 
Busterwmu
Member
Username: Busterwmu
Post Number: 514
Registered: 09-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 - 11:07 pm: |    |
Went for a drive around the city with some friends today looking at changes and some progress amid the dreadful economy. It was pleasant to have every weather forecaster miss their mark today, as everyone insisted it would be "mostly cloudy to cloudy" today and it looked mostly Sunny to me! Here are a few things we noticed:
Free Press Building - Glass guys were at the building doing ground floor work on the side facing Lafayette today, during the morning.
Gabriel Richard Building - Work ongoing on the ground floor here, as well.
Beethoven Apartments - Also saw work ongoing here, too.
Compuware - Lights were still on and books on the shelves at Borders... I thought they closed? And the Hard Rock Cafe sign was all lit up, too.
United Artists Building - At least a couple teams were inside today, with hardhats, work lights, etc. Any idea what kind of work is going on here?
We had a fun drive through the Boston-Edison district today, using their historic district guide to locate the houses once owned by various famous types. They recently installed new "old time" streetlights throughout this neighborhood, to replace the modified Bishop streetlights dating from the early 1900's. Not sure if they've cut the new ones over yet into service, or not.
The Book Building really is all shut up good - all rotating doors are closed and interior lobby and hallway lights are off. We weren't around late enough to see if all lights are off at night, but I expect they are.
Can't wait to have the Rosa Parks Transit center opening this year. They have most of the frame up for the tents, they just need the material up and to clean out the construction material. I hope there are some good improvements made to Capitol Park once the bus transferland gets approved-removed.
Apparently they just reopened the 10th precinct on the west side again. We passed the old 3rd and 4th precincts today... the third is looking pretty beat up over there near the Mexican Mercado. The 4th has been nicely rehabbed on Fort at Green. Too bad some idiot tore up half of the fence out front, though, but hopefully they'll fix that up soon.
When I get some photos uploaded, I'll post them here. As we looked through our collections of Detroit photos, we realized that as often as we go downtown or other places in the city, we really don't take as many photos as we should. Don't let yourself be caught in that boat! We also had a nice lunch at Hockeytown Cafe, and enjoyed patronizing downtown. |
Spiritofdetroit
Member
Username: Spiritofdetroit
Post Number: 1230
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 - 11:10 pm: | |
Border's isnt closing until the summer. Hard Rock isn't closing, period. |
Vetalalumni
Member
Username: Vetalalumni
Post Number: 1190
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 - 11:40 pm: | |
Anxiously awaiting the photos Busterwmu. Especially BE |
Busterwmu
Member
Username: Busterwmu
Post Number: 515
Registered: 09-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 - 12:17 pm: | |
Will try to get some photos up this evening!
Thanks for the updates on the Compuware properties. |
French777
Member
Username: French777
Post Number: 692
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 - 12:26 pm: | |
Im going to the D from the Roc today!! I'll take some pictures as well.
I'll get some of the Port Authority Terminal as well |
Busterwmu
Member
Username: Busterwmu
Post Number: 518
Registered: 09-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 - 9:27 pm: | |
Here are some of the photos... not all of them! Will try to get the others up in the next few days.
The newly reopened Hotel Fort Shelby, with older era painted advertisement on the south elevation.
The Fox Theatre presides over Woodward Avenue on this crisp and sunny winter's day.
The Masonic Temple in this telephoto image from one of the levels of the Fox Theatre parking garage.
Old Pineapple style streetlights alongside Grand River Avenue west of Warren. The insulator brackets held the wires for the Streetcars - Peter Witt types through the 1940s and wires for electric "trolley buses" which ran on Grand River until 1962. Actually, Warren Avenue also had electric "trolley buses," but from a different manufacturer. The two systems could not co-mingle, and Grand River & Warren was the only place in the city that two trolley-bus lines crossed, so lots of older streetlights in this area still have old wire supports in place. Below is another photo in the same spot:
Another view of the skyline through old streetlights on Grand River, this time near Trumbull. Check out the Historic Streetlights thread for more information about these old lights in the city.
Thanks to Michael for these specific photos (I was in the driver's seat at this time) |
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