While I covered the amazing rehab of the Ransom Gillis House the other day, as one gets better, one gets worse.
The William Livingstone house on Eliot, one block south of Mack continues heading south. This house was moved to it’s current location to avoid demolition, but now it’s getting demolition by neglect.
Here’s some views from the last few years:
August 2002:
Note the terracotta around the front door.
June 2003:
Terracotta is gone, and the lot is cleaned up. Small stress crack appears above the small window above the front door.
February 2005:
Perimiter fencing goes up, windows are boarded up, a second stress crack appears. Foundation is completed, roof fails. Metal banding appears to hold the facade to the structure.
August 2005:
Third stress crack appears. Turret slump increses.
December 2005:
Third stress crack widens, turret slump is so severe it pops out the two boards blocking the windows on the second floor.
January 2006:
More facing falls off the facade on the lower lever to the left of the turret.
March 2006:
The most recent shot. No visible difference over the last two months.
I think it’s just a matter of time. I guess the question remains, will it be demolished or collapse?
hi,
First of all, thanks for keeping track on the situation of historic buildings at Detroit. It’s very interesting.
Being European, I am truly shocked to see that such historic buildings are not being preserved or restored by the local authorities. The sould of a city is being destroyed with such demolitions!
Regards from Barcelona
What a shame. William Livingstone was my great, great grandfather. I’ve never seen the home in person, but my grandmother, who knew it as a girl growing up in Detroit, tell me stories about visits with her grandfather in this house and elsewhere.
At some point between the 2nd and 3rd pictures, someone went inside and boarded up the windows. This person has balls of steel.