April 27, 2006
The Frieze Building Vertical File
I just noticed that The Frieze Building Vertical File is now in Google's index. It is the 23rd page when I search for "Frieze Building." The Frieze Building Blog is a bit higher up.
Yahoo has the blog but not the vertical file so far.
It took almost a month for them to find me.
Posted by dfulmer at 01:28 PM | Comments (0)
AATA routes affected
Yesterday the Ann Arbor News had a notice about the changes being made to several bus routes due to long-term construction at the Frieze Building site. The changes begin Sunday, April 30, 2006.
The press release from AATA is below.
PRESS RELEASE
March 30, 2006
AATA to implement April 30 service changes
ANN ARBOR, MI – The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) will implement service changes on several routes starting on Sunday, April 30, 2006.
The following routes are being altered near the University of Michigan campus due to long-term construction at the Frieze Building site:
Route 2 – Plymouth
To downtown Ann Arbor:
Route will use North University and State. No service on Thayer Street.
From downtown Ann Arbor:
Route will use State and North University. No service on Thayer Street.
Route 4 – Washtenaw
To downtown Ann Arbor:
Route will use Huron and Fifth Avenue. No service on Washington or State.
From downtown Ann Arbor:
Route will use Fourth Avenue and Huron. No service on State or Washington.
Route 9U – Jackson-University
Westbound:
Route will use North University and State Street. No service on Fletcher or Washington.
Route 12UL – Liberty-University
Eastbound:
Route will use Huron to Glen. No service on Washington Street.
Westbound:
Route will use North University, State Street and Huron. No service on Fletcher or Washington.
Route 14 – Geddes-E. Stadium
To downtown Ann Arbor:
Route will use North University and State Street. No service on Thayer Street.
From downtown Ann Arbor:
Route will use State Street and North University. No service on Thayer Street.
Posted by dfulmer at 08:27 AM | Comments (0)
April 19, 2006
Frieze Frame
Frieze Frame took place last night.
After it got dark there were a bunch of projectors showing pictures of the Frieze Building, plans and other stuff on the walls in the courtyard/parking lot.
There were also recordings of people who offered their memories of the Frieze Building. The most interesting one for me was a woman who had gone to high school there in the early fifties and then returned later as a student at the University of Michigan. She said she was surprised to find that the interior had been gutted and drastically altered. For her the demolition of the Frieze Building is not upsetting, she said, because since it was gutted it hasn't been the same.
Below is the article from the Ann Arbor News.
A farewell to Frieze Nostalgic tribute paid to historic U-M building
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
BY DAVE GERSHMAN
News Staff ReporterEven in a city that loves celebrating its history, few remembrances of Ann Arbor may come close to the tribute on Tuesday evening to the Frieze Building.
In the courtyard of the University of Michigan-owned building, dozens of people stood by and took in a multimedia show. An array of slide and video projectors, aimed at all four sides of the courtyard, cast images of the Frieze Building throughout its history, along with some of the people who went to school and taught inside of it.
A soundtrack played of people talking about their memories of the building - some funny, some earnest - and sharing their likes and dislikes.
"It's pretty nostalgic,'' said Alan Young, a U-M staff member who has worked in the building since 1972, during the two-hour show. "It's sort of been a second home for a long, long time.''
The Frieze Building won't be around much longer. This summer, U-M plans to demolish the building, clearing the site for a new, $137 million academic and residential complex that's now projected to open in fall 2010.
The decision has provoked outrage from historic preservationists and community members, some of whom fondly recall their days as high school students in the building.
The city finished the Beaux Arts portion in 1907 as Ann Arbor High School. U-M bought it in 1956 and expanded the building, using it for classroom and theater space.
The event on Tuesday was created by C. Jacqueline Wood, a U-M student. Called "Frieze Frame,'' it was part of her senior thesis project. Wood is interested in expanded cinema, and the documentation of the art form. So friends and her thesis advisor also took photos and filmed the event and the crowd. She plans on exhibiting the documentation at a gallery show in May.
But apart from her thesis, Wood also appreciates the building and wanted the event to be a way for the community to say "goodbye.'' Looking over the crowd, which grew to 50 as people came and went, Wood said, "I'm so happy'' with the support she received.
Wood's digital projectors played a series of films that students had created in the building. One showed a student in a gorilla outfit prowling the halls.
Slide projectors showed photos of the Frieze Building's architectural plans and details, from its Beaux Arts styling to its less heralded amenities, such as the antiquated bathrooms.
Other photos gave a look at the people who taught or went to school in the building, such as the black-and-white photo of a city basketball team from long ago.
Some of those photos came from Ann Arbor High School yearbooks belonging to sisters Susan Campbell and Mary Grace Gordon, both of Ypsilanti, who watched the event together. Their grandparents were high school sweethearts and graduated from Ann Arbor high school in 1916. The sisters ended up with yearbooks from several years. They had not looked at the yearbooks in a decade before hearing of Wood's event.
"I'm just glad I was able to contribute,'' said Campbell. "It's a shame this has to be torn down.''
The sound recordings were made with the help of Wood's friend, Heather Radke, who also attends U-M. A hotline was set up for people to call and record their memories of the building. Most callers were anonymous.
One recording mentioned a favorite professor. Another man recalled all of the "joints'' smoked in the building's bathrooms.
A teacher talked about falling down the front stairway in the middle of the night when nobody was looking. And a woman told a story of drinking too much as a freshman with her friends and spending a night in the building after discovering the doors were unlocked.
"It just seems like a good sendoff,'' said Mitch Sickon of Ann Arbor, who graduated from U-M in 2004 and took classes in the building. He said he wished the building would be kept in use. "I feel like it's got a bit more character than some of the other buildings'' on campus, he said.
Posted by dfulmer at 02:11 PM | Comments (0)
April 13, 2006
North Quad Plans
I made a FOIA request to try to find out more details concerning North Quad but all I got back was an email to the CEO of EYP:
Tom:The University of Michigan formally requests that your design team stop work on the design development documents for the North Quad project, effective today (Friday, March 17, 2006). This applies to all work being done by EYP staff as well as any consultants you have under contract.
The only exception to this is the University's request for you to continue work related to the abatement and demolition bid package documents.
This seems to support the rumor that someone wanted another architect, at least for the exterior.
Einhorn Yaffee Prescott's exterior:
Posted by dfulmer at 03:41 PM | Comments (0)
Renovating Schenley High School in Pittsburgh
I thought this article was interesting. It describes a plan the Pittsburgh schools came up with to renovate an historic high school building and take advantage of the tax credits available to owners of historic buildings who renovate them. Because the schools don't pay taxes they can't take advantage of the tax credits. They would have to sell the building to a new owner which would have to own the building for five years after completing the renovation. The idea is still in the planning stages but according to the article this sort of thing has been done before.
Posted by dfulmer at 09:55 AM | Comments (0)
April 10, 2006
North Quad Revisions
The Daily has an article about the revisions to the design of North Quad in today's paper.
The article quotes Associate Provost Phil Hanlon: "(The building) didn't look welcoming. It was fortress-like."
Diane Brown, associate vice president for facilities and operations, indicates that Einhorn, Yaffee, Prescott probably won't design the new exterior.
The Frieze building will still be demolished this summer but the new dorm is now expected to open in Fall 2010, not 2009 as originally expected.
Posted by dfulmer at 10:29 AM | Comments (0)
April 07, 2006
Photos of the Frieze Building
Here is a link to photos of the Frieze Building.
Posted by dfulmer at 10:11 PM | Comments (0)
Frieze Frame
The Michigan Daily has a story in today's paper about Frieze Frame. Jacqueline Wood and Heather Radke will offer "a communal goodbye" to the Frieze on April 18 in the form of a multimedia event at the Frieze Building. It will feature audio, video and images projected onto the building.
Posted by dfulmer at 07:52 PM | Comments (0)
April 06, 2006
"Greener" North Quad Desired
Yesterdays Daily reported that MSA passed a resolution requesting that North Quad "adhere to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards."
They want the new building to have a silver level or above, which means it must get 33 out of the possible 69 points awarded for green building features.
The Green Building Council awards a lot of points for reusing existing walls, floors, roof and interior elements. The intent? "Extend the life cycle of existing building stock, conserve resources, retain cultural resources, reduce waste and reduce environmental impacts of new buildings as they relate to materials manufacturing and transport."
Throwing away the Frieze Building won't go very far in reducing waste.
Posted by dfulmer at 09:21 AM | Comments (0)
April 05, 2006
Welcome
Welcome to the Frieze Building Blog.
For background on the Frieze Building, please visit my other website, the Frieze Building Vertical File which has lots of information about the Frieze Building from newspaper clippings. There are also some pictures and I hope to add more. I am also looking for more historical information and will post it there or here when I can.
Posted by dfulmer at 09:38 AM | Comments (0)