The Historic Unitarian Church on Woodward Destroyed by Fire

GUSHI · May-11-14, 07:52 PM

They could always move a old Catholic church building in that area, alot are sitting and rotting away,

**Gannon** · May-12-14, 03:06 AM

I spent many a Sunday morning in this building, during its incarnation as The Church in the City. A good number of Tuesday and Wednesday nights, too, in the upper room. Wore a few hats supporting the place...it might've been my first gig working a mixing board, come to think of it.

While it has always nagged me what could have been in that building, as the rotting hulk begged for rejuvenation...there are too many lovely nostalgic memories masking the fact this was the last church building I ever willingly entered. Miracles happened in this place.

We were a mile or so from it on Sunday for a late Zeff's breakfast...but I was home before I realized I hadn't even considered driving by...it will be way too painful for me to see this old building gone. The memories forged within it are flying through my mind now...

**Kathleen** · May-12-14, 05:17 AM

A little history from The Night Train:
http://nighttraintodetroit.com/2014/...t-nov-29-1890/

**rjlj** · May-12-14, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

Could you give us one of these "plenty of ways" to repurpose that are based on arrival of a hockey arena?

The Stunning Second Lives of 10 Repurposed Houses of Worship and Occult Practice
http://flavorwire.com/456668/the-stu...avorwireSocial

**emu steve** · May-12-14, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by rjlj

The Stunning Second Lives of 10 Repurposed Houses of Worship and Occult Practice
http://flavorwire.com/456668/the-stu...avorwireSocial

I [[now) wonder what would have been successful at that site.

Originally, it was placed [[built) in the middle of a faith community so the location was appropriate.

It is now just north of the new arena site. Let's assume it becomes an eatery of sorts. Whatever you imagine.

Who would patronize it? Only folks attending events at the new arena? [[not many folks will be parking north of the Fisher, only say in a parking garage or two which gets built for the arena).

Would folks attending a Tigers game, who will now be parking south of the Fisher, walk a 1/2 mile from their car to patronize it? I doubt it. Its savior might be the M-1 rail. Folks could M-1 it if the place became an 'it' place to go.

The big winner in the new-arena-is-coming and folks got to eat is Hockeytown. Great location for fans to visit in conjunction with hockey games, baseball games, etc.

**Honky Tonk** · May-12-14, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by rjlj

The Stunning Second Lives of 10 Repurposed Houses of Worship and Occult Practice
http://flavorwire.com/456668/the-stu...avorwireSocial

Who cares about "repurposing" old buildings. Do what we do in Detroit, spray paint them, scrap them, burn them, then build new crappy POS. Stupid forward thinkers. [[he says sarcastically)

GUSHI · May-12-14, 06:16 PM

They should sell the bricks from the church.

**BillyBBrew** · May-12-14, 10:58 PM

I don't think the people who patronize Slows, Mercury Burger Bar, Sinbad's, and many other establishments before games worry too much about the location. As long as it's safe, they can park and there is good, reasonably priced food, they will patronize the business. For the longest time there wasn't a parking lot in Corktown for the people patronizing the Slows/Mercury/Astro area and they still came in droves.

Originally Posted by emu steve

I [[now) wonder what would have been successful at that site.

Originally, it was placed [[built) in the middle of a faith community so the location was appropriate.

It is now just north of the new arena site. Let's assume it becomes an eatery of sorts. Whatever you imagine.

Who would patronize it? Only folks attending events at the new arena? [[not many folks will be parking north of the Fisher, only say in a parking garage or two which gets built for the arena).

Would folks attending a Tigers game, who will now be parking south of the Fisher, walk a 1/2 mile from their car to patronize it? I doubt it. Its savior might be the M-1 rail. Folks could M-1 it if the place became an 'it' place to go.

The big winner in the new-arena-is-coming and folks got to eat is Hockeytown. Great location for fans to visit in conjunction with hockey games, baseball games, etc.

On a side note, another repurposed church [[and one of my favorite places to eat) is the Freemason Abbey in Norfolk, VA.

http://www.freemasonabbey.com/index....lls-could-talk

**Vic01** · May-12-14, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by GUSHI

They should sell the bricks from the church.

I heard that they were already available at the location as we speak

**wolverine** · May-12-14, 11:49 PM

Originally Posted by GUSHI

They should sell the bricks from the church.

Agree. It's actually required where I live in order to get a demo permit. A building will be torn down and the bricks neatly stacked. Sometimes they'll return on site and be used in the future building as non-structural brick. But before they are reused, they are stored away in a secure place and then cleaned before being shipped back.

**royce** · May-13-14, 09:23 AM

Who was the last owner? Can't see why homeless people would have started this blaze, if people believe that. Definitely arson. So, again, who owned it? That person or group has everything to gain from it being torn down.

**rex** · May-13-14, 10:07 AM

I agree with Royce. If its in the Historical Register or whatever that makes it hard to demo right? Owner is sitting on a piece of real estate right across the street from the site of the new arena and right up the street from 2 more stadiums. Up until now its been a rough neighborhood but a great location. It would have made a lovely restaurant/bar. Owner was probalby conveniently out of town when it happened. Probably was started by the homeless. Homeless on their payroll.

GUSHI · May-13-14, 05:18 PM

Isn't that breaking one of the 10 comandments

Originally Posted by Vic01

I heard that they were already available at the location as we speak

**Kathleen** · May-17-14, 08:00 AM

Originally Posted by Vic01

I heard that they were already available at the location as we speak

Stopped by the site last evening. A dozen or so folks scavenging for souvenirs and taking photos.

Looks like some bricks have been put aside for future use [[stacked on a palette and shrinkwrapped). But most will likely be disposed of as they are not reusable.

**Kathleen** · May-17-14, 08:01 AM

FYI...
The Last Service: A memorial for First Unitarian Church
Sunday, May 18, 7:30 pm at the church site

Preservation Detroit, along with community partners, will hold a final non-denominational service at the site of the church [[2860 Woodward Ave., at Woodward and Edmund Pl.). The event is intended to provide closure to the community and to honor the building's 124-year history.

A candlelight vigil will be accompanied by music and readings, including a speech that was given at the first service of First Unitarian in 1890.

The event is free to the public and will be held rain or shine.

https://www.facebook.com/events/653084928078283/

**Gannon** · May-18-14, 09:58 PM

The news said they expected a few dozen...but there were more than a hundred people out for the wake for what I knew as the Church in the City...as the Sun set over the pile of rubble that used to be the First Unitarian Church of Detroit.

I figure it was half a lifetime ago when I was there last, which I learned during the ceremony coincided with the 100th anniversary of the building. After the sweet memorial, which included a small New Orleans' Style jazz band and a talk by both the current pastor of the Unitarian Church near Wayne State and the head of Detroit Preservation [[I think, don't get down on me if I'm wrong, we were late getting there, which continued my trend of non-timeliness with every church service or meeting I ever had in the place...we used to joke that Pentecostal meant at least five minutes late)...the group began wandering up the pile of bricks and large redstone that used to wrap the outside of this marvelous structure.

I couldn't believe it, but some went all the way up...while I searched for anyone who might've had news of them finding the cornerstone. Might've been some cool stuff in there from 1889.

I had flashbacks, while looking at the last remaining portion of the building, which I estimated was the hallway between the sanctuary and the secondary building. There was some I-beam construction here that must've been an addition, everything else was brick and stone and wood...I wonder if there was originally space behind the big tower between the buildings that they filled around the time of the other modifications when Woodward Avenue was widened.

I spent probably two years in this place, roughly half a lifetime ago...I was in my mid-twenties when I went to the Church in the City. Got there just as Tim Dilena was leaving to start the Revival Tabernacle in the old porno theater on Woodward near Six Mile...he was a big part of the creation of the Church in the City, and may have moved to NYC to fill David Wilkerson's shoes after that popular pastor passed away a few years ago.

That chapter of this building's history can claim lineage back to the old story the Cross & the Switchblade...about Wilkerson's move to NYC to evangelize young gang members in the late 50s or so.

I have so much on my mind about this tonight...I'll sign off now that I've already spoken too much. Suffice to say, it was great seeing my and my gal's favorite people with Detroit Preservation...and the rest of the fine folk who came out on a Sunday night to say goodbye to an old building. We then went to Grand Trunk, where we were deluged with the remnants of a convention of people who want to preserve America's Main streets...that was a little too contrary even for me to ponder...having just left this funeral for a church on Detroit's main street.

I propose the owner be forced to make it into a park, with a huge brick labyrinth made out of the bricks and stone...in the same mode and scale as the famous one in the cathedral of Chartres. Create a place of contemplative beauty in the middle of the new hockey zone. It'll be necessary there soon.

Cheers

**Gannon** · May-18-14, 10:17 PM

Sure would like to know what happened to the cornerstone of this building.

**Király** · April-05-15, 06:13 PM

Does anyone know what happened with the arson investigation? Were any charges eventually laid?

**Gannon** · January-28-16, 11:02 PM

How does one follow up on the arson charge?

This came up in conversation tonight, so I had to search it out to see how long ago it happened.

In the re-read, I realized that Ptero mentioned the converted church up in Clarkston...which I also have history within, back when Clarence Catallo and his family lived there. His son remains one of my favorite hifi retail stories. Back then, the last of the church members still met in the half of what wasn't made into residential.

**emu steve** · January-29-16, 06:44 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

Because we all know hockey fans love attending Unitarian Services prior to/following hockey games. That's why the JLA area is flooded with Unitarian churchgoers.

Yep, years ago I remember signage in front of the church by Comerica: "Pray for our Tigers".

Maybe a sign in front of this church, had it not burnt: "Pray that our Pistons come home"