  Saabdriver1986 Member Username: Saabdriver1986 Post Number: 371 Registered: 04-2004 Posted From: 65.48.7.186 |
Does anyone have, or know where I can find pictures of the Comerica Park / Ford Field area before the construction of the stadiums? I saw the “Gem Theater” clip on MEGA MOVERS and it included some interesting aerial shots of this area before the construction. I know that we have some amazing historians and archivists on this forum so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank You. | ||
Haydenth Member Username: Haydenth Post Number: 30 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 68.248.55.155 |
You can see that part of town pre-CoPa in the arial photos from 1997. If you're on broadband you can download it (it's 18MB) http://techtools.culma.wayne.e du/media/wayne/1997/55739-25-5 6.pdf Also, if you're bored, compare that with a similar aerial photo from 1949 http://techtools.culma.wayne.edu/media/wayne/1949/ha-3-144.pdf (Message edited by haydenth on May 08, 2006) | ||
Border5150 Member Username: Border5150 Post Number: 149 Registered: 03-2004 Posted From: 207.232.204.254 |
I remember the Tigers used to have a web cam on the construction site, and they posted pics on their website, but there's no sign of them on the current website, ever since all the teams websites took on a uniform MLB design a few years back. | ||
Eastsidedog Member Username: Eastsidedog Post Number: 343 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 12.47.224.8 |
Does anyone know which building is the old YMCA. I heard that Copa sits where the old downtown Y used to be.  | ||
Merchantgander Member Username: Merchantgander Post Number: 1765 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 150.198.150.244 |
That one over there.---> | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 1493 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 68.248.10.150 |
And what about the Detroit College of Law? I am wondering about that. Other than those places, Copa seems to be built over several empty lots, and in hindsight the placement of our stadia is very good. Another question for those who were paying attention back in the late 90s--was the Detroit College of Law already planning thier move to MSU before the talk of stadia being built in Detroit; in other words, without the stadia, was there any chance that DCL would have remained in its former building as a satelite of MSU? | ||
Rsa Member Username: Rsa Post Number: 847 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.255.245.181 |
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Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie Post Number: 410 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 141.216.1.4 |
Mackinaw-- Try looking it up in the Free Press online archives. Even without paying to read the whole article, you might find out by reading the headlines and first sentence or so that's given for free-- and by seeing what keywords give matches. | ||
Rsa Member Username: Rsa Post Number: 848 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.255.245.181 |
whoops, that's a little hard to read. the ywca is in the center, the ymca is right next to the detroit college of law... | ||
Upinottawa Member Username: Upinottawa Post Number: 354 Registered: 09-2005 Posted From: 198.103.184.76 |
So...Ford Field was built into the Hudson's warehouse, what else was there before Ford Field? I cannot imagine the warehouse took up the entire site. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 1496 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 68.248.10.150 |
Thanks. So the YMCA and DCL were right near the SW entrance and Pepsi Porch area of CoPa. Glad I know this. There is supposed to be a marker for the DCL somewhere around there. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 1497 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 68.248.10.150 |
I can still remember how the Hudson's warehouse arched over Beaubien street...I even got to go in their once with my mother in the 90s when they opened it up for some sale. The north face of it, which fronted on East Adams, is the part used for suites overlooking the field today. | ||
Higgs1634 Member Username: Higgs1634 Post Number: 24 Registered: 10-2005 Posted From: 67.38.81.149 |
Mackinaw- From what was explained to me by a DCL grad, DCL was in trouble with accreditation by ABA. Not sure what the problems were exactly, but it was going downhill fast. Probably had something to do with dwindling enrollment, bad bar passage rates and/or outdated facilities. For years MSU wanted a law school. It was a pet project of DiBaggio's and then McPherson pushed it after DiBaggio left for Tufts. The state legislature wouldn’t approve the funding for a creation of new law school and MSU was either rebuffed or didn’t want to partner with Cooley (pretty sure it was the latter). MSU then struck the deal to move DCL to MSU, however to satisfy the powers that be with the state, DCL was to remain autonomous. (Pretty sure there was never a plan to partner and leave it in the COD.) Lots of DCL alumni were really pissed at DCL’s decision as everyone knew what was coming. At first it was DETROIT COLLEGE OF LAW at Michigan State University...then it was DETROIT COLLEGE OF LAW at MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY...then it was MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, Detroit College of Law... And now it’s just Michigan State University, College of Law. I’m fairly certain that it is now officially part of MSU. So, ten years later...MSU has its own law school and DCL is a footnote. Anyway, that is story as I heard it. | ||
Rsa Member Username: Rsa Post Number: 849 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.255.245.181 |
there is a marker there makinaw. it's brown with gold lettering and talks about the first graduating class (69 students, ibelieve). look for it on the brick wall of copa between the box office and fencing along adams. | ||
Goat Member Username: Goat Post Number: 8436 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.53.96.156 |
UpinOttawa, a place known as black bottom. It used to be the entertainment area for black people during the days of segregation. It became run down and many of the buildings were closed up. A lot of history was lost when they ripped it down. | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 645 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.42.176.123 |
Construction of the expressways also destroyed a lot of Black Bottom. Building Ford Field just eliminated some of the remaining buildings of that fabled area. | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 249 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 68.60.139.169 |
Mackinaw:
In those days, Hudsons' "Warehouse Sales" used to actually be held in the warehouse. They were major sales/social events for years. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 1498 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 68.248.10.150 |
Thanks for the info, all. | ||
Upinottawa Member Username: Upinottawa Post Number: 355 Registered: 09-2005 Posted From: 198.103.184.76 |
Thanks everyone. | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 1140 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 63.41.8.140 |
  | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 1500 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 68.248.10.150 |
Wow check that out. A neat little neighborhood with houses, apartments, and what looks like a school where we currently have the stadium and freeway. | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 1141 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 63.41.8.140 |
The original that the above photo was cropped from.  WSU/VMC | ||
Rbdetsport Member Username: Rbdetsport Post Number: 93 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 68.61.11.146 |
It looks like, in the arial photos, that the YMCA didn't need to be torn down? | ||
Motorcitymayor2026 Member Username: Motorcitymayor2026 Post Number: 795 Registered: 10-2005 Posted From: 24.231.189.137 |
the YMCA stood at what is the now one of the main entrances to Comerica Park, so it needed to be tore down in order for CoPa to be placed where it is. | ||
Rrl Member Username: Rrl Post Number: 481 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 71.213.228.212 |
Just a correction to RSA's captioned photo; the Gem and the YWCA are flipped. The Gem was behind the Elwood. I can remember driving through the area where Copa & Ford are, there were a few old run-down houses, and one that had skanks hanging in the doorway, looking for a "party". From Hornwreckers pics though, a shame such a developed neighborhood deteriorated so dramatically. | ||
Rbdetsport Member Username: Rbdetsport Post Number: 94 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 68.61.11.146 |
First of all, why was YWCA demolished when it didn't need to be? All of the buildings listed could have been saved if the city was smart enough to make them move north a block. I guess the Ilitch family needed to be on Adams Avenue. | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 1142 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 63.41.40.160 |
Here's part of an old aerial from the early 1930s (I'm guessing) of the stadia area, again WSU. You can just see the Hudson's warehouse in the upper right, unfortunately under a cloud shadow.  | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 96 Registered: 04-2006 Posted From: 152.163.100.8 |
The YWCA and the GEM are reveresed as well. I don't see the wolverine hotel. | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 1143 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 63.41.40.160 |
That's has got to be earlier. It looks like the Wolverine might be under construction, so I'll make a revised guess and place it around 1920, a very early aerial. When was the Gem built? It doesn't show on a 1921 map that I can find, though the Wolverine does. I only post the photos, it's up to you to interpret them. | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 273 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 24.208.234.52 |
the Gem opened 9-7-28 | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 154 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 209.220.229.254 |
Broderick was built in '28 as well, I think. |
