 
Living_in_the_d
Member
Username: Living_in_the_d
Post Number: 255
Registered: 01-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 8:40 am: |    |
Yeah, This is too cool. |
Alley
Member
Username: Alley
Post Number: 274
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 11:00 am: | |
can't wail 'til the Gun And Knife show! |
Downriviera
Member
Username: Downriviera
Post Number: 568
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 12:01 pm: | |
can't wait for the swat raid. |
Sciencefair
Member
Username: Sciencefair
Post Number: 100
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 12:14 pm: | |
The RIC community is extremely diverse with interesting artists and manufacturers mixed together. This could be a great opportunity for the complex and city of Detroit. It could also be a waste of time.
We'll have to wait and see! |
Animalparade
Member
Username: Animalparade
Post Number: 12
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 12:26 pm: | |
Glad to hear that everyone else is as curious about this as I was when I found out. Dally in the Alley is irreplaceable (it's the reason I can't wait for September to roll around each year), but a spot like this for local artists and business owners to sell their wares all year round is fantastic too- and the fact that it's going to be in the Russell Industrial Center makes it even better. |
Supergay
Member
Username: Supergay
Post Number: 142
Registered: 05-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 12:46 pm: | |
After viewing that website I think Russell Bizarre is a better name. |
Digitalvision
Member
Username: Digitalvision
Post Number: 869
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 12:55 pm: | |
Wow, we're positive in here.
Do I think a lot of things get announced and don't happen? Sure.
Do I also know that there needs to be SOME progress moving forward as far as retail, even if it's not Somerset? Yes. Detroit is going to succeed with interesting, funky stuff as part of the mix.
Although I am skeptical - as I am with almost all Detroit projects - I also am not going to piss on someone's parade who's trying to actually do something.
I also think it's a great opportunity for those small businesses who need a place to display their wares or run out of that doesn't have all the complexities and overhead.
I'm choosing to be cautiously optimistic - I wish them the best. The market will decide if there is demand and/or what will go in there, as it should. |
Gravitymachine
Member
Username: Gravitymachine
Post Number: 2124
Registered: 05-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 1:10 pm: | |
as far as the skeptics about it happening, the space is probably 90-100% built out already, i've peered in through the windows a couple times to see what they were working on. as far as whether or not there are tenants for these spaces already signed up, i don't have a clue. |
Dannyv
Member
Username: Dannyv
Post Number: 228
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 1:20 pm: | |
Django, Repeat after me Moe, Larry, cheese...Moe, Larry, cheese. I know what you mean about the GTC, I think. It just stands for gross consumerism. However, I did find a chronologically sequenced bootleg collection of early Bob Seger that Bob and the powers-that-be have never released. Arguably, it's his best work. Better than anything from Beautiful Loser and beyond. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 6557
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 1:46 pm: | |
It's about time somebody turned an old auto plant into a fantasy marketplace, only 50 yrs. after Ghardelli Square in San Francisco reinvented a chocolate factory.
We've had two HOF posts on this thread. dtowncitylover #156 notes an African flag and MATT #1278 notes the Washington Blvd. references.
Both show that this advertisement is more than stock schlok from a generic computer. We even have a Ford car up front, and white people from Hamtramck walking over with their kids. jjaba is waiting for the bike references.
We have to invoke Skipper's rules, believe it when you see it, ofcourse. This is Detroit.
As a personal reference, not pictured, jjaba's father ran his envelope factory in the low-rise bldg. at the corner of Russell and Clay here in the 1950s. jjaba learned to set type and run a printing press in this bldg. We always referred to it as the old Murray Body Works site.
jjaba, before I-75 went in over Hastings Street. |
Mbr
Member
Username: Mbr
Post Number: 398
Registered: 03-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 2:27 pm: | |
Jjaba: "We even have a Ford car up front"
I think that's an Audi A4. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 6563
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 3:01 pm: | |
The Murray Body Works buildings were built by Albert Kahn, 1915-25. There are seven of them.
The company made auto bodies and other stampings until 1954 at this plant and the one in Ecorse.
The company was started by John William Murray and was sold to Dana Corp. in 1955.
Here are most of the auto body customers.
Ford, Lincoln, Crosley, Willys, Hudson, Hupmobile, King, Studebaker, De Soto, Dodge, Peerless, Chrysler, Packard, Plymouth, Cleveland, Essex, Graham, Jordan, Marmon, Reo, Willy-Knight, Mercury, Kaiser-Frazer.
They also stamped out fenders, cowls, and frames.
This plant produced 60-70,000 auto bodies a year.
The plant has over 1 million square feet of space.
During the Great Depression, the plant made beer barrels (with Polish workers dancing that polka), and pedal cars for kids. Later, they contracted for Montgomery Ward kitchen cabinets, sinks, and appliance bodies.
Aluminium wings for the B-1 and B-29 bombers were built here during World War II. Over 13,000 workers were employed here at the time.
By the 1970s, 130 printing plants occupied these bldgs. making Detroit a huge printing center right here. jjaba's father ran the factory called Cupples-Hesse Envelopes at 1600 Clay Street. They produced millions of envelopes a day here in the 1950-60s. Although they printed their own envelopes, they also sold volumes to the printers nearby.
In 1970, Harry and Leona Helmsly of New York City fame, bought the property. After them, the bldgs. were purchased by the successful printer, Wintor Swan who did work for K-Mart, National Geographic, and the "Big-Three" auto makers.
In 1998, a tornado hit the bldgs. and there were floods from broken water mains. Many of the windows blew out. In 2003, Dennis Kafallinos bought the property and it is managed by Boydell Development Corp. of Nikis Pizza fame.
The last auto bodies to roll off the Murray line were the 1952-54 Hudson Jet and the Aero Willys.
jjaba, research dept. |
Gravitymachine
Member
Username: Gravitymachine
Post Number: 2125
Registered: 05-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 3:26 pm: | |
yup a4 for sure.
also, while we're picking apart this silly image, i hope that's a ghetto palm (on the left) that they found in their stock image catalog, as that is the only vegetation growing anywhere near the place.
(Message edited by gravitymachine on June 04, 2008) |
Jgavrile
Member
Username: Jgavrile
Post Number: 120
Registered: 09-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 3:48 pm: | |
Website with some history of the building;
http://www.ricdetroit.org/?id= history |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 6564
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 6:57 pm: | |
Ghetto "palm". False palm.
What does an Audi A4 have to do with Russell
Industrial Center, where millions of American auto bodies were made from 1915-54? Detroit has certainly lost its way, eh.
jjaba, Proudly Westside. |
Animalparade
Member
Username: Animalparade
Post Number: 13
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, June 05, 2008 - 1:34 pm: | |
For anyone who may be interested in setting up shop-
I talked to the person from the company who will be organizing the promotion for the new marketplace yesterday. There will be some major publicity involving the media, billboards, etc. It should bring a lot of attention to the place. |
Melody
Member
Username: Melody
Post Number: 203
Registered: 11-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, June 05, 2008 - 1:45 pm: | |
This sounds AWESOME! I hope it happens and that it's cool. It's not far from me, so that's why I'm excited. I don't understand the negativity.
Did anyone go to the People's Arts Festival there last year? It was pretty neat. Also, I don't mind Gilbraltar so long as I'm going there to get something specific...or not, even. It is what it is. At the very least it's an entertaining trip. |
Norwalk
Member
Username: Norwalk
Post Number: 283
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, June 05, 2008 - 2:05 pm: | |
Melody......the voice of reason I happen to agree with you!•• |
Quinn
Member
Username: Quinn
Post Number: 1587
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, June 05, 2008 - 2:22 pm: | |
I like that F Gibralter trade center. If any of you have been to Camden town in London then you've been craving this sort of thing. With any luck it will turn into awesomeness like that:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camden_Town#Camden_street_markets
Few pics from there to wet your appetite. Totally awesome (I know not in a warehouse, but alot of the market is in catacombs so kinda the same feeling as a big warehouse)
|
Animalparade
Member
Username: Animalparade
Post Number: 14
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, June 05, 2008 - 3:35 pm: | |
Melody, glad to hear you're looking forward to this. The idea of a marketplace in the Russell is great (perfect setting for Detroit, right?). And, like some have already stated, the success or failure of the place is going to depend a lot on the types of vendors. I've been trying as much as possible to talk to local artist/craft/DIY groups, so hopefully there will be a good amount of them setting up shop.
Also, the People's Art Festival WAS awesome last year! I was there and had a great time. This year's is being set up to be bigger, so make sure to come. |
Matt
Member
Username: Matt
Post Number: 1279
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, June 05, 2008 - 4:02 pm: | |
I'm sorry Jjaba, shouldn't you be banned for referencing the dreaded "H" word?? |
Jackpot
Member
Username: Jackpot
Post Number: 14
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, June 05, 2008 - 8:06 pm: | |
parade,
do you work for these people? just curious? |
Animalparade
Member
Username: Animalparade
Post Number: 15
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Friday, June 06, 2008 - 1:08 am: | |
Of course I do. I live right by the industrial center and have spent some time there in the past year (events, parties, etc.) and just got together with the owner earlier in the week- he told me about the new marketplace, showed me the space being worked on, and asked me to promote. Why else would I be posting all this information and leaving my contact info for vendors to use? |
Pgn421
Member
Username: Pgn421
Post Number: 604
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 06, 2008 - 9:54 am: | |
that would be nice if Karpinskis was open |
Brian_fitzcarraldo
Member
Username: Brian_fitzcarraldo
Post Number: 38
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Friday, June 06, 2008 - 12:22 pm: | |
I'm excited for this. Russell Industrial is a cool place, despite being kind of insular and isolated. Hopefully this will address Russell's main problem as I see it, which is that if you're not an artist, it feels unapproachable. |
Downriviera
Member
Username: Downriviera
Post Number: 588
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Friday, June 06, 2008 - 12:29 pm: | |
Pgn421,
Right on. Karpinskis was really good. Maybe with the marketplace attracting people someone will open it up. |
Craig
Member
Username: Craig
Post Number: 836
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Friday, June 06, 2008 - 12:48 pm: | |
Karpinski's - "Shut 'em Down." What they call out at the end of the day in the shop. Presumably what said here, as well, when the day finally ended. |
Pgn421
Member
Username: Pgn421
Post Number: 606
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 06, 2008 - 5:40 pm: | |
its been closed for a long time now. |
Ladyinabag
Member
Username: Ladyinabag
Post Number: 606
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Friday, June 06, 2008 - 6:14 pm: | |
WOW!! Cool! |
Django
Member
Username: Django
Post Number: 784
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, June 06, 2008 - 6:32 pm: | |
Animal, I rode into the Russel today on my bike. I didnt see anything really goin on. If you come in from the service drive where is it going to be? straight ahead, to the left, to the right?? |
Animalparade
Member
Username: Animalparade
Post Number: 16
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Friday, June 06, 2008 - 6:49 pm: | |
Django,
If you were to ride in through the entrance on Clay, you would go straight towards the back of the complex and look to your right. You'll see the entrance being assembled right there on the furthest building from the entrance. |
Downriviera
Member
Username: Downriviera
Post Number: 601
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Friday, June 06, 2008 - 7:08 pm: | |
Animal,
I did not see the actual days and hours of operation on the site, is this known yet? |
Animalparade
Member
Username: Animalparade
Post Number: 17
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Saturday, June 07, 2008 - 12:22 pm: | |
The weekly schedule is still being worked out, but it will be open year round. |
Animalparade
Member
Username: Animalparade
Post Number: 19
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Monday, June 23, 2008 - 2:44 pm: | |
Update:
A drive-in/bike-in movie theater will also be opening here at the Russell sometime very soon. Here is an article detailing all the info:
http://www.modeldmedia.com/dev elopmentnews/russell14808.aspx
I live right down the street from the Russell, so I'm really excited about this one. |
Animalparade
Member
Username: Animalparade
Post Number: 20
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Monday, June 23, 2008 - 2:48 pm: | |
Also, the grand opening party will be this Thursday from 4-6pm, so anyone that wants an invite should email me (nsjarman@gmail.com). |
Gravitymachine
Member
Username: Gravitymachine
Post Number: 2168
Registered: 05-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 23, 2008 - 2:51 pm: | |
*if* this thing takes off, they better start looking into giving reserved parking spots to tenants and upping security. |
Pgn421
Member
Username: Pgn421
Post Number: 646
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 23, 2008 - 2:56 pm: | |
i will be there. my company i wok for used to have the 2nd floor,50,000 sq ft. |
Genesyxx
Member
Username: Genesyxx
Post Number: 903
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 8:31 am: | |
Will they have an auto service center over there as well, because that truck route/service drie is diminished beyond all means. |
Pgn421
Member
Username: Pgn421
Post Number: 657
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 8:33 am: | |
front end alignment shop! |
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