Story of Corktown

I only arrived in Detroit, Michigan as a whole, two years ago so I was curious about Corktown. When did the resurgence first start?How bad did it really get? Was there any one person or company behind it? I heard that Slows is the reason behind the resurgence which I can't imagine[[if so very cool) Did O'Connor Realty play a role? Any information that can be given would be greatly appreciated. I have an obsession with Revitalized neighborhoods so if anybody has any articles or books about the subject that would also be very greatly appreciated.[[I'm pulling for North End)

http://corktownhistory.blogspot.com/
google search is a wonderful tool

O'Connor is a relative new-comer to Corktown. The neighborhood was never too ratty, lots of old Irish and Maltese families kept it going for a long time. Things have changed to be sure.

After the stadium was abandoned, there was trepidation that the bars on Michigan Avenue would all just close down. I don't remember any restaurants other than fast food and a cheap Chinese joint.

While the Corktown community would've survived regardless...those folks, including one of my favorite aunts, are some of the toughest and most-resilient in the city...the resurgence of new businesses only happened well after Slow's put down their stake. The Cooley family was instrumental in framing and shaping the revival...Phil might get more press, but Ryan seems more the roots...and while I've not spent much time around their father, it doesn't seem the apple fell far from the tree. He seems always in the middle of doing something cool.

I cannot remember ANY bar that had to close...

The Cooleys worked very hard and took a lot of risks in the renovation projects they have successfully undertaken in Corktown, but they are one family of the many groups and individuals that fought imposing odds for the survival of the neighborhood. I learned about Corktown because of the growing popularity of the train station as a site for urban exploration, and I moved to the neighborhood in April of 2005--before Slow's opened, for what it's worth! :P


You can go back to the 1950s when a single urban renewal project bulldozed hundreds of Corktown houses, and credit Corktowner Ethel Claes' fight against the project as a major factor in what solidified the neighborhood's modern identity. The homeowner's organization that she founded also encouraged residents to maintain their homes and take pride in their neighborhood.


By the 1970s, the neighborhood was well-recognized as treasure trove of historic Detroit architecture and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.


The 1980s was a very active time for the Corktown Citizens District Council. In that decade, those ubiquitous "Corktown--Detroit's Oldest Neighborhood" were erected, the plaza in front of Most Holy Trinity was built, three local endangered historic houses were picked up and moved into the district, the federal historic district became a city-recognized historic district, and the first historic homes tour was held.


In the 1990s, important infill houses were constructed, including the townhouses on Labrosse and Brooklyn, the condos on Bagley and 8th, and several houses on Wabash. Also in the 90s, the area including Wabash and Vermont Streets was added to the city's protected historic districts.


Preserving and improving Corktown has been going on for decades. The longtime residents have been fighting to maintain the things we like about Corktown since you and I knew it existed. Check out this article from 2003: http://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/th...nt?oid=2176734 There wasn't simply one "rebound" that occurred all of a sudden in 2005.


The Cooleys work extremely hard for Corktown, but they are part of a constellation of neighbors that have made the area what it is. If Slow's Barbecue is sometimes given disproportionate credit as "THE" reason for Corktown's success, I wonder if it's because Corktown's CDC imploded not long after Slow's opened, and the Cooleys filled in that leadership gap.

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The Cooleys worked very hard and took a lot of risks in the renovation projects they have successfully undertaken in Corktown, but they are one family of the many groups and individuals that fought imposing odds for the survival of the neighborhood. I learned about Corktown because of the growing popularity of the train station as a site for urban exploration, and I moved to the neighborhood in April of 2005--before Slow's opened, for what it's worth! :P

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The Cooleys work extremely hard for Corktown, but they are part of a constellation of neighbors that have made the area what it is. If Slow's Barbecue is sometimes given disproportionate credit as "THE" reason for Corktown's success, I wonder if it's because Corktown's CDC imploded not long after Slow's opened, and the Cooleys filled in that leadership gap.

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Well stated. They deserve every reward and accolade they have earned, even if excessive. They took a venue with no parking in a scary part of town that everybody declared absurd, turned it into a huge success, revived a dead zone of Michigan Avenue and energized Corktown.

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Originally Posted by Gannon

I cannot remember ANY bar that had to close...

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Hoot Robinson's, Batter's Box, Musial's, The pre Baille Cork bar, the bar across Michigan from Slows, the one off of the Service Drive just E of the Stadium.... There were several that closed when the ball park was transitioning to the new Place.

What really surprised me was when the pawn shops closed just as the Casinos were opening.

Most of the bars mentioned wouldn't have lasted much longer even if the stadium stayed, the owners were aging, the buildings in need of repairs etc. The Mercury bar closed before the stadium did, the bar[[s) on Trumbul and Bagley went because of poor management and we welcomed Bally Cork and are happy that St. CeCe's is continuing to do well. I agree with everything Paul said about the area, it never "closed down", it got old and now it's new again.