  Dtowncitylover Member Username: Dtowncitylover Post Number: 401 Registered: 02-2008 |
I would like to know more information about the plot of land above State Fair Grounds. My aunt, who is a social worker for state and works the east side, said she used to have clients along Colton, Winchester, and Alameda Sts., the former streets of that land. When did all those house go down? Due to the economy I don't expect the Shoppes at Gateway Park to open up anytime either, eh? And if there is already a thread about this, please link me to it. Though, I could not find one. | ||
Terryh Member Username: Terryh Post Number: 1083 Registered: 11-2006 |
I was told there was a small neighborhood, including a bar, on that spot of land. | ||
Eastsideal Member Username: Eastsideal Post Number: 62 Registered: 10-2007 |
There was a Detroit neighborhood mostly made up of small frame houses on several blocks there, isolated from the rest of the city on the south and east by the fairgrounds. Much of the housing became abandoned over the years, and I believe it was cleared out some time in the '90s. There was also a small commercial strip on Woodward there, including the famous (or infamous) Last Chance Bar at the Woodward - 8 Mile corner. | ||
Eastsideal Member Username: Eastsideal Post Number: 63 Registered: 10-2007 |
The neighborhood can be seen at the bottom of this 1981 aerial picture of the area: http://techtools.culma.wayne.e du/media/wayne/1981/17562-11-3 08.pdf | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 2020 Registered: 04-2006 |
In the 1980's the plan was to turn that corner into a State Campground. That was the original intent of breaking out the bulldozer. After the bulldozer leveled everything, nothing ever happened. | ||
Cooper Member Username: Cooper Post Number: 45 Registered: 02-2008 |
Detroit Blog has a great post on the State Fair neighborhood: http://www.detroitblog.org/?p= 405 | ||
Gene Member Username: Gene Post Number: 131 Registered: 10-2006 |
The campground concept was during the Bernie Lennon years as State Fair Director, dont know why it never happened. I think it may have been cut when Engler was elected in 1990. | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 9235 Registered: 10-2003 |
How could such a fantastic idea as camping at 8- Mile and Woodward not come to fruition? Sounds like anybody's dream getaway. | ||
Bearinabox Member Username: Bearinabox Post Number: 1044 Registered: 04-2006 |
I would be extremely pissed if a government, paid for by my taxes, showed up at my door and told me my entire neighborhood was being bulldozed for a campground. That is just insulting. It's the government holding up a huge middle finger to the homeowners. "We value you, your community, and your tax dollars so much, we think your neighborhood should be replaced with a big open field for people to put up tents on." | ||
Savannah Member Username: Savannah Post Number: 86 Registered: 02-2008 |
I always remember the Huge Neon AC Delco sign from this intersection. It was there for years. | ||
Eastsideal Member Username: Eastsideal Post Number: 65 Registered: 10-2007 |
By 1997 the streets are still there, but the houses are gone. http://techtools.culma.wayne.e du/media/low_res/aerial_photos /wayne/1997/55739-20-49.pdf | ||
Crawford Member Username: Crawford Post Number: 435 Registered: 10-2006 |
It was a small, super-poor, redneck white area. Mostly whites from Appalachia that came in the postwar years. It was demolished for a campground per the grand plans of Coleman Young. TONS of prostitution in that area in the 1980's. | ||
Raptor56 Member Username: Raptor56 Post Number: 642 Registered: 05-2007 |
forgive me for being potentially stupid, but what are the three cross-hair circles in the middle of that last aerial shot? I know they are on the east side of the fairgrounds, but what are they? If you look at google maps now, it's one big dirt patch. http://maps.google.com/maps?f= q&hl=en&geocode=&q=detroit,+mi &sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=3 8.554089,79.277344&ie=UTF8&ll= 42.441923,-83.117237&spn=0.016 817,0.055017&t=h&z=15 | ||
Dtowncitylover Member Username: Dtowncitylover Post Number: 403 Registered: 02-2008 |
Wow, thanks you guys. Now even the roads are gone and replaced by, what else, wild flowerS and tall grass! | ||
Kryptonite Member Username: Kryptonite Post Number: 2 Registered: 11-2008 |
I can remember that neighborhood back in the early 80's when I lived in Palmer Park. It was very poor and I think largely white back then and the frame houses were deteriorated. It seems like the residents were happy when the city or state started buying them out due to crime, blight and traffic. I think there were incidents of sexual activity taking place in cars parking in the streets there and drug deals, etc. | ||
Ndavies Member Username: Ndavies Post Number: 3121 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: 12 back to back Softball/baseball diamonds. Softball city used to operate out of the fairgrounds. | ||
Raptor56 Member Username: Raptor56 Post Number: 644 Registered: 05-2007 |
ahhh makes sense now. thanks! | ||
Kensingtony Member Username: Kensingtony Post Number: 32 Registered: 09-2008 |
Raptor,those circles would be the softball diamonds of Softball City that were built where the late,lamented race track was. | ||
Bdglsmn Member Username: Bdglsmn Post Number: 130 Registered: 01-2008 |
I worked at Reliable Glass which was on 8 mile just West of Woodward. The Fairgrounds people purchased our commercial property and all of the residential property that our owner had in that neighborhood. It still pisses me of when I ride by and see that the old shop (which did huge business)is still a dirt lot. | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 833 Registered: 06-2005 |
This was the site that DPS planned to build a mega high school using a portion of the $1.5 billion bond fund. The plans were scuttled amid public uproar over the hyper-inflated purchase price for the land. |
