Yet another Heidelberg Project House burns down on Thanksgiving AM

[Lowell]

It's almost like a broken record. The "War House" located next to the recently burned down "Soul House" was destroyed by fire this morning.
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[detroitpride313]

Interesting perspective that Tyree Guyton has on these recent fires...I would think he'd be a little discouraged, but I guess not.

[Django]

Why is the last thread on this closed?

[Lowell]

Why is the last thread on this closed?

Devolved into a mean-spirited pissing match over the meaning of art. It has been reopened after a time out for clean up.

[stasu1213]

When I had saw the project in 1989 I thought that it was a waist of time. There were residents still living in he areas and on the street where the main "doll house" was. The area still has great potential and should be considered a historic destination such as Corktown is. A few structures need to be razed but save the nice intact homes on Mt Elliot street and it's surrounding area the place would be a nice neighborhood to live. Maybe Mr Guyton had grown tired of the project itself.

[Lowell]

He's hardly tired. He has just initiated a $3 million capital fund raising campaign.
Details from Crains

[aj3647]

So how many houses/exhibits are left at this point?

[Ltdave]

dang....

i hope i make it there before the entire thing is gone...

[Cliffy]

I went to it recently and thought it was pretty cool. The neighborhood is pretty much a war zone.

I just don't understand why everything in Detroit must be either stolen, stripped, burned, destroyed etc.... Nobody can do anything without security and barbed wire.

[aj3647]

He's hardly tired. He has just initiated a $3 million capital fund raising campaign.
Details from Crains

So now we're going from decorating abandoned houses with recycled trash and found objects to raising millions to build brand new houses from scratch for the purpose of nailing stuff to the outside of them? Doesn't this sort of go against what the Heidelberg Project is supposed to be? To take that which society has cast aside and forgotten and use it to make a social statement?

Maybe next they can seek a corporate sponsorship. The Heidelberg Project, brought to you by Starbucks. $3 mil seems like a money grab.

[downtownguy]

Maybe next they can seek a corporate sponsorship. The Heidelberg Project, brought to you by Starbucks. $3 mil seems like a money grab.

Seems that you didn't bother to read the Crain's article.

[Honky Tonk]

So now we're going from decorating abandoned houses with recycled trash and found objects to raising millions to build brand new houses from scratch for the purpose of nailing stuff to the outside of them? Doesn't this sort of go against what the Heidelberg Project is supposed to be? To take that which society has cast aside and forgotten and use it to make a social statement?

Maybe next they can seek a corporate sponsorship. The Heidelberg Project, brought to you by Starbucks. $3 mil seems like a money grab.

I like it. Maybe Tyree can decorate a new Ronald McDonald house with paraphernalia from all the closed down Starbucks?

[aj3647]

Seems that you didn't bother to read the Crain's article.

Enlighten me then. From the article:

Heidelberg to Launch $3M Capital Campaign

So what did I get wrong? Was it the dollar amount?

The article mentions the desire to BUILD new houses here:

The funds will allow Heidelberg to build a sustainable site, a new "House of Soul" art house — and support an organization that has grown dramatically already.

and here:

"When we rebuild 'House of Soul', I guarantee it will be with charred wood and fire-resistant wood," Whitfield said. It will have something going on — she's not sure yet what — on the inside. Outside will be "funky and cool" and covered again with black vinyl.

One million dollars a year is almost triple their current annual revenue. Maybe I'm just put off by the idea of spending that kind of money building brand new houses from scratch in a dead neighborhood to serve as an artistic canvas when there's no shortage of abandoned homes in Detroit. Does it still convey the same message when everything is shiny and new?

[downtownguy]

One million dollars a year is almost triple their current annual revenue. Maybe I'm just put off by the idea of spending that kind of money building brand new houses from scratch in a dead neighborhood to serve as an artistic canvas when there's no shortage of abandoned homes in Detroit. Does it still convey the same message when everything is shiny and new?

You, yourself, included the quote from the Crain's article in your follow up post that says they are going to used charred wood in the new installation. I don't think that's going to look "shiny and new."

But the point I was addressing in your former comment was the one about corporate sponsorship. They have done a remarkable job in the last decade increasing their public support.

I suspect they didn't plan to announce anything until next year. But as Peter Remington, the consultant says, because of the emotion and heightened awareness, "move now!"

Capital campaigns are often like icebergs -- there is more below the surface than appears above. The Crain's article pointed out their strength in attracting foundation and individual support. Generally, you line up your big ducks before kicking off a campaign, but the process of finalizing their support and announcing the gifts is often strategically released as the campaign goes on to build momentum. Foundations can often eclipse the amount of corporate donations.

In the grand scheme of things, $3 million over 3 years is not a large campaign, especially when you factor in the awareness and reach the Heidelberg Project has. I'll venture that when the campaign is finished, corporate support will be 3rd behind foundations and individuals, and there will be no "title" sponsors.

[Fulcanelli]

The cause of the fires is a 15 yr old kid in the neighborhood, just a few blocks away. He got caught trying to break into cars so this is his reaction. There still are people living on the street and on Elba. Hopefully the police and FBI will catch him before he kills someone.

There are only three houses left.