The Chelsea Standard
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Developer announces plans for FSW site
By Edward Freundl, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: March 20, 2008
An Ann Arbor-based developer who has sunk millions of dollars into previous Chelsea projects is offering to preserve parts of an old factory that he wants to demolish.
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Rene Papo, president of Magellan Properties, announced that his company would be willing to put up a historical marker and commission a sculpture conveying the site's industrial heritage, donate any historical buildings, and take other steps to preserve parts of the site.
Last year Magellan has presented a site plan to the city Planning Commission that calls for rezoning the site from industrial to commercial, then building office and retail space.
That move angered several current and former residents, who formed a group to stop the demolition and educate the public on the significant role FSW played in Chelsea's past.
The group, calling itself "Citizens To Keep Our FSW Heritage," is made up primarily of former employees, family members of former employees, residents and non-residents who would like to see the offices of the early 20th-century factory saved from the wrecking ball.
"I fear we're about to lose this important piece of our history if the FSW site is not treated with the respect it deserves," said group spokeswoman Jan Bernath.
"Some people say that FSW should be entirely demolished because it's a blight on the community and neighborhood. Certainly, the quickest way to approach this eyesore is to bulldoze it entirely," she added.
"Citizens To Keep Our FSW Heritage see the possibilities for adaptive reuse of the FSW offices, and they care about the historic significance of FSW to the life and economy of this community. Short-term solutions can negatively impact the achievement of long-term goals."
Faced with mounting public criticism from the group, Papo said he would make changes to his plan.
"We at Magellan understand and are sympathetic to the efforts to preserve the history of the old Federal Screw Works complex for the citizens of Chelsea," Papo stated in a letter to The Chelsea Standard dated March 12.
The letter was also signed by Magellan corporate secretary John Langs.
Papo noted that the company had "thoroughly investigated" the site and structures and determined that "the two small office buildings recently noted by Citizens to Keep Our FSW Heritage are not suitable for on-site redevelopment."
Papo then proposed an alternative.
"As a community contribution towards preserving Chelsea's history for future generations, Magellan will, with community input, memorialize Federal Screw Works and how it contributed to Chelsea's history," the letter stated.
According to Papo's letter the company will, at its expense, take the following steps to memorialize the company's history:
Install a historical marker along Main Street depicting pictures and text of the Federal Screw Works history in Chelsea similar to those found in downtown Ann Arbor.
Commission an artist to create a sculpture that will be situated as the main feature in the park area of the new project. The sculpture design will have a theme of industrial America representing the contribution of the manufacturing and industrial age to the community of Chelsea.
Remove and preserve the 80-plus-year-old, historically significant art deco painting on the factory payroll safe. The refurbished safe and painting will be installed in the lobby of the new proposed bank building. A historical placard alongside will describe the many contributions of Federal Screw Works to the local Chelsea economy over its many years of operation.
Donate any historical buildings to Citizens to Keep Our FSW Heritage for their relocation and use at an alternate site. Magellan understands their position of preserving these structures and supports their efforts to have the buildings moved to an alternate site to continue their cause of preserving the history of Federal Screw Works. Magellan will provide support to the Citizens to Keep Our FSW Heritage in their efforts to relocate the buildings.
The Planning Commission has made any final recommendations to the City Council on the rezoning and site plan, but will do so in the next few months.
"We are pleased to further our investment in Chelsea through the redevelopment of the old Federal Screw Works site," Papo stated.
"We are pleased to provide the above contributions to the rich history of Federal Screw Works for the enjoyment of current and future citizens of Chelsea."
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