Crusin' The Original Woodward Avenue

Woodward Avenue, which just celebrated its 200th birthday, has been getting a lot of attention over the past decade or so. With the corporate co-opting of the Woodward Dream Cruise, summer cruising has become almost unbearable. But how did this traditional rite of summer become the monster money grabbing enterprise that it is today? Arcadia Publishing's Crusin' The Original Woodward Avenue delves into the history of Woodward Avenue and the auto industry that developed along side of it.
This book is another installment in the Images of America Series so the emphasis is on the images rather than giving a detailed history. It is still an interesting read. The early chapters are devoted to the development of this National historic By-way. It reaches back to the original Woodward Plan and moves forward to parallel to rise of the automotive industry along Detroit's main street. The core of Crusin' recounts the cruising experience in Detroit further establishing the link between the Big Three and Woodward Avenue. It includes a range of cruising anecdotes. One teenager had her odometer disconnected to avoid her father's detection of her cruising tendencies, while others received under the table parts and support from engineers. One of the highlights of the book are the pages devoted to cruising destinations. It gives a taste of the drive-in restaurants of yesterday including historic photos and menus from these long gone establishments.

As the auto industry declined in the 70's with the energy crisis so did cruising. Attitude towards cruisers had also changed. Many establishment no longer allowed cruisers to gather in their parking lots without purchasing food. Some forbade anyone eating outside at all. Fortunately, this was not the end of Crusin ' Woodward. The Woodward Dream Cruise was originally launched in 1995 as a fund raiser for a youth soccer field. 250,000 people attended that day. It now attracts over 1.5 million people annually from around the world. Unfortunately, cruising Woodard in July and August has become a corporate affair.
Crusin' The Original Woodward Avenue is the perfect way to celebrate the 200th birthday of Woodward Avenue. The book is packed with historic photos of Woodward Avenue, the Detroit auto industry, and the cars that made it all possible. If you have an interest in the history of crusing in Detroit, you'll definitely want to check this book out.




Photos reprinted with permission from Crusin' The Original Woodward Avenue, by Anthony Ambrogio, Sharon Luckerman. Available from the publisher online at www.arcadiapublishing.com or by calling (888) 313-2665.

David Broderick Tower

David BroderickTower, originally uploaded by A Dubs.

The View From Compuware

The View From Compuware, originally uploaded by A Dubs.

Greektown Rising

The Greektown parking garage/hotel is finally getting off the ground.

The Stinky Rose

The Stinky Rose Resturant & Martini Bar was torched this past Friday. It was still quite Stinky this afternoon. The building was originally home to the Woodbridge Tavern which held the first alcohol license in Michigan post-prohibition. It re-opened as the Stinky Rose in 2005.

Crystal Lofts

The Crystal Ballroom was gutted this winter in preparation for its conversion to lofts and retail space. Phase one the Crystal Lofts project will include 17 lofts ranging from 950-2,200 square feet and 14,000 square feet of first floor retail space plus indoor parking.

Historical photo from Virtual Motorcity

Park Avenue

Today's post is a quick re-hash of the revitilization of Park Avenue.

Cliff Bell's

The Park Bar and Bucharest Grill opened towards the end of 2006.

Dark Skies

Dark Skies, originally uploaded by A Dubs.

The Detroit Commerce Building (Center) is halfway through its demolition.

Home Improvement *Updated*

Here's a look at a couple of completed restorations in Brush Park.

This House is located on Winder

This is 255 Winder and an address to be named later.

Above is Edmund Place at Brush Park. 291 Edmund Place was built in the French Second Empire style for Frederick Butler in 1882. It has been converted into 4 condo units.

Monroe Ave

Monroe Ave, originally uploaded by A Dubs.

The Griswold

The Roxbury Group unveiled this Kraemer Design Group rendering of the parking garage/condo development that is replacing the Detroit Commerce Building. If this rendering is anything close to the final product, it will definitely mitigate the loss of the Commerce Building.

David Broderick Tower

David Broderick Tower, originally uploaded by A Dubs.

Hip City Living!

The elements have taken their toll on this house on Erskine in Brush Park. This house is slated to become part of Brush Park Village North. Will it survive the experience?

TechTown Detroit

Model D TV has put together a piece on the future development of TechTown. It gives a glimpse at the proposed $1.3 billion, 43-acre, 12-square-block multiuse renewal project partnership with Wayne State University, Henry Ford Health System and General Motors Corp.

City of the Strait

City of the Strait, originally uploaded by A Dubs.

Detroit's Downtown Movie Palaces

Detroit's Downtown Movie Palaces is a walk back in time to the Golden Age of Cinema. Authors Michael Hauser and Marianne Weldon have done a wonderful job stitching together the history of movie going in Detroit. Using photos from local archives, as well as Hauser's personal collection, the book provides glimpses of the city's lost treasures as well as rare looks at the survivors of that by gone era.

The origins of Detroit's movie palaces can be linked directly to the city's original entertainment district centered upon Monroe Street. Hauser and Weldon highlight the recital halls, vaudeville houses and burlesque theaters that dominated that area before moving on to cover the establishment of Grand Circus entertainment district. They detail the jewels of the necklace district with chapters devoted to the Capitol, Michigan, Fox, United Artists, Wilson, and Gem Theaters. The book wraps up with a look at the lost theaters of Downtown Detroit.

Detroit's Downtown Movie Palaces provides a comprehensive photographic record of the dozens of theaters that existed downtown during the first half of the last century. The interior photos of these opulent theaters, both lost and restored, are the true treasures to be found within these pages. It is a tragedy that so many of these architectural gems have been lost or damaged beyond repair. For younger Detroiters who weren't a part of the theater-going experience during that fabulous era, Hauser and Weldon have given us wonderful a taste of what it must have been like.

This is another quality addition to Acradia Publishing's Images of America series. Without question, you should make it a part of your own personal reference library.

Photos reprinted with permission from Detroit's Downtown Movie Palaces, by Michael Hauser & Marianne Weldon. Available from the publisher online at www.arcadiapublishing.com or by calling (888) 313-2665.

Cobo Arena

Cobo Arena, originally uploaded by A Dubs.

Continental Motors

Continental Motors, originally uploaded by A Dubs.

Last Chance Gas

Last Chance Gas, originally uploaded by A Dubs.

Dark Skies II

Dark Skies II, originally uploaded by A Dubs.

The High Line

I just discovered this amazing new application of railbanking taking place in Lower Manhattan.

The High Line was an elevated freight line that serviced the warehouses and factories of the Lower West Side. At points, a right-of-way was established through existing buildings.

The line has been abandoned since 1980 and much like the forgotten building of Detroit, grasses and trees have established themselves along the line. The Friends of the High Line are working with the City to preserve these viaducts and convert them into an elevated linear park and public spaces along the lines of the Promenade Plantée in Paris.

For a virtual tour check out oldnyc , or to see what's in store visit the design site. Also, check out the flicker cluster

Gutted

Built in 1919, this historic Albert Kahn designed print shop in Midtown has been gutted in preparation for a conversion into a retail/medical complex with indoor parking in the rear.

Lofts at New Amsterdam Phase 2

Work continues at the former Century Florist Supply Company building in New Center. It is being converted into 50 "Loft-Style" rental units.

4130 Trumbull

Recently this house at 4130 Trumbull, in the Woodbridge Historic District, was demolished by the city. Apparently, the front porch collapsed into the road striking a passing car. The city demolished the remains in November.

The Nightmare the Detroit Renaissance Center Could Have Been

Virtual motorcity has some renderings of what the Renaissance Center would have looked like if all of the phases had been completed as planned. 

Photo Model

Soaring Casinos

Two of the permanent casinos are rising quickly against of the backdrop Detroit's skyline. The MGM Grand and Motor City Casino race towards completion, while the Greektown Casino continues to flounder.

These photos were taken at the end of October. Photos 1 and 2 MGM Grand, Photo 3 Motor City.

Eileen O'Neil

Mt. Elliott Cemetery

Mt. Elliot Park

uploaded by A Dubs.

Next on the List...

The FBI will be moving its Detroit Headquarters from the McNamara Federal Building to a new location at Howard and the Lodge Freeway in 2009. The Executive Plaza complex, built between 1967 & 1972 will be demolished to make way for the new 300,000 square-foot complex.