American Bungalow Magazine

Kalamazoo is Calling You: Rebuilding Bungalow Neighborhoods

When architect Richard Schramm, a Kalamazoo native, first saw this poster stamp six years ago in American Bungalow (No. 48), he fell in love with it. He searched high and low to find an original copy. Its “chicken in every pot” message of prosperity seemed especially poignant when viewed in the context of his struggling hometown. Now, having won a contract to build dozens of new bungalows in collaboration with the Kalamazoo County Landbank, the cheery pledge made generations ago holds a new promise for a dilapidated Kalamazoo neighborhood: better days are ahead.

Schramm’s winning bid to the Kalamazoo County Landbank (an entity that reclaims and rebuilds abandoned property, recently granted $15 million in stimulus dollars) proposed building up to 25 single-family homes on the near North side area near the beautiful Richardsonian train station. Among the bungalows there are Victorian and Italianate homes as well. But the new homes replacing them will be in the style of the modest, functional home that Kalamazoo fell in love with nearly one-hundred years ago: the bungalow.

“The reason bungalows were chosen,” says Schramm, “is that they’re a clean and straightforward design, which makes them easy to build—and yet they’re filled with character. Each home will be built to suit the site. Some will be classic bungalows with dormers and tapered columns, some two-story Prairie Style. But every one of them will make the most of every square inch of space.”

As Schramm delved deeper into the planning process, his search continued for the elusive stamp. He thought it would make the perfect logo to use in marketing materials to represent the new promise of Kalamazoo—saving the character of once great neighborhoods while rebuilding prosperity for its residents, one bungalow at a time.

The Kalamazoo County Landbank, modeled on other successful landbanks across the state of Michigan, repurposes vacant lots and buildings for highest use. According to Schramm, the buyers of the new bungalows will be getting the deal of a lifetime. While the sale price of the homes will be dictated by the market, by Schramm’s estimation, that will be about half of what the home itself is worth. But the hope is that the new homes and their new owners will help to reverse the tide of decay, and raise home values for all.

“There are people who have lived here all their lives, the stalwarts of the neighborhood. They’re the ones who watch out for each other and keep that sense of community. The new homeowners will join the neighborhood watch, get involved…we’re hopeful that this neighborhood will become a very nice place to live.”

The future of Kalamazoo is looking brighter all around—especially for its young people. Since 2005, graduates of the Kalamazoo Public Schools are offered a free four-year college education, not by a government program, but by private entities. Called the Kalamazoo Promise, this successful program is being emulated across the country and has even gained the attention of the White House. In 2009, President Obama delivered the commencement address to the graduates of Kalamazoo High School.

As for the stamp, Schramm never did find another copy in all his searching. He finally asked AB publisher John Brinkmann for help. Brinkmann put him in touch with the author of the AB article, Jim Kane. Kane was so impressed with the effort to save Kalamazoo neighborhoods that he actually gave the original stamp to Schramm.

“I couldn’t believe it, it was such a nice gesture,” says Schramm, “but Jim told me, ‘this’ll make my mother proud.”

As the new bungalows are built and promises kept, we’ll keep you updated. Check back for further developments in this continuing story.

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