Detroit Photo of the Day

[Wordsmith]

How about I send you one without the ugly copyright at the bottomn, I'll provide a link to the full resolution image.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well thank you, but my task bar is blocking it anyhow. But again, thank you. Everyone already appreciates the pure classic design of our city (something I get bitter about leaving behind everyday when I head out to the suburbs to worka nd have to stare at Birmingham's uninspired design...) so I won't mention it too much except that it truly stands out in your photo.

WS

[wolverine]

Glad you like it, for anyone else that wants the large version anyway, here's the link to the image: http://www.umich.edu/~ifmuth/woodward_large.jpg

[MrCoffee]

Got it, Wolverine. Thanks!

MrCoffee

[ironchapman]

Nice pic of Detroit, wolverine!

Ah Detroit...one of my favorite US cities.

[Detroit_Luveur]

I'm not gonna lie to you, Woodward looks so important in that photo. I'm loving the Compuware banners too, are they all around downtown?

Are they planning to get rid of the rectangular stoplights downtown with the ones in the foreground, because they look outdated?

[ironchapman]

I need to visit Detroit again sometime! These photos make me miss going up there!

I haven't been to Michigan itself since my relatives moved from Lansing to just outside on Cincy 5 years ago.

[baldy]

Since this was building was brought up in another thread, I'd thought I'd post a picture of it.

This is the Schwankovsky Temple of Music Bldg which as built in 1891. It is also known as the Wright-Kay building because it housed their jewelry store for decades. Currently, there is a club called X/S on the ground floor and the upper floors are offices and lofts. If I had my pick of lofts downtown, this would be the place!

Edited June 1, 2005 by ebaldy

[Zissou]

Isnt this building on Woodward? I recognize it but cant quite put it in its place.

[Allan]

Yep, Woodward & John R

[Zissou]

Ok so i was in the ballpark. I always thought it would be cool to live on the top floor and have that little balcony. A great place to people watch and since i believe its on the east side of woodward you would be able to see the Penobscot and Guardian buildings.

[wolverine]

Nice pic! Now if only the nearby Metropolitan building can be renovated. We've waited too long for that one. At least it's cleaned out.

[Michi]

I'm not gonna lie to you, Woodward looks so important in that photo. I'm loving the Compuware banners too, are they all around downtown?

Are they planning to get rid of the rectangular stoplights downtown with the ones in the foreground, because they look outdated?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, the Compuware banners are only surrounding the building along its downtown block. Woodward Avenue will complete its transformation and beautification hopefully within the month, but regardless of when it's done, to answer your question, yes, the old will be replace with the new (to mimic the HISTORIC old). It all looks fantastic...Woodward, Washington, AND Broadway!

[Allan]

The new lights on Washington are going up now. They looks so much better than what was there before (and more historically accurate).

[Zissou]

The last time I was on Washington Blvd. the boulevard was just dirt and equipment. The boulevard looks absolutely massive. It is wide and I bet will look great when it is finished. Does anyone have any recent images? I hope the new streetscape will also cause the area to grow. Maybe it will become Detroit's 5th Ave. again.

[Allan]

You'll be impressed the next time you see Washington then. The trees are being planted too. It's amazing how much a little greenery helps out the appearance.

[Zissou]

Are the trees big or are they smaller and allowing them to grow? Also with the size of the median are there pathways along it?

[Allan]

I'm not sure about the sidewalks in the median. The 1920s boulevard had sidewalks in the median, but it doesn't look like they will be installed now, since they are planting trees. Usually sidewalks are installed before trees are planted. Since you're curious about Washington Boulevard, it is the subject of today's photo of the day.

Wednesday, June 1, 2005

The Washington Boulevard Streetscape is finally nearing completion. The streetscape replaces the failed pedestrian mall that was built in the 1970s, and returns the street to an appearance similar to how it looked in the 1920s.

Washington Boulevard was intended to be the main street when the city was plotted, which is why the street runs due north. Obviously it didn't work out that way, and Woodward became the main street.

[Zissou]

From the pictures it looks nice. I just hope that greening up these areas will persuade business' and people to move into the area.

[Allan]

Yeah. It would help if they did something to the Book-Cadillac and the Whitney. If those two buildings were full again it would do wonders for the street. The Book Building is supposedly being converted into lofts too, but I'm not holding my breath. The only progress on that so far is moving the Book Building tenants into Book Tower.

[wolverine]

Someone needs to tell Susan Lambrecht that the Book Tower needs cleaning. For the number of tenants the building has, it isn't anywhere near ailing, yet it looks abandoned to someone who has never seen it before, not to mention, they never have the lights on. I know they started cleaning up a few portions of the tower, but they never finished. What is the hold up?

[Allan]

They ran out of money for the cleaning. I guess that grime doesn't come off as easily as they thought it would. LOL.

[Zissou]

What is that very small structure where the Book Needle would have gone? It looks really out of place there.

[wolverine]

They ran out of money for the cleaning.  I guess that grime doesn't come off as easily as they thought it would.  LOL.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Probably because the building was never cleaned in the first place.

[Allan]

It was, believe it or not. Don't you see that clean spot on the south end on the Book Building's front facade? Still, they have a long way to go.

Zissou,

That small structure is where the Book Needle would've gone. Had it been built, it would've been the tallest building in the world at the time, since the Empire State Building had not yet been built.

[wolverine]

Yeah, I saw that. It's just that you said the grime was to hard to remove and they ran out of money. I've seen photos from the 50's of the tower covered in grime.