Seven Michigan Listings Added to National Register of Historic Places

LANSING, Mich., Jan. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The State Historic Preservation Office, Michigan State Housing Development Authority, announced the addition of seven properties and historic districts to the National Register of Historic Places.

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Three individual properties and four historic districts from Dickinson to Jackson Counties were added to the nation's list of historic structures and archaeological sites worthy of preservation. The historic districts listed included an expansion of the Center Avenue Neighborhood Historic District in Bay City.

"Listing in the National Register of Historic Places achieves a level of recognition that is important to property owners and communities," said State Historic Preservation Officer Brian Conway. "The designation of these properties and districts provides public recognition of their historic and architectural distinction and also opportunities for property owners to use federal historic preservation tax credits for rehabilitating the income-producing buildings. The preservation of historic buildings preserves community identity. By rehabilitating and reusing these structures we contribute to economic growth without destroying what makes each community unique."

The most recent listings include:

Center Avenue Neighborhood Historic District (Boundary Increase and Additional Documentation), Bay City. This new designation greatly expands the existing Center Avenue district to include a much larger residential area roughly bounded by N. Madison, Green, and Center Avenues., 4th, 5th, 6th, & 10th Streets, Carroll Road and Nurmi Drive. This nearly 1000-building district contains a highly diverse and architecturally distinguished collection of homes and other buildings dating from the 1860s to the 1960s.

Upper Twin Falls Bridge
Over the Menominee River, Breitung Township, Dickinson County, Michigan, and the Town of Florence, Wisconsin

Williamston Downtown Historic District
First blocks of East and West Grand River Avenue and South Putnam Street, Williamston, Ingham County

Hanover High School Complex
105 Fairview St., Hanover, Jackson County

Drake, Benjamin and Maria (Ogden), Farm
927 N. Drake Rd. (Oshtemo Charter Township), Kalamazoo vicinity, Kalamazoo County

Grand Rapids Storage and Van Company Building
1415 Lake Dr. SE., Grand Rapids, Kent County

Boyne City Central Historic District
South from Boyne River to Main St., east from Front Street along Ray and Water Streets, Boyne Ave. to Pearl St., Boyne City, Charlevoix County

In addition to the seven new listings, the Grand Circus Park Historic District designation was updated to take note of buildings built or renovated after 1930 and down to fifty years ago, 1962. This will make available to property owners in the district the federal rehabilitation tax credits now available to the owners of earlier buildings dating from prior to 1930, thus encouraging the preservation of structures representing significant Modern design.

Michigan has more than 1,600 listings in the National Register of Historic Places, including some 250 districts made up of more than 20,000 properties. 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, National Park Service, U.S. 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 part of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), which provides financial and technical assistance through public and private partnerships to create and preserve decent, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents and to engage in community economic development activities to revitalize urban and rural communities.*

The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) is financed in part by a grant from the National Park Service, Department of Interior. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of the Interior. The Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on its federally funded assistance programs.  If you believe you've been discriminated against please contact the Office of Equal Opportunity, National Park Service, 1849 C. St. NW, Washington DC 20240.

About MSHDA
The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) provides financial and technical assistance through public and private partnerships to create and preserve decent, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents and to engage in community economic development activities to revitalize urban and rural communities.*

*MSHDA's loans and operating expenses are financed through the sale of tax-exempt and taxable bonds as well as notes to private investors, not from state tax revenues. Proceeds are loaned at below-market interest rates to developers of rental housing, and help fund mortgages and home improvement loans. MSHDA also administers several federal housing programs. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/mshda.

SOURCE Michigan State Housing Development Authority