  Soulhawk Member Username: Soulhawk Post Number: 377 Registered: 04-2004 |
There has been a lot of activity on the former Piquette Avenue Studebaker site. I remember that last fall there was talk about a homeless shelter being built on the site, but I have never been able to find any results about the public hearing concerning the re-development of the grounds. Early last weeks, crews dug up and removed several giant old and rusty gas tanks. I initially thought that the tanks were being removed for environmental concerns and that construction would stop after they were removed, but crews have continued leveling and preparing the east end of the block for construction. So, does anybody have the inside scoop about what's in the works for the old factory grounds? With the T-plex facade now fully renovated, and work going on at the Fisher plant, this is an amazing surge of development for the area. | ||
Lodgedodger Member Username: Lodgedodger Post Number: 717 Registered: 05-2008 |
It is, and I'm very excited about this development. Btw, the T-PLEX facade looks wonderful! | ||
Strathcona Member Username: Strathcona Post Number: 64 Registered: 03-2008 |
So they are building a homeless shelter? Why? | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 413 Registered: 03-2007 |
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Lodgedodger Member Username: Lodgedodger Post Number: 720 Registered: 05-2008 |
It's slated to be a veteran's homeless apartments or something like it. | ||
Lodgedodger Member Username: Lodgedodger Post Number: 721 Registered: 05-2008 |
http://www.swsol.org/downloads /piquetterelease.pdf | ||
Hans57 Member Username: Hans57 Post Number: 340 Registered: 05-2006 |
Yeah, why would they build a homeless shelter? There aren't that many homeless people in Detroit. | ||
Pgn421 Member Username: Pgn421 Post Number: 874 Registered: 02-2005 |
Its not for the homeless, its for disabeled veterans | ||
Gsgeorge Member Username: Gsgeorge Post Number: 646 Registered: 08-2006 |
What's going on at Fisher Body, besides loads of scrappers and explorers breaking in daily? | ||
Detroitderek Member Username: Detroitderek Post Number: 86 Registered: 09-2007 |
I was wondering that too. There were guys in hazmat suits there yesterday. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 6454 Registered: 10-2003 |
You're being tongue-in-cheek, right, Hans? Anyway, I'm surprised how tall (4-stories) it will be and the material (brick). So often, things get torn down in the city and replaced by two-bit, vinyl-sided townhomes. Hopefully, the usage (homeless vet housing) will be successful. Are there other notable examples of Southwest Solutions work in the city? EDIT: Actually, upon seeing the rendering, it's not much better than what I described above: Piquette Square (Message edited by lmichigan on November 26, 2008) | ||
Bcscott Member Username: Bcscott Post Number: 91 Registered: 05-2008 |
I have a few questions about that area. Am I correct in thinking the lot on Piquette between John R and Brush is the former site of the Studebaker plant? What is/was the blue building due east that's connected to the Piquette Ford plant is says 411 Piquette outside. Was that a later addition to the original 1904 Ford plant? Also what was the large factory type building east of the Ford Piquette plant, the brick building that spans from Beaubien to the foot of St. Antoine? | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 3596 Registered: 01-2004 |
The blue building is the medical records warehouse. The lot across was Piquette Market on the corner, and that whole block at one time was Studebaker. I believe all the additions were to Studebaker, and none to Ford Piquette. Pretty sure Studebaker extended all the way to Ford Piquette. Not positive on that tho. | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 3597 Registered: 01-2004 |
I would rather that site be a veterans facility than the lofts originally planned. Sad to lose that Studebaker facade tho. | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 3598 Registered: 01-2004 |
Heres shots of the site after the fire from on top of F21. http://detroitfunk.com/?p=145 | ||
Bcscott Member Username: Bcscott Post Number: 92 Registered: 05-2008 |
Ford sold the Piquette plant to Studebaker in 1910 just before the move to Highland park. So, the medical records warehouse was part of the Studebaker plant? 411 Piquette used to have a sign that read Ford's first Property, that's what had me confused. Anybody know what that giant brick building is east of the Ford plant on the same side of the street. | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 3103 Registered: 10-2003 |
On the block east of the Piquette Ford Model T plant on the north side of the street is a former Regal automobile plant. | ||
55packardconv Member Username: 55packardconv Post Number: 7 Registered: 07-2008 |
The brick building east of Ford Piquette is GM's former Detroit Truck Chassis plant, which originally started out as a Fisher Body plant. | ||
Cman710 Member Username: Cman710 Post Number: 560 Registered: 07-2006 |
Hi Kathleen, Did the Regal plant make finished cars, or was it a body/parts supplier? When I was looking through my photos from my last trip recently, I looked at that plant and remembered you said it was a Regal Plant. But when I searched on Google, I found no hits for Regal cars. So I figured it might have been a body or parts manufacturer. | ||
Bcscott Member Username: Bcscott Post Number: 93 Registered: 05-2008 |
There were two Fisher plants on the same street? I think Fisher 21 started out around 1910 stamping out Cadillac bodies. I'm curious about the Regal plant, I've never heard of it. How long has it been around? | ||
Cman710 Member Username: Cman710 Post Number: 562 Registered: 07-2006 |
OK. I did some research. On Ebay, I was able to find an old 1915 ad from Regal Motor Car Company, which was located at 601 Piquette, which is the address of the Regal plant. So it was a Regal Motor Car plant as of then. (Charles Lambert, the President of Regal, lived at 611 Boston Boulevard, in Boston-Edison.) In this thread, Hornwrecker posted a picture of the Regal plant, and it seems like it operated from 1907-1920. https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/6790/60114.html?11320259 20 I have also seen the site labeled Fisher Body 23. Perhaps once Regal went out of business, was sold, or whatever, Fisher Body purchased. | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 3111 Registered: 10-2003 |
Good job, Cman710!! I hadn't gotten around to pulling out my notes from the Auto Heritage walking tour I took a few years back. And you made a Boston-Edison connection too (of which I will make a note)!! The Regal plant is on the north side of the street; opposite on the south side of the street is an empty lot. Fisher Body 23 is on the south side of the street one block further east. | ||
Lodgedodger Member Username: Lodgedodger Post Number: 986 Registered: 05-2008 |
If anyone is interested in the Automotive Heritage tour, tours begin again in the spring. ;-) You'd be amazed at the number of automobile companies that were once packed in that small section of the city. Autocar was across the street from Studebaker on the South side of Piquette. | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 3113 Registered: 10-2003 |
I'm definitely planning on taking the Auto Heritage tour during the '09 season. It sounds as if it has changed in scope and depth since I last took it some 3-4 seasons back. | ||
Lodgedodger Member Username: Lodgedodger Post Number: 990 Registered: 05-2008 |
Well, we're adding a couple of buildings along with John's amazing history. I'm so honored to be a part of this tour. | ||
Cman710 Member Username: Cman710 Post Number: 563 Registered: 07-2006 |
Hi Lodgedodger, that sounds great. I am from out of town, but if I can manage to make it to Detroit from Boston when one of the auto heritage tours is going, I'd be thrilled to go on it. It seems like it would be fascinating. I love that Piquette area. | ||
Lodgedodger Member Username: Lodgedodger Post Number: 991 Registered: 05-2008 |
Well then, DO let me know when you're in town! It's a lot of fun. |
