Identify a building's location

**Dino** · May-10-16, 09:56 PM

Hey people. I am hoping for some old Detroit knowledge to come through for me. I want to identify this building. It's the one in the background; not the service station in the foreground. It reminds me of the old YMCA on W. Grand and Dexter, but it isn't. It appears to be Grand River or Gratiot to me. Any ideas? Thanks.

Name: unknown large building 1.jpg
Views: 1649
Size: 51.9 KB

Name: unknown large building 1.jpg
Views: 1649
Size: 51.9 KB

**Gistok** · May-10-16, 11:26 PM

OK... this is just a guess.... but is that the Harper/Cadillac Blvd. YMCA? The reason I think that may be it is because Gratiot is at an angle less than a block from that building.... which would make the service station in the foreground at Gratiot & Harper.... and the YMCA in the background on Cadillac Blvd & Harper.

**Gistok** · May-10-16, 11:47 PM

Never mind... the Cadillac Blvd. former YMCA only has 2 windows under the gable... this image above has 3. So it's a different branch.... although they look exceptionally similar.

**Dino** · May-11-16, 12:08 AM

GISTOK: Thanks so much. Yeah, they ARE very similar. I was all over that building before I posed the question. But it didn't work. The fact that it's a 'Y', and it's SO similar, I'm thinking that I'll investigate into all other YMCA and YWCA buildings in the past 70 years. I'll bet it's got to be "a cousin" to them. I did forget to mention that the image is from circa 1950. This building could be long gone.

thanks again.

**Jman** · May-11-16, 08:15 AM

It looks like the Northern YWCA in on Woodward and Winona in Highland Park. The Sinclair gas station was on the corner of Tyler and Woodward. I lived one block from there. A friend of mine had an Uncle that owned that station. The Northern YMCA was across Winona just north of the picture.

**Dino** · May-11-16, 12:36 PM

:Jman: Boy, I tried to make that work, but I couldn't get it to fit. Thanks so much for the effort. It really does seem to be a 'Y', but not this one.

**Jman** · May-11-16, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by Dino

:Jman: Boy, I tried to make that work, but I couldn't get it to fit. Thanks so much for the effort. It really does seem to be a 'Y', but not this one.

Just curious, what doesn't fit for you?

**douglasm** · May-11-16, 01:42 PM

I don't remember a Texaco station in that part of Highland Park......

**Dino** · May-11-16, 01:58 PM

You're talking about the building that's still there, right? 13220 Woodward? And the old YWCA is at 13130? The buildings don't match up. I tried to see if maybe the buildings had major modifications over the decades, but they seem to be about the same as when they were built. These buildings don't seem to have any gables, and I tried to find where they might have had them in the past. The building I'm looking for has at least two gables.

**Jman** · May-11-16, 02:06 PM

Dino, I see what you mean. douglasm also pointed out that it is a Texaco station. The station On Tyler and Woodward was a Sinclair.

douglasm also was right about a little café in his Grandmothers building posted 5,6 years ago. I finally remembered it facing Woodward close the corner of Farrand Park.

**EastsideAl** · May-11-16, 02:50 PM

I'm not at all convinced that's a Y. While it does look to be in the same style as many of Detroit's Ys, it doesn't match up with any of the old ones still standing, or the now-gone ones of which there are photos easily available online [[and that covers pretty much all of the larger ones). It may just be a big apartment building in that same general style.

Since it's pretty much certain that that's a Texaco station in the photo, perhaps looking up the locations of old Texaco stations may prove a more fruitful route to finding this location.

**Meddle** · May-11-16, 04:01 PM

^^ Time frame ... 1950s based on the cars?

**Dino** · May-11-16, 06:42 PM

Thanks everybody. I've gone through my 1962 Detroit Phone book, and LITERALLY looked up all Texaco Service Stations. I couldn't find any matches close to the Y's, so Eastside Al, you're probably right. Now, I just have to go to ANY Texaco station location and see if that fits? OMG. That sounds like a HUGE undertaking. How about this? Does anybody remember a place called SANTA'S TOY SHOP? How about JERRYS toys, trains, bicycles? Those two identifiable business are near this location, but I couldn't find any traces of them by 62. Maybe they were there in late 1953 or 1954, which is what I've got the timeframe narrowed down to, thanks to a very clear 1954 Studebaker that I was able to identify. Does anyone remember either of these two?

**Jimaz** · May-11-16, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by Dino

... Now, I just have to go to ANY Texaco station location and see if that fits? OMG. That sounds like a HUGE undertaking....

You could always do that later if nothing pans out here.

Easier to let the puzzle percolate here for awhile, bumping the thread occasionally with tantalizing tidbits such as:

Originally Posted by Dino

... How about this? Does anybody remember a place called SANTA'S TOY SHOP? How about JERRYS toys, trains, bicycles? Those two identifiable business are near this location, but I couldn't find any traces of them by 62. Maybe they were there in late 1953 or 1954, which is what I've got the timeframe narrowed down to, thanks to a very clear 1954 Studebaker that I was able to identify. Does anyone remember either of these two?

I love examples like this where the meatware net [[social memory) solves the problems that baffle silicon-based search engines. All it takes is that one individual who recognizes the building. It redeems the value of social collaboration.

These treasure hunts are such a thrill.

**Dino** · May-11-16, 07:31 PM

Jimaz, I am so happy that you feel the same way. "THRILL" is the exact word that I would use. And I had to LOL at the Meatware comment.

I have a friend who will occasionally test my Detroit knowledge by using a photo with only a few clues, and she will see if I can identify the building, the street, based on only the scant clues in the photo. I find a real "thrill" in trying to find the answer with the clock ticking.

thanks again!

**douglasm** · May-11-16, 07:33 PM

Jman.......

The cafe was mentioned a l-o-n-g time ago. It was in the 11 Ferrand Apt. building. Google Street View shows the location as a health food store now.

And the picture posted doesn't come close to matching the Highland Park "Y".

**Jman** · May-12-16, 12:10 PM

I know it was a long time ago. I went there when I was in my teens, early 50's.

I guess my memory is fading on the YWCA. I ate many lunches there in the 40's as I went to Barber Grade school right around the corner. I lived a block away for 21 years.

**Dino** · January-26-17, 03:35 PM

If anybody cares, I did find the location of this great old building. I never found a name for the building exactly, but it was located on Grand River and Kentucky. I can't figure out if the main address is on Grand River or Kentucky, and I could not find any evidence of a large number of entities at that part of Gd Rvr. You know, addresses of tenants in the upper floors. The same with Kentucky. I could not find a bunch of phone numbers or other entities at the place on Kentucky. But the gas station in the foreground is still alive and well.

**p69rrh51** · January-26-17, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by Dino

If anybody cares, I did find the location of this great old building. I never found a name for the building exactly, but it was located on Grand River and Kentucky. I can't figure out if the main address is on Grand River or Kentucky, and I could not find any evidence of a large number of entities at that part of Gd Rvr. You know, addresses of tenants in the upper floors. The same with Kentucky. I could not find a bunch of phone numbers or other entities at the place on Kentucky. But the gas station in the foreground is still alive and well.

According to the 1931 R. L. Polk city directory the name of the building at Grand River and Kentucky is the Saxer Manor, 11762 Kentucky. The city directory also lists 3 floors, the building in the image looks to be at least 4 floors.

**MikeM** · January-26-17, 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by Dino

Does anybody remember a place called SANTA'S TOY SHOP? How about JERRYS toys, trains, bicycles? Those two identifiable business are near this location, but I couldn't find any traces of them by 62. Maybe they were there in late 1953 or 1954, which is what I've got the timeframe narrowed down to, thanks to a very clear 1954 Studebaker that I was able to identify. Does anyone remember either of these two?

How do you know those businesses were near this building? There was a Jerry's Bike and Toy Shop at 12117 Grand River around that era.

I'm an eastsider and that building looks totally west side to me.

**Dino** · January-26-17, 08:44 PM

The Youtube video this photo was taken from is showing that no doubt the street the photo was taken from is INDIANA looking south to Gd Rvr. The Gas Station is now blue and apparently still open. The 11762 Kentucky address is definitely right on, and yes, that building appears to be 4 storeys and not just 3. I don't know about the Jerry's Toy's address, but everything lines up fine with that video taking place in 1953 or possibly '54.

Nice detective work. I wish I had some of the resources you guys have.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCgyCp28pH4&t=1594s

**archfan** · January-27-17, 02:42 AM

Cool movie - is that little Dino at the end?

**catch22** · January-27-17, 07:35 AM

Definitely 11762 Kentucky. In my telephone installer days back in the 1970s, I was in this place often. The apartment entrance was on the west side of the building, hence the Kentucky addressing.

This building, along with the apartments on Ohio north of Grand River [[also long gone), were in pretty bad shape back then and no fun at all to be in.

**dtowncitylover** · January-27-17, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by catch22

This building, along with the apartments on Ohio north of Grand River [[also long gone), were in pretty bad shape back then and no fun at all to be in.

I was looking at the DTE aerials from 1949 and noticed those Ohio apartments. They seemed to be massive! Reminded me of all those neighborhood apartment structures in Chicago...

Does anyone know if those Ohio St. apartments had names?

**jcole** · January-27-17, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

I was looking at the DTE aerials from 1949 and noticed those Ohio apartments. They seemed to be massive! Reminded me of all those neighborhood apartment structures in Chicago...

Does anyone know if those Ohio St. apartments had names?

Slightly off topic, but what are you using to open the DTE maps? I cannot get them to open. I can get the map and click on the links, but then I'm toast. Any help?