The Richter Brewery, also known as the Delta Building, is a commercial building located at 1615 Ludington Street in Escanaba, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.[1]

Richter Brewery
Richter Brewery is located in Michigan
Richter Brewery
Richter Brewery is located in the United States
Richter Brewery
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Location1615 Ludington St.
Escanaba, Michigan
Coordinates45°44′47″N 87°4′15″W / 45.74639°N 87.07083°W / 45.74639; -87.07083
Arealess than one acre
Built1900
Architectural styleLate Victorian
Part ofEscanaba Central Historic District (ID14000123)
NRHP reference No.09000202[1]
Added to NRHPApril 15, 2009

History

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The Richter Brewing Company was organized in Escanaba in 1901.[2] The company immediately hired a Milwaukee firm to design the building.[3] Construction of the Richter Brewery proceeded from 1900 into 1901,[4] and the Richter Brewery began manufacture in early 1901.[2] Building and equipping the brewery cost $40,000.[3] It was the second brewery in Escanaba.[5] Over the next few years, additional buildings were constructed, including a keg house, office building, bottling plant, ice house and stable.[6] All but the 1915 office building were demolished in 1929.[6] The brewery closed at the beginning of Prohibition, and it was sold in 1925.[2] The building was then used to manufacture non-alcoholic beverages.[4] At the end of Prohibition, it was sold to the Delta Brewery Company.[2] The building was again used to brew beer[4] until the Delta Brewing Company went bankrupt in 1940.[2]

The building remained vacant until the late 2000s.[7] The building was purchased in 2008 with the intention of renovating it into loft apartment space;[4] it was split into fifteen loft apartments and three ground-floor commercial spaces and named the Lofts on Ludington[8] As of early 2012, the renovation was nearly complete, with 9 apartments leased and one of the three commercial spaces filled.[9] It remained a mixed-use building in 2019, and has been used by the state of Michigan as an example of high-quality development.[10]

Description

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Adjacent office building

The Richter Brewery is a four-story Late Victorian building, measuring 82 feet (25 m) by 72 feet (22 m),[3] with some Romanesque Revival architectural elements.[5] The building has corner towers and round-head windows.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Rehabilitating a historic building for modern living". Lofts on Ludington. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c "News of the Architects". Detroit Free Press. September 16, 1900.
  4. ^ a b c d "Lake Linden Historic District and Escanaba's Richter Brewery Nominated for National Register of Historic Places". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Jan 29, 2009. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  5. ^ a b c Jenny Lancour (July 25, 2009), Delta Building's history being studied, Escanaba Daily Press
  6. ^ a b "Escanaba Planning Commission Meeting Minutes" (PDF). City of Escanaba. July 23, 2009. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  7. ^ Yona Gavino (May 23, 2011), Historical building turned apartment complex, Upper Michigan's Source, retrieved April 9, 2012
  8. ^ Kim North Shine (May 4, 2011). "Lofts on Ludington a shining example of downtown redevelopment". Upper Peninsula's Second Wave. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  9. ^ Sam Eggleston (February 15, 2012). "Lofts of Ludington has first occupant". Upper Peninsula's Second Wave. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  10. ^ "Sviland explains Esky condominium project". The Daily Press. 2023-07-23. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
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