  Miketeevee Member Username: Miketeevee Post Number: 32 Registered: 07-2005 |
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs .dll/article?AID=/20080212/NEW S01/80212043 Sounds cool. Anyone have photos of the Brodhead Armory? | ||
Bobj Member Username: Bobj Post Number: 3835 Registered: 11-2003 |
That would be great to bring life to the building and help the neighborhood | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 1879 Registered: 07-2004 |
Is that the old naval armory across Gabriel Richard Park? | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 6300 Registered: 08-2004 |
Yes it is (right next door along the waterfront). For anyone who has ever seen the great WPA artwork inside, the murals of the soldiers and sailors have an uncanny resemblance to that 1980's music group "The Village People".  | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 1880 Registered: 07-2004 |
Oh, that was where the sailors streamed out to join the brawl on the Belle Isle bridge that touched off the 1943 race riot. | ||
Gazhekwe Member Username: Gazhekwe Post Number: 1464 Registered: 08-2007 |
In the article, they speak of remaking the facility. I sure hope they will preserve this part: Soon after it opened, murals with nautical themes were added by artists David Fredenthal and Edgar Yaegar as part of the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Arts Project. The WPA-FAP was a New Deal program to put unemployed artists to work creating public art. | ||
Rickinatlanta Member Username: Rickinatlanta Post Number: 135 Registered: 07-2006 |
The Naval Armory was a VERY busy boxing venue during the 1932 - 1934 period. My Dad fought most of his pro fights there. | ||
Carptrash Member Username: Carptrash Post Number: 1589 Registered: 10-2003 |
Well I have some good news and some bad news. I have the pictures, or some of them, that you are seeking of the artwork, but after 3 hours of hard looking through the Carpchives, they have not been found. I sacked the incompetent archivist but that has not caused the pictures to surface. However there is now an opening for an archivist for the Carpchives. The pay is poor, benefits nonexistent, the hours long, rewards, short, and job security . . ... well . .... ask the last looser. Other than that it's a great gig. . eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek | ||
Waz Member Username: Waz Post Number: 266 Registered: 11-2006 |
Someone posted pictures of the murals on a thread here just before the armory closed. Let's just say there was a lot of discussion about the, errrr, homoerotic nature of the works. | ||
Lefty2 Member Username: Lefty2 Post Number: 1141 Registered: 07-2007 |
Sounds nice. Investors will put $23 Million into a sweet historic building in Detroit. I would love to see it happen. I have a basic question though. Having a 20 Mil investment into something means that they need to Gross at least $170,000 a month to break even or get a return on their investment. I don't see that many people bowling or boxing down there to make it profitable. BTW - my grandparent donated that land it sits on to Detroit way back when. | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 2769 Registered: 10-2003 |
I was lucky enough to take a tour through the Brodhead Armory when they announced that it was likely to be closed permanently. Beautiful woodwork and art!••• Here's a link to the article published in the Detroit Art Deco Society's magazine a few years back: http://www.daads.org/modern/11 01/brodhead.htm | ||
Eaglelv Member Username: Eaglelv Post Number: 40 Registered: 03-2007 |
When I was stationed in Detroit as a recruiter in the late 80's we used to hold training inside the gymnasium. What a great building, the inside is full of Art Deco detail, it would be great if the building received some TLC. | ||
Renf Member Username: Renf Post Number: 59 Registered: 11-2003 |
Attached you will find a link to additional information about the Brodhead Armory on East Jefferson. http://www.detroit1701.org/Bro dhead.htm | ||
Wilus1mj Member Username: Wilus1mj Post Number: 246 Registered: 05-2005 |
Very cool building...I ran a few Belle Isle New Years Eve Runs and the race finished by the Armory. | ||
Aiw Member Username: Aiw Post Number: 6549 Registered: 10-2003 |
Carptrash, if you can get me a work permit, I'll apply, however it might be a bit of a commute... | ||
Dougw Member Username: Dougw Post Number: 2060 Registered: 11-2003 |
Some pictures my wife took, probably on the same tour Kathleen was on:         | ||
Dougw Member Username: Dougw Post Number: 2061 Registered: 11-2003 |
quote: Fair points. The article does mention possible brownfield and historic tax credits, though. But yeah, $20 mil is still quite a bit. | ||
Carptrash Member Username: Carptrash Post Number: 1594 Registered: 10-2003 |
AIW - permit is not problem around here it's not an issue. However if you can not show enough dedication to the task by putting up with a slight (1643 miles - more if you use Canadian miles or what ever they are called) commute, then you just are not the person for the job. Oh yes, I'm glad some pictures showed up - mine have not. And yes, some of the murals were covered up for decades because the Service folks involved thought that there was a little too much Village People "In the Navy." eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekster | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 6305 Registered: 08-2004 |
I always thought that due to the vastness of the drill hall, it would make a good location for "Antiques Roadshow". For those not familiar with the building, something like 70% of the building is a huge drill hall, behind which is a 3 or 4 story wing, which is a warren of service rooms, staircases, officers lounge, a battleship gray mess hall (with murals), etc. Many of the rooms have a spectacular views of the Detroit River and Belle Isle. There is also a lawn terrace behind the building that has a lot of riparian potential. | ||
Tponetom Member Username: Tponetom Post Number: 222 Registered: 06-2007 |
Rickinatlanta: My father took me to the Armory to watch "big time" wrestling matches before Pearl Harbor. I could not believe the exquisite pain that some of those wrestlers endured. Remember, I was only 10 or 11. Through the eyes of babes. | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 2313 Registered: 10-2006 |
"Soon after it opened, murals with nautical themes were added by artists David Fredenthal and Edgar Yaegar as part of the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Arts Project. The WPA-FAP was a New Deal program to put unemployed artists to work creating public art." It's to bad that fitness centers have a strong affinity towards wanting to put mirrors up on the walls of these types of places. | ||
Rickinatlanta Member Username: Rickinatlanta Post Number: 136 Registered: 07-2006 |
Tponetom, I have Detroit News clippings of my Dad's fights there describing how in a couple of fights he dislocated a knuckle and fought most of that fight one fisted and still won! He wasn't alone in that many of the smaller boxers, he was a Bantamweight, were REALLY tough. Fighting was also their only way to make a decent living as well. | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 2770 Registered: 10-2003 |
Charlottepaul: Most, if not all, of the beautiful paintings, carvings, and the like are in rooms and hallways off the main "gym" area, which is really quite big. I could see that being used for boxing practice and matches, so I don't see them covering up too much of it. In fact, those rooms could be offices or places where members congregate so maybe the walls would remain uncovered. | ||
Carptrash Member Username: Carptrash Post Number: 1595 Registered: 10-2003 |
I'm with K here. The murals that were covered up were not in the gym area. They were in the . . . private areas. However several of them were quite badly damaged by water. mold or general neglect and it would be nice if they were restored. eeeeeek | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 6307 Registered: 08-2004 |
I wish someone had a floor plan of the Armory to post, because if you haven't been there, the warren of rooms on multi-levels behind the drill hall (gym) become somewhat difficult to describe. | ||
Lefty2 Member Username: Lefty2 Post Number: 1169 Registered: 07-2007 |
The people who want to redevelop this also own the property apartments next door on Jefferson. In the back of my mind I think they may have other long term plans. There is no way you can make money on boxing and bowling on a by spending over 20 million on a historic waterfront building next to Belle Isle bridge. | ||
Lefty2 Member Username: Lefty2 Post Number: 1303 Registered: 07-2007 |
Any news on Detroit selling the Armory for 3 million. | ||
Rhymeswithrawk Member Username: Rhymeswithrawk Post Number: 1157 Registered: 11-2005 |
http://i215.photobucket.com/al bums/cc280/buildingsofdetroit/ Postcards/NavalArmory.jpg | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 2550 Registered: 01-2004 |
   And heres some other work by Mr Yaeger: http://www.detroitfunk.com/2008/02/_beverly_road_historic_distric.html | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 2551 Registered: 01-2004 |
oops. heres third image:  | ||
Grizzly Member Username: Grizzly Post Number: 23 Registered: 11-2007 |
It can be a strange thing about human perceptions. In the mid-fifties I trained with the USNR at Brodhead and aboard the USS Tambor moored at the riverside - but I have no memory at all of these wonderful graphics. I guess I was just trying to keep my two left feet in step... | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 2568 Registered: 01-2004 |
The ones I put up are in the rear banquet area and the kitchen. Perhaps you were not in these areas ? The other pics posted are from officers quarters/area - so you probably didnt hang out there either. | ||
Grizzly Member Username: Grizzly Post Number: 24 Registered: 11-2007 |
Mauser765, you are correct in that those areas were out of my purview. I didn't get into "officer's country" until I stopped being a weekend warrior and went active; I haven't been back inside Brodhead since. | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 2575 Registered: 01-2004 |
My uncle trained there before shipping out to Nam - he remembers that for $2, the cafeteria would make the best malted milkshake he ever had. He also does not recall any of the artwork, so it must all be in areas for only "special" folks. | ||
Usnsubvet77 Member Username: Usnsubvet77 Post Number: 87 Registered: 07-2007 |
Grizzly, Are you aware that the 40mm AA cannon and 5" deck gun from the USS Tambor are on static display at Fort Wayne? (Not to get off topic, sorry.) | ||
Usnsubvet77 Member Username: Usnsubvet77 Post Number: 88 Registered: 07-2007 |
Of course the Tambor's periscope is at the Dossein Maritime Museum, in case someone did not know. | ||
Grizzly Member Username: Grizzly Post Number: 25 Registered: 11-2007 |
Usnsubvet77: tnx 4 the info! | ||
Usnsubvet77 Member Username: Usnsubvet77 Post Number: 91 Registered: 07-2007 |
Here are some photos of the guns...Enjoy -Subvet   | ||
Lefty2 Member Username: Lefty2 Post Number: 1743 Registered: 07-2007 |
Looked too good to be true. Detroit sells it for 3 million, new owner gets a 20 million dollar loan. Give some money back to the Kilpatrick Gang maybe?, The saga continues. excerpt: The husband and wife development team of Kathy Makino-Leipsitz and Mark Leipsitz has announced plans to purchase the Broadhead Armory from the city of Detroit and convert it into a bowling, boxing and fitness center -- a $23 million investment. The couple have built multifamily affordable housing in and around Detroit for many years. They also recently purchased the River Terrace, an apartment project immediately east of the armory. "I bought my first building in Detroit in 1983," Makino-Leipsitz said Tuesday. "I've been in the area a long time. I love Detroit." They have a lot of property in Detroit, including River Terrace, next door. http://www.modeldmedia.com/inthenews/armory13108.aspx No 4 on the picture http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080820/MULTI/80820006 (Message edited by lefty2 on August 20, 2008) |
