Mellus Newspapers Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Mellus Newspapers Building
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Former site of building
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1661 Fort St., Lincoln Park, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1941 |
| Architectural style | Moderne |
| NRHP reference No. | 05000716 |
| Added to NRHP | July 20, 2005 |
Imagine a building where local news was made for many years! The Mellus Newspapers Building was once a busy office in Lincoln Park, Michigan. It was a special place, even listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. Sadly, this historic building was taken down in 2010.
Contents
Building History: A Newspaper Home
This building was built for a newspaper company. It was home to many local newspapers.
Starting a Newspaper Business
In 1933, a man named William S. Mellus started a newspaper. It was called the Lincoln Parker. This newspaper served the people of Lincoln Park.
As more people moved to Lincoln Park, the newspaper grew. Mr. Mellus needed a bigger space. So, in 1941, he built this new building on Fort Street.
Newspapers for Many Towns
William Mellus didn't just publish one newspaper. He also made newspapers for other nearby towns. These were called "downriver communities." Some of his other papers included:
- The Allen Parker
- Ecorse Advertiser
- Southgate Sentinel
- Taylor Tribune
- Riverview Sentinel
Growing and Changing Over Time
In the 1950s, the building got bigger. A two-story section was added to the back. This made the building much larger. It grew to be about 4,080 square feet.
Mellus also used the building next door. This was the Pollack Jewellery Building. He used it for his growing newspaper business.
In the early 1970s, Mellus sold his newspaper company. It was bought by a company called Panax Corp. The newspaper operations stayed in the building until 1986. That's when they joined with Heritage Newspapers. The Mellus family sold the building in 1994.
The Building's Final Years
In 2009, the city bought the Mellus Building. They also bought the Pollack building next door. They paid $93,000 for both.
The Mellus Building was torn down in May 2010. There are plans to build a small park on the land.
Building Design: A Unique Look
The Mellus Newspapers Building had a simple but special design. It showed features of Art Deco style. This style was popular for small business buildings.
Front of the Building
The front of the building was covered in white panels. These panels were made of porcelain enamel. The main entrance had cool, curved glass blocks. Six steel windows also faced the front.
