Is Chene the worst commercial district in the city?

**Strong** · December-08-12, 01:35 PM

I was driving down Chene from Gratiot to I-94 and it looked like it was once a lively area but now only a few churches, a post office, barber shop and maybe two party stores.
I suspect that in it's hey day Chene had a lot going on.
Any comments?

**Hermod** · December-08-12, 02:13 PM

Take a look at Houston between Kelly and Hayes. At one time, that was a thriving commercial district

Look at East Warren Ave throughout its length.

**Danny** · December-08-12, 02:45 PM

Chene St. from E. Jefferson Ave as further to Clay St. has been a mixed use mom and pop commercial hub and residential area since the mid 1800s. After the demise of Black Bottom, Paradise Valley, Polonia, Old Calcalupa, Poletown, Germantown and other Jewish communities. The area is now one big urban prarie after the Packard and Dogde Main Plants closed. There are still a few residents that are hanging on what's left of area when old victorian, prarie style homes once stood.

**Django** · December-08-12, 03:19 PM

Ive often wondered what that area looked like in its prime. I love all the old storefronts on Chene just South of 94. Ive heard it was everything back then, like going to 12 Oaks Mall but in the day. Ive lived in that hood for almost 10 years and noticed a lot of homes being burned, especially near the freeway. I was in one abandoned about 3 yrs ago when I startled 3 young dudes, one with a clipboard who said they were from the city checking to see if this house should be demolished. Two days later it burned to the ground. I wonder how often that happens? There may be a connection with the plans to widen I94 in that area. Displacing ppl from their homes for a freeway must be costly. That whole area should be renamed The Praire Lands.

**wolverine** · December-08-12, 05:43 PM

HABS database has about a dozen good photos of Chene Street. Even decades ago it was looking pretty bad. Almost makes it hard to believe some buildings are still standing.

**EastsideAl** · December-08-12, 06:35 PM

I looked at those HABS photos and they are, in fact, pictures of the area that was torn down and cleared out to build the GM Hamtramck Assembly plant [[between the Ford Fwy. and the old alignment of Grand Blvd.). If you look at the captions you'll see that the cited intersections no longer exist.

I believe the photos were taken as a record of what stood there before the buildings were torn down, but unfortunately taken after they had been condemned and left to sit empty for a while.

While it was far from pristine, I remember that area as a reasonably active commercial strip into the mid-'70s. The building of the GM plant tore out most of the neighborhood [[Poletown) and isolated the remainder of the Chene strip south of the freeway, sealing its demise and doom.

Link to HABS Chene pictures:
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/.../~ammem_F2ux::

**EastsideAl** · December-08-12, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

Old Calcalupa

Danny, this is the second time I've seen you use this name for this area. From the sound I'm assuming it refers to the former Italian neighborhood around there, but I've never seen it before and your posts are the only cites to it that I can find online, so I'm curious where you got it from.

**MikeM** · December-08-12, 06:57 PM

http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/...tml?1198006076

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

Danny, this is the second time I've seen you use this name for this area. From the sound I'm assuming it refers to the former Italian neighborhood around there, but I've never seen it before and your posts are the only cites to it that I can find online, so I'm curious where you got it from.

JVB · December-08-12, 07:14 PM

It was called "Cagalupo", not Calcalupa.

**MikeM** · December-08-12, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by JVB

It was called "Cagalupo", not Calcalupa.

You need to read the thread I linked, and the thread linked on that page too.

JVB · December-08-12, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by MikeM

You need to read the thread I linked, and the thread linked on that page too.

Interesting that there were so many alternate pronunciations for it, but going by my wife's side of the family [[for whatever that's worth), it was pronounced as Cagalupo. Most likely there was no "real" spelling since it was just a made up word though. I just Googled it and it seems to appear in print in some books spelled that way too.

I didn't realize there was so much good stuff in the archives here though, wow.

**softailrider** · December-08-12, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by Strong

I was driving down Chene from Gratiot to I-94 and it looked like it was once a lively area but now only a few churches, a post office, barber shop and maybe two party stores.
I suspect that in it's hey day Chene had a lot going on.
Any comments?

My only comment would be that almost all of the neighborhood commercial districts in the city look pretty much like Chene Street does now - completely bombed out. I lived in the 7 Mile and Schaefer Road area, during the 1960's it had just about all the retail you needed to live without getting into an automobile. Now, you can cry when you see what's left of 7 Mile Road.

**Eric_c** · December-08-12, 08:03 PM

Seven Mile is actually a pretty vibrant strip all things considered.

**313WX** · December-08-12, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by Eric_c

Seven Mile is actually a pretty vibrant strip all things considered.

Yes, by Detroit's standards.

**Motor City Sam** · December-08-12, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by Eric_c

Seven Mile is actually a pretty vibrant strip all things considered.

True. Certainly not what it used to be even back in the 90s, but I still do some shopping in that Seven Mile/Schaefer area. It's certainly much better than the stretch of Chene that is the subject of this thread.

**Strong** · December-08-12, 08:43 PM

What about the farmers market on Chene? It's still standing and I see some guys hanging out near the building.

**313WX** · December-08-12, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by softailrider

My only comment would be that almost all of the neighborhood commercial districts in the city look pretty much like Chene Street does now - completely bombed out. I lived in the 7 Mile and Schaefer Road area, during the 1960's it had just about all the retail you needed to live without getting into an automobile. Now, you can cry when you see what's left of 7 Mile Road.

Your first sentence is true. A lot of people think the suburban areas on the ring of the city is how much of the city always looked, which isn't true. Detroit was onliy slightly less dense than Philadelphia in its prime, and it probably had an urban structure similar to South Side Chicago.

Chene Street has A LOT of competition for the worst commercial district in the city.

Van Dyke is absolutely post-apocalyptic from 6 Mile to Harper, possibly even up to 7 Mile.

Kercheval is terrible too. From Alter Road to Conner, and again from St. Jean to Mt. Elliot there was nothing but commercial establishments along it in the 1950s-1970s.

Mack [[from Gratiot to at least Alter Road), Forest [[from Van Dyke to Cadillac Blvd.) and Warren [[from McClellan to at least Alter Road) are all pretty bad too.

And the above was just to name a few streets.

**MidTownMs** · December-08-12, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Your first sentence is true. A lot of people think the suburban areas on the ring of the city is how much of the city always looked, which isn't true. Detroit was onliy slightly less dense than Philadelphia in its prime, and it probably had an urban structure similar to South Side Chicago.

Chene Street has A LOT of competition for the worst commercial district in the city.

Van Dyke is absolutely post-apocalyptic from 6 Mile to Harper, possibly even up to 7 Mile.

Kercheval is terrible too. From Alter Road to Conner, and again from St. Jean to Mt. Elliot there was nothing but commercial establishments along it in the 1950s-1970s.

Mack [[from Gratiot to at least Alter Road), Forest [[from Van Dyke to Cadillac Blvd.) and Warren [[from McClellan to at least Alter Road) are all pretty bad too.

And the above was just to name a few streets.

So basically what you are saying is, that as far as commercial establishments go, the Eastside sucks...

JVB · December-08-12, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by Strong

What about the farmers market on Chene? It's still standing and I see some guys hanging out near the building.

The only thing for sale in that farmers market is crack and heroin.

**Strong** · December-08-12, 09:54 PM

Comparing Detroit to 20/30/40 years ago is not fair. Detroit has lost over half its population and that's a fact and with those people went businesses, occupied housing and the synergy.

**313WX** · December-08-12, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by MidTownMs

So basically what you are saying is, that as far as commercial establishments go, the Eastside sucks...

As an Eastsider myself, it hurts to admit it, but other than 2 or 3 enclaves yes.

The Westside doesn't have much to brag about either though.

Shollin · December-08-12, 11:01 PM

When I was a kid I grew up not too far from the Dodge Main because my father worked there and I cannot for the life of me picture Chene north of where 94 is currently. Where exactly did Chene end before the GM plant was built?

**Hamtragedy** · December-09-12, 12:18 AM

I was looking at an old map not too long ago here. Chene ran at a NW angle and ended, I believe at St. Aubin?. MikeM?

**Hamtragedy** · December-09-12, 12:19 AM

Too add, Grand River, for a good length of it with very few exceptions, is rather desolate till you get to Greenfield.

**softailrider** · December-09-12, 12:32 AM

Originally Posted by Strong

Comparing Detroit to 20/30/40 years ago is not fair. Detroit has lost over half its population and that's a fact and with those people went businesses, occupied housing and the synergy.

Ok........Detroit lost half of it's population and all of it's decent retail. Unless you call wig shops, crappy party stores and gas stations decent retail. Try finding a jewlery store to get a battery for your watch or something like that. You would think that the half the population that's left could support something better then what's left.