Tuomy Hills Service Station Explained

Tuomy Hills Service Station
Location:2460 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor, Michigan
Coordinates:42.2594°N -83.7122°W
Architect:Fry & Kasurin; Paul Kasurin
Architecture:Tudor Revival
Added:March 24, 2000
Area:less than one acre
Refnum:00000240

The Tuomy Hills Service Station is a commercial building located 2460 Washtenaw Avenue in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

History

Cornelius ("Bill") and Kathryn Tuomy were siblings from a family with deep roots in the Ann Arbor area. The pair were in the real estate business, and were responsible for the development of the Tuomy Hills area of Ann Arbor.[1] In 1928, when Stadium Boulevard was first constructed, the Tuomys decided that the area where Stadium crossed Washtenaw needed a gas station.[2] They hired Ann Arbor architects Lynn Fry and Paul Kasurin to design this service station,[3] though other sources list the architect as Frank Carson (winner of the 1925 Prix de Rome).[4] The Standard Oil Company leased the station,[2] and exhibited a replica it at the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago.[3]

When Bill Tuomy died in 1966, Standard Oil bought the station, and ran it until 1988 when it was boarded up.[2] In 1999, the station was refurbished for use as a University Bank ATM branch.[5] In 2005, Bearclaw Coffee Co. moved into the station, and remains there as of 2021.[6]

Description

The Tuomy Hills Service Station is a single story commercial building, constructed in a style variously described as reflecting an Irish gatehouse[3] or English gatekeeper's cottage.[2] The walls consists of eight inches of brick faced with eight inches of stone. The station sits on a heavy concrete pad, and is roofed with slate. The structure has two porte-cochères, each supported with hand-hewn oak pillars.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Finding aid for Tuomy Family Papers, 1840-1966 . Diane LaBarbera . 1991 . Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan . August 6, 2013.
  2. Web site: 2460 Washtenaw Avenue . Marjorie Reade . Susan Wineberg . Ann Arbor District Library . August 6, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090108200551/http://www.aadl.org/gallery/buildings/hhaa128.gif.html . January 8, 2009 .
  3. News: Gasoline Alley . Grace Shackman . Ann Arbor Observer . October 2000 .
  4. Book: Wineberg, Marjorie Reade and Susan. HISTORIC BUILDINGS ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN. 1992. en.
  5. Web site: Michigan Gas Stations: Canopies (page 1) . RoadsideArchitecture.com . August 6, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140522194448/http://www.agilitynut.com/gas/mican.html . 2014-05-22 .
  6. Web site: Bearclaw Store Locations. Bearclaw Coffee Co.. en-US. 2020-04-07.