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I'm surprised that this building is still vacant. Prime territory, beautiful facade, and if I recall, the foyer is in tact and quite lovely as well.
What was this building's last use? Have I missed the plans for it's redevelopment or [[:eek:) demolition??
Attachment 30494
According to Loveland, it's owned by Art Music School Center, along with the building directly next to it on the Alexandrine side.
It's located at Cass and Alexandrine across from the Old Miami.
Tax status: Delinquent
Built in 1931
https://makeloveland.com/us/mi/wayne...=neighborhoods
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I think I read it used to be a funeral home.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zads07
Still says Art School on the building, I've been waiting a few times right in front of this building for a bus.
According to that site, the delinquent amount is only $265.88 for 3977 [[the house address) and $118.72 for 3975, the other building.Quote:
Originally Posted by Zads07
If you zoom in on google maps, it still says "Art Center Music School" on the window to the right of the door. Interesting property, and it would seem to be a great development opportunity.
I've thought the same thing, I have peered inside and I swear there are remnants of an art class - junk - that was just left on the property.Quote:
Originally Posted by DetroiterOnTheWestCoast
The buildings have been fused together at a certain point, I assume to allow access between the two.
The 4 round plaques, on the school building, are inscribed -etched - with a persons name and their silhouette, pretty sure.
It was the William Hamilton Funeral Home. My mother worked there as a part-time greeter/receptionist when she was in high school at Cass back in the 1940s. She remained friends with the Hamilton family for years. The funeral home is still operating in Mt. Clemens. They sold the building to the Art Center music school in the early '80s, after a little controversy over the possibility of a drug treatment center there. The music school had its own interesting history of training young African-American musicians begining in the late 1920s
Here is some history on the building itself, featuring some interesting information about the death of Houdini in Detroit:
http://detroit1701.org/Hamilton%20Fu...l#.V0XtmuR8t9Q
It appears that the building is its own little historic district, which means that it can't be legally demolished without City Council action. It looks like the music school declined around 2008ish, and that after a period of use by the Detroit Summer LAMP people, the building was fully abandoned sometime around late 2013. Since the music school was a non-profit with a board, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if the actual ownership of the building is unclear or legally tied up somehow.
Speaking of mystery of vacant buildings[[I didn't want to start a thread just on this topic). What's the deal with the two story building next to St. Aloysius on Washington? Loveland says owned by a 1242 Washington LLC
According to their Facebook page, they are raising funds for restoration. Their last fundraiser was in December. Their mission is to teach music to children; a partnership with a large charity like Kellogg might be a good fit.