Eastsidedog Member Username: Eastsidedog
Post Number: 229 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 12.47.224.7
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 1:17 pm: | |
I always thought the city should just restore the Albert Kahn classic. It's really an incredible building. This is exciting news. Moving DPD out for 36 months is a good idea but seems like an awfully long time. Maybe because of this the totalitarian justice center won't come to be. Thank god. http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs .dll/article?AID=/20060413/NEW S01/604130403 |
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy
Post Number: 2288 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 69.47.100.44
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 1:18 pm: | |
This is much much more viable than trying to refurb the old train station. Grandiose dreams yes, but financially impossible. |
Southwestmap Member Username: Southwestmap
Post Number: 452 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 64.79.90.206
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 1:24 pm: | |
I'm thrilled. This is great news. Restore our historic buildings and sites and pride grows. However, I'm pretty sure that this means that the new building on Fort and Ferdinand that was supposed to house the SW District will, instead be used by the DPD Command. The SW district will continue to operate very far from the neighborhood. Very little neighborhood knowledge and experience is the standard at the DPD now. |
Erikd Member Username: Erikd
Post Number: 577 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.242.214.106
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 2:06 pm: | |
I love the idea of restoring 1300. I remember Joe Harris pushing for this, instead of building new. Moving the DPD HQ out of the criminal justice district doesn't make much sense, and I am really glad to hear about this new plan. |
Woodward Member Username: Woodward
Post Number: 11 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 68.167.120.148
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 2:29 pm: | |
About the Tiger Stadium stuff from the article...
quote:Kilpatrick also said his development team would market the site in May at the International Council of Shopping Centers convention in Las Vegas -- but as a location without the stadium on it.
Is the "development team" a different group of people than what's referred to in this previous News story about the stadium?
quote:In years past, the city has tried to market the stadium to retail developers at Las Vegas' mammoth International Council of Shopping Centers convention. Officials are skipping this year's event in May, citing the city's $160 million-$190 million deficit.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb cs.dll/article?AID=/20060410/M ETRO/604100375 Thanks to anyone who clears this up. (Message edited by woodward on April 13, 2006) |
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw
Post Number: 1365 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 141.213.173.94
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 4:25 pm: | |
This is good news. The Central Depot was just too much. I'd like to see some other enterprise take a shot at adaptive re-use there, anyway. The Beaubien building is not only architecturally significant, but is exactly what you would think a big-city police HQ would look like. The only cooler place I've seen is the main court/police station/jail in downtown Pittsburgh. Absolutely awesome medieval-style complex. |
Eastsidedog Member Username: Eastsidedog
Post Number: 230 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 12.47.224.7
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 4:32 pm: | |
Mackinaw, I totally agree. I big shiny new (suburbanish) complex would really suck. 1300 is a cool as hell building and it's exciting to know that Detroit's finest will have a top notch rehabbed facility to work out of. Still waiting to hear why it will take 3 whole years to rehab it. Maybe they plan on totally gutting it. Does anyone know if there's anything inside that's cool, architecturally speaking? I've never been inside. Eastsidedog is a good law-abiding citizen. |
56packman Member Username: 56packman
Post Number: 196 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 129.9.163.234
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 4:41 pm: | |
southwestmap--Where is the new building at Fort and Ferdinand? is it on the Southwest corner? (the Gilead Baptist church is on the SE corner) |
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway
Post Number: 560 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.42.176.123
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 4:53 pm: | |
The current state of the DPD HQ is gheeettoooo... It really needs a rehab. There's no central air, the place is grimy, hard to navigate. It's obvious as soon as you walk in the front door that not a lot has been done to that building in a long time. The inside looks like its straight out of a James Cagney movie. However, I think a TOTAL rehab could work for the building. But if it's to be used, it needs a whole lot of work. |
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 454 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 207.200.116.139
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 5:10 pm: | |
The inside is a hodge-podge of offices that have been added/taken away/added again/taken away again, and so on. The building is "U" shaped, with a small parking garage attached to the top of the "U", and a gymnasium on the floor above that. Inside the "U" is an open air area with an extention of the parking garage roof level with the second floor. In days gone by, the fifth floor was entirely occupied by the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. They vacated that floor when the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice was opened in, oh, 1970 or so. Various police offices occupied that floor since. The sixth floor was (and is) primarily communications, including the 911 and dispatch center. Seventh floor used to be the old Women's Division, which was eliminated when female officers were absorbed into the general force. Prior to that, female officers were only assigned to the WD, and they handled juvenile and sex offenses. After the breakup, it was occupied by various administrative units. Eighth floor was the Women's holding cells; the Ninth floor was the Men's holding cells. Um....I'm out of sequence here, but I'm just jotting thoughts as they occur. The Fourth floor was always the main offices of the Detective Division, including Homicide and the Holdup Squad. Third floor was where the Commissioner and all the top brass had their offices. And the second floor was basically for the Traffic division, including the Accident Prevention Bureau. I don't know how many accidents they prevented, but they took a lot of reports. First floor was the 1st Precinct, Auto Squad, and Property Office. And the basement was a dingy assortment of pipes, valves, property storage, gun room, and building maintenance. Which was a bit of a laugh, because about all they ever did was sweep the floors. The lobbys at the elevators have panels of dark marble, and if you look closely enough, you can see tiny fossils imbedded within the marble here and there. They always fascinated me, and I often wondered where the quarry was. On the first floor, engraved in the marble, are the names of all the Detroit Police Officers who have been killed in the line of duty. The list is all too long. On the opposite wall are the executives of the DPD at the time of the construction of the building and other data (architect, etc.). There are some underground tunnels for prisoner transfer to other buildings in the CJ complex. I would suppose the entire insides will be gutted except for the floors. It will need a completely new mechanical system, from HVAC to elevators, and I do hope they sandblast the exterior of 80 years of urban grime. Ah, yes. And there is a time capsule from 1923 in the cornerstone. And I know what is in it. (Message edited by Ray1936 on April 13, 2006) |
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 455 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 207.200.116.139
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 5:13 pm: | |
Afterthought. The johns also had the largest damn urinals I ever saw; they were like a bathtub standing on end. You could almost stand in the darn things. For what it's worth. |
Eastsidedog Member Username: Eastsidedog
Post Number: 232 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 12.47.224.7
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 5:43 pm: | |
Yeah Ray1936, if they powerwash the exterior people will be completely stunned. It'll almost look brand new. The marble sounds cool. Hope they keep it. Thanks for the great descriptions of the interior. |
Gistok Member Username: Gistok
Post Number: 1990 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.72.186
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 6:30 pm: | |
Sounds like a win win situation (for the DPD and the taxpayers). That county idea about moving the entire justice campus to another site came off as rather pie-in-the-sky. Who would have paid for such an extravagance.... why the taxpayers of course. |
Eastsidedog Member Username: Eastsidedog
Post Number: 236 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 12.47.224.7
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 6:33 pm: | |
Gistok, if they built that Criminal Justice Complex they might as well have built some Robocops too. |
Andyguard73 Member Username: Andyguard73
Post Number: 38 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 141.209.33.145
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 7:47 pm: | |
Does anybody have any pictures of the building they could post? I've never seen it before, but it sounds pretty cool. |
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan
Post Number: 3521 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.172.95.197
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 8:01 pm: | |
I'm glad to hear they are renovating the Beaubien building. I assume it's going to take so long because they'll literally have to nearly gut the entire thing. It's been said to have been in horrible shape for years, particularly the look-ups, and not just structural damage but vermin and all sorts of little creatures. I can only imagine. |
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard
Post Number: 422 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 69.242.223.42
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 8:09 pm: | |
The MCT project should be reconsidered. Also, a dedicated rapid-transit system should also be constructed, connecting the MCT, sheriff's office, doughnut shoppes, bail-bondsmen, any and all jails, and the court houses. |
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 456 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 207.200.116.139
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 9:00 pm: | |
Old postcard c. 1924
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Jams Member Username: Jams
Post Number: 3103 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.250.9.158
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 9:07 pm: | |
One of the "Urban Legends" I've heard from some old-timers is Kahn purposely designed Police Headquarters to resemble the DAC because of the anti-semiticism of the club at the time, just to tick off the membership of the DAC. I'd ask jjaba directly, but he tried to avoid one building and couldn't get into the other. |
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 457 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 207.200.116.139
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 9:14 pm: | |
Front entrance, 1980. Sorry for the quality, but shrinking it to 50k corrupted it a bit.
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Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed
Post Number: 10 Registered: 04-2006 Posted From: 141.213.55.110
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 9:22 pm: | |
Ray, communications left 1500 last year and moved to the northwest side on Lyndon off of Schaefer. |
Jams Member Username: Jams
Post Number: 3104 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.250.9.158
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 9:22 pm: | |
Thanks Ray1936 I've been trying to organize my Detroit postcard collection so I can find something quickly, but the several shoe boxes full of them just are not my immediate concern. Than again, there is the issue of scanning them. |
Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie
Post Number: 399 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 141.217.128.205
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 9:24 pm: | |
This is good news. And yes, powerwashing instead of sandblasting, so as not to damage the stone! I remember the Penobscot was cleaned with a baking soda and water solution that worked great. |
Eric Member Username: Eric
Post Number: 424 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 35.11.210.161
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 9:28 pm: | |
The Criminal Justice Complex is still in the works the city just wants jail space http://media.freep.com/audio/2 006/04/2kilp0413.mp3 about 4:30 in |
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 459 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 207.200.116.139
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 9:30 pm: | |
Didn't know that, lhearthed. Thanks for the update. Must be kiddie-corner from the old DSR barns then, huh? |
Naturalsister Member Username: Naturalsister
Post Number: 594 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.42.169.65
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 10:00 pm: | |
Yeah Woodward, Are they going or aren't they? When I read that they were skipping it, I was like - HOW STUPID!!! We definitely need to market this city at EVERY opportunity. George Jackson (a Kilpatrick hire) said no. Mayor Kilpatrick says yes. George Jackson has no personality. I don't see how he could sell anything. I hope the Mayor is right. They need to be at that convention. http://www.icsc.org/2006SC/ind ex.php Later - naturalsister |
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker
Post Number: 1041 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 66.2.148.157
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 10:11 pm: | |
The new Police HQ Old Police HQ WSU/VMC both I think old HQ was where the Water Board Bldg is. |
Andyguard73 Member Username: Andyguard73
Post Number: 39 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 141.209.33.143
| Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006 - 11:53 pm: | |
Thanks for the pictures Ray and Hornwrecker. It sure is a beautiful building. |
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed
Post Number: 12 Registered: 04-2006 Posted From: 68.40.50.194
| Posted on Friday, April 14, 2006 - 2:53 am: | |
Ray, I'm not familiar with what DSR is... but it's on the south side of the street in a gated complex. I think it used to be the Budco (or something like that) facility, if I'm not mistaken. Not too far from where Barden Cable used to be. |
Danny Member Username: Danny
Post Number: 3967 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 141.217.174.223
| Posted on Friday, April 14, 2006 - 9:41 am: | |
Since the MCS plan went belly up. KING KWAME finally came into his senses and come up with some cash to fix up the DPD HQ. |
The_rock Member Username: The_rock
Post Number: 1118 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.42.251.225
| Posted on Friday, April 14, 2006 - 11:06 am: | |
danny---you sure the Mayor has "come up with the cash?". Channel 4 reports that "funding" has yet to be arranged. And having seen pictures of the inside of 1300 Beaubien, it will need considerable cash---big bucks to rejuvinate that 83 year old building. It is in horrible shape. What you see from the outside is a far cry from what you see inside. What an undertaking. |
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker
Post Number: 1043 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 66.2.149.20
| Posted on Friday, April 14, 2006 - 12:38 pm: | |
Here's an aerial view showing the shape of the building that Ray was talking about.
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Gistok Member Username: Gistok
Post Number: 1992 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.186.239
| Posted on Saturday, April 15, 2006 - 2:26 pm: | |
DSR.... is the old name for DDOT (Detroit Department of Transportation). I remember the old DSR buses in the 1960's and early 1970's.... "Department of Streets & Railways" if I am not mistaken. |
Jsmyers Member Username: Jsmyers
Post Number: 1612 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 67.177.129.227
| Posted on Saturday, April 15, 2006 - 3:07 pm: | |
I think it was Department of Street Railways (or Railroads) |
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 465 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 207.200.116.139
| Posted on Saturday, April 15, 2006 - 3:51 pm: | |
DDOT will always be the DSR (Department of Street Railways) in my mind. But then, what are we doing to save Briggs Stadium???? |
The_rock Member Username: The_rock
Post Number: 1122 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.42.251.225
| Posted on Saturday, April 15, 2006 - 4:57 pm: | |
We sold the street cars to Mexico City, I wonder if they want a baseball stadium. |
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 3649 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 67.160.138.107
| Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 5:22 am: | |
jsmyers and ray1936 are correct about DSR. jjaba, on the Northlawn bus. |
623kraw
Member Username: 623kraw
Post Number: 894 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.41.224.200
| Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 6:15 am: | |
A recent shot (2004 or so):
|