The Canals-what happened?

**bailey** · August-02-10, 02:54 PM

What I find amazing every time I'm going down the river is the giant new construction development [[clearly empty) just across from the Edison Club. Obviously the development went bust, but those places are enormous. anyone know the details?

**Detroitnerd** · August-02-10, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

What I find amazing every time I'm going down the river is the giant new construction development [[clearly empty) just across from the Edison Club. Obviously the development went bust, but those places are enormous. anyone know the details?

Is that the project east of St. Jean? Just upriver from the Goat Yard?

**ndavies** · August-02-10, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

What I find amazing every time I'm going down the river is the giant new construction development [[clearly empty) just across from the Edison Club. Obviously the development went bust, but those places are enormous. anyone know the details?

Yes, Those homes are massive. A friend and I were Kayaking off Belle isle a few weeks ago. We were debating if they were truly single homes or multi units. I may have some pictures, I'll check when I get home.

**ndavies** · August-02-10, 03:07 PM

I also wondered about the proximity to the power plant. I can't see how that helped that developments chances in anyway.

**bailey** · August-02-10, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Is that the project east of St. Jean? Just upriver from the Goat Yard?

that would be the one.

Yes, Those homes are massive. A friend and I were Kayaking off Belle isle a few weeks ago. We were debating if they were truly single homes or multi units. I may have some pictures, I'll check when I get home.

Same debate on my boat every time we go down that way. The very symmetrical design makes them look like condos. But, I was told they are single family.

**MikeM** · August-02-10, 03:14 PM

Morgan Waterfront Estates

http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/76017/81072.html

**Detroitnerd** · August-02-10, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

that would be the one.

Same debate on my boat every time we go down that way. The very symmetrical design makes them look like condos. But, I was told they are single family.

Yeah, the story I heard is that they're single-family. Huge, HUGE freakin' McMansions. I don't cotton much to trying to "save" Detroit by suburbanizing it, but with that waterfront property they're going to try all sorts of things. I'd certainly rather have people living on it than heavy industry, as in the past.

While we are talking about canals, what about Harbor Island? It's like a city block surrounded by water. I've only seen Ashland as a landlubber/driver. What's HI like?

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=...06351&t=h&z=17

**bailey** · August-02-10, 03:27 PM

Thanks Mike. the website is apparently not defunct and the Crain's article was interesting and illustrative.

While we are talking about canals, what about Harbor Island? It's like a city block surrounded by water. I've only seen Ashland as a landlubber/driver. What's HI like?

I had a friend in high school that lived on Harbor Island. Really cool area. One of those places that many don't realize exists. Nice houses, nothing enormous, all well kept. My friend had a pretty decent sized boat parked out back which I thought was cool. As far as I know, his family still lives there.

**MikeM** · August-02-10, 03:30 PM

http://morganwaterfrontestates.net/home.php

**Jason** · August-02-10, 03:30 PM

The canals are something unique, but if they were into the canal lifestyle, it would make sense for them to move to Saint Clair Shores, where there are even more canal houses, and a lot of canal bars and restaurants and stuff.

I think one of the reasons the areas so close to Grosse Pointe are worse than average, is because Grosse Pointe is such an attractive alternative to Detroit. If you plan on living or having a business near the border, you can either go up a few blocks and be located in Grosse Pointe, or down a few blocks and be in Detroit...

But it does seem like the canals made a difference. The canal streets generally look nicer than the non-canal streets.

**Detroitnerd** · August-02-10, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

I had a friend in high school that lived on Harbor Island. Really cool area. One of those places that many don't realize exists. Nice houses, nothing enormous, all well kept. My friend had a pretty decent sized boat parked out back which I thought was cool. As far as I know, his family still lives there.

That's really cool. I like the idea that there are some unusual places like that, out of the way, out of view, that retain their residents despite the other big negative factors. Is it restricted? Or do you just cross a bridge to get there? I'm sure just being a stranger on the island would draw a lot of attention to you.

**Eastside** · August-02-10, 04:08 PM

Check out this Creekside blog entry...

http://bbandm.wordpress.com/2010/05/...-neighborhood/

**EASTSIDE CAT 67-83** · August-02-10, 04:32 PM

"Creekside" was a very intersting article and the pictures brought back great memories of my childhood and teen years growing up on chalmers. I had that whole network of canals as my personal adventure land year round. Back in the early 70's when we had a bad spring flood season all the residents went to Lakewood Park to fill sandbags to stem the rising water seeping from the canals.
Thanks

**izzyindetroit** · August-02-10, 07:59 PM

The City of Detroit was using Fox Creek for sewage overflow until a class action lawsuit was won by the residents in 1999. Having someone's toilet remains floating in your backyard isn't exactly a selling point. It is slowly being naturally re-mediated. The canal is also in a dire need of dredging, which is job that can only be accomplished by the Army Corps of Engineers and a butt load of money to make sure the toxic soil is disposed of correctly.

Don't judge a book by its cover however, those of us that call this neighborhood home love it! With boating, fishing, ice skating, hockey, wildlife, and the smell of water; the lure of the neighborhood is one which people would spend fortunes on. Luckily for us, no one has and we'd like to keep it that way.

**Eastside** · August-02-10, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by EASTSIDE CAT 67-83

"Creekside" was a very intersting article and the pictures brought back great memories of my childhood and teen years growing up on chalmers. I had that whole network of canals as my personal adventure land year round. Back in the early 70's when we had a bad spring flood season all the residents went to Lakewood Park to fill sandbags to stem the rising water seeping from the canals.
Thanks

Sounds like a great place to grow up. Thanks for sharing.

**kryptonite** · August-03-10, 07:06 AM

Originally Posted by izzyindetroit

Don't judge a book by its cover however, those of us that call this neighborhood home love it! With boating, fishing, ice skating, hockey, wildlife, and the smell of water; the lure of the neighborhood is one which people would spend fortunes on. Luckily for us, no one has and we'd like to keep it that way.

How cool, a Fox Creek resident! Do you recall the small convenience store that was located on the canal, where the bridge is that crosses from Ashland to Alter? This was a small store that would not have been in the area of the park, it would have been about midway between Jefferson and the foot of Alter. I guess it's not there any longer, but it was always a clean, tidy place. I think it had a Vietnamese name.

I used to walk in that area frequently in the late 80's with a friend of mine. We both lived in Warren/Outer Drive area and took long walks frequently. Riverside Park was wonderful in the late summer, we always liked the sound of the wind in the tall Cottonwood trees. We even went down there in the winter to hear the ice on the river.

**sumas** · August-03-10, 08:00 AM

A few corrections of fact, the Ashland bump bridge is still there, it was recently redone. The bridge at Essex from Alter to Ashland was rennovated too. The corner store at Essex is long gone but the Fairfax neighborhood market on Fairfax just into GP still thrives. The brick road is Marlbourgh. Many years ago, the city wished to pave that road but area residents fought it. The road was brick because it was a streetcar spur into the former Jockey Club. Angel Park, is not the name, it was also sometimes called Needles Park since it was adjacent to the old Mariners Hospital which for a period of time was a Methodon Clinic. The real name is Lakewood East. For anyone wishing updates on their "old hood" have your name added to Creekside Community Development's monthly newsletter and also to Jefferson East Business Association.

Several years ago the city was petitioned to make several of the riverfront parks there historic, the city lost the petition, I tried to included the petition request in this post but it was too long.

**EASTSIDE CAT 67-83** · August-03-10, 08:10 AM

This was the location of the small bait shop on the bridge, for those of us in the neighborhood it went by several names depending on which block you lived on, the Bridge store, Hill store, Byerley's and lastly Flo's which was the name of the Gal that ran the place, it originally opened in the 40's and as far as I know closed sometime in the early 90's. This was a mandatory detour after school from Guyton Elementary. Flo had a tradition of taking pictures of the kids that frequented her shop and posted them in a display case just outside the door that led into the house. There was a special smell of water and minnows when you entered the door. There was also a coin operated scale with fortune telling. I spent many a handful of coins in that store over the years. Very special memories.

**detroitbred** · August-03-10, 10:01 AM

OMG, children, Grow Up!!! Did someone piss in your ceral this morning?

**detroitbred** · August-03-10, 10:03 AM

Of'course, I meant CEREAL! Don't go nuts, please!

**hamtown mike** · August-03-10, 10:23 AM

I went for a ride last night in the area with the intent at looking at a potential piece of property. Sadly it looks like a fairly clear cut case of mortgage fraud. : [[

Since I was down there figured I might as well cruise around the area to see what could be seen. Harbor island is amazing! A great candidate for one of Detroit's best kept residential secrets. Even Klenk Island [[with some help) could be great.

**Packman41** · August-03-10, 12:22 PM

Here are some archival photos of the Windmill Point / Harbor Island area.
Klenk’s Windmill Inn in the center and the Windmill Point Light to the right
http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...;start=;resnum=

The Detroit Motor Boat Club in between Klenk’s Inn and the Light House – could be Geo. Scripps’ Curtiss float plane on the water’s edge?
http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...tart=;resnum=8

The canal just up river from the lighthouse separating [[what is now) Detroit and Grosse Pointe Park. That bathing beach is now the location of the Grosse Pointe Park Municipal Park at the foot of Windmill Point Dr.
http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...art=;resnum=19

Maybe someone can edit my post to show the actual images - they are worth it.

**Jimaz** · August-03-10, 12:58 PM

Respectively,

**Eastside** · August-03-10, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

Respectively,

Not sure the year these were taken, but I'm stuck by the amount of open land!

Truly amazing!

Thanks for posting.

**MikeM** · August-03-10, 01:25 PM

Those pictures and more were posted in the Lakeside Trailer Parkt superthread a few years ago:

http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/5/36342.html

However, the thread is a mess, with several sub-threads, many of which are out of order, but there are a lot of stories from residents throughout.