As construction reshapes Ann Arbor, older landmarks give way to new developments, altering the city’s character.
In 2024, several development projects started around the city, including one south of downtown near Packard, where nearly a city block of homes, businesses, and Forsythe Park will be demolished for a 1,200-room student apartment complex.
Washtenaw County Historical Society Administrator Beverly Willis says decisions about the city’s developments in 2025 and beyond will shape how future generations understand Ann Arbor, much as today’s residents learn from its past.
“So, with all the changes that go, history tells us one thing: communities change, people change, but the history remains the same. It just gets layered and layered.”
While not everything can be saved from the march of time, Willis says it’s important now more than ever to photograph places and archive them to show future Ann Arborites what gave the city its character.
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