By Joel Thurtell
Leslie Lynch-Wilson, that indefatigable sparkplug for community organizing in Lincoln Park, has brought about something I thought could never happen.
She tells me three members of Lincoln Park’s Downtown Development Authority actually want to save the old Mellus Building on Fort Street just north of Southfield Road.
When I toured the place two years ago, it was inhabited by a flock of pigeons. Once, the Mellus Building was headquarters to a chain of Downriver newspapers. Leslie is enchanted by the old pile’s art deco looks and has lobbied city officials for a couple of years to save it. There has been a strong movement by the city to demolish the building to make way for something else.
Leslie keeps beating on the powers-that-be to save the building. She thought for a time that some movie people would make use of the building. Not going to happen. She writes:
Still plugging away at Mellus. Movie studio people submitted a low offer and their business plan was awful. It is expected that they will walk away from their offer. They are newbies without any experience at making movies. DDA won’t make a decision until October now. Now the DDA chairperson wants to see the building saved. So, that brings us up to 3 board members who want to see it saved, 2 who want it torn down, 1 questionable and 2 unknowns.
I think it’s pretty amazing if three DDA members actually want to save the building. She really deserves credit. But I’m not surprised. It was Leslie who organized the Lincoln Park Preservation Association and set the stage for a brewpub to locate in the town. It was Leslie who organized the town’s farmers market, too.
The failure of the movie angle has not fazed her. She has yet another idea for using the old Mellus place: “What about a newspaper museum for Mellus?,” she wrote. “It would be great for a small museum.”
I wrote back:
Neat idea, Leslie. There is a newspaper museum out East, not sure
where. I’d try small community papers as well as the biggies for
support. The smaller papers are doing okay. You might try Michigan Press Association with the museum idea.
To which Leslie replied:
Is the Michigan Press Association the only association/organization of newspaper people?
I had emailed a bunch of them including the unions for support for Mellus to
be the incubator but didn’t get anywhere. Not sure if there is anyone preserving the history of the newspapers.
My reply:
It may be you. How about trying some historians?
Remember my book, “Shoestring Reporter”? I’m slowly putting the
finishing touches on it and plan to release it in October or November.
Anyway, one of my my themes in the book is that journalism won’t be saved by
journalists. It needs outsiders to invade, bringing fresh ideas and
energy. Well, maybe you need to think this way, too. Don’t depend on
journalists to record and celebrate journalism.
Anyone — journalist or not — interested in a local museum about newspapers should drop a line to Leslie at
LALynch@wideopenwest.com.
