Historical = society working to save Rochester barn - The Oakland Press = (theoaklandpress.com)

A historical icon in the heart of Rochester is in need of=20 preservation.

The large barn at the corner of University and = Water=20 streets, known as The Rochester Elevator, will be the center of a = community=20 effort organized by the Rochester Avon Historical Society.

The = community=20 is invited to =E2=80=9CMake the Elevator Shine=E2=80=9D in an organized = community painting event=20 beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 6, with a scheduled rain date of = Saturday,=20 June 13.

=E2=80=9CJust show up that day and sign a = waiver,=E2=80=9D said Rod Wilson of=20 the historical society. =E2=80=9CWe will have a registration tent just = west of the=20 elevator.=E2=80=9D

The Griggs Elevator was built in 1880 at what = is now=20 University and Water streets, according to records at the Rochester = Hills=20 Museum. In 1872, the Newberry Elevator was built, and in 1909, it was = moved and=20 added to the Griggs Elevator. Local farmers took their grain to the = elevator,=20 where it was stored in a loft and then dumped into train cars to be = carried to=20 Detroit markets.

Through the years, subdivisions replaced = farmlands and=20 the freight trains stopped running. After the Michigan Central rail line = ceased=20 operation in the 1970s, the building was converted to an agricultural = supply=20 store.

CertaPro Painters of Auburn Hills, owned by Merlin Bush, = is=20 overseeing the painting project.

=E2=80=9CThey have worked with = us to keep the=20 price down,=E2=80=9D Wilson said. =E2=80=9CThey have cleaned the = building and are putting an=20 undercoat on it, a coat of paint over the whole thing and a second coat = above 10=20 feet.

=E2=80=9CThey will also be redoing the awning. It is rusty. = They will coat=20 and seal it and then paint it with an aluminized = paint.=E2=80=9D

Volunteers will=20 paint the lower 10 feet and around the doors and = windows.

Articulate=20 Signs of Utica will redo the checkerboard signage on the side of the=20 barn.

=E2=80=9CWhen it is done, it will be something the = community can be proud=20 of,=E2=80=9D Wilson said.

There will be free hot dogs, chips and = soda pop for the=20 workers, as well as portable toilets.

=E2=80=9CThe Lions Club = will have their=20 trailer there, providing popcorn, condiments and pop for the = workers,=E2=80=9D Wilson=20 said. =E2=80=9CGordon Food Service is donating the food and water, and = the Fire=20 Department is bringing their grill. We are still working on=20 entertainment.

The elevator is currently for = sale.

=E2=80=9CLawrence Smith=20 owns the elevator, but we (the community) own the heritage,=E2=80=9D = Wilson=20 said.

In recent years, a buyer wanted to build condos on the = site, which=20 prompted fundraising by the historical society to move the elevator to = another=20 site.

Wilson said the society invested the money and now is using = a=20 portion to preserve the elevator.

=E2=80=9CThere has been = discussion of the city=20 buying the elevator and putting in a park,=E2=80=9D to be used as a = museum and welcome=20 center, he added. =E2=80=9CThere is property with it that could be sold = to help pay for=20 it.=E2=80=9D

According to the society, =E2=80=9CWhether the = elevator is moved to a new=20 location or restored it at its current location, the historical society = will=20 work to preserve the elevator as a historical resource for our = community. The=20 goal for the elevator project has always been to have the grain elevator = adaptively re-used instead of torn down.=E2=80=9D

In conjunction = with the=20 elevator painting project, the Paint Creek Trailways Commission has = scheduled=20 the unveiling of six art/history displays at the historic depot building = across=20 from the elevator at 9:30 a.m.

The displays are on the sidewalk = that runs=20 along the library and creek known as the Rochester River Walk. They are = based on=20 old photographs of the area, said David Becker, the commission vice = chairman and=20 a city councilman.

Historical society working to save Rochester barn