  Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3603 Registered: 10-2003 |
The Pembrook apartment building is being demolished today for the expansion of Pewabic Pottery.  Don't bother driving by to watch - at the rate they're going, it will be a pile of dust by sundown. | ||
East_detroit Member Username: East_detroit Post Number: 1624 Registered: 11-2003 |
Pewabic Pottery is looking to expand at its current location! Yay! | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4537 Registered: 02-2005 |
What the fuck? I mean, seriously, what the fuck? They already have gravel lot at the corner of Cadillac that could have been developed. They haven't even started the campaign to make the funds they will need, and they demolished that building. It is astounding that an institution meant to preserve an important facet of Detroit's past would so readily further the destruction of Detroit's past. Shame on Pewabic. I guess I'll stop buying people expensive gifts there for a while. Detroit's neighborhoods are headed towards being completely faceless. | ||
East_detroit Member Username: East_detroit Post Number: 1629 Registered: 11-2003 |
What is the historical or architectural significance of the Pembrook? Not being snarky, I just don't know that there is any. | ||
6nois Member Username: 6nois Post Number: 683 Registered: 11-2006 |
Does anyone know if this expansion is the one designed by the Detroit Collaborative Design Center? | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 6594 Registered: 08-2004 |
... say aren't they using the Madison-Lenox approach to asbestos containment? (Someone with a water hose) | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 1139 Registered: 01-2007 |
Looks like you have had a busy day, Mikem. I'm glad you’re handy with the camera, as this is the very last look at the Pembrook Apartments. BTW, I would sure like to get my hands on a demo schedule for the contractors in Detroit. The only way to get these shots is to happen by with your camera, which is why I always have mine with me. So much lost, damn shame Detroit. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 2932 Registered: 01-2005 |
Location, please? Even the Craine's article failed to note where this is. | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3608 Registered: 10-2003 |
Corner of E Jefferson & Hurlbut. | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 1141 Registered: 01-2007 |
I found their website, but little to go on as far as when certain projects in Detroit will begin: http://www.adamodemolition.com /index1.html | ||
Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 2135 Registered: 09-2006 |
I don't understand the outrage it was an abandoned 4 story apartment building that likely sat abandoned for some time. At least now that land will be used for something and an eyesore will be removed from Jefferson. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 2933 Registered: 01-2005 |
Thx, Mike. | ||
Tigers2005 Member Username: Tigers2005 Post Number: 199 Registered: 02-2005 |
You're right, Mayor. This was done to get rid of an abandoned building with little or no architectural significance in order to expand a 100-year old business. This is progress. Not every building is worth saving. I am all for saving historically and architecturally significant buildings, but not just any building. If you really want to be taken seriously as a preservationist, you should pick and choose your battles, not cry foul every time the wrecking ball hits an abandoned building that nobody cares to restore. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 6239 Registered: 11-2003 |
MikeM, was that an aerial shot? Good work for The Forum. Thanks. Any history of the bldg.? jjaba. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4538 Registered: 02-2005 |
Well nobody knew this was a battle, Tigers2005. Sadly, this had no publicity until practically the day it was demolished. And this City and its planning/building commission is clearly spineless when it comes to enforcing preservation and zoning. They could have said "no" because that parcel is for residential use, rendering Pewabic unable to build a facility there (unless it included housing-- which would be a good idea...artist's lofts, etc.?). This would have made Pewabic take a different strategy, and they still would have done just fine. They would have had to put the building up for sale, wait for a developer to come and rehab it or demolish it and build a new residential building, and then Pewabic would have to develop one of their parking lots, or a neighboring lot on Cadillac, instead. That backup strategy may not have even made them worse off, and would surely have made the city and the neighborhood better off. This would be a little less harsh if Pewabic had the money ready to go, and a rendering showing what we're going to have there. But, they don't, and the City still let them do whatever they wanted with the building. So, we'll have another parking lot for at least several years, and then probably a low-rise building with parking between the street and its front door. Delightful. Keep. Destroying. Detroit. Because that's progress!! | ||
Shark Member Username: Shark Post Number: 347 Registered: 12-2003 |
Good riddance to an eyesore! | ||
Harsensis Member Username: Harsensis Post Number: 345 Registered: 07-2005 |
I have a photo postcard somewhere of when that building had a store in the corner unit. At the time it was in a city called St Clair Heights if I remember correctly. That area was annexed by Detroit in the early 1900's. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4539 Registered: 02-2005 |
The place was blighted but, clearly, structurally sound. A simple cleanup and renovation would have made it a great place for Pewabic's artists to live. Hell, maybe they could have put their clay studio in that building. For artistic people, they sure seem to lack creativity. Seeing a picture of a bulldozer taking down the sort of building that is in short supply in this city does not reek of a creative solution. It would be nice to have someone officially affiliated with Pewabic show up on this thread. | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 695 Registered: 06-2005 |
quote: Clearly, that's NOT me. In my opinion, at one time the Pembrook was a handsome building. Some care went into its (really rather common) design which, even in its sad, final decades of life, was evidenced by the high-ceiling lobby and the cornice and window surrounds. Its relatively small 1 bedroom apartments were filled with tenants who did not need adjacent parking because the building was right on the Jefferson line which could get you to jobs downtown or at all the nearby auto factories in that part of the East Side. Shopping, of course, was just down the street or right up on Kercheval. However those days are long gone, and I don't expect that they will be returning anytime soon. The sad reality of our city is that we have less than half the number of people than we had 50 years ago. There is no demand for such housing in that neighborhood now, nor has there been for many years. I do not believe that the choice was rehab the building or tear it down. The choice was, I believe, let it sit as a vacant hulk (as it has been for many years) or tear it down. To me, I much prefer to lose this building than the houses behind Pewabic on Cadillac Blvd. for any future expansion plans. IIRC, Pewabic floated that idea several years ago. Again to me, I was much more saddened to lose the Frontenac Apartment Building, for similarly understandable reasons, on the SE corner of Marquette and Jefferson (where you turn for Sinbad's). | ||
Patrick Member Username: Patrick Post Number: 5306 Registered: 10-2003 |
Who was the architect? | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4540 Registered: 02-2005 |
Thanks for sharing some info about its history, Neil. I tend to disagree. I wouldn't want to lose any of our well-constructed single-family homes, but these are in much greater supply across the city than apartment buildings. In reality, neither should be lost in this scenario, because there is an available gravel lot on site. Regarding the idea that Detroit is smaller and thus buildings should disappear, I say: by what logic? If you say that, you also have to say that any new residential construction in the city is not needed. But there is going to be a re-organization of our population, even if it does continue to decline, and major corridors and other targeted neighborhoods (like Brush Park, etc) ought to have a long-term plan that allows for the preservation of any remaining density, and the fostering of new density. There are several occupied apartment buildings not far from this one, starting at Parkview/McClellan and heading into the Gold Coast. So something tells me that apartments on Jefferson still sell. | ||
Mwilbert Member Username: Mwilbert Post Number: 150 Registered: 11-2007 |
The city doesn't need any net new residential construction. It has way more residential units than it needs. That means that if there is going to be infill construction/rehabilitation in some areas, even more housing in other areas is going to be lost. That is the logic that buildings should disappear. Now maybe the area by Pewabic is a logical place for some of that denser housing--it isn't an obviously ridiculous place. But that doesn't mean that the particular building being discussed had any likely use--how could you renovate it and rent/sell the apartments for enough money to finance the renovation without parking? Maybe someday, but not now, and probably not soon. Even resident artists need cars currently. In fact, they tend to cart stuff around a lot--they probably need cars more than most people. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4542 Registered: 02-2005 |
"That means that if there is going to be infill construction/rehabilitation in some areas, even more housing in other areas is going to be lost." I see your basic economic logic, but we can't just say that "the city" is a relevant geographic market. We have to break the city up into neighborhoods, and further specify what type of housing we're talking about in order to define the market, and then decide whether there is room for growth or not. For instance, housing units aren't disappearing in northeast or northwest Detroit because new townhouses are being built in Brush Park, and if they do, it's because people left for somewhere, but not neccesarily BP, which is an area of population inflow, generally speaking. I think if we're talking about standard single family detached, we could almost make that sort of blanket statement across the entire city-- that's why nothing good really comes out of the cheapo new housing i.e. Crosswinds south of Jefferson not far from Pewabic. As for parking...how 'bout Pewabic's gravel lot on Cadillac? I see it full once a year-- when they have the big sale in conjunction with the Indian Village home tours. | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 696 Registered: 06-2005 |
Patrick, I've considered it to be a rather generic four story apartment building, with some nice features. I didn't think of it as actually having a named architect; but clearly, I've done no research on it and so I could well be wrong. If anyone knows more, please share it. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 6599 Registered: 08-2004 |
Neilr, I remember those apartments (on the street to Sinbad's). That was a beautiful building, a sad loss. | ||
Malcovemagnesia Member Username: Malcovemagnesia Post Number: 70 Registered: 12-2005 |
From TFA, the demolished building's lot is going to be yet another parking area until they eventually get around to raising the money to build a studio. Anyone want to hazard a guess when & even if that'll come to pass? | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 1143 Registered: 01-2007 |
Mayor_sekou, Shark and others who feel that this "eye sore" is better off demoed should think about the rest of the city as well. If all the crappy looking buildings in Detroit came down tomorrow, the wind will whistle through town, as it does in some parts of the East Side. I just hate to loose the history of it, that’s all. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4543 Registered: 02-2005 |
Well, for awhile, that was pretty much the official policy of our mayors, BM. It explains a lot about what we are looking at across the City today. | ||
Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 2141 Registered: 09-2006 |
Well it is sad to lose history but if there is any chance that the majority of unoccupied land in the city is to be rebuilt these abandoned structures must go. It is much easier to develop on an empty parcel than to faced with the costs of redeveloping a structure, especially if the original intention of the structure is different from what the redevelopers intentions for that property are. Which is what is the case with this property and Pewabic Pottery. | ||
Wolverine Member Username: Wolverine Post Number: 443 Registered: 04-2004 |
"if there is any chance that the majority of unoccupied land in the city is to be rebuilt" the chances are nothing. Even if something, we'd probably hate it. Parking for example. | ||
Supersport Member Username: Supersport Post Number: 11771 Registered: 10-2003 |
Excuse me, but would somebody be so kind as to show me the way to this fantasy Detroit that Mackinaw keeps referring to? The one where people are lining up to restore long vacant buildings, and long time business owners in Detroit can find other means to expand after being stiff armed by the city of these overly zealous abandoned building developers. I'd really like to visit such a Detroit. | ||
Pythonmaster Member Username: Pythonmaster Post Number: 153 Registered: 12-2006 |
a former Pembrook storefront- http://www.flickr.com/photos/j ustbeamensch/2125406701/sizes/ m/ yesterday- http://www.flickr.com/photos/j ustbeamensch/2372404972/ | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 1144 Registered: 01-2007 |
Pythonmaster, thanks for posting those photos. It seems we travel in the same circles. One of my few passions in photographing the often over looked less significant buildings of Detroit, such as garages, houses, gas stations and the like. I have thousands. BTW, I e-mailed Addmo with a request for any scheduling of these demo jobs in Detroit and inquired if they have a public access photo archive. | ||
Pythonmaster Member Username: Pythonmaster Post Number: 154 Registered: 12-2006 |
Bulletmagnet, please send me your flickr link if you have one. I would love to see them. I am in hot pursuit of banality. I am wondering if The Manoogian is on that schedule? | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4544 Registered: 02-2005 |
SS, Detroit will become an even less attractive place to live if we keep settling for more of the strips malls, drive thru banks, fast-food places, and other random buildings behind parking lots (see River Breeze Dairy Freeze for a lovely example)...about half of the Jefferson corridor has already taken this easier path to redevelopment that you want to settle for, and I really don't think that anyone is better off for it. | ||
Pythonmaster Member Username: Pythonmaster Post Number: 156 Registered: 12-2006 |
it got dark for a few seconds........ http://www.flickr.com/photos/j ustbeamensch/2373374811/ | ||
Supersport Member Username: Supersport Post Number: 11772 Registered: 10-2003 |
Mackinaw, Who said anything about a strip mall? I thought this building was knocked down to make room for a LONG TIME Detroit institution to expand. Some folks are long over due for a good drive around the city of Detroit. Me and the Lady took all side streets back from church this morning, which always paints a realistic picture of just how far this city has to go and how far it has fallen. Fact is, nobody really cares to live next to, or even do business next to some boarded up piece of shit building. As far as I'm concerned, this building was torn down in the name of progress. Until people like yourself have the means to pony up the cash and save these buildings, many more will continue to fall, for many more decades. | ||
Andylinn Member Username: Andylinn Post Number: 779 Registered: 04-2006 |
fact of the matter is... if Pewabic really wanted to have something on that buildings site, renovation would have been CHEAPER than demolition and construction... by far. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4545 Registered: 02-2005 |
SS, there might not be a strip mall here (although PP's product on that site might very well be ugly), but the logic you were proferring is the logic that has given us all the ugliness along Jefferson that we see today. The urban fabric is decimated, just admit that, and admit that we are worse off because of that. I know full well that the demand doesn't exist, but you don't foster it by building new stuff that looks like crap. I, too, drive the "side streets" to church, and elsewhere, whenever I can. I know the lower east side by heart-- i know its problems. Jefferson is kind of a different case, though, because it is a corridor, and growth could be fostered more easily, piggy-backing on areas that are already strong like the Gold Coast area. As for your last paragraph, I can't wait to pony up the cash myself. When I make it, I'll get back to you. Andylinn, it would be nice to have perfect information about the costs of this. There's a chance you're right. | ||
Supersport Member Username: Supersport Post Number: 11773 Registered: 10-2003 |
No argument here, Jefferson Ave is fucked up, total suburban style development has all but erased any urban feel. However, that wasn't the topic at hand here. It was a worn out abandoned apartment building being torn down to make room for a thriving Detroit business to expand. Are we to tie the hands of those business that remain in Detroit until they too are forced to leave, taking their business and expanded development plans with them? While you shed your tears over the fallen Pembrook, I saw several dozens upon dozens of other abandoned/boarded up multi-story apartment buildings ready for development, take your pick and have at it. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4546 Registered: 02-2005 |
Well we can't cry over the spilled milk. Moving on, the City has to enforce design standards for development. I don't believe that equates to tying the hands of developers. Even the most simplistic standard would go a long way. I.e., no parking in front of the building's front. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 6600 Registered: 08-2004 |
Luckily the stretch of Jefferson between Dickerson and the Grosse Pointe border still has that urban feel to it. I just hope it remains intact until redevelopment of that area comes to fruition. But for much of the rest of Jefferson, I agree, it looks like strip mall after strip mall, with some historic fragments remaining. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4547 Registered: 02-2005 |
It was great when the Garden Court Apts. (a Kahn design, I believe) received significant upgrades. I'm a little unsure about the Pasadena (Kahn) at the corner of Chene...does anyone live there or know someone who does? I know it has not seen any modernizations or loft conversions, but I'm wondering about its current state. Then, there is the smaller Kahn-designed apartment building at the corner of Rivard (I can't believe I forgot the name), which I'm also wondering about. From the exterior, it looks like it needs some work. Much further east, the apartment building at the corner of Jefferson and Lenox (again, I should remember the name...this living in Ann Arbor thing is getting annoying) was receiving renovations (and got new windows), but it still sits in a gutted condition. The plan was to make it into apartments at or below market rate. I'm guessing the failure to get a first-floor retail tenant may have slowed things down. Anyone know about this? All of these large, old buildings are in short supply, and I don't believe they are expendable. When Detroit is back on its feet and growing again, we will really regret a lot of decisions that have been made. Obviously 1950 to 2000 was a disastorous period, but since then, even with strong preservationism, we still continue to see fine edifices fall. | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 2615 Registered: 01-2004 |
"The place was blighted but, clearly, structurally sound." inside was really hit. | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 697 Registered: 06-2005 |
The Garden Court is a Kahn design. When it opened it had only 4 apartments per floor. Each floor had 2 elevator lobbies serving 2 apartments apiece. The middle apartments were big, the front one bigger and the rear apartment, facing the river, because of the irregular shape of the plot, was the biggest. At some point, most likely in the 50's, most units were broken into smaller apartments. This resulted in somewhat strange layouts. Several years ago, the owners began a condo conversion. There is no onsite parking; but, I believe, there's a nearby lot or garage. The Pasadena, on the corner of DuBois, was designed by (?) Smith's firm which later became Smith, Hinchman, & Grylls and is now The Smith Group. In 1902, when it opened, it claimed to be one of the largest apartment buildings in the country. The apartments ranged from bachelor apartments w/o kitchens to multi room units of the long-hall variety. As with the Garden Court, the larger units were subdivided. The rooftop restaurant became apartments. The building also at some point lost its cornice. For many years until the 70' or 80's, IIRC, the design editor of the Free Press, Lillian Jackson Braun, lived at the Pasadena. It was, perhaps still is, home to many Asian medical workers. The Pasadena has a small parking lot on the west side of the building. 1001 East Jefferson, The Palms, is also an Albert Kahn. When built, each floor had a couple of small bachelor apartments (studios) in the front middle and 2 very large, long-hall variety apartments. Each of these apartments had their parlors in the front, facing Jefferson, and the dining room in the rear facing Larned. Off the long hallway were several bedrooms and baths. Another hallway led to the kitchen and servants rooms which faced the courtyard. So basically, the Palms had only 12 apartments on 6 floors. The vestibule, lobby, and main staircase have much marble, heavy oak (I believe) paneling and molding, and beautiful old mosaic tile work. The ground floor restaurant, now offices, was entered off Rivard. It still has its wonderful old bottle glass leaded windows. The apartments have been broken up into, for the most part, small and very small units. I believe it's home to a number of UD Law School students, among others. There is a nicely fenced parking lot in the rear of the building. | ||
Iddude313 Member Username: Iddude313 Post Number: 169 Registered: 07-2005 |
If anyone has seen the historic photos Pewabic has on exhibit sometimes upstairs, you can see that there was nothing else around the Pottery building back in the day. I was surrounded by fields and was very Hobbit-ish. All the buildings that have been knocked down in recent years around Pewabic were built much later than 1907. And speaking of architectural significance, Pewabic's architect, Buck Stratton, called the style of the Pottery "Kent-Style Tudor". So yeah, nothing else around like that now. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4548 Registered: 02-2005 |
Good info, Neilr. | ||
Hamtragedy Member Username: Hamtragedy Post Number: 127 Registered: 10-2007 |
That historic photo at Pewabic does include Cadillac Blvd, complete with horses, boulevard and a couple of houses. |
