Local History Buffs: Kalamazoo Embarks on Resources Inventory

With over 29,000 members, Facebook page "Vanished Kalamazoo" is a testament to the appetite Kalamazooans, former and present, have in the city's past. Now, the city of Kalamazoo is embarking on a "City-Wide Historic Resources Inventory." This project will begin with a kick off event on Wednesday evening, February 5th at 7pm at the downtown Kalamazoo Public Library.

According to a release, "this event will include a presentation followed by a question and answer session as well as an opportunity for interested community members to sign up to volunteer."

What the project, "Inventory Kalamazoo 2022", involves is photographing and documenting the existing condition of every building in the Kalamazoo that is "visible from the public right of way. There are an estimated 24,000 resources in the built environment of Kalamazoo," according to the release.

The City’s 2025 Master Plan calls for a complete survey of historic buildings and resources to record and evaluate their condition. This evaluation will help to preserve the unique history of Kalamazoo’s structures and will inform any future consideration of historic or conservation districts....This inventory will not automatically impact any historic designation of properties but will serve as a baseline of understanding for potential historic designations and other planning projects. - City of Kalamzoo release

Doing this survey also allows the City to "apply for grants from the Certified Local Government Grant Fund. Kalamazoo has been awarded 5 grants since 2001."

According to the release, the last inventory of this level was completed between 1999 and 2001.