Mariner's Church Questions

[EZZ]

I have a few questions for the Detroit experts. Where was the church originally located and why was it moved? Shown on this page: http://www.angelfire.com/de2/detroit...r03_25_13.html
Please respond here on the Forum or hit the "Send Feedback" button in the upper left hand. Mucho Grazias

[gnome]

It was on Woodward when Woodward went straight to the river. That was before hart plaza was called hart plaza. They moved it to create the civic center [[hart plaza), which included cobo, ford auditorium and the veteran's building.

the central plan to build a civic gathering spot at the water's edge goes way back to at least the 1920s.

[EastsideAl]

Here is a shot of Mariners Church from the 1950s, not very long before it was moved, in its original location at Woodward and Woodbridge [[as gnome says, a location now under Hart Plaza). You can also see what is obviously the edge of the old Vernors plant on the left. This whole area south of Jefferson, which was primarily occupied by wholesale businesses and light industry, was cleared out in the years after WWII for the carrying out of the Civic Center development plan.

[EastsideAl]

Here it is from the 1910s with a wholesale fruit business occupying the lower floor. Old shots of the church show this space occupied by various businesses.

[EZZ]

Thanx gentlemen. I'm glad the Mariner's was saved.Typical Detroit; tear a bunch of cool buildings down for some form of a slab of cement. I wonder if Ford Auditorium was part of the grand scheme. The 2nd picture on http://www.angelfire.com/de2/detroit...r03_25_13.html [[click the pic for a full view) shows a "Hotel Traymo???" Would that have been the Traymoor? $2.00 per week? WOW.
Thanx in advance...

[EZZ]

Please excuse the cheesy colorization HAHA

[EastsideAl]

I wonder if Ford Auditorium was part of the grand scheme.

Yes, the Ford Auditorium was one of the centerpieces of the Civic Center project. Along with the Veteran's Memorial Building, Cobo Hall and Arena, and, across Jefferson, the City-County Building. All of these were opened by 1960.

Hart Plaza took longer though, because there was a lot of controversy over just what to do with the space at the foot of Woodward. The original Saarinen plan was tossed out, and there were a number of other ideas proposed for the space until the city finally settled on the Noguchi design. However, the Dodge family, who had given money for a fountain and a tower, were unhappy with that plan and sued to stop it until a compromise was finally reached after years of negotiations. So the land sat empty as a big parking lot for over a decade, and the Plaza wasn't completed until 1975.

All of this was purportedly done in emulation of other public urban waterfront access areas like Grant Park in Chicago, but by the '60s and '70s grass and trees were out of style and big concrete plazas were in.

You also have to keep in mind that the buildings seen in the old photos were not seen as "cool buildings" back then, but pretty much universally thought of as outmoded old eyesores and a potential slum. Tearing them out was seen as civic progress. By clearing out a lot of the old neighborhoods around downtown, Detroit was viewed back then as a modernizing "city on the move" and a model that other American cities should follow in modernizing their aging cores.

[Ray1936]

EZ to return to grayscale.

[p69rrh51]

Designed by Calvin N. Otis, Mariner's Anglican Church 170 East Jefferson built in 1849 Detroit, MI.

The church was originally located at the corner of Woodbridge and Woodward and was relocated to its present location in 1955.
Architect for bell tower added in 1955: Giffels and Rossetti
Stained glass windows dating from 1955: J. and R. Lamb

[p69rrh51]

Another Calvin Otis design in Detroit, Church of the Messiah Episcopal Church 231 East Grand Boulevard built in 1852 East Grand Boulevard Historic District Detroit, MI.

Originally located at the corner of Congress and Shelby William B. Stratton helped supervise the relocation of the church to its present location in 1901.
Stained Glass: Franz Mayer and Company Munich, Germany 1904
The Community House was desinged by Smith, Hinchman & Grylls in 1927.

[p69rrh51]

One more Calvin N. Otis design, Saint Paul's Episcopal Church 309 South Jackson Street built in 1853 Jackson, MI.

[Ray1936]

As I recall, there was a nice article about the moving in LIFE magazine in 1955, no idea what month. I'll look at google magazines later and see if I can find it; all copies are on line with them.

[p69rrh51]

As I recall, there was a nice article about the moving in LIFE magazine in 1955, no idea what month. I'll look at google magazines later and see if I can find it; all copies are on line with them.

If I remember Burton has a great image of the Church moving towards its new location.

[EZZ]

If I remember Burton has a great image of the Church moving towards its new location.

3rd pic down http://www.angelfire.com/de2/detroit...r03_25_13.html

[Honky Tonk]

Here it is from the 1910s with a wholesale fruit business occupying the lower floor. Old shots of the church show this space occupied by various businesses.

Did Mariners stop being a church @ some point, and businesses then occupied it, or were the businesses on the ground floor, and the church above them?

[MikeM]

Was this church moved more than once, or am I thinking of some other church?

[p69rrh51]

Did Mariners stop being a church @ some point, and businesses then occupied it, or were the businesses on the ground floor, and the church above them?

HT there were always a business at ground level until the church was moved.

[p69rrh51]

Was this church moved more than once, or am I thinking of some other church?

The church was moved just once but there are several that have been moved around the city as well as the churches along Woodward that were realigned when Woodward was widened.

[Honky Tonk]

Odd. Thanx!

[p69rrh51]

Odd. Thanx!

A great way to generate revenue for the congregation, plus good use of the terrain around the church.

[renf]

Thanks very much for the info. I did not know that Calvin Otis also
designed an Episcopalian church in Jackson. I will try to add that to the
Detroit1701 website. Both of his churches in Detroit are impressive structures.

[p69rrh51]

Thanks very much for the info. I did not know that Calvin Otis also
designed an Episcopalian church in Jackson. I will try to add that to the
Detroit1701 website. Both of his churches in Detroit are impressive structures.

An image of Messiah when the church was located at the Northeast Corner of W. Congress and Shelby. I wonder what happened to the to steeple over time.
The image is from W. Hawkins Ferry's book Buildings of Detroit.

[rb336]

The church logo anchored to the bell tower is actually a tribute to Sonic Smith from Patti.

[DetroitPlanner]

Was this church moved more than once, or am I thinking of some other church?

I seem to recollect this church was moved twice as well.

[p69rrh51]

I seem to recollect this church was moved twice as well.

According to W. Hawkins Ferry in Buildings of Detroit. "Calvin N. Otis of Buffalo was called upon by the Episcopalians to be the architect of the Mariners' Church, which was completed in 1849 on the northwest corner of Woodward Avenue and Woodbridge."