1882 House on 3164 3rd St.."The Value is in the Land"

[drpoundsign]

Now I Know that this is the southwestern part of Midtown nee "Cass Corridor" and the properties south of MLK that remain are quite slummy. But it seems a shame that a house that lasted THAT long cannot somehow be saved. I emailed a realtor who simply reiterated "The value is in the land. It needs demolition." As per the photo, it does not appear to have sustained a fire, but I realize that Critters, Scrappers, and many other issues could be in play here. Then there is the 1887 flop house/hot sheet hotel further east in the same neighborhood.

I remember in my Undergrad years at Wayne, the burnt out apartments near that home [[now gone). The local firehouse was called Devil's Island.

[EastsideAl]

In case anyone's wondering, here's the house that drpoundsign is talking about. It looks like the last survivor on the east side of Third between Charlotte and Peterboro.



Here is a picture of the same house from 1976, looking a little the worse for wear even then, but without the ugly entrance addition and with some visible neighbors.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

And only $300,000

http://www.remax.com/realestatehomesforsale/3164-3rd-st-detroit-mi-48201-gid600021100567.html

[Detroitnerd]

As Stewart Brand pointed out in his book "How Buildings Learn," one of the main culprits destroying historic architecture is land that is more valuable than the building.

[casscorridor]

no value in a house built in 1882? stupid real estate agents

[drpoundsign]

well, I know that if we have NO Urban renewal, we could have a lot of rotting buildings, but most cities replaced the old with failed housing projects, stadiums and parking lots. In Europe buildings seem to last for a Millenia or so. That house is So Interesting. A Victorian, or 3 story colonial? They tore down some old row housing, including Lindberg's boyhood home, to build the WSU football stadium. And, if Ilitch wants to rebuild the not-so-old Joe, he could do it on the site of the Joe..or move back to the Olympia site. That, and Michigan/Trumbull, could use a shot in the arm.

And, Eastside Al, where did you find the old photo? Already then, there was a vacant lot on one side of the house.

[softailrider]

In Europe that house wouldn't be considered old, maybe middle age. What's happened to the beautiful brick housing in Detroit is enough to make you cry. And what's worse is it's evident on almost every street.

[gazhekwe]

But it's so "dated" -- Kiss of death to any real estate offering. Sad state of affairs.

[drpoundsign]

I wonder what the story is with that house. Bet there were other Victorians nearby [[that is a known fact in general in that area) replaced with turn-of-the century apartments/hotels/sros that went downhill, burned, were demolished. There was an article in the FREEP back in 1985 about slum housing in Detroit. They referenced The Cass Corridor several times [[building on Charlotte St. with drugs and hookers) rat infested houses on either 3rd or 4th st.) also a roach infested building over on Wyoming. They mentioned that in around 1965, most of the real bad stuff was encompassed by Grand Blvd, but since then, the Blight spread.

With THIS house, you could put in a pool next store, horse stables [[zoning regs. notwithstanding), heck maybe even a miniature golf course! Of course, it won't be done. Be a miracle even to save Boston-Edison now.

[grumpyoldlady]

I emailed the realtor asking for interior photos or at least a description from the perspective of a possible restorer. We'll see if they respond.

[EastsideAl]

This is the site where I found that old picture:
http://www.placepromo.com/search.php

It was a photographic survey of most of the buildings in the inner city done in 1976. Many of the photos are low quality, and copies on the website are small, but we still have them at least.

Here is a link to all of the buildings they took pictures of on Third. As you can see, there were many Victorian-era homes, including several with storefronts added on. But be aware that blight in that area was well underway by 1976, and you will see some heartbreaking doomed houses and vacant shells.

http://www.placepromo.com/search_res...=&description=

[EastsideAl]

They tore down some old row housing, including Lindberg's boyhood home, to build the WSU football stadium.

My maternal grandparents' house - the house where my mother grew up - on W. Ferry between Hamilton and Brooklyn, was one of those houses. I've been to several WSU football games over the years, and I never fail to think about that fact.

[drpoundsign]

WOW! Parame's liquor store-1879! I guess downtown isn't as old b/c it already HAD cycles of renewal [[including after the 1803 city fire "up from the ashes")

[drpoundsign]

I can link to place promo but when I try to get it from Google I just get the contemporary building surveys not the 1976 stuff. All the old stuff on the numbered streets-especially 17th. Also 12th, I think in Woodbridge or North Corktown from the looks of it.

[kathy2trips]

When are we going to stop tearing down these irreplaceable Victorians? Have we learned nothing from the 50s & 60s? It could easily be moved to a vacant lot in a good neighborhood.

[drpoundsign]

Well, like in the Bronx and other places, they Could gut-renovate it. Hard to move something that big.

[downtownguy]

When are we going to stop tearing down these irreplaceable Victorians? Have we learned nothing from the 50s & 60s? It could easily be moved to a vacant lot in a good neighborhood.

Moved, yes... Easily? Not so sure.

[EastsideAl]

When are we going to stop tearing down these irreplaceable Victorians? Have we learned nothing from the 50s & 60s? It could easily be moved to a vacant lot in a good neighborhood.

What do you mean? Our city "planners" learned all they know from the '50s and '60s. Tear old crap down, make lots of vacant land [[because a city full of "developable" vacant land or surface parking lots is much better than a city full of old buildings). When the time to develop comes, close off all the streets and turn them into cul de sacs, then build new stuff on them with few windows and plenty of parking!

Oh, and just keep widening those freeways... the best freeway is the widest freeway!!

[drpoundsign]

This is an Update. I find a DISTURBING number of properties that were surveyed on the Makeloveland website [[?By the Detroit landbank) went from "good" or "Fair" to "Poor" and, Alarmingly, from standing to completely burned by fire between their first and third survey of the property. Our Friend, 3164 3rd has now suffered this Fate! It was sold in 2014, and is standing in Ruins-a Burned Shell. Ilitch, Maroun or Somebody Must be ordering all these Torchings! Even in the D this is Not Normal.
I realize that the Psychotic homeless squatters who haunted this structure could have made a fire to keep warm, or just in a Fit of Madness. There was a previous report of "Minor fire damage" but the surveyor didn't Dare Enter the House. but why would the homeless bite the building that housed them?? Doesn't make sense.

[Krawlspace]

Sad thing is it looks like this was close to the life long residence of its original owner. The pre-1921 address was 536 Third Avenue. The Dau's Blue Book of 1885 lists Mr & Mrs Harry Chandler residing there. My 1904 Polk, 1921 Polk, and 1937 Polk all show him still living there. My 1942 phone book [[which can't be searched by address like the Polk's) has only one Harry Chandler with a middle initial J residing on Cabbot St. The 1940 census shows he and his family there as well so I believe it not to be the same individual. A quick bit of research suggests the 3rd Ave Chandler to have been a builder with several public and private contracts let out to him over his time at the house.