In the News!

Ray Township couple to help others with restoration projects

May 31, 2006

BY MICHELLE TANGUAY

Two years ago, Ken and Rania Wisniewski found the perfect piece of property on which to build a new home. The two-acre parcel was located on 29 Mile Road in Ray Township. Surrounded by farmland, it was quiet and featured a number of beautiful, mature trees. It also featured a more than 130-year-old Greek Revival farmhouse that was once the home of Esther Winter, a former township treasurer. Winter lived in the home almost her entire life.

After learning the home's history and having an appreciation for its architectural elements, Ken set about looking for someone who would be interested in moving the house to their own location. While doing that, he received a phone call from Carolyn Mosher, founder and president of the Architectural Salvage Warehouse of Detroit, a non-profit salvage and resale organization.

"We try to keep our regional architectural heritage from going in a landfill," Mosher said of her organization.

A business associate had contacted Mosher about the home and the fact that the Wisniewskis were seeking someone to move it. Mosher's associate thought it would be of interest to the warehouse.

Since the one lead on a person interested in moving the house did not work out, Ken spoke with Mosher who then visited the home earlier this year.

The Wisniewskis agreed to allow the warehouse to send out a crew to salvage the parts of the home it was interested in.

"He was thrilled," Mosher said of Ken. "He was concerned about the loss of the home."

Mosher is especially pleased because there is already a potential customer for the architectural elements of the home. She said a gentleman is moving a farmhouse similar to the Ray farmhouse from one part of Grosse Isle to another and she believes many of the elements of the Ray home can be resurrected in that home.

Architectural features that are expected to be salvaged include five-panel doors, windows, porcelain doorknobs, the intricately designed plates that surround the knobs and the wide wood plank flooring that is found in the upstairs of the home.

"She took very good care of this house," Ken said of Winter.

Mosher said it was her first time to visit Ray Township.

"This is the first (salvage) in Ray Township," she said. "We're thrilled."

The Architectural Salvage Warehouse of Detroit has a wide range of items for sale, including columns, mantles, doors, vanities, hardware, appliances, lumber and more.

Another feature of the property that the Wisniewskis and Mosher hope will find a new home is a pre-1900 stone smokehouse. The Wisniewskis will give the smokehouse to anyone who agrees to move it. Mosher said she would like to see it remain in the township. All agree that it will be a job to move it.

"As charming as it is, it is very heavy," Mosher said.

The Wisniewskis are living in the farmhouse while construction of their home is being finished. They expect to move into the new home this summer and once they move their belongings out of the farmhouse, the crew from Architectural Salvage Warehouse will come in. While the warehouse has had crews of up to 12 people to deconstruct a building, Mosher estimates that a two to four-member crew can perform the work at the Ray farmhouse.

Once the warehouse's crew is finished, Ken said he will open up the home to his friends to take what they need for their projects.

"They already have their wheels turning," he said of his friends.

Ken plans to use some of the stones from the home's basement for the landscaping of his new home. He said there will be some demolition involved but feels the arrangement with the Architectural Salvage Warehouse is the best scenario.

"If it helps someone with the restoration of their home, I'm happy," he said

For information on the Architectural Salvage Warehouse of Detroit, call (313) 515-0399 or go to www.aswdetroit.org The warehouse is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. It is located at 4885 15th St. in Detroit.

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