Campus Ballroom at Fenkell and Petoskey

[Peter S.]

With all the discussion about the Vanity and Grande, it's funny how little attention is paid to the Campus. The historical records on the web about the Campus stop in the 1970s. Has anyone an idea of the architect, when it was built, or its early years?

[Leo B]

I only have info on it from its days as Ernie D's Campus Ballroom.
Ernie D was "Frantic" Ernie Durham. Detroit D.J., promoter and Record shop owner.
Say Hey !
http://www.radiofreeamsterdam.com/ca...-ernie-durham/
The Campus is one of a handful of neighborhood ballrooms that still stand in Detroit.

[bdglsmn]

The owner has plans to tear it down and build a strip mall. I haven't been in there in years but it was a pretty cool looking place back in the day. Ernie D. was a cool guy, I remember him well.

[Lowell]

She's a beauty!

[kathy2trips]

The owner has plans to tear it down and build a strip mall. I haven't been in there in years but it was a pretty cool looking place back in the day. Ernie D. was a cool guy, I remember him well.

Oh, wait! I know how this song goes:

Genius developer builds a generic, sprayed stucco strip mall like the millions all over the US. But he can't lease out the space because there are so many like it that renters can take their pick. It gets boarded up and another heap of cheap, used building material added to the landscape. Like a little landfill that's not IN the land. Oh, hooray; Detroit gets used and abused again.

Some one with actual talent, with vision and soul, could have been incorporating an existing, solid and visually interesting structure into new construction to meet modern requirements. That would be a very unique and marketable space, that's fiscally responsible [[teardowns more $ than retrofitting), good for environment [[it's not in a landfill) and an artistically sensitive source of neighborhood pride.

Can we get an "Anti-Stupid Developer Law" on the books? Other cities have 'em. City council seems to have too much time on their hands; this will help them focus.

That people would just wreck the Campus is beyond me.

[Ed Golick]

Any pics of the interior? I'm guessing that the original entrance was the third section of the building, the portion painted white?

[reddog289]

Another building that I would have not knownwhat it was in a previous life till now.

[Bearinabox]

Another building that I would have not knownwhat it was in a previous life till now.

All the "Campus Ballroom" signs didn't tip you off?

[reddog289]

Bear, Nope, Alotta times my head like an antenna needs to be moved in the right direction.

[Peter S.]

i'm zeroing in. i now know that the campus was built 1926-1928

[professorscott]

Peter,

I'm very confident you're correct. First of all, the University of Detroit built what is often referred to as the "McNichols Campus" in the mid to late 1920s, and much of the other development in that part of the City was concurrent with or slightly after the construction of the University buildings and grounds. Second, the buildings which included the Campus Ballroom appear to be of the same vintage.

I am curious, though, what you found out that makes you confident you have the correct age of the building?

By the way, the University had grand plans for the campus; among other things, there was to be a medical school. The depression put an end to that; after about 1930, whatever had already been built on the campus was all that was to be, until after World War II when the first dormitory was constructed. Other buildings went up from the early 1950s to the early 1970s, but nothing since. The fortunes of U of D, as you might imagine, rose and fell with the fortunes of the City. We had a chance to flee to the suburbs in the 1970s - the Jesuits own a facility of some significant acreage in central Oakland County - but we passed on it; that's not what we're about.

There is a book by the late Herman Mueller chronicling the history of the University from its inception as Detroit College downtown in 1877 to the time of its centennial, which is where your humble Prof gets much of his information. I don't recall exactly what streetcar turned around at what is now the Marathon station at the northeast corner of Livernois and McNichols, but I recall that it turned around there. "McNichols" is named after the Jesuit priest who moved the University from downtown to its northwest digs, by the way.

Good luck in further drilling into the history of the Ballroom!

Prof. Scott

[dkbradley]

I listened to Ernie D in the early 60's - the best place to hear the Miracles, Ike and the Ikettes, etc. I had the food fortune of meeting him in the 90's when he came to visit his 20 something daughter who worked where I worked. He was, not surprisingly, in his 70's and had a fine head of dyed blonde hair. What a cool guy!

[Peter S.]

Not all that familiar with Ernie D. I take it he was a radio DJ as well?

Interesting about the parallels between the Campus Ballroom and the University of Detroit Campus developments. My date sources are that the Campus Ballroom site is vacant sub-divided lots except for one small store on the 1926 Sanborn Fire Insurance map, but the 1928 City Directory lists the complex. Grateful for any other leads that are out there.

Peter S.
Alexandria, VA

[bdglsmn]

I listened to Ernie D in the early 60's - the best place to hear the Miracles, Ike and the Ikettes, etc. I had the food fortune of meeting him in the 90's when he came to visit his 20 something daughter who worked where I worked. He was, not surprisingly, in his 70's and had a fine head of dyed blonde hair. What a cool guy!

Yep that was him. Last time I saw him he had blond hair and a lime green suit! Funny thing about it was that outfit looked cool on him! Dude had swagger for sure!

To answer your question Peter S. yes, he was a DJ. He went by the name Frantic Ernie.