Another Detroit Icon May Leave the City [[Kronk Gym)...

**313WX** · August-20-12, 09:39 AM

Shame...

http://www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/1594/detroit_s_legendary_kronk_gym_could_be_southfield_ bound

Detroit's Legendary Kronk Gym Could Be Southfield Bound

Detroit may be losing one of its legendary icons.

Famed boxing trainer Emanuel Steward, who owns the Kronk Gym on W. Warren Avenue in Detroit says the facility may move to Southfield.

Steward tells the Detroit News that he wants t move to a bigger space that's more accessible to a growing number of young suburban fighters.

"If we get that, we'll be able to get out of here because it's more conducive to the people that are into boxing now," Steward told the News. "It's not an inner-city crowd anymore. It's a lot of suburban kids."

**Bham1982** · August-20-12, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Shame...

http://www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/1594/detroit_s_legendary_kronk_gym_could_be_southfield_ bound

Why is it shameful? A private business owner wants to move his business to his target audience.

Maybe, given the inner city depopulation, there aren't that many folks in the vicinity wanting to take up boxing. The demographics are probably far more favorable, especially in the long-term, in Southfield.

**iheartthed** · August-20-12, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

Why is it shameful? A private business owner wants to move his business to his target audience.

Maybe, given the inner city depopulation, there aren't that many folks in the vicinity wanting to take up boxing. The demographics are probably far more favorable, especially in the long-term, in Southfield.

What exactly is the difference between it being located in Detroit, Dearborn or Southfield, in regards to audience? It's not like he's packing up and moving it to Dallas or L.A. It takes longer to drive from Sterling Heights to Dearborn than it does to downtown Detroit. And that's why I think the reasoning behind the move is bullshit.

However, he can take his organization where ever he wants. I just wish that when people did this they just left the historical names behind. Taking the Kronk name to a facility outside of Detroit makes it meaningless.

**Bham1982** · August-20-12, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

What exactly is the difference between it being located in Detroit, Dearborn or Southfield, in regards to audience? It's not like he's packing up and moving it to Dallas or L.A. It takes longer to drive from Sterling Heights to Dearborn than it does to downtown Detroit. And that's why I think the reasoning behind the move is bullshit.

Maybe, but I don't know the target audience. I would think a gym generally draws from a local market, and maybe Southfield is more central to his target market.

I know we want Detroit institutions to stay in Detroit, but I think it's more important that they thrive somewhere within the region. It's not like the owner is evil or something if he thinks a move will help the bottom line.

**Detroitnerd** · August-20-12, 11:17 AM

Well, bear in mind that the city gym they worked out of was scrapped out, and, as I remember, the city took a poor view of rehabilitating it. The line, as I recall it, was that the city has already done well by Kronk and Steward, and enough was enough. So they wound up working out of that car wash gym on St. Aubin for a while. I hope the Southfield government treats them better than Detroit did.

And, of course, all this is against the background of the death of boxing. Given competition from the mixed martial arts format, toothless boxing regulation in Michigan, a lack of matchmakers willing to put a boxer on a real learning track, and the fact that it seems every fighter gets a belt these days, the sweet science is going to find it increasingly hard to hang on in Detroit.

**Motor City Sam** · August-20-12, 11:18 AM

The shame of this situation is that for the past decade at least, Steward has held numerous fundraisers and pledge drives to "benefit" Kronk Gym. Businesses and individuals donated money, bought t-shirts and hats, attended dinners, and contributed in other ways to the dream of refurbishing Kronk Gym. I've been to the old and "new" Kronk many times and never saw any indication that the money was making it's way back to the facility. The equipment in the old gym was ancient, and the current location isn't much better.

Steward is not a guy who opened up his own business [[a boxing gym) and kept it afloat. The City owned Kronk Gym. They kept the lights on, did the maintenance, carried the insurance, provided equipment, etc. Steward was basically given run of the Kronk by the City, but it was always risk free for him. He didn't have to sink his own money into it. As the Kronk name grew in prominence, he tried to market the name and open up gyms in Cleveland and overseas, but they quickly failed.

Steward has made millions from boxing and having an expense free place to train boxers in his early days was a big part of that. You would think that he could have chipped in some of his own money to benefit the place that gave him his start. Heck, at least buy a few heavy bags. The actual boxing gym owners I know in Detroit would LOVE to have had the set up that Steward did.

Anyway, I doubt we see anything come from this plan. Every couple of years Steward announces some big plan for the Kronk, does some fundraising, and then the plan simply disappears. I expect this plan will go the same way.

**iheartthed** · August-20-12, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

Maybe, but I don't know the target audience. I would think a gym generally draws from a local market, and maybe Southfield is more central to his target market.

I know we want Detroit institutions to stay in Detroit, but I think it's more important that they thrive somewhere within the region. It's not like the owner is evil or something if he thinks a move will help the bottom line.

I have no problem with an institution thriving outside of Detroit on its own merit, but he's clearly trying to capitalize on the Kronk history... and I feel that he's not paying proper respect to the heritage by moving it away from the city. If he wants to move his institution outside of Detroit then why not name it after himself? His name is huge in its own right.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · August-20-12, 11:45 AM

This is akin to the Detroit Pistons moving to Auburn Hills, what's the difference?

**Wesley Mouch** · August-20-12, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by Motor City Sam

...
Anyway, I doubt we see anything come from this plan. Every couple of years Steward announces some big plan for the Kronk, does some fundraising, and then the plan simply disappears. I expect this plan will go the same way.

Agreed.

And besides, Southfield is in Detroit, last I checked. [[Unless you have a narrow, closed view of the world, in which case you might argue that Southfield is more Detroit than Detroit is.)

**kenp** · August-20-12, 01:06 PM

As I recall Steward was planning to restore the old Kronk location about a year ago. This was to coincide with some city plans for that area.
Not sure what happened but I hope them well in Southfield which is better then nothing.

**Danny** · August-20-12, 01:38 PM

Kronk Gym don't care about Detroit. Let them move to the promise land of Southfield, MI. The new Paradise Valley.

**neavling** · August-20-12, 02:22 PM

Kronk has been in suburban hands for awhile. The legal entity that runs it was always opposed to reopening Kronk in its original location. Meanwhile, others were raising money to reopen the gym. The infighting was crazy.

http://motorcitymuckraker.com/2012/0...suburban-home/

**downtownguy** · August-20-12, 07:35 PM

Thanks for the backstory, Motor City Sam. If only our local media were as diligent about providing both sides of the story.

**rex** · August-20-12, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

Agreed.

And besides, Southfield is in Detroit, last I checked. [[Unless you have a narrow, closed view of the world, in which case you might argue that Southfield is more Detroit than Detroit is.)

pretty much. Look around southfield and it looks like middle class detroiters that got sick of crime in the city.

**corktownyuppie** · August-20-12, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by rex

pretty much. Look around southfield and it looks like middle class detroiters that got sick of crime in the city.

I'm curious about the long term demographic trends with migration patterns. Southfield is very much the destination for middle class Detroiters who left the city. On the other hand, residential migration into Indian Village, Boston Edison, Downtown/Midtown, and Corktown are much more diverse.

And SW Detroit is will likely see population growth as the 2nd bridge and aerotropolis visions start to take shape.

I think that all of this is good for the city and the region as political lines won't be geographically drawn by race alone. I find it all kind of fascinating.

GUSHI · August-20-12, 08:42 PM

As new business move in, old one want to move out, makes no sense to me,

**Motor City Sam** · August-20-12, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by downtownguy

Thanks for the backstory, Motor City Sam. If only our local media were as diligent about providing both sides of the story.

You're welcome. That "news article" was basically just a news release for Steward's plan to find a place in Southfield. I have to wonder if the reporter actually left his desk to write it or just talked to Manny on the phone.

Not that I'm singling out that reporter. That seems to be the way the Free Press and News do stories these days. That's sad, because I remember when it used to be a lot different.

**Bham1982** · August-22-12, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

And SW Detroit is will likely see population growth as the 2nd bridge and aerotropolis visions start to take shape.

SW may or may not see population growth, but I'm think that a second bridge would be a non-factor or net negative, just like the Ambassador Bridge. Homes would be demolished, and traffic and pollution will worsen, and there will be no postive neigborhood spinoffs.

Aerotropolis is just an idea, and a long ways from SW. I don't know why airport-area growth [[assuming it happens) would have affect SW population base.

SW population trends are pretty much dictated by immigration trends and home values, IMO. More immigration will mean more population, and higher property values will mean higher population losses [[tons of people in SW live there because there homes have little present value).

**DetroitPlanner** · August-22-12, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Well, bear in mind that the city gym they worked out of was scrapped out, and, as I remember, the city took a poor view of rehabilitating it. The line, as I recall it, was that the city has already done well by Kronk and Steward, and enough was enough. So they wound up working out of that car wash gym on St. Aubin for a while. I hope the Southfield government treats them better than Detroit did.

The Kronk Gym has not been in the Kronk Rec center for at least a decade. They rent an old pharmacy in the middle of Warrendale.

**Dbest** · May-20-15, 07:01 AM

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/20...open/27632315/

Nice to see. Anyone know how all this shook out?

**p69rrh51** · May-20-15, 10:31 AM

Designed by Marcus R. Burrowes. Kronk Community House Recreation Department City of Detroit 5555 McGraw built in 1921 Detroit, MI.

**maverick1** · May-20-15, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by p69rrh51

Designed by Marcus R. Burrowes. Kronk Community House Recreation Department City of Detroit 5555 McGraw built in 1921 Detroit, MI.

Every time I drive pass this I shake my head. I can't believe there was absolutely nothing that could have been done to save this iconic place. It's a shame. Too much history was made in this building for it to be in this condition.

**softailrider** · May-20-15, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by maverick1

Every time I drive pass this I shake my head. I can't believe there was absolutely nothing that could have been done to save this iconic place. It's a shame. Too much history was made in this building for it to be in this condition.

You can say the same thing about so many other buildings in the city. It's enough to make you cry.

**A2Mike** · May-20-15, 07:31 PM

Detroit could better stand to cultivate such institutions as genuinely afford its citizens opportunitities for useful professional or technological education leading to their fuller participation in the current and future post-industrial economy. Misplaced solicitude for atavistic diversions is an unneeded distraction in the reinvention and revitalization of the city and the region.