Ruins of Detroit

[amazinblue82]

thanks for thoughtful post #20.

i still think tranportation decisions affected life in American cities. different ways in different cities, different ways even in the same city. most of good effects, some of it not so good.

you may think not so much, versus my take on it, and that's cool

i personally am less animated by "who zoomed who" (its in the past and nothing can be done now) in these road deals. still i don't like to see ANY group of people, regardless of demograhic profile, get shafted by public policy either deliberately or accidentally

yeah it happened before, happens today, will happen again ... and i'll never like it. seems our elected officials have to be held to a higher standard, or we use the ballot box to find some new ones. that's the theory anyway.

Anyway this is where I really take one of Ike's exit ramps off I-75 on this Detroit road thing. time for me to take some surface streets to find interesting buildings that are still around

Curious, so why do you think Detroit emptied out? Just the cumulative effects of 60 years of sloth and indifference?

 

[amazinblue82]

The David Whitney Mansion. 4421 Woodward, Detroit MI . Now an upscale restaurant - Food is pricey but ok, beautiful interior makes up for the rest. Another one saved.

The Whitney — Historic Detroit

The David Whitney Jr. House was built by successful lumber baron David Whitney Jr., one of Michigan’s wealthiest citizens and the wealthiest man in Detroit. He was worth more than $15 million at the time of his death in 1900 — about $388 million today, when adjusted for inflation.Work began on the home in 1890.

It was estimated to have cost $400,000 (about $9.5 million today) and was featured in several newspapers of the time. It was constructed using rose-colored South Dakota jasper, a type of granite. The Whitney mansion is 22,000 square feet and has 52 rooms (including 10 bathrooms), 218 windows, 20 fireplaces and numerous stained-glass windows crafted by Tiffany’s of New York

It was the first residential home in Detroit to have an elevator for personal use. The Whitneys spent an additional $250,000 ($6.2 million today) on decorating and furnishing the home and another $300,000 ($7.5 million today) on artwork from around the world.

The exterior of the mansion looks much like it did it 1890, thanks to the use of solid granite as the primary building material, although for a time, news articles referred to the mansion as gray instead of pink or rose because of Detroit’s early 20th century pollution.

The mansion has been cleaned, restoring its color. The rough-faced pink stone was laid in a random ashlar pattern with decorative belt courses of gray granite breaking up the heaviness of the façade.

​

BEFORE: 1894 to 1955 (Note what color it had turned over the years versus the first "Today" photo).

Today

 

[tallhair]

Wonder if there was a single red velvet pillow left on that street car

 

[amazinblue82]

Wonder if there was a single red velvet pillow left on that street car

View attachment 83095

in 1910, date of photo, probably (or did I miss the humor?)

 

[amazinblue82]

The Whitney website mentioned its next door neighbor in the 1950's being the colorful Vernors Bottling Plant on Woodward.

Vernors Gingle Ale, another Detroit original, may not be well known outside the midwest. Big name still here in Michigan, though this plant is LONG gone.

Many area people still remember the plant, and that sign, and that 'Gnome" in the green hat on their logo . Photos are from 1950's.

Oh, and just for fun. 105 years apart. Looking North on Woodward.

The Whitney and a empty lot in 1910, where the Vernors Plant and who knows what else has come and gone, and now in 2015 a new Wayne State University apartment building is next door.

 

[tallhair]

in 1910, date of photo, probably (or did I miss the humor?)

Just a silly reference to The Shootist. The time frame, scene with the ladies in the long dresses, and streetcar reminded me of the scene where J.B. Books, who's on his way to the Metropole Saloon, gives his red cushion to the streetcar driver. J.B. knows he won't need it anymore.

 

[amazinblue82]

Just a silly reference to The Shootist. The time frame, scene with the ladies in the long dresses, and streetcar reminded me of the scene where J.B. Books, who's on his way to the Metropole Saloon, gives his red cushion to the streetcar driver. J.B. knows he won't need it anymore.

shoot man, i shoulda got that

 

[tallhair]

shoot man, i shoulda got that

It's OK man ... a lot of my omages are rare pretty obscurely referenced

 

[amazinblue82]

Another one saved. The Detroit Police Eighth Precinct building.

The former Eighth Precinct Police Station is a building located at 4150 Grand River Avenue in the Woodbridge Historic District of Detroit.

The Eighth Precinct Police Station is the second-oldest police building in Detroit. It was designed by Louis Kamper and built between 1900 and 1901, for a cost of $46,000.

Starting in 1954, the Detroit Police Youth Bureau used the station as office space; the buildings were later used by the Detroit Police Personnel Division,

In 2013, the building was converted to the Castle Lofts, as part of the ongoing revitalization of Woodbridge.
​

1901

Somewhere around 2011 photo. I went through it when the property was for sale for $300,000 -- THAT was an adventure for another thread .

Today - Loft condos now. A cool place to live it seems. My first time seeing inside after the redo.

 

[tbm3fan]

While I can't speak for what freeways did or didn't do to Detroit I can do so for the Bay Area. The late 40's and early 50's were an interesting times for civil engineers. In 1953 the Army Corp of Engineers recommended a detailed study into filling the Bay based on the Reber Plan. Determined not practical in 1961. That alone spawned one of the very first save the environment movements ever seen in the country. Headed by the wife of the President of the UC Regents in 1961. That movement saved the Bay from that plan and has lead to today where the edge of the Bay is now protected and all runoff and effluent is tightly controlled.

How the bay was saved / Development threatened to fill it in

Also in the 50's there was the plan to ring the waterfront of San Francisco in a freeway to connect US101 directly to the Golden Gate Bridge. known as the Embarcadero Freeway seen in many of a Dirty Harry movie. Finished partially in 1959 when a freeway revolt started and so it was never connected to the Golden Gate Bridge. Just stopped dead at the bottom of Broadway below China town with a Victoria's Station restaurant under. Yet for the entire length built it became a waste land, a desert. It separated the waterfront from the rest of the City. My father's office was in the Ferry Building hidden behind this double decker roadway. You could no longer see the Ferry Building looking down Market Street. Through the 80's there was a movement to tear it down. Then came October 17, 1989 and it all became a fait acompli. Today it is like a brand new forest sprouting after a major fire.

The restaurant is gone in the picture below but I do remember taking a date to it in 1973.

 

[tbm3fan]

Another one saved. The Detroit Police Eighth Precinct building.

The former Eighth Precinct Police Station is a building located at 4150 Grand River Avenue in the Woodbridge Historic District of Detroit.

The Eighth Precinct Police Station is the second-oldest police building in Detroit. It was designed by Louis Kamper and built between 1900 and 1901, for a cost of $46,000.

Starting in 1954, the Detroit Police Youth Bureau used the station as office space; the buildings were later used by the Detroit Police Personnel Division,

In 2013, the building was converted to the Castle Lofts, as part of the ongoing revitalization of Woodbridge.
​

1901

Today - Loft condos now. A cool place to live it seems. My first time seeing inside after the redo.

Each one of those lofts would go for a minimum of $3 million per in San Francisco. Little tear downs, on a 10,000 sq. ft. lot, just sold for $5.5 million on the Peninsula near Silicon Valley.

Which is why a City that I couldn't quite appreciate in 1972 yet spent vacation days there when home from college 72-77, spending weekends there from 78-88, and then living from 1988-98, have only been back once since 2004.

 

[amazinblue82]

While I can't speak for what freeways did or didn't do to Detroit I can do so for the Bay Area. The late 40's and early 50's were an interesting times for civil engineers. In 1953 the Army Corp of Engineers recommended a detailed study into filling the Bay based on the Reber Plan. Determined not practical in 1961. That alone spawned one of the very first save the environment movements ever seen in the country. Headed by the wife of the President of the UC Regents in 1961. That movement saved the Bay from that plan and has lead to today where the edge of the Bay is now protected and all runoff and effluent is tightly controlled.

How the bay was saved / Development threatened to fill it in

Also in the 50's there was the plan to ring the waterfront of San Francisco in a freeway to connect US101 directly to the Golden Gate Bridge. known as the Embarcadero Freeway seen in many of a Dirty Harry movie. Finished partially in 1959 when a freeway revolt started and so it was never connected to the Golden Gate Bridge. Just stopped dead at the bottom of Broadway below China town with a Victoria's Station restaurant under. Yet for the entire length built it became a waste land, a desert. It separated the waterfront from the rest of the City. My father's office was in the Ferry Building hidden behind this double decker roadway. You could no longer see the Ferry Building looking down Market Street. Through the 80's there was a movement to tear it down. Then came October 17, 1989 and it all became a fait acompli. Today it is like a brand new forest sprouting after a major fire.

The restaurant is gone in the picture below but I do remember taking a date to it in 1973.

that was fascinating. Fill in the bay .. wow. glad that got shot down.

I often wondered (almost 30 years ago now since I first saw it in person) what the deal was with this elevated roadway. Even after the "rumble" tragically brought it down, i never knew the back story. Thanks!

 

[tbm3fan]

that was fascinating. Fill in the bay .. wow.

I often wondered (almost 30 years ago now since I first saw it in person) why the deal was with this elevated roadway. Even after the "rumble" tragically brought it down, i never knew the back story. Thanks!

The one that came down was the Cypress Structure built in 1957. Been on that many a time and it always made me nervous being on the bottom deck. Similar in build to the Embarcadero Structure. One of the pictures shows the obvious shortcoming of the freeway. The Embarcadero was the same build and had fractures but the columns didn't shear off there. Was a very interesting day at just after 5:00 pm.

Cypress Street Viaduct - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[amazinblue82]

The one that came down was the Cypress Structure built in 1957. Been on that many a time and it always made me nervous being on the bottom deck. Similar in build to the Embarcadero Structure. One of the pictures shows the obvious shortcoming of the freeway. The Embarcadero was the same build and had fractures but the columns didn't shear off there. Was a very interesting day at just after 5:00 pm.

Cypress Street Viaduct - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ah, i see the difference.

I am pretty sure I saw the "Embarcadero" in Chinatown in the Fall of 1987 on a biz trip. I know I had driven (rode with someone from Oakland to San Rafael) the "Cypress" before Loma Prieta in spring of 1989.

 

[commando1]

Another one saved. The Detroit Police Eighth Precinct building.

The former Eighth Precinct Police Station is a building located at 4150 Grand River Avenue in the Woodbridge Historic District of Detroit.

The Eighth Precinct Police Station is the second-oldest police building in Detroit. It was designed by Louis Kamper and built between 1900 and 1901, for a cost of $46,000.

Starting in 1954, the Detroit Police Youth Bureau used the station as office space; the buildings were later used by the Detroit Police Personnel Division,

In 2013, the building was converted to the Castle Lofts, as part of the ongoing revitalization of Woodbridge.
​

1901
View attachment 83107

Somewhere around 2011 photo. I went through it when the property was for sale for $300,000 -- THAT was an adventure for another thread .

View attachment 83130

Today - Loft condos now. A cool place to live it seems. My first time seeing inside after the redo.
View attachment 83108
View attachment 83110 View attachment 83109 View attachment 83111 View attachment 83113 View attachment 83114 View attachment 83115 View attachment 83116

That is absolutely the most absurd utilization of space I gave ever seen And they look like million dollar condos. The architecture is a hack and the rich are all stupid.

WTF Straight edge wall cabinets on curved wall? SERIOUSLY?
And WTF kind of room is this. Don't tell me this is a closet...

 

[amazinblue82]

That is absolutely the most absurd utilization of space I gave ever seen And they look like million dollar condos. The architecture is a hack and the rich are all stupid.

WTF Straight edge wall cabinets on curved wall? SERIOUSLY?
And WTF kind of room is this. Don't tell me this is a closet...

there's no million dollar apts/condos in downtown detroit yet - EXCEPT at the renovated Book Cadillac Hotel. I should post something on that building .. its a great success story.

Anyway, these particular ones rent for $1,000 to $3,000 per month. as to this room, my guess is its a walk-in closet given the straight rods for hangars and such.

gotta find something for the "turret" (or whatever they are called) rooms in these turn of the century houses/buildings.

 

[commando1]

gotta find something for the "turret" (or whatever they are called) rooms in these turn of the century houses/buildings.

A round bed for gawdsakes.
But we digress. And I'm from Boston. Im a Boston Neighborhood History buff.
Major arteries devide the city into segregated sections and can revitalize them.

 

[amazinblue82]

A round bed for gawdsakes.
But we digress. And I'm from Boston. Im a Boston Neighborhood History buff.
Major arteries devide the city into segregated sections and can revitalize them.

i was in Boston for a short time in the early 1990's (pre Big Dig I think).

Don't know much about the roads/neighborhoods. had all i could handle navigating the Callahan and Sumner tunnels

But all the locals could talk about was "the Belt" .. and not fondly to my recollection.

Briefly, does that term mean anything in the context of this thread? Did it help, hurt, or much ado about nothing?

 

[commando1]

Briefly, does that term mean anything in the context of this thread? Did it help, hurt, or much ado about nothing?

Not quite understanding your question.

 

[amazinblue82]

Not quite understanding your question.

sorry. its because i didnt call it the right thing.

i googled it..it was called the "Inner Belt". Got canceled. Public uproar. etc.

A short history of the Inner Belt | The Cambridge Historical Society

The Inner Belt was a proposed eight-lane highway that would have connected U.S. Route I-93 to U.S. Route I-90 and I-95 through a ring road through Somerville and Central Square and across the B.U. Bridge and beyond through Boston to the Southeast Expressway. A group of city planners, community activists, universities, and politicians formed a coalition to block the construction of this road. Their actions preserved much of Cambridge and attracted national attention as one of the earliest community efforts that blocked an infrastructure development. It became the rallying cry of many later political movements in Cambridge. ​

my question was what was the skinny on that project from a local citizen's view ... guess it was gonna be "bad" hence the cancellation? Picture is said to be the stub ramp built before project got canned.