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1988 — 1996
The bridge that left the list: ARCH's history names the Wells Street Bridge as the early success "moved off" its Most Endangered List: the 1884 iron bridge over the St. Marys — the first iron bridge built over the city's rivers — was listed on the National Register in 1988, became part of the city parks system, and was restored as a pedestrian-only link in the Rivergreenway trail system. It is the template case of the endangered-list method working as designed: name the threat in public, then let designation and a public owner do the rest.
The station's hour was later and closer. Baker Street Station, the 1914 Pennsylvania Railroad depot, decayed in city ownership until, by early 1996, the city held two permits to demolish it. Architect Vic Martin bought it on May 9, 1996 — it had no electricity, heat or sewer service — and restored it with volunteers as his firm's offices; it was listed on the National Register in 1998. The building's full record is in the Architecture section, which calls it "the standing answer to the demolition ledger"; the heritage point is the permits. The demolition of a National Register-grade landmark was not a rumor in 1996. It was paperwork, already issued, beaten by a purchase nine days into May.
Sources:
- ARCH Inc., "Becoming ARCH" (archfw.org) — the Wells Street Bridge as the early endangered-list success.
- Neighborhoods — the bridge's 1888 construction and 1988 Register listing, cross-referenced.
- Architecture — Baker Street Station: the two demolition permits, the May 9, 1996 purchase, and the 1998 listing, cross-referenced and not retold.