Old West Side Historic District

Ann Arbor was founded in 1824, and all portions of the historic district were included in the original plat. Most of the buildings that comprise the district were constructed around the turn of the century, and from the similarity of styles, it is obvious that most of the area was developed in a short period of time. Nevertheless, an 1860 bird's eye view of Ann Arbor shows several dozen houses within the present borders of the district and many of these are extant. Some of these buildings may later be nominated to the National Register on their own right. With the end of World War II and the burgeoning growth of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor's population began to soar, more than doubling between 1950 and 1960. Current growth is proceeding at an even higher rate. A large proportion of the newcomers are college students or young professionals. To answer their housing needs, many single-family residences were converted to multiple dwellings, and in the sixties, the apartment building boom began. Large areas of Ann Arbor were struck with the blight common to absentee landlord situations, and historic buildings were dwarfed by modern, high-rise apartments. With much of this upheaval, the West Side remained untouched, but began to grow increasingly shabby. The numerous retirees in the district found it difficult, within current income, to adequately maintain their properties, and other residents were reluctant to invest if the character of the neighborhood seemed threatened with change. In 1967, citizens banded together to prevent encroachment on the district of a large apartment development. They were successful, and the following year the West Side Association was formed. The goal of the association is to preserve the buildings and environment of the West Side, and to work for change and modernization within a framework of historic preservation.

The Ann Arbor West Side is an area immediately adjacent to the central business district. The population is estimated at 5,000, living in about 2,000 housing units. The buildings run the gamut of styles popular in the late nineteenth century, and in fact, the district has been called a 'kaleidoscope of architecture.' Nevertheless, a definite continuity is to be found. The majority of the buildings were constructed in the 1850-1915 period and are recognizably what the common working man of that time occupied as his residence. Nearly all buildings are frame two-story, with gabled roofs whose peaks face the street. Occasionally a row of six or eight of these buildings will be found with almost identical plans. Each has its own stamp of individuality nevertheless, since owners over the years have modified porches and fenestration and adopted new color schemes. Scattered among these typical buildings are perhaps five or six others that are outstanding architecturally and historically. These include excellent examples of Italianate and Queen Anne styles, as well as a few buildings which pre-date the Civil War. Even more important than the buildings themselves is the total environmental character of the district. Streets are tree-lined and there is a noticeable uniformity in building set-back and landscaping. While much of Ann Arbor is rapidly being overrun with modern apartment buildings, there is little intrusion of this sort on the West Side. Its character is still overwhelmingly residential, with many of the newer residents being retired people who may have lived in the area all their lives. University students and other young people also live here, transforming what otherwise could be a sleepy middle-class neighborhood into one with a noticeably urban air.