 
Whittier70
Member
Username: Whittier70
Post Number: 90
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 - 2:24 pm: |    |
Today I drove through alfred-brush ford park to see the burned out marina. I've been coming down here all of my life. I remember when everything was functional here, the trailer park, ice cream shop, party store next door to the ice cream shop and the marina. Right across from the chalmers bus turn around is the long drive to a large brick house on the river. I've seen this house all of my life but never knew what it was used for or did somebody actually live in it. So today I noticed it was burned, the trailer park is gone and the whole park looks like hell. I have memories from when it was so well maintained there.
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Jams
Member
Username: Jams
Post Number: 8115
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 - 2:30 pm: | |
I photographed a couple of wedding receptions there.
It was a community center, the last time I was there 10-12(?) years ago. |
Whittier70
Member
Username: Whittier70
Post Number: 91
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 - 2:41 pm: | |
It would be interesting to know the history of the house, who lived there when it was built and what was around it at that time. |
Tony_box_42
Member
Username: Tony_box_42
Post Number: 133
Registered: 12-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 - 3:36 pm: | |
I remember it as the administrative office of Mariners Hospital. |
Detroitjim
Member
Username: Detroitjim
Post Number: 14
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 - 4:07 pm: | |
It belongs to the Detroit Parks and Recreation Department.
It was known as "The Lighthouse".
I first noticed that it was burnt up over two years ago. |
Eastside_cat
Member
Username: Eastside_cat
Post Number: 27
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 - 4:09 pm: | |
All
Go to the "Paradise Lost" thread and you will be well educated on the history of the entire area starting back to the turn of the century when on this very spot was located an Aero Club, used by the Dodge brothers with instruction delivered by none other than the Wright Brothers. Its a great thread that has photos of a time when homes lined the edge of Alter park over the bridge past Tommys. I used to fish in front of this house when I was a teenager in the mid-70's and hung out at Angel park after I got my Lic, I have years of fond memories of the parks along the river front including Lakewood and Conner parks, I grew up on the first block of Chalmers so those canals were my personal paths to adventure and fun year round. |
Whittier70
Member
Username: Whittier70
Post Number: 92
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 - 4:16 pm: | |
Wow, that place sat burned up for that long. In a park too, dam shame. Good work kwame. |
Eastside_cat
Member
Username: Eastside_cat
Post Number: 28
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 - 4:40 pm: | |
Whittier70
Burned out houses in Detroit has been the Hallmark of the City for well over 20 years now a legacy that spun out of control during the last King of Detroit’s 20 year run of Coleman Young, that was slightly halted during Mayor Archers term in office, as for Kwame he could care less. I have traveled the world and have seen complete poverty but never have I seen the destruction that has been levied against once great neighborhoods that spawned generations of families as I have seen in the "D". Think of the effort it takes to destroy one house, to strip it of its valuable resources for scrap, when I grew up on the lower eastside we painted the house every few years, we fixed a broken window when a ball accidently went thru it, we cut the grass, raked the leaves etc, these are the things people do when they are ACTIVE members of a community, they care about the surrounding environment, they watch out for each other’s children. The basic tenets of societal norms were lost in the City a long time ago, I know it still exists in some pockets of Detroit but by and large it’s gone. In Berlin 1945, which is what some parts of Detroit resemble now, the defeated residents rolled up their sleeves and picked up the bricks and began to rebuild the city themselves, because it was THEIR city. Ok my rant is over, I feel better now. |
Pgn421
Member
Username: Pgn421
Post Number: 484
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 - 7:04 pm: | |
Whittier70 - that building was the old Windmill Pointe Yacht Club. I used to have a place at the trailer park.I miss it down there. Lots of nice people resided there. |
Living_in_the_d
Member
Username: Living_in_the_d
Post Number: 150
Registered: 01-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 - 8:11 pm: | |
Yeah, Tragic. Actually looking at the same thing the other day, wondering about this and that,wow. And on a lighter note, actually thinking about putting My money where my mouth is, and taking a real estate plunge in the neighborhood, and living there while doing a one Man revitalization, until others join in, and form a neighborhood movement that won't stop until progress has been made. I know its a tall order, but when I presented these plans to Mrs. D, She didn't shoot them down, but actually agreed with Me, This has never been the case in the past, So it must be Divine Intervention. |
Bulletmagnet
Member
Username: Bulletmagnet
Post Number: 1148
Registered: 01-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 - 9:29 pm: | |
What Eastside_cat said. And how. |
Mwilbert
Member
Username: Mwilbert
Post Number: 155
Registered: 11-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, March 30, 2008 - 10:02 pm: | |
"one Man revitalization"
I REALLY wouldn't want to discourage you from this, but make sure your neighborhood is one that has a realistic prospect of being revitalized. I am certain that some Detroit neighborhoods will survive and improve, but I don't know which ones. You could be the reason yours is one of them. You could also be trying to bail out the Titanic.
You need optimism to spend time and effort and money on something like this, but I suggest you use some of your neighbors as a sounding board--they might have different perspectives. Having a supportive wife is a great first step though.
I wish you all the best luck! |
Eastside_cat
Member
Username: Eastside_cat
Post Number: 29
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Monday, March 31, 2008 - 1:48 am: | |
Bulletmagnet
Being a fifth generation native detroiter, its out of pure love for the city that I say these things. I'm sure I speak for many of my former neighbors when I say it was indeed a magical place to grow up. Thanks for the "and how". |
Newport1128
Member
Username: Newport1128
Post Number: 183
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Monday, March 31, 2008 - 9:00 am: | |
Eastside_cat, you're absolutely right. Those of us who grew up in pre-riot Detroit remember what a wonderful place it was. The younger generation never knew Detroit as it was, only the way it is now. I feel sad for their loss, and ours. |
Ongowwah
Member
Username: Ongowwah
Post Number: 23
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Monday, March 31, 2008 - 9:03 am: | |
That's the problem with those pesky brick structures, they just don't burn up as nicely as the wooden structures, so they leave lasting eyesores. I remember when us kids used to chase the firetruck to watch a good fire! If it was during the summer sometimes the firemen would give us a squirt just for asking them to! |
Rid0617
Member
Username: Rid0617
Post Number: 6
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 01, 2008 - 12:12 am: | |
Living_in_the_d that is exactly what we are thinking down here. It will take people willing to change things to make it better. I've read lots of complaints and every one of them are justified. My family was in Detroit in the depression. Some of the old newspapers I have state a 35% unemployment rate. After the riots of 1943 and 1967 Detroiters pulled together and refused to let their city die. It can be done again. Might not be able to control what happens in city hall but neighbors can take back their neighborhoods. |
Viziondetroit
Member
Username: Viziondetroit
Post Number: 1592
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 01, 2008 - 1:31 am: | |
"sometimes the firemen would give us a squirt just for asking them to!"
^^ I got a chuckle out of this lil gem |
Newport1128
Member
Username: Newport1128
Post Number: 184
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 01, 2008 - 9:08 am: | |
Rid0617, I disagree with you on two counts:
1. After the '67 riots, Detroiters did not "pull together". If anything, those riots were the death knell of the city. I continued to live in Detroit until 1976, and saw nothing improve in those 9 years, only get worse.
2. Detroiters "Might not be able to control what happens in city hall"? How about electing a mayor and city council who are both competent and honest?
I do agree that "neighbors can take back their neighborhoods", but way too little of that is going on. Parents are afraid to discipline and control their kids, and nobody wants to "get involved" for fear of being criticized, or worse yet, becoming targets of the hoodlums. |
Living_in_the_d
Member
Username: Living_in_the_d
Post Number: 153
Registered: 01-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 3:08 pm: | |
Yeah, Anything is possible if you're willing to give it your best shot, and We are. As far as the future goes, We will deal with that when it becomes the present. |
Sumas
Member
Username: Sumas
Post Number: 86
Registered: 01-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 6:52 pm: | |
The burnt out house is what is left of the old Huck family home built circa 1920. The property it sits on is owned by the City of Detroit. It operated as the Lighthouse Recreation Center for Seniors for many years. The City decided to close it down citing deminished usage. Of course that was when Riverside Drive and its two bridges were under going renovation. Seniors wishing to use the facility and it programs had to walk in from Alter. For several years, area residents kept the building boarded and secure as they could. Grosse Pointe teens partied there frequently. They had a sign up saying keep this place clean, it is a great hidden hang out. The building fire was obviously arson. Trust me it wasn't the kids. The home burnt three times in one day. A FOIA request to the city regarding the fire was a waste of a stamp and paper. Area residents and city workers were forbidden to re secure the building. This property is adjacent and part of Lakewood East, a city owned park. Lakewood East has also been know as Angel Park or Needles Park. These names came about because of its close proximity to Mariners Hospital, now Mariners Park. The hospital was used for a period of time as a methadone clinic and drug sales and trafficing were common at the park in the evening. Neighbors, not the city or police made these riverfront parks family friendly. The adjacency to the former trailor park makes the fires particularly suspicious. The trailer park was privately owned and was sold to a developer, a few years back. There are 4 riverfront parks between Connor and Alter. Listed in order they are Maharis Gentry, A B Ford, Lakewood East and Mariners Park. The city has tried to sell these citizen owned park properties before but failed because of resident resistance (law suits) and federal law. I still believe that Kwamster buddies are eyeing these parks. I believe (in total) these adjacent riverfront parks represent 3.5 miles of riverfront. I've tried to talk to the riverfront conservancy about investment in these parks to no avail. Perhaps our next mayor will see their value and budget for community park riverfront investment on the eastside. |
Pgn421
Member
Username: Pgn421
Post Number: 493
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 6:59 pm: | |
its the old Windmill Pointe Yacht Club. I lived in the Lakeside Trailer Court. The investor opted out on the redevelopment of the trailer park,before Edgar died. We were all evicted in 2002 |
Broken_main
Member
Username: Broken_main
Post Number: 1525
Registered: 06-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 8:01 pm: | |
yes, it is lighthouse. And directly to the right of the house is a pumping station that has just recentlty been decommissioned. it is an underground station. |
Pgn421
Member
Username: Pgn421
Post Number: 494
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 8:04 pm: | |
the lighthouse is on the property where the Marine Hospital was. Its a city owned park now. |
Cub
Member
Username: Cub
Post Number: 239
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 9:31 pm: | |
Just drove by there yesterday and touched everyone of those parks listed. Mariners park is in decent shape and Maheras Gentry park has just been redone. AB Ford and Lakewood East have no signage and are in a poor condition. AB Ford is the worse, car tracks throughout the grass and the picnic tables and bathroom shed needs serious rehabbing. Maybe even total replacement. These could be more jewels of the city if taken care of properly. We don't need anymore $300,000 and up homes on the river. |
Rid0617
Member
Username: Rid0617
Post Number: 29
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Saturday, April 05, 2008 - 2:09 am: | |
Newport1128, I apologize for not finishing the rest of the line. Guess I shouldn't post at 3am. What I meant was other cities rebuilt after riots like 1967.
Maybe I'm being over optimistic but I too want to do what I can to help. It will have to be neighborhood by neighborhood. My grandparents lived in Detroit during the depression. My grandfather was killed in an accident involving an REA express truck. My grandmother married a german dude who worked at the Tech center designing clay models. My mother worked at a dime store downtown when she met my father and along I come via Grace Hospital.
On the they can elect better officials you stated I totally agree but that's all they can do. Figure out which one is lying the least, put them in office but they don't have actual control over the decisions that elected official makes during their term. That was what I meant by the they can't control city hall comment. |
Fury13
Member
Username: Fury13
Post Number: 4118
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, April 05, 2008 - 8:35 am: | |
Sumas, you said it was the "Huck family home"... would that be Huck, as in Huck Manufacturing, a company located on the eastside for years? |