  Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2784 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.211.36 |
Read 'em and weep. Do you have any stories about any of the apartments on this tour? Share them here. We want to hear about them.  | ||
Upinottawa Member Username: Upinottawa Post Number: 431 Registered: 09-2005 Posted From: 70.28.0.197 |
Too sad for words.... | ||
Tayshaun22 Member Username: Tayshaun22 Post Number: 251 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.14.101.116 |
Why are all these in the Dexter-Linwood area? | ||
Aiw Member Username: Aiw Post Number: 5638 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.156.94.219 |
What's that tell you. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2739 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.210.44 |
"Why are all these in the Dexter-Linwood area?" Only the first third are there. | ||
Gumby Member Username: Gumby Post Number: 1275 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.60.143.186 |
Well I was happy to see at least some of them have been restored. It would be nice to know where many of them are located. | ||
Tayshaun22 Member Username: Tayshaun22 Post Number: 252 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.14.101.116 |
You can't just answer my question? | ||
Aiw Member Username: Aiw Post Number: 5640 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.70.117.160 |
Probably becasue that area saw rapid growth and expansion though the great building boom of the mid to late 1920's. Therefore the architecture is beautiful, and even in abandonment and decay there is still beauty in architecture. How's that. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 5988 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 70.236.198.22 |
Seeing the remnants of the Seville brought back a few memories from the late-eighties. A few friends hired in there as building security when the place resembled New Jack City's complex, only BIGGER and with crack whores. Patroled the hallways with them a few times...never will get those visuals and other sensory memories out of my head. It was a filthy freakshow of humanity at its most raw...with the occasional extraordinarily sweet older person randomly inserted on each floor. These guys took over the old abandoned restaurant on the first floor as their 'loft' and we partied our tails off there regularly. At one point we setup a shooting range for their pellet guns down the back hallway. Then for a number of years, a wonderful older couple whom I'm only remembering as Mother Rayford and her husband ran a soup kitchen for the homeless and less fortunate. They moved it to Grand River, across from the Chop House, after the Seville was torn down. | ||
Livedog2 Member Username: Livedog2 Post Number: 463 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 24.223.133.177 |
I think there must be some racial component to the answer, Tayshaun22. Livedog2 | ||
Kova Member Username: Kova Post Number: 25 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 68.255.246.21 |
I worked last summer in the Dexter Linwood area quite extensively and to see the buildings again brought up a lot of crazy memories working in those areas. Lowell, could you provide cross streets for the apts? That part of the Westside is filled with those buildings on every other corner. Great, great work. | ||
Tayshaun22 Member Username: Tayshaun22 Post Number: 254 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.14.101.116 |
Gannon, between that and street gangs chasing you in LA, you've lived quite a life! | ||
Machoken Member Username: Machoken Post Number: 1325 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.85.155.145 |
AIW asking questions without question marks. That's got me rolling, I've got to try it. Do you mind. Yes, it's as fun as I thought it would be. Nice tour Lowell, thanks. Been looking forward to the next tour for quite some time. With every click I hoped it would end; it really is heartbreaking to see all these great structures sitting in such sad states. I wonder where the Stratford is. It seems like it has held up very well, still very solid. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2742 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.210.44 |
Tayshaun, I was responding to your saying "all". Hundreds of apartments of Detroit have been demolished, some even while I assembled this tour. I have been drawn to the most beautiful and the greatest concetration of the most magnificent are in Dexter-Linwood and Highland Park. I think that may have helped them survive longer than others. I don't really have an answer; that's why I ask on every page if you do. What do you think? Gannon, great stories of the last days of the Seville. Thanks. Machoken thanks for catching where I was going. Only by showing the magnitude of the ruins and their sorrowful beauty can the full impact be approached. Hopefully someone will be drawn to save them. The opportunity is there. | ||
Citylover Member Username: Citylover Post Number: 1623 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 4.229.126.87 |
I believe the Dexter/Linwood area was home to many affluent jewish people.I have a friend who told me of an aunt that lived in one of the apartment bldgs in the area and that he remembered as a child the impressive lobby of her bldg. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 3962 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 67.171.136.201 |
The census tells you that many of the bldgs. were loaded up with Jews. But, rich, feh, just Jews. The bldgs. also include a tour of the Eastside, Highland Park, Palmer Park, and Cass Corridor. Did jjaba miss any others? Great tour Lowell. Thanks. Sad, but the pictures don't lie. jjaba. | ||
Thursdaynext Member Username: Thursdaynext Post Number: 184 Registered: 04-2006 Posted From: 69.212.45.87 |
My thoughts exactly Machoken. I just can't get over how many of them there are. | ||
Erobtheone Member Username: Erobtheone Post Number: 31 Registered: 08-2005 Posted From: 65.202.29.180 |
Very nice tour Lowell. Thank you. I agree with a previous post that the beauty of these buildings is still evident even in their current state of decay. What great architecture these building have. Please give me the Laredo to plop down in my current hood here in Chicago. I could retire early by condo-ing that beautiful building and getting an asking price of $349k. Erob Chicago by way of Detroit | ||
Steve Member Username: Steve Post Number: 11 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 89.0.176.50 |
Excellent tour. Thank you, Lowell. | ||
623kraw Member Username: 623kraw Post Number: 917 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.61.65.233 |
Amazing tour, as usual, Lowell. I wish I had at least some answers, but I have none... | ||
Pam Member Username: Pam Post Number: 270 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 67.107.47.65 |
What is also sad is that the idea of building such elegant buildings for renters is a thing of the past. Who cares about the rental market any more? Everything is homes or condos. | ||
Jjw Member Username: Jjw Post Number: 117 Registered: 10-2005 Posted From: 68.33.56.156 |
I wonder if it would be possbile to move a lot of them to somewhere together where they could then be rebuilt to create a whoie new center.. Kind of like South Beach in Detroit. They are truly spectacular specimens. Excuse the spelling! | ||
Rbdetsport Member Username: Rbdetsport Post Number: 121 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 68.61.11.146 |
Do any of you think that as development spreads, that some day these buildings will be redeveloped? | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 5989 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 70.236.198.22 |
Best they can do with some of them, from the pictures, is what they're doing with that buidling on Canfield between John R and Woodward...VERY carefully prop up the facade and build a modern structure behind it. Pam, Great comment, heck they don't build palaces like this as private residences anymore! When on a modern bricked building has anyone seen masonry like this stuff? My heart, too, was broken to flip through page after page...and I was greatly relieved to see the indication of the final one until I saw which building was on that page...the mightiest non-CBD/riverfront apartment building of them all. Lowell, Not unlike the Rivertown Saloon and later Beaubien Street's, this Seville was a significant portion of a period of my life, and one that showed the extremes of my personality--both heavy hedonism with my friends partying juxtaposed against simple service for my neighbors in the soup kitchen. I guess I am still shocked by how many people were able to exist in that mess of a building...and the extreme contrast between the older and younger generation's respect for their OWN identity and living space...as if the younger generation simply gave away their dignity, or never got it. The older generation were always so polite and had time to chat...they were mostly just plain nice. There MAY be a bigger story here, but I haven't had my caffeine yet. I would LOVE for you, or someone, to add a 'living' section to this...seperate out the refurbished ones. I lived for a few years in a building on the east side of the Lodge where Glynn Court dead-ends, one block north of Chicago Road...BIG orange colored brick building like SO many of the ones pictured in this series. I was the first white face to move in there in thirty years back in the early 90s...and it ranks as one of the best places, best neighborhoods, I've ever occupied. They even put up with me singing "Up On The Roof" every time we went up for cool air in the summertime. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 4360 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 141.217.174.223 |
It's the landlord/slumlord problems that cause most apts. to be demolished and destroyed. Plain and simple first they take the rent money from the tenents, refuse the tenent's request to maintenane repairs, when the tenent moved out, it won't have the security deposit back. And the word would spread throughout the ghettohoods and other communities telling other people don't get that apt. don't get this apt. Then later the owner can't get more tenents, can't keep up with the bills and property will go for forclosure, making the apt. vacant abandon to rot. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 4361 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 141.217.174.223 |
Plus another reason that most Detroit older apts. suffer because arson, or a accidental apt. fires. | ||
1953 Member Username: 1953 Post Number: 889 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 209.104.146.146 |
I think I just threw up a little after looking at those pictures. | ||
Bvos Member Username: Bvos Post Number: 1591 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.238.170.50 |
If there was a developer or group of developers who had a chunk of money they could buy up a core group of these apts, apply for a load of tax credits and such, and then make a ton of money after 5-10 years. By holding out for 5 years they'd be able to get their historic credits back and then convert to condos. This would become one of the most exclusive residential areas in Metro Detroit. | ||
Hochi Member Username: Hochi Post Number: 73 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 63.85.190.226 |
I have always marveled at the amount of great art deco and other turn of the century type apartment buildings around Detroit, but to see them all presented like this is little -- staggering. Wow. I think the chances of even 10% of these buildings being restored are pretty slim. The best we could probably hope for is that the bricks get reused. | ||
Barnesfoto Member Username: Barnesfoto Post Number: 2123 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.2.148.117 |
you don't think about the sheer volume of inventory until you try to scroll thru the tour....I got to the Seville. Stunning. Trying to imagine Detroit at a time when young people from all over were flocking here for jobs. Most of these buildings are white elephants, built at a time when energy was cheap, and studio apts were in demand. There are a number of elegant 1920's apt buildings in Hubbard Farms that have been restored by a nonprofit, Southwest Solutions. It was not cheap. They had to install individual heating systems in each unit, knock out walls to make small studios into one bedrooms, gut everything down to the studs. | ||
Leob Member Username: Leob Post Number: 48 Registered: 10-2005 Posted From: 69.14.9.224 |
Lowell, Nice job. I do know that (Grande Ballroom)architect Charles Agree made a fortune in designing Detroit apartments in the teens through the 30's. He was really cranking them out, to the tune of millions in firm revenue at his peak in 1929. Noting the deco accents, I suspect some of these are likely Agree designs. I also noticed a high percentage of Jewish names in the apartment directories. Agree and other Jewish businessmen developed many properties in the Jewish neighborhoods on the North/Northwest sides. An interactive map would be very cool. Have you seen these mapping tools ? http://platial.com/ Leo B | ||
Irish_mafia Member Username: Irish_mafia Post Number: 546 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 75.9.255.242 |
My father and his brother grew up in the Virgina Terrace over on Seyburn with my grandmother who it was named for. Torn down in the late 70s or early 80s to expand, I believe, Riverview Hospital. We have one of the Belgian Blocks that my dad scavenged from the ruins. Later, my grandmother moved to the Cadillac Apartments on Cadillac off Jefferson. She was mugged out front as a local thug ripped off her purse, he ended up dragging her to the ground and breaking her hip...It was downhill from there. Cadillac Apartments is now the parking lot behind Pewabic Pottery. She later moved to the Parkstone, I think it is....the one where the restaurant just closed down. She never lived in a house...just apartments, and she never moved out of the city when her kids and friends did. Good webisode Lowell. | ||
Livedog2 Member Username: Livedog2 Post Number: 466 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 24.223.133.177 |
How does it get to be from so good to so bad in a lifetime? Usually, this kind of decline happens over a much longer period of time. Rarely, do the citizenry in a supposedly civilized metropolis see the decimation of their childhood homes in such a barbaric manner. Lowell, at sometime in the future books will be written about you for saving the Vanishing Detroit the same way that Eugene Atget did by saving the Ancien Regime of Paris. I wish it could have happened in a kinder, gentler way but I guess it’s not the way of the world right here and right now!  Livedog2 | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 279 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 69.242.223.67 |
Thanks for the photos, Lowell. To me, the fate of Detroit's grand old apartments is just one of the saddest things. The apartment neighborhoods that were built up in the 20's just west of the Boston / Edison area and northward along Linwood and Dexter and 14th and Hamilton well-served the Jewish population that was moving to that area from the eastside. Most of the major congregations built new temples and synagogues in the area. The neighborhoods were walkable and bus service was fine. Shops abounded all along the commercial strips and Central and Northern High Schools were top-notch. As the Jewish Community continued its northwesterly progress to Palmer park, northwest Detroit and Oak Park, a number of gays left their New Center area apartments for much grander quarters in the large apartment houses on Chicago and Boston Blvds. Another major factor to consider is the enormous disruption caused by Detroit's urban renewal (urban removal) program in the 50's when Black Bottom was torn down and the predominately black population moved to the west side neighborhoods that had already started to fill up with upwardly mobile black families. Many landlords saw this as an opportunity to subdivide two family flats into four family flats and so on. This part of the westside became greatly overcrowded. The overcrowding was one, but only one, of the major factors that led to the riot in 1967. Before 1967, it was fine to be a middle class white person and take the bus to work, to shop downtown and to visit friends. You could get by without a car which made it possible to live somewhat densely (for Detroit, anyway) in these apartments that were mostly built cheek to jowl with little available space for parking. This lessened the demand further for these buildings. As the Jewish community continued its progress to the suburbs, gay folks, white gay folks that is, were allowed into the Palmer Park apartment buildings to take up the slack. There were very few black people allowed into that neighborhood until well into the 70's and early 80's. By 1970 white gay folks, who 15 years earlier would have had an 8 room apartment on Chicago Blvd., were living in Palmer Park. As the gay community left Palmer Park, the apartments were rented to black families who were moving up from the Linwood corridor apartment buildings. In 1950 Detroit had a population of about 2 million people. Now we have less than half that number. As beautiful as many of these old buildings are even as ruins; there is no longer much need for the space they offer. They truly are, to me, relics of another time. And I find that sad. | ||
Hairybackjoe Member Username: Hairybackjoe Post Number: 4 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 69.219.98.54 |
That was a fascinating tour. Being (somewhat) new to Detroit I am constantly amazed at the rich history of Detroit (especially the architecture). Were any of these buildings the ones that are across from Masonic Hall? How about the one on east Jefferson near the Dequindre cut? Thanks again for providing such a great service (sad though it may be at times). | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 782 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 69.242.215.8 |
Great, yet sad, series. I have always marveled at the number of gorgeous apartment buildings left abandoned and rotting. If I could change one thing, I would add picts of the restored ones with their former shots to show what is possible. Another idea would be to show the empty lot where some of those were to show how much has been lost. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 638 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 207.200.116.139 |
Amazing tour! Wish I had access to my census data right now to trace some of those folks back to 1930, but I'm between houses and lost the url of my census site. I'll try in August after I get settled. | ||
Paulmcall Member Username: Paulmcall Post Number: 734 Registered: 05-2004 Posted From: 68.40.119.216 |
Those babies remind me of Gloria Swanson in Sunset Blvd. What a waste of housing and architecture. Even if someone wanted to fix the places up, who'd want to invest with the surrounding squalor and dubious neighbors. | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 1128 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.222.11.226 |
Great webisode. Does anyone know where the castle-like Luben Apartments are? That one looks quite restorable. | ||
Dalangdon Member Username: Dalangdon Post Number: 22 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 66.54.213.11 |
I think that beyond the racial issues of Detroit (which are common throughout the industrial midwest) there was an added dynamic that lead to all this abandonment. Detroit, being the "motor city" was constantly pushing "new" - every year a new look, even right down to the appliances Frigidaire was churning out (which were some of the coolest home appliances ever, from a design standpoint) If you're surrounded by that mindset constantly, or involved in producing these new products, who wants to go home to a pre-depression era house or apartment building? When you are constantly looking at advertisements of shiny new cars in front of suburban homes or appliances in sunny suburban kitchen, who wants to live in an apartment? The effect of the Detroit manufacturing cycle was felt throughout the world, of course, but it must have been particularly actute in Detroit. Just look at the Sheraton-Cadillac and Statler modernizations. I've never seen big urban hotels that were "moderernized" to that extent. | ||
River_rat Member Username: River_rat Post Number: 161 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 68.166.44.44 |
Another incredible, sad, and wonderful tour of what was once a great city. I remember so many of the buildings. This has solved the question that has vexed so many for so long. Is it the pig that makes they sty or the sty that makes the pig? These palaces show the answer. a sad river rat | ||
Livedog2 Member Username: Livedog2 Post Number: 470 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 24.223.133.177 |
I always thought it was "in a pig's eye!"  Livedog2 | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 916 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 69.242.223.42 |
I second river_rat's comments. Those apartments in that Linwood/Dexter neighborhood were once among the nicest collectively in Detroit. This was the same neighborhood as the Mystery House thread on Dexter/Chicago/Boston a couple months ago--referred to as now being a "war zone." The middle class moved out during the 40s and 50s, and by the sixties (even before the ***RIOT***), some of these buildings were already trashed by the "entitlement class" and were being torched/torn down/boarded up ever since. | ||
Douglasm Member Username: Douglasm Post Number: 576 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.189.188.28 |
I guess I should be overjoyed because as I clicked through the series I kept waiting for the Highland Towers to pop up but they didn't. Alas, my joy of not seeing that building didn't equal the sadness of looking at the others. Anyone know why the Morrish influence was so strong, and what period the Morrish buildings constructed in? And Lowell, do you have a current picture of The Highland Towers on Woodward in Highland Park? Ferrand was one of the side streets, across Woodward from Tony's Market. | ||
Brandon48202 Member Username: Brandon48202 Post Number: 91 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 165.252.70.2 |
I was working with the owner of the Roselawn building in Highland Park this winter to sell the building. We had numerous showings but once people got inside they ralized the the building probably has to be torn down due to strutural issues. I am currently working with the owner of the Cass Plaza (3550 Cass) to sell the building. If anyone wants to know more about the building ask me. (Message edited by brandon48202 on June 22, 2006) | ||
Hysteria Member Username: Hysteria Post Number: 575 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 64.12.116.204 |
The architectural details are amazing ... these old apartments have/had such great names too. BTW, Dalangdon - very true. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 3963 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 67.171.136.201 |
Douglasm, the period of the 1920s was a huge boomtime in Detroit. This co-incided with revilvalist architecture like the Moorish, Egyptian Revivial, Art Deco French themes, Mission Revivial, English Tudor, ands many other thematic ideas. Spanish & Italian villas were in vogue too. The Egyptian revival came as King Tut was discovered in 1926. The use of all of this amazing fine brick shows the craftsmanship and use of good materials. Jews who had roots in bigger cites, Philadelphia, Chicago, or New York City were accustomed to apartment living and were happy tenants. As Jews got richer, they could afford single homes, out to Dexter, Livernois, and then to NW Detroit. Corresponding to these apartments are the small neighborhood synagogues organized block by block, and catalogued on Lowell's award-winning Synagogues of Detroit Tour. jjaba, Westsider. | ||
Rjk Member Username: Rjk Post Number: 366 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.41.145.5 |
Good stuff. I was visiting my father recently and was looking through my parents wedding album. He has a receipt ($8) from The Lee Plaza from the early 50's when they stayed there for one night before going off to New York for their honeymoon. (Message edited by rjk on June 22, 2006) | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 3966 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 67.171.136.201 |
Wonderful story, RJK. Yes, the Lee Plaza was a wonderful hotel and apartment hotel. Much has been written about it on the Forum. Look up the many threads about it. Mel Brown, studio drummer from New York who worked at Motown stayed at the Lee Plaza when he was working in Detroit. jjaba talked with him recently and he had many stories. jjaba, Westsider. | ||
Aiw Member Username: Aiw Post Number: 5642 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 64.228.210.240 |
Douglas, the big Moorish boom seemed to be around 1923-24, for the most part. After that The Paris Exposition Des Arts Décoratifs in 1925, launched the Art Deco movement, and a jjaba mentionned above King Tut in '26 brought out the egyptian revival fad. | ||
Hysteria Member Username: Hysteria Post Number: 587 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 64.12.116.204 |
It's hard to believe the Moorish and Egyptian influences were once considered fads/trendy. Those fads (though based on historically significant architecture) have certainly stood the test of time. I suppose most architecture pre-WWII has a certain dignity to it, though. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2743 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.210.44 |
Thank you all for the kind remarks and even more for the great stories and information. Jjaba, as usual, dazzles us with his amazing blend of fact and personal stories which give life to these neighborhoods. Nice points Neil R. Taking off from there, the story of the Fabulous Apartments' demise relates directly to the population movement and decline. When the bonds of the rather strict confines of the racial ghettos were broken, as so profoundly described in Sugrue's Origin of the Urban crises, the population decline of Detroit through flight, fright, espressways, suburban living all combined to depress the housing market to the point that wonderful houses could be had for a song. I know. I bought an arts and crafts marvel in Highland Park for peanuts. The conclusion was simple. Why live in an apartment with only street parking when you could own a home with a garage for payments the same as you would pay for renting? Douglasm,  To the south the massive Moorish-styled Highland  | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 839 Registered: 01-2004 Posted From: 4.229.114.227 |
Heres some photo sets I took in the Dex-Lin area bout 6 months ago: http://www.detroitfunk.com/200 6/01/north_by_northwest.html http://www.detroitfunk.com/200 6/01/charles_agree.html | ||
Hysteria Member Username: Hysteria Post Number: 588 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 64.12.116.204 |
This is harsh, but when I look at a lot of these buildings, I cannot believe this is in America. To me, it looks like war scarred Sarajevo or a bombed out suburb of Berlin. Even driving on Woodward through HP and seeing the decay is surreal to me. | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 1254 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 63.41.8.194 |
Searching WSU/VMC for old apartment buildings, of which the pickings are slim, there was this photo of a protest in front of the Dexter Apts, by the Servicemen's Dairy Co-op Association. I especially like their milk trucks, surplus WWII jeeps. This looks like something right up Jjaba's alley to research.  Judging by the angle of the sun, these guys start their protests early. | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 417 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 65.185.132.134 |
Jjaba--King Tut's tomb was discovered in 1922. | ||
Dan Member Username: Dan Post Number: 1232 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.47.18.123 |
Lowell Thank you for a wonderful series of photos. That tour made me very sad, it was very powerful. It makes me long for change, and furthers my desire to help. (Message edited by dan on June 22, 2006) | ||
Deegee Member Username: Deegee Post Number: 27 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 69.214.191.140 |
Very interesting tour. Looking forward to reading the stories of past residents. | ||
30th_street Member Username: 30th_street Post Number: 29 Registered: 04-2006 Posted From: 152.163.100.8 |
Where did all the people who lived in them go..... The names of the buildings are so interesting. When did the concept of living in apartments start and why are they named? | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 3969 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 67.171.136.201 |
Howard Carter, famous British researcher, found King Tut in November, 1922. Work continued at the site until 1933. Thanks 56packman for correcting jjaba. Egyptian references in American architecture show up in the 19th century, often in funerary buildings also. jjaba, search for truth. | ||
Douglasm Member Username: Douglasm Post Number: 578 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.189.188.28 |
Thank you, Lowell for the picture of the Highland Towers Apts. If I'm not mistaken, (although I probably am), the third building in order, right to left, is 11 Ferrand Apts (my Grandmother lived there from the mid '50's until about 1970) then Trinity Methodist Church, then the two Y's. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2746 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.210.44 |
You are correct Douglasm; I misidentified the building above, now corrected. Highland Towers is the big yellow brick building at 12850 Woodward. Farrand Apartments, 11 Farrand Park is the next, red brick, building to its left. | ||
Dave Member Username: Dave Post Number: 95 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 71.244.168.177 |
Beautiful job Lowell. Like Gannon, I would like to see a subsection of the restored. dave | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2748 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.210.44 |
Thanks Dave [how ya been?]. I have more to add including the restorations. I needed a breather and also wanted some feedback and suggestions for future direction. | ||
Machoken Member Username: Machoken Post Number: 1338 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 207.145.38.104 |
I'm still having trouble locating these buildings. I thought it had been mentioned that the 'Who lived here in 1940?' popups could be used to locate them, although I can't seem to find that post now. I tried googling a few, such as 2749 Laredo, Detroit Michigan but got nothing (there doesn't even seem to be a Laredo street in Detroit, right?). Others who posted similar questions seem silent now, what am I missing (or am I just impatient)? | ||
Pam Member Username: Pam Post Number: 274 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 67.107.47.65 |
I'd like to see interior pics or floorplans if anyone has them. | ||
Llyn Member Username: Llyn Post Number: 1569 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 68.61.197.206 |
Wow, that's an impressive yet sad collection of pics Lowell. Wish I'd taken a pic of one of the apt buildings on Palmer they tore down recently. Beautiful building and looked perfectly salvageable... but apparently they must prefer new condos. Not that I have anything against new condos, but not when they have to tear down beautiful old buildings to replace them with condos. There's some nice apt buildings just north of the New Ctr - like around Euclid - and most of them are pretty well maintained. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 3974 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 67.171.136.201 |
Llyn, your point is a good one. There are hundreds of older apt. bldgs. in Detroit which are still quite viable. We must remember, this is a website about Detroit Ruins. jjaba. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2749 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.210.44 |
Machoken, I have always been leery of identifying addresses for fear that scavangers will use it as a shopping list. What is the forum's opinion of that? | ||
Leob Member Username: Leob Post Number: 49 Registered: 10-2005 Posted From: 69.14.9.224 |
O.K. Lowell, here is the map link: http://www.platial.com/learly9 9/map/7356?title=The_Fabulous_ Apartment_Ruins_of_Detroit I mapped and added one apartment building from your series. Platial members can add their own to this map if they wish. Photos and comments can be added too. I think this is a cool way to add geography to the forum and your photos. Leo B | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 6045 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 70.236.198.22 |
LOL, cat out of bag. No worries. ( heya Leob, where you jammin'? ) | ||
Machoken Member Username: Machoken Post Number: 1343 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 207.145.38.104 |
I guess we have one down for no problem with it... I personally don't think it's an issue, I think the scavengers will find them regardless of whether or not the addresses are posted. It could be argued (and probably has been argued) that simply posting pics will give the scavengers something to look for. I myself went on an informal tour of Dexter-Linwood looking for some of these today. | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 941 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 69.242.223.42 |
Scrappers don't use computers, just steal them... | ||
Detroit313 Member Username: Detroit313 Post Number: 92 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 72.229.136.103 |
Great shots. The building I was born in on Jefferon E. was demo in 1990. No pictures. No memory, we moved to Southfield in 1982 when Telegraph was only 4 lanes and Twelve Mile was 2. I just have to say that I thought that I had been to every street in Detroit, and seen all that there was to see. But it just boggles the mind of the sheer size of Detroit. It was a huge city. WOW, DETROIT. And to see the old apartments and how the architecture complemented the area. I hope I live to see them occupied again. 313 | ||
Douglasm Member Username: Douglasm Post Number: 579 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.189.188.28 |
You know, another lost element of some of the buildings is the retail spaces on the main floor. Both Highland Towers and 11 Farrand had retail shops on Woodward, and some of the ruins pictured had retail shops at street level. In the Towers was a toy store (to the left of the Woodward entrance) that always had a magnificent Lionel Lines bridge in the window that wouldn't come close to fitting on my train table. 11 Farrand had a diner on the corner (the white area with doors) and a card shop in the middle of the block. It was places like those that helped make a neighbourhood, and it's places like that I miss as much as the Highland Park Sears...... | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 3975 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 67.171.136.201 |
Livernoisyard tells it like it tis. jjaba. | ||
Leoqueen Member Username: Leoqueen Post Number: 1354 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 152.163.100.8 |
Lowell, you ought to get a Macarthur grant for all of the work you have done in preserving our culture! | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2750 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.210.44 |
Thanks Leoqueen. Bring it on.  I hope your exhibition at Sherry Washington goes well. As far as the locations go, it wanders through the Dexter Linwood area, hops over to Highland Park and goes up Woodward to the McNichols and Palmer Park. Then it jumps down to the lower Cass Corridor and crosses over the the Brush Park area. I'm still reluctant to release the locations but am contemplating it. "Scrappers don't use computers, just steal them..." Scrappers may not but you can be sure the objet d'art thieves who hit the Lee Plaza appointments do. Besides it will allow some puzzlement for the forum. | ||
Livedog2 Member Username: Livedog2 Post Number: 486 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 24.223.133.177 |
Lowell, I agree with you. Don't release the locations of any of your photo shot sites. If there are Forumers on here that want to know where they are they can figure it out on their own. I think there is too much potential for mischief as well as outright vandalism or I should say further vandalism of these faded treasures. Let's not make it easier for these nardowells like the idiots that did the video of themselves in the Packard Plant doing their destructive best to act like the cretins they are! Too much information in this kind of situation can make an already bad situation worse. That’s where I come down on this issue. Livedog2 | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 6046 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 70.236.198.22 |
As a lifelong prideful "ne'er-do-well", I just wanted to make sure you knew I can at least spell well. | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 945 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 69.242.223.42 |
I already added nardowells to the online eggcorn database. | ||
Patrick Member Username: Patrick Post Number: 3472 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.209.169.20 |
Lowell...any pics or info of apts along Harper in Detroit and Harper Woods...before 94 was created. Bobby Layne lived there...quite a few actually...prolly from 50's. | ||
Damon Member Username: Damon Post Number: 663 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 172.129.164.145 |
Absolutely horrifying. | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 1258 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 63.41.8.139 |
A couple of old photos I found in the LOC. The Woodstock, on Peterboro between Cass and 2nd.  The Pasadena in 1905, no location given.  | ||
Deegee Member Username: Deegee Post Number: 28 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.252.124.36 |
what is the "LOC" ? | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 1259 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 63.41.8.139 |
www.loc.gov | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 282 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 68.60.139.212 |
The Pasadena still stands on East Jefferson, I believe on the corner of DuBois. Most of the cornice and other ornamentation has been removed over the years. The very large apartments have been broken into smaller units. Several weeks ago, there was a fire in the building; but I think the damage was confined to one apartment. Overall, it may not be what it was in 1905; but it's still a viable apartment building. | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 1323 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.42.251.225 |
Congrats to you Lowell on a really terrific tour of some of those old apartment buildings. And I see that today's Free Press ( page 2B) acknowledged your work. The Roselawn Apartment brings back memories for me in the late 40's as my aunt and cousin lived there. Beautiful lobby, really neat elevator ( kinda like the Hudson's elevator but on a smaller scale,) and of course the "paging system" in the outer lobby to announce our arrival. Across the street was the old HP High school, and I think Fanny Farmer Candy was made up the street. So sad to see it now. I drove by there about 10 years ago with my cousin, and she wept. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 4452 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 141.217.84.90 |
His website will promote that most American cities will look like the ruins of ancient cities. I wonder where the achaelogists are going to be at? America, behold, your cities are now compared to ruins of Ancient Rome. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 4009 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 67.171.136.201 |
Danny, you need to get our more. There's plenty of wonderful America being preserved. Detroit is unique in that way. jjaba. | ||
Urbanity Member Username: Urbanity Post Number: 68 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 68.21.17.237 |
You know, in reading through these posts and comparing this to Chicago I do believe that I know the fundamental reason why Detroit's apartment living fell apart: the lack of newer immigration from the 60s onward? The only thing keeping Pilsen going after the Czechs fled was the strong Mexican population. After the Jewish population moved away from Devon Ave on the north side, the Indians moved in. Apartments are ideal for immigrants I imagine. Detroit, from what I gather, has had no success really with immigration. Focus on attracting rather than scaring away an immigrant base (particularly from Mexico) and you will see a turnaround. What is Mexicantown's (is that the name?) apartment housing stock like? This buildings rival the best Chicago has to offer. Isnt there anything that can be done to encourage rehab? Sadly enough, this sort of housing stock would be condoized in Chicago, whereas we are losing osme of our finest single-family homes to the wrecking ball to turn them into condos. | ||
Detroitdecor27 Member Username: Detroitdecor27 Post Number: 33 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.236.181.174 |
Wonderful tour Loved it!!! My comment was... Just this past month I was talking about how beautiful all the abondoned buildings were in Detroit and that one of my favorites was Lee Plaza. My grandmother was only half listening but when I mentioned Lee Plaza her ear perked up! I found out that it was at Lee Plaza where my grandparents had their wedding reception back in the 1940's!!! Unfortuantly, my grandmother doesn't remember much anymore these days but I am pressing her for more information about her wedding day and Lee Plaza. It is soo cool that one of my favorite buildings in Detroit I have an actual connection to! =) | ||
Pdtpuck Member Username: Pdtpuck Post Number: 86 Registered: 01-2006 Posted From: 208.251.168.194 |
while perusing the HABS site, i came across these pics of the Graylawn Apts. %20Graylawn%20Apartments,%20Ch ene%20Street%20Commercial%20Di strict,%20Detroit,%20Wayne%20C ounty,%20MI&displayType=1&item Link=D?hh:120:./temp/~ammem_E4 xx::@@@mdb=hh,gottscho,alad,pa n,detr, (Sorry for the wickedly long link, but I couldn't figure out how to "make it disappear into the text!!!" with all the extra commas!) I thought they were in the Fab Apt. Ruins, but I mistook the GRAYlawn for the ROSElawn! (Message edited by pdtpuck on July 01, 2006) | ||
Michikraut Member Username: Michikraut Post Number: 166 Registered: 05-2004 Posted From: 217.232.121.163 |
Like Pam, I would dearly love to see some floorplans of these places. Especially the moorish inspired ones, as there is so many odd winkels and corners. Not at all like the the modern and boring cookie-cutter apartment boxes. Unfortunately the majority of people will take the modern cages with their modern amenities over Apartments that are challenging to furnish and aren´t quite up-to-date. Though the main determining factor is location, location, location and parking. What seperates Chicago and East Coast cities where apartment living is still "in"(these Apartments would have never been abandoned there.) and desirable is the bane of Detroit = dependable, affordable "PUBLIC TRANSORTATION" then so much parking would not be necessary as owning a car would not be necessary. I also agree with "Dalangdon" about the consumer cycles being somewhat stronger in Detroit area than others. Old is considered "passe" and undesirable by average consumer - and being the "motor city" the has been a two-edged sword in keeping the density and fabric of the city alive. The automobile helped create the Suburbs and the Suburbs helped in the decline of downtowns. That said- I would think an 3rd(European counting) floor apartment (4th- American system) in the Yos Sela, Lois or 2nd in The Cambria would be awesome with the arched windows, large balcony or sunroom, high ceilings, hardwood floors. I can dream cant I? Question- In the bigger units, and from what I´ve seen of the Carlton being restored, there is concrete slabs seperating the levels- are the outer walls load-bearing or just an outerskin supported by internal skeleton? From what I could see in the "Ormand" and some of the other Moorish inpired homes- the outer walls seemed awfully thick, perhaps they are supporting walls. I ask about the structure of the buildings regarding the possibility of their adapability, basic soundness,noise transmission and energy efficiency of such buildings (one can replace windows but when walls are too thin, only viable solution(internal insulation creates many problems with mold) is Polyinsulation on exterior with stucco shell- then the amazing brickwork would be lost. Again- any floorplans out there: I want to fantasize. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2771 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.59.60 |
Pdtpuck, I remember the Graylawn. It was quite a landmark, bigger than anything around it. It would have been demolished during the GM Poletown plant land acquisition and clearing process. Prior to that Chene, once it crossed Harper [I-94], angled NNE until it converged at the corner of Jos. Campau and E. Grand Blvd. In the pictures you linked to you can see the thin pie slice of land between Jos. Campau and Chene to the left of the Graylawn. The view is looking SSW. | ||
Dougw Member Username: Dougw Post Number: 1217 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.252.124.43 |
Great tour. That first pic of the Laredo Apartments is pretty amazing... so many fun details on that building. (as well as others, but that one may be the best in that Moorish style) | ||
Jman Member Username: Jman Post Number: 6 Registered: 10-2006 |
My family lived at the Philby at 15 Waverly in Highland Park from 1935 through 1961. My friends were all quite envious as we had central air which was installed in 1939 during a re-hab. Quite a nice bldg. with a formal lobby but by todays standards, very small apartments. It's a shame to see it now. It was a great location with Cunninghams across the street and Fred Sanders two doors up. S&C diner car and Northern YMCA across Woodward Ave. As a child, on Saturday mornings I would go to one of the three theatres within three blocks of our apt. Cost a whopping 9 or 12 cents depending on the theatre. Thanks for the memories Lowell. Great site. Jman |
