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Michigan Historic Preservation Network

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Michigan Historic Preservation Network

Michigan's statewide non-profit historic preservation organization

05/12/2026

📢 The 27th MHPN HRC Directory is now available online!

Explore this valuable resource and discover the professionals who can support your next preservation project:
https://www.mhpn.org/resource-directory/

This annual resource is designed to connect developers, property owners, municipalities, and preservation professionals with trusted preservation-related services.

The directory features a wide range of experts, including archaeologists, architects, engineers, contractors, consultants, developers, and preservation organizations.

A listing in the directory does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by HRC or MHPN; members are not evaluated by the HRC or MHPN. Users of the directory are encouraged to check references, review previous projects, and interview prospective
service providers to determine if their qualifications match your needs.

05/11/2026

Register Today at https://www.mhpn.org/workshops/
AIA: 1 LU; AICP: CM 1

Speaker:
Lindsey J. Dotson
Historic Preservationist / Owner-Operator
Belle Tower of Petoskey / GD Placemaking

Belle Tower of Petoskey is the adaptive reuse of a historic 1891 former Seventh-Day Adventist church at 224 Michigan Street in downtown Petoskey, Michigan. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the former Seventh Day Adventist Church, the building is a distinctive two-story frame Queen Anne structure known for its front-gable form, decorative wood detailing, prominent window treatment, and entrance tower with an onion-like dome.
This session will use Belle Tower as a case study in practical, community-centered historic preservation. The presentation will explore the building’s architectural and religious history, its connection to the broader story of Seventh-day Adventists in Michigan, and the challenges of bringing a long-underused historic property back into active public life. Michigan played a central role in Seventh-day Adventist history: Battle Creek became an important center of the Adventist movement in the 1850s, and the denomination was formally organized there in 1863. The project also connects Northern Michigan’s Adventist history, and one of America’s most significant historical figures thanks to a case of malaria.
Participants will learn how the Belle Tower project balances preservation standards, building code realities, public use goals, local approvals, financing tools, and phased rehabilitation. The session will also discuss storytelling as a preservation tool: how historic research, community partnerships, fundraising, and programming can help reintroduce a building to the public before restoration is complete. Belle Tower offers a real-world example of how preservation can move beyond saving a structure to restore civic purpose, local identity, and long-term community value.

05/08/2026

It's here: Draft for Public Comment! Comments deadline: 5:00pm Friday, May 15.

Michigan’s next Statewide Historic Preservation Plan is coming together, and the draft is now available for public review.

This text-only draft of the Michigan Statewide Historic Preservation Plan for 2027-2034 is being provided for public comment as part of the SHPO’s public engagement process for the plan. This document is available on the SHPO’s website at http://www.mi.gov/mihpplan.

Comments will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 15, 2026, and can be made via the comment form linked on the webpage. While all comments are welcome, the team is particularly interested in feedback regarding the statewide goals and objectives for 2027-2034 and the accomplishments listed for 2020-2025.

We value your input and look forward to incorporating comments into the final version of the Plan, which will be published in December 2026.

05/06/2026

The 2026 conference begins tomorrow! Today we wrap up our series on the 2026 MHPN Awards with our final Lifetime Achievement Award honoree.

2026 Lifetime Achievement Award — William A. Lovis, Williamston

William A. Lovis has spent his more than five-decade career uncovering and interpreting Michigan's rich archaeological record. As Professor Emeritus and former Curator of Anthropology at Michigan State University, his groundbreaking multidisciplinary research has reshaped our understanding of how early people lived and adapted to the shifting environment of the Great Lakes region.

Dr. Lovis has consistently championed the intersection of earth sciences and archaeology. His foundational work on site burial processes and the geoarchaeology of Lake Michigan’s coastal dunes has provided the critical framework needed to safeguard ancient human settlements. Beyond his academic achievements, he has been a leader in the ethical stewardship of Indigenous history, advocating for the return of cultural artifacts to their rightful communities through his dedicated work with NAGPRA.

The Michigan Historic Preservation Network proudly honors his enduring contributions, professional leadership, and lasting impact on the preservation of Michigan's deep past.

05/05/2026

As we get closer and closer to the Friday awards ceremony, we're featuring another of our 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award honorees.

2026 Lifetime Achievement Award — Dan Austin, Detroit

For over two decades, Dan Austin has been one of Detroit's most dedicated and passionate historians. Through his research, writing, and photography, he has transformed how we understand the city's architectural and cultural legacy. As the founder of HistoricDetroit.org, Dan has documented hundreds of Detroit’s landmarks, both lost and still standing, ensuring they are never forgotten.

Dan does much more than simply catalog history. By championing the preservation of Detroit's built heritage, he has fostered a deeper connection to the city's identity for everyone—whether they are residents, visitors, or simply people fascinated by its unique history.

To secure this vital work for future generations, Dan recently launched the Austin Past & Future Fund. This initiative will keep the online archive accessible as a free public resource and provide educational scholarships for young Detroiters committed to uplifting their communities. The Michigan Historic Preservation Network honors his enduring contributions and lasting impact on Detroit’s history.

05/04/2026

We're continuing our final countdown to the MHPN Awards ceremony with another Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree.

2026 Lifetime Achievement Award — Ronald D. Staley, Brighton

For over forty years, Ron Staley has shaped the field of historic preservation, directing the rehabilitation of landmark structures across Michigan and nationwide. His career began with the restoration of the Michigan State Capitol—a landmark project he returned to in recent years as one of his final professional endeavors.

As the leader of The Christman Company's historic preservation division, Ron oversaw more than 200 projects of national significance, including work on the U.S. Capitol, the Supreme Court Building, the Virginia State Capitol, and the Daughters of the American Revolution Headquarters. The transformation of Detroit’s Michigan Central Station represents the culmination of his decades in the field, and he co-authored “Ruins to Revival,” chronicling every step of the rehabilitation.

Ron’s commitment to excellence extends to his role as an author, educator, and advocate, ensuring traditional building crafts remain vital in modern construction. By prioritizing technical authenticity, he has equipped a new generation of craftspeople to care for our shared architectural legacy.

Congratulations on a well-deserved honor!

05/01/2026

Our Awards Ceremony is only one week away! In the next few days, we're wrapping up this series with our 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award honorees. First up is one of Detroit's own!

2026 Lifetime Achievement Award — Rainy Hamilton Jr., Detroit

Rainy Hamilton Jr. has spent his career doing exactly what he set out to do: rebuilding Detroit one building, one block, one neighborhood at a time.

A native Detroiter and graduate of Cass Tech and the University of Detroit-Mercy, Rainy co-founded Hamilton Anderson Associates in 1994. The firm has grown into the largest African American-owned design firm in Michigan, with a portfolio that reads like a map of Detroit's revival — the Hamilton Midtown, Brush Park's City Modern Project, the Motown Museum Expansion, the Paradise Valley Cultural and Entertainment District, and many more.

Throughout, historic preservation has been central to his practice, always grounded in his belief that good design starts with understanding what's already there. He has been recognized with Fellowship by the American Institute of Architects, served on the Michigan Board of Architects, and has played a meaningful role in shaping Detroit's long-term planning through the Detroit Future City Strategic Framework. His commitment to equity and inclusion within the profession has been just as deliberate and just as lasting as his built work.

Congratulations Rainy!

04/29/2026

2026 Tax Credit Award — Red Arrow Lofts, Detroit

The building at 1567 Church Street in Corktown has been part of Detroit for nearly 130 years — first as a planing mill, then as home to the Red Arrow Bottling Company, and eventually as a self-storage warehouse. It came close to being demolished for a parking garage before community opposition changed the outcome.

The result is Red Arrow Lofts: 28 loft-style apartments that preserve the building's exposed timber framing, brick walls, wood floors, and distinctive rooftop monitors with clerestory windows. A former equipment bay is now a double-height resident lounge with a skybridge overhead.

Historic tax credits, brownfield incentives, and a state loan made it financially possible. Community advocacy made it happen.

Project Team:
Hunter Pasteur
The Forbes Company
Oxford Capital Group
Perennial Corktown
Kraemer Design Group
Premier Construction & Design
Daccord Chicago
Giffels Webster
Resurget Engineering
Peter Basso Associates, Inc

[As we prepare to gather in Metro Detroit for the MHPN Annual Conference, we’re publishing a series of posts highlighting our 2026 MHPN Awards Program honorees. The ceremony will be held Friday evening, May 8, at the Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores. Registration is now closed, but learn more about MHPN and the conference, visit the conference webpage at https://www.mhpn.org/conference/.]

04/28/2026

2026 Tax Credit Award — Residences at St. Matthew, Detroit

St. Matthew Catholic School in Detroit's East English Village educated over a thousand students at its peak before closing in 2008. After nearly a decade vacant, the school and its activities building have been thoughtfully transformed into 46 affordable residential units — 25 of them dedicated to permanent supportive housing for individuals who have experienced homelessness.

The rehabilitation preserved the buildings' brick and limestone exteriors, historic terrazzo floors, plaster walls, and even classroom chalkboard frames. The former gymnasium is now a shared gathering space for residents.

A layered financing structure combining historic tax credits, low-income housing tax credits, and city funds made it possible. Historic preservation and housing equity, working toward the same goal.

Project Team:
Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan
Cinnaire Solutions
Ethos Development Partners
Fusco, Shaffer & Pappas, Inc.
Zeimet-Wozniak & Associates
Felino Pascual and Associates
Shymanski & Associates
MA Engineering
Kidorf Preservation Consulting
O’Brien Construction
Laslo Regos Photography
KMG Prestige
Henry Ford Health
Capuchin Soup Kitchen
St. Matthew Catholic Church

[As we prepare to gather in Metro Detroit for the MHPN Annual Conference, we’re publishing a series of posts highlighting our 2026 MHPN Awards Program honorees. The ceremony will be held Friday evening, May 8, at the Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores. Registration is now closed, but learn more about MHPN and the conference, visit the conference webpage at https://www.mhpn.org/conference/.]

04/27/2026

2026 Tax Credit Award — Piquette Flats, Detroit

Detroit's Milwaukee Junction neighborhood is home to a compelling example of historic tax credits at work. The former Studebaker Service Building at 411 Piquette Avenue, a 1920 Albert Kahn design that spent years sitting quiet, has been transformed into 161 residential units, with roughly 40 percent priced below 80 percent of the area median income.

The rehabilitation restored the building's brick and concrete façade, replaced glass block infill with replicas of the historic factory windows, and preserved Kahn's distinctive concrete columns throughout. Financing combined federal historic tax credits, brownfield credits, a city tax abatement, and a state loan.

Piquette Flats shows what historic preservation and affordable housing can look like when they work together. Congratulations!

Project Team:
411 Piquette LLC
Kraemer Design Group
PCI-Dailey Company
Grunwell-Cashero
Graham Windows

[As we prepare to gather in Metro Detroit for the MHPN Annual Conference, we’re publishing a series of posts highlighting our 2026 MHPN Awards Program honorees. The ceremony will be held Friday evening, May 8, at the Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores. Registration is now closed, but learn more about MHPN and the conference, visit the conference webpage at https://www.mhpn.org/conference/.]

Address

313 E. Cesar E. Chavez
Lansing, MI
48906

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 5pm

Website

https://www.mhpn.org/product/donate/

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