Grand River & Greenfield Shopping Area

[DetroitPlanner]

It would have been better spent on cops on the beat and jail cells for thugs.

That is why I put security first!

[G-DDT]

I went to the Lutheran Church [[Holy Cross) and grade school behind all of that. It had an odd multilevel connection between the two [[three gyms with cafeterias). We had a very tiny playground with a slide, a concrete tube, and a Jungle Gym I learned about gravity the hard way on. At one point, they expanded the area for the adjoining parking lot for kids to fool around in during recess, but that got too loose and unmonitored [[you may notice a huge power sub station in that area-the nephew of a pastor there once told me he saw a drunk fry his guts urinating on that area-Scout's honor? ......nope. Anyway, the only landmarks that concerned us were Kingsway [[like an overblown BigLots) and the Norwest Theater [[saw Ghostbusters, Breakin' 2 Electric Boogaloo, Popeye, and Beverly Hills Cop for the first time there) and Hansel and Gretel shoestore down the way.

[Hypestyles]

this district needs lots of renovations. hopefully they'll happen sooner than later.

[daddeeo]

Been waiting since the late 70's for it to happen. They have a few strip malls but not much else.
Federals Building looks like hell.

[Detroit Signal]

Not sure where I got this from but thought I'd share:

[G-DDT]

Not sure where I got this from but thought I'd share:

Now, that I remember-but usually coming from the other direction.

[rex]

I remember walking around the place around 02 and thinking about how there was nothing like it anywhere else in the city. It was like a pre-mall
At least i think it was the same place

[daddeeo]

Love that view of the bridge. That was late 70's and area was going downhill.

[DetroitPlanner]

Love that view of the bridge. That was late 70's and area was going downhill.

Right around the time that Fairlane opened to the South and Northland was roofed. The retail geography was changing. I am willing to bet that there was probably some cut-backs in transit service along Greenfield and Grand River at that time as well.

[Hypestyles]

The city deserves better than just hodge-podge collections of flea markets in these former department store sites; they're so cavernous, and there's a lot of overlap in the folks who have booths/sales zones set up.

[daddeeo]

I heard that one of those blight bundle guys was going to target Grand River -Greenfield area.
Just hope he doesn't make things worse. He doesn't see to pay his bills. Seems like a scam artist.

[DetroitPlanner]

I heard that one of those blight bundle guys was going to target Grand River -Greenfield area.
Just hope he doesn't make things worse. He doesn't see to pay his bills. Seems like a scam artist.

The person in question has significant holdings in this area. He has a major stake in seeing the area improve.

[nain rouge]

Did Gratiot ever have anything like this? I just had a little debate in my head over which "spoke" street is in the worse shape. Probably Gratiot, right? Grand River at least has a couple remnants of true urban shopping districts, plus Downtown Old Redford. Although Gratiot still has tons of potential near Eastern Market, especially that Service Street block.

[DetroitPlanner]

Did Gratiot ever have anything like this? I just had a little debate in my head over which "spoke" street is in the worse shape. Probably Gratiot, right? Grand River at least has a couple remnants of true urban shopping districts, plus Downtown Old Redford. Although Gratiot still has tons of potential near Eastern Market, especially that Service Street block.

Yes there was a busy district there.

You seem to be forgetting quite a few others. Gratiot and Van Dyke, Grand River and Oakman, Michigan and Junction, Vernor and Junction, Woodward and the Blvd, Highland Park on Woodward S of the tracks, there were even business districts off of Evergreen at Plymouth and Seven Mile Roads. Another that has been bulldozed and replaced was by St John Hospital.

Even saw these in the burbs with two along Michigan in Dearborn, Grand River and Farmington, and along Fort in Lincoln Park.

[Smirnoff]

Below is an excellent shot on Grand River & Oakman:

[canuck]

Below is an excellent shot on Grand River & Oakman:

It's really weird how the street devolved into a more eighties suburban less frilly architectural situation. The lovely Sears Art Deco replaced by a strip mall now extinct, and the remnants of a Federal dept store and the cinema; all Art Deco Moderne and their main features disappeared behind plywood sheathing and fugly painted stripped to the bones mansard roofs.

https://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en-CA...classic&dg=brw

[Smirnoff]

Was in the GR Sears store many-many times as a kid.....the "warm" Spanish peanuts at the peanut counter in the paper sleeve bag were my favorite. Actually, my parents & grandparents would not buy us what we actually wanted [[warm cashews), too expensive.....

[nain rouge]

You seem to be forgetting quite a few others. Gratiot and Van Dyke, Grand River and Oakman, Michigan and Junction, Vernor and Junction, Woodward and the Blvd, Highland Park on Woodward S of the tracks, there were even business districts off of Evergreen at Plymouth and Seven Mile Roads. Another that has been bulldozed and replaced was by St John Hospital.

I didn't forget any business districts. By excluding Michigan, Woodward, and Jefferson from the discussion, I thought I was making it clear that I felt it was a clear two-way competition between Gratiot and Grand River for worst "spoke" street [[though Jefferson is making a strong run for it). I guess you can give yourself a point for making it clear that I didn't enumerate every historic business district on Gratiot and Grand River [[I don't get what areas like Vernor & Junction or Evergreen & Plymouth have to do with the discussion).

Gratiot & Van Dyke is a perfect example of a Gratiot urban business district that was almost completely obliterated. There are remnants, but not many. I will give the Detroit portion of Gratiot credit for being particularly aggressive with strip mall development.

[daddeeo]

This for Grand River and Greenfield discussion. Gratiot was other side of town.
As far as we were concerned, it was in another city.

[mtburb]

Yes there was a busy district there.

You seem to be forgetting quite a few others. Gratiot and Van Dyke, Grand River and Oakman, Michigan and Junction, Vernor and Junction, Woodward and the Blvd, Highland Park on Woodward S of the tracks, there were even business districts off of Evergreen at Plymouth and Seven Mile Roads. Another that has been bulldozed and replaced was by St John Hospital.

Even saw these in the burbs with two along Michigan in Dearborn, Grand River and Farmington, and along Fort in Lincoln Park.

There are also similar districts along Biddle between Eureka and Oak in Wyandotte, Allen and Southfield in Allen Park, West Jefferson and West Road in Trenton, Goddard at the railroad in Romulus, Michigan and Wayne, a somewhat large one in Royal Oak,Woodward and Maple in Birmingham and in Ann Arbor.

[daddeeo]

Big difference is our Grand River and Greenfield area was a small city unto itself.
We had Alberts, Baker Shoes, Sanders, Crowleys, Cunninghams, Federals, Wards, Kresges, Woolworths, Meyers, Hughes & Hatcher, Lerners, J. C.Penney, A & P, Revco, Standard Federal Savings and Loan, Wrigleys Market. Arena Roller Rink, Likers Hamburgers, Holy Cross Church and school, Big Boys, Bell Telephone, Lerners, Winkelmans, Olson Electronics, Montrose Bar, Great Lakes Theater, Robert Hall and St. Mary of Redford, Chaney Library, etc. all within a half mile

There are also similar districts along Biddle between Eureka and Oak in Wyandotte, Allen and Southfield in Allen Park, West Jefferson and West Road in Trenton, Goddard at the railroad in Romulus, Michigan and Wayne, a somewhat large one in Royal Oak,Woodward and Maple in Birmingham and in Ann Arbor.

[daddeeo]

Has anyone gone shopping here lately?

[masterblaster]

Unfortunately, an ominous red "CONDEMNED" notice was recently slapped on the angled main entrance of the FEDERALS/MAMMOTH building. It could be in its last days. The building is solid as a rock, as the plywood has been ripped off from the large display windows from time to time, and you can see the empty shell's interior. It doesn't look bad on the inside.

[masterblaster]

Has anyone gone shopping here lately?

Yes, I bought some jumper cables at the Advance Auto store at the southwest corner of the intersection. Unfortunately, a few months ago, the Walgreens that was built in not too long ago has closed down. In the summer, a bbq joint called Johnson's burnt down on Greenfield a block south of the intersection, and half the building was demolished. Just a few buildings down, a coney Island called Olga's Coney Island has expanded its hours to 24 hours and is getting a facelift.

WHAT I REALLY HATE ABOUT THAT DISTRICT, is that it's just about dead, and that developer Herb Strather demolished all of those storefronts west of Greenfield to build those ugly strip malls.

[MorrisRecords90]

Yes, I bought some jumper cables at the Advance Auto store at the southwest corner of the intersection. Unfortunately, a few months ago, the Walgreens that was built in not too long ago has closed down. In the summer, a bbq joint called Johnson's burnt down on Greenfield a block south of the intersection, and half the building was demolished. Just a few buildings down, a coney Island called Olga's Coney Island has expanded its hours to 24 hours and is getting a facelift.

WHAT I REALLY HATE ABOUT THAT DISTRICT, is that it's just about dead, and that developer Herb Strather demolished all of those storefronts west of Greenfield to build those ugly strip malls.

The Walgreens at Grand River & Telegraph closed back in July also. I think the lot of them are closing. Johnson's was usually a busy spot. Another good restaurant gone under.
http://luvfireimages.smugmug.com/DET...ES/GREENFIELD/

By the way THAT DISTRICT IS NOT DEAD. The area ain't what it used to be, I'm sure, but the area is getting better, cause part of the neighborhood is considered Grandmont, next door to Rosedale. But i agree, i hate when they knock down old historic buildings and put up old plain, modern-looking buildings, but those strip malls now contain Sunny's Mens Wear stores, school uniforms store, shoes, womens clothes. Around Christmastime, drive up Grand River with 100.3 on, they have recently repainted the corner building where Wards was at, and they put up a Christmas tree in the corner window every year. Every year, thats the one corner where you really feel the Christmas spirit. The SE corner building [[Mammoth) is currently vacant. They are supposed to be redeveloping it, they are just waiting for a developer to pick up the project. There are quite a few good stores on the NE side, particularly 7 Days West for flannels, jeans, coats, etc, and Sheik [[just changed over from Athlete's Foot for custom hats, shoes, etc. West of Greenfield, they have a few new stores in there. The St Vincent De Paul Thrift Store replaced the old furniture store [[next to Montrose Lunch) Im still waiting for Montrose Lunch to reopen/redevelop. Up Grand River to Rutherford they have Janco Candy Distributors, open since 1950's, one of my favorite spots. Cosmos Coney Island and Golden Pizza at Lyndon & Greenfield, head south to Schoolcraft, there is a good fish place just south of Schoolcraft, there is new place JUST OPENED SUMMER 2014 called Hot Toppings at Schoolcraft & Greenfield next to the BP gas station. The old car wash on the NW corner of Schoolcraft & Greenfield is still open Now Greenfield Car Wash [[i think it used to be Jack's Car Wash or something. my mom could tell me the name of the old one.)

These are two pictures of Grand River & Greenfield, the third one is Grand River & Hubbell, the last one is Grand River & Southfield.