Jan. 29, 2009

Michigan's State Historic Preservation Review Board today announced that two metro-Detroit properties - River Terrace Apartments in Detroit and the H. Augustus and Agnes Cleveland O'Dell House in Bloomfield Hills - were included among seven nominations recently submitted to the National Register of Historic Places.

Additional nominated properties from throughout the state include:

• Mary's City of David Historic District, Benton Harbor (Berrien County);
• Richter Brewery in Escanaba (Delta County);
• Lake Linden Historic District (Houghton County);
• Lansing Downtown Historic District (Ingham County); and
• Nathaniel and Esther Savidge Robbins House, Grand Haven (Ottawa County).

"The properties nominated to the National Register this month reflect the great diversity of story and place among Michigan's many historic sites," said Mark Hoffman, acting director of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries. "The Lake Linden Historic District in the Upper Peninsula's Copper Country represents Michigan's proud industrial past, while Mary's City of David in Benton Harbor captures the presence of a long-standing religious community. These are all historically significant properties worthy of being preserved and shared with next generations."

As a result of National Register designation, the owners of income producing individually listed properties or contributing buildings in a district will be eligible to apply for federal historic preservation tax credits. Single resource local historic districts and contributing buildings located in local historic districts will be eligible to apply for state historic preservation tax credits.

River Terrace Apartments, 7700 E. Jefferson Avenue, Detroit

The River Terrace Apartments were constructed in 1939 as one of the first two garden apartment complexes in the state built with Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan guarantees. The complex, designed for middle-income tenants, embodies FHA standards of the time.

H. Augustus and Agnes Cleveland O'Dell House, 1945 Tiverton Road, Bloomfield Hills

Detroit architect H. Augustus O'Dell practiced architecture from 1901 until the mid-20th century. O'Dell was known for designing apartment buildings in Detroit as well as large suburban houses and schools, including the Lewis Maire Elementary School in Grosse Pointe. A member of the Black River Ranch, he designed the 1922 lodge for the exclusive hunting and fishing camp located southwest of Onaway in Montmorency County. O'Dell designed his home in a style reminiscent of an English Cotswold cottage, and named it Inch House for the O'Dell ancestral home in Ireland.

The State Historic Preservation Review Board considers nominations to the register three times per year. The review board forwards nominations to the keeper of the National Register, Department of the Interior. The State Historic Preservation Office coordinates the National Register Program in Michigan. For information on the National Register of Historic Places and other programs of the State Historic Preservation Office, visit www.michigan.gov/shpo or call (517) 373-1630.

The State Historic Preservation Office is a division of the Michigan Historical Center, part of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries. Dedicated to enriching quality of life and strengthening the economy by providing access to information, preserving and promoting Michigan's heritage and fostering cultural creativity, the department also includes the Library of Michigan, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.

Photos of River Terrace Apartments and the H. Augustus and Agnes Cleveland O'Dell House are available for download at: http://picasaweb.google.com/mipreservation/JanuaryNominationsToNationalRegisterOfHistoricPlaces?feat=directlink.

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