The future of the Longworth building in downtown Chelsea is up in the air these days.
The building had been slated for demolition by Chelsea Downtown Development Authority, but was given a temporary reprieve after a group of local residents called "Save the Livery," a nod to the oldest part of the building, organized. That reprieve has expired, leaving local preservationists in the dark about the building's future.
"We have been trying to be a part of the conversation," says Jan Bernath, one of the organizers behind the Save the Livery coalition.
The group presented a petition with 700 signatures to save the livery. Joe Merkel, a local resident and developer, also stepped forward to offer his services to save the building. However, it remains unknown to Bernath and her colleagues about what happens next to the building.
The 2-story building sits on Main Street just south of Jackson Street. The now closed Longworth Plating Service occupied the 11,800-square-foot industrial building most recently. The structure is divided into three main sections of varying ages, and oldest is the livery that served as a 10-cent barn in the early 20th Century.
City officials hired a structural engineer who painted a grim picture, stating that the building was failing structurally and located on a brownfield space. The report prompted a grassroots group to stand up and set the record straight. Among the members are architects, historic preservation experts, structural engineers and MDEQ employees who disputed the city's findings and advocated for saving this piece of Chelsea's history.
Source: Jan Bernath, one of the organizers behind the Save the Livery coalitionWriter: Jon Zemke
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