The heart of Phoenix is entangled in a historical preservation debate as a 100-year-old building faces potential demolition. The Milum Textile Services property, an architectural fixture located between Filmore and Van Buren streets, stands testament to the city's past. Originally operating as Phoenix Laundry and Dry Cleaning, the site was resurrected in 1935 after a catastrophic blaze claimed the initial structure erected in 1923.
Despite the historical commission's unanimous vote to protect the property, Craig Milum, the current owner, grapples with the city, eyeing demolition as a gateway to sell the plot for retirement. The textile facility, having ceased operations in 2020, opens a dialogue amidst urban development and preservationists, where Phoenix's cultural heritage hangs in uncertainty.
In a resolute move on January 8th, the Phoenix historic preservation commission voted 8-0 against the building's eradication, citing its Streamline Moderne-style design and the distinctive use of multiple lamella roofs as key grounds to veto the demolition, as per ABC15 Arizona. The owners, however, hold the option to challenge this ruling before the Phoenix City Council.
With the fate of the Milum family legacy linked to the structure, established since taking over Phoenix Laundry and Dry Cleaning Co. in 1956, economic pressures loom. Milum projects the preservation costs upwards of $100,000, not accounting for additional insurance fees totaling nearly $19,000, according to details revealed during a city meeting on January 8th.
As reported by the Phoenix Business Journal, commercial real estate agents expressed the struggles faced in finding a willing buyer under the current historic constraints. "The majority of developers we have presented the site to ultimately are not equipped to handle an abnormal development process or do not have an interest in taking on the risk given the amount of unpredictable expenses in the pre-development and construction phases," said Justin Horwitz in a letter to the city.
Questions arise around the owner's cited renovation costs, with commission members skeptical of the $10 million figure to bring the edifice up to code. They recommend that the owners procure a formal estimate to substantiate their claims. Meanwhile, the contentious issue of the Milum Textile Services property's survival amidst urban growth persists, slated for further examination by the Historic Preservation Commission in February.
