  Expatriot Member Username: Expatriot Post Number: 22 Registered: 09-2007 |
I recently saw a 1940s photograph of Michigan avenue near the ball park and it didn't have brick streets. I have always assumed that the bricks were an original artifact of Michigan avenue and other streets and were just in incredibly good shape. but clearly they were installed after the rails came out. Do they date from the 1950s? Does Detroit still use bricks to repair them? Just wondering. | ||
Ptero Member Username: Ptero Post Number: 151 Registered: 12-2005 |
I know the block of historic Canfield off of Second was newly paved with brick in the late 70's or early 80's. As in less than 30 years ago. Previously it was plain old pavement. That's all I got... | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 1550 Registered: 02-2006 |
Just because you saw an old picture with asphalt doesn't mean there weren't bricks under that asphalt. I'm not sure if the Michigan Ave. bricks are original, but they certainly could have been covered up for some time. | ||
Detroithabitater Member Username: Detroithabitater Post Number: 97 Registered: 10-2006 |
There is a map on the wall at the Detroit historical museum that shows color coded streets of Detroit according to material. Although I don't know the date, but I know it's early. Many streets were labeled "Cedar Planks". Also there are more existing brick streets in the neighborhood just north west of tiger stadium like "perry" street. | ||
Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie Post Number: 1240 Registered: 11-2003 |
Michigan Ave. in front of Tiger Stadium was definitely paved with brick in the '40s. There are many old photos to substantiate this. The bricks have been there for a LONG time, but they aren't "original," since "original" on Michigan Ave. would go back to the 1820's or earlier. Perhaps the photo you saw was retouched? Many streets that were paved with "brick" in the '70s and later were done in asphalt pieces that were cut to simulate brick patterns. | ||
Club_boss Member Username: Club_boss Post Number: 259 Registered: 12-2006 |
Reminds of Ann Arbor, the street I would refer to as "behind Kerrytown," is it Fourth? Brickcity | ||
Papermoon Member Username: Papermoon Post Number: 27 Registered: 08-2007 |
Yes, Club_boss, Fourth Street is brick. Other brick streets, or sections of brick, in that part of A2 - Detroit Street, Depot Street, Kingsley, State Street . . . | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4223 Registered: 02-2005 |
Great city feel in that part of Ann Arbor... And the sloping terrain makes it feel a bit less like southeast Michigan. | ||
Joeyp1982 Member Username: Joeyp1982 Post Number: 3 Registered: 12-2007 |
Michigan Avenue right by the old Tiger Stadium is one of the worst stretches of road known to mankind | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 2477 Registered: 01-2005 |
Joey, I mentioned that fact when I made a report on my October trip back to Detroit. I suggested that the entire brick section should be asphalted over. The responses I got from the DYers was that I be asphalted over instead, and leave the beautiful bricks alone. You and I are a minority of two in this forum. | ||
Funaho Member Username: Funaho Post Number: 10 Registered: 11-2007 |
Considering that the brick seems to be holding up quite nicely they should just remove the last bits of asphalt and leave it at that. Unfortunately MDOT is slowly moving east with its rebuild of Michigan Ave. and I'm sure they'll eventually tear it all up and redo it as asphalt. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 5853 Registered: 11-2003 |
Papermoon 27, you circled Zingerman's making jjaba jones for a Rodney Dangerfield with Russian dressing, a Dr. Brown's Cel-ray soda, potato salad, and a slice pickle. jjaba, the Geography of Delis. | ||
Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie Post Number: 1242 Registered: 11-2003 |
The strip of asphalt down the middle of Michigan by Tiger Stadium covers two streetcar tracks. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 2478 Registered: 01-2005 |
Well, actually four. | ||
Busterwmu Member Username: Busterwmu Post Number: 414 Registered: 09-2004 |
The stretch in the center of Michigan Avenue that has asphalt on it covers one inbound streetcar track and one outbound track. You can easily see the connection track at the Trumbull intersection, to the Trumbull Line one of the last places where this is easily visible in the city. I would be willing to bet that at one time, the bricks near Tiger Stadium were paved over with asphalt, as the rails in the center were. Since then, much of it has been removed (or just broken away, as the center portion is now doing), and the rails are clearly visible in several stretches in front of and to the west of the Stadium. I wish MDOT would just take out the rest of the asphalt in the center, reset the bricks in the large sinkhole regions, and leave it at that. I doubt the rails would confuse anyone, since they connect to nothing, and they are in the turn lane anyhow. I would be a historical loss if they paved over or removed the bricks, and it adds so much to that section of the Corktown border. Otherwise, they could tear up all the bricks and move them downtown and repave them on the stretch of Michigan Avenue between Campus Martius and the Book Caddy, or bus station, or wherever. What a dream... lol | ||
Detrola Member Username: Detrola Post Number: 64 Registered: 02-2006 |
There is a small portion of Desmond st where it meets Waterman st in SW Detroit that is still brick. Only about 30 yards give or take all incline. It was brick as far back as I can remember, 1974 or so. It is still brick now. It is an area that is light industrial and older homes. It seems to be the street that time forgot. | ||
Detroithabitater Member Username: Detroithabitater Post Number: 101 Registered: 10-2006 |
I remember hearing that Mich Ave is next on the MDOT list for 2010-2012...and it might of included lane reductions from 9 to 7. That is unconfirmed. | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 4673 Registered: 10-2004 |
The recent Michigan Avenue reconstruction finally removed the asphalt-covered streetcar tracks up to where they turned off Michigan (to the south near the Wyoming carbarn). One year, the northern (westbound) track was pulled; the other went the following year. Obviously, the tracks are still there on Wyoming. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 5854 Registered: 11-2003 |
That Michigan Ave. streetcar line made it quite long. Which was the longest line anyways? Oakman? jjaba. | ||
Detroithabitater Member Username: Detroithabitater Post Number: 102 Registered: 10-2006 |
Whooops! I made mention I heard a rumor that Michigan Ave was going to undergo construction soon....but not according to this MDOT 5 year "plan" http://www.michigan.gov/docume nts/MDOT_5_year_Plan_Metro_143 126_7.pdf | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 2483 Registered: 01-2005 |
Longest line? I'd guess either Oakman or the Grand River line, all the way from Capitol Park to Seven Mile. | ||
Papermoon Member Username: Papermoon Post Number: 28 Registered: 08-2007 |
Yessir, Jjaba, circling Zingerman's as the destination for the best corned beef around. Then a short stroll up Detroit street for some bargain-hunting at Treasure Mart. Now that's a day well spent! | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 953 Registered: 01-2007 |
Many of Detroits' streets were once paved with Irish Confetti. http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ Irish_confetti | ||
Irish_mafia Member Username: Irish_mafia Post Number: 1165 Registered: 10-2003 |
Marlborough was, and is still red brick. I used to request the drive down that street as a kid when we would visit my grandparents on Chalmers..."let's head down the red brick road!" | ||
Zephyrprocess Member Username: Zephyrprocess Post Number: 570 Registered: 08-2006 |
quote:Those bricks came from the original Jefferson Avenue paving, uncovered when the RenCen was constructed. |
