them into the house (She wanted to go) It made me feel good. They kept looking around saying "oh my god, it looks so nice, so much better. They gave me a lot of personal history regarding the house. They said their dad sold it to "Bad people" who wrecked it. And that "nasty women" lived there for awhile. One lives at the old high school now.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-26 16:39:25 Oh, how nice! I would love a visit like that. I would have felt good, too, to hear them say it looks "so much better" now. What a great chance to learn some local history. Were there any special highlights in the history of your house? Did they grow up there in the 'teens and 20s? They must know a million great old stories.* * * * * * * * * * * * Vince Prygoski - 2004-10-27 17:09:35 I don't know about Michigan or the US in general, but my original hometown (Wyandotte, Michigan) was and still is home to many Roman Catholics. There used to be not just one but two Catholic high schools (St. Patrick's and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, only OLMC remains) and several Catholic elementary schools (I think there are three remaining today). The Detroit area in general still has enough Catholic high schools for them to have their own sports league with several divisions, and "back in the day" there were even more than there are now.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-10-28 09:22:41 That is interesting Vince--I hadn't known about the sports league. What I found interesting in the newspaper story is the range of opinion among those who identified themselves as Catholics. It apparently would be an error for a politician to think he or she can easily sew up the whole Catholic vote with a few well-chosen platforms.* * * * * * * * * * * * add your comment: |