220 Pearl Street (Commercial Building), Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County, MI

Significance: The building is a typical example of early twentieth century eclectic brick commercial building. / The single story eclectic brick commercial structure sits on a 11,200 square foot lot at the corner of Pearl and Adams Streets which Doctor Thomas Show bought in 1889 and developed to contain both his residence and his surgery. The form of the building is a square block with a three-quarter circular element at the south-west corner. The siting originally presented a primary facade to both streets by virtue of replicated stone and wood porches on the west and south elevations with a secondary entrance at the north elevation. From photographic documentation showing both porches and due to the existence of a full height center wall penetrating the roof, it appears that the building was originally built as a duplex commercial structure. The one over one double hung wood windows have a cast concrete head and sill. The exposed foundation is of a random patterned field stone matching the Victorian house built by Dr. Shaw on the north half of the lot and contains periodic nine-lite rectangular wood windows into the basement. The flat pitched roof slopes from south to north. The original porches were removed and the entrance was replaced with a Moderne style porch of stone, metal handrail and aluminum canopy and the main entrance door was surrounded by a wood beadboard panel treatment at or about this same time. A brick appendage attached to the north facade houses a stairway connecting the first floor with the basement and is located where the third original porch had existed (also circa 1938). A wooden barrier free ramp and steps have been added more recently.
Survey number: HABS MI-341