Four Points by Sheraton Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo State Hospital Water Tower

by 807Wheaton

Kalamazoo State Hospital aka Western Michigan Asylum was established in 1858.
Almost all of the buildings are torn down now, except for the distinctive water tower. With architecture as the historic significance, the Kalamazoo State Hospital Water Tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
William B. Stratton was the architect. The period of significance was 1850 to 1874.

(http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/MI/Kalamazoo/state.html)

The above web site has a list of the places in Kalamazoo that have been preserved. I can think of several that were torn down when I was a young child that have special memories for me.
I can't help but think it is a pity these places are gone.

Kalamazoo on a sunny winter day, 2006

by KalamazooJohn

"Downtown mall"

Kalamazoo was the first North American city to have a downtown street without vehicle traffic. For forty years it was that way, but now a single lane of street passes through.

"ARCUS Foundation building"

Newly renovated, this was a dilapidated rail freight warehouse just a couple years ago.

"Art Deco Shakespeare Building"

Shakespeare, as in fishing gear. Now it is a bar upstairs and a comedy club down. Outdoor plaza on the right was created to go with the original architecture. The opposite end of this building, on the parking lot, looks much like this end.

"Arcadia Festival Park"

Off to the left in this picture is the area used for festivals in the summer. But this picture looked nicer in the winter, so this is what you get.

"Street Mural"

This poem and mural are on an art gallery on the north side. It seems every time I walk I find more murals.

"Street Mural"

Between two buildings qabove Arcadia Creek.

"More street art"

In a narrow alley off the Kalamazoo Mall.

"Drive-in window"

What was once a drive-in window for, perhaps, a bank. Now a resident creature peers out from the hole.