Detroit Photo of the Day

[Allan]

Thursday, December 9, 2004

Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church on a sunny October day.

[Allan]

Friday, December 10, 2004

1001 Woodward was completed in 1965 on the site of the Majestic Building, one of Detroit's first skyscrapers. The top floors of the 23 story building will soon be converted into upscale condos.

[Allan]

Saturday, December 11, 2004

Looking east down Grand Boulevard in the New Center area. On the right is Cadillac Place, the old GM headquarters.

[Allan]

Sunday, December 12, 2004

This apartment building at 65 Edmund Street seems to be in relatively good shape and will probably get restored.

[Allan]

Monday, December 13, 2004

Designed by Louis Kamper and completed in 1926, Book Tower is one of the more interesting buildings downtown. Its classical ornamentation looks awkward on the tall structure, yet it has a certain charm to it.

[SNWEB]

Interesting perspective

[Aaron]

It's really hard to tell from old photos, but Book Tower always looks dirty no matter what kind of picture you see it in. I don't know if its skin is susceptible to dirt or whatever, but as soon as the money is available to give the tower a bath the better.

[Allan]

Believe it or not, it did bath. It didn't help all that much! Even in the old photos I've seen the tower looks dirty. I guess it's supposed to be like that.

[SNWEB]

Believe it or not, it did bath.  It didn't help all that much!  Even in the old photos I've seen the tower looks dirty.  I guess it's supposed to be like that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

well when it was washed a few years ago it was with some crappy baking soda solution

[Allan]

well when it was washed a few years ago it was with some crappy baking soda solution

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What exactly are you supposed to use to clean a tower like that? What it the skin even made of? Limestone? I know limestone does not hold up well over time, and you cannot use many chemicals or anything to clean it, since it will literally dissolve the stone. I have some photos from this past summer, and you can definately tell where they didn't clean it. The cleaning did more for the building than you think.

[Allan]

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

The clock in the lobby of the Guardian Building

[Allan]

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

The cornice of the Fine Arts Building crumbles. The building, which was designed by Louis Kamper, is on Grand Circus Park and is one of the oldest buildings still standing downtown.

[Allan]

Thursday, December 16, 2004

The Park Avenue Hotel is home to the Town Pump, a popular bar. The hotel is another one of Louis Kamper's works.

[SNWEB]

Notice the hole in the cornice on the Fine Arts

[Allan]

Notice the hole in the cornice on the Fine Arts

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's why I said that it was decaying. LOL. The interesting thing about the Fine Arts Building is that it was framed in wood. All of the beams and everything are solid wood - no steel here! The only other building I can think of that was constructed like this is the Madison portion of the Madison Lenox Hotel. It's too bad that both are in the hands of Ilitch.

[Allan]

Friday, December 17, 2004

The once grand Michigan Central Station sits neglected and surrounded by razor wire. Designed by Warren & Wetmore and engineers Reed and Stem, the 18 story station opened in 1913. As train travel declined, so did the station. It closed on January 5, 1988. Its distance from downtown has made renovation less likely, although there has been talk of turning the building into the new Detroit Police Department Headquarters.

[Aaron]

Wow! You made the MCS look just like a prison, Allan. Interesting shot.

[Allan]

Haha. The building is kind of like a prision. It has razor wire and a guard. Only it's easier to get into than a normal prision. LOL.

[Allan]

Saturday, December 18, 2004

Michigan Avenue from Eighth Street. Michigan Avenue has managed to retain quite a few 19th century buildings - more than most other areas of the city.

[Allan]

Sunday, December 19, 2004

The colorful paintings in the windows of the United Artists Building on Bagley Street are known throughout the city.

[Allan]

Monday, December 20, 2004

The entrance to the Penobscot Building features details like this carved into the Indiana Limestone exterior.

[Allan]

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

The National Theater on Monroe Street is the last remaining theater in Detroit's original theater district. Designed by Albert Kahn, the theater is now closed. There have been rumors about it being resurected as an ethnic theater, but for now it just sits sealed up and awaiting renovation.

[KoRn_Snake]

wow these pics got me interested, all 8 pages were great. i think i just noticed how great the ren cen looks for some reason. oh but the rest of downtown looks really impressive, and massive. its great! i enjoyed the pics and hope to see more, keep it up guys...

[Allan]

Wednesday, December 22, 2004

The University of Michigania was located in a building on this site from 1818 until it moved to Ann Arbor in 1837. The site is now home to what else? A parking garage.

[Allan]

Thursday, December 23, 2004

Capitol Park was the site of Michigan's first captiol building. After it moved to Lansing, the building was turned into the city's high school. Once it burned, it was decided to make the land it sat on into a park. Unfortunately, today the park is not much more than an oversized bus terminal. The surrounding area has faced some tough times, but there are currently three building renovations going on in the neighborhood, so that may a be a signal that things are starting to change.