Red Building on Van Dyke

**Detroit Signal** · October-12-18, 02:18 PM

Does anyone know what the barn-looking building on Van Dyke across from Kettering used to be?? Its on the corner of Lambert I think.

TIA.

**Scottathew** · October-12-18, 02:22 PM

I believe the OP is asking about 6058 Van Dyke Street, 48213.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/60...6!4d-83.018673

**Detroit Signal** · October-12-18, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by 48307

I believe the OP is asking about 6058 Van Dyke Street, 48213.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/60...6!4d-83.018673

That would be it. Thank you. Just looking for history. Its interesting to me because the frontage is right at the sidewalk. Wondering if it was part of an old farm or originally zoned as commercial, like a candy store?

**stasu1213** · October-12-18, 02:49 PM

That was a store years ago

**stasu1213** · October-12-18, 02:53 PM

A candy store that was painted red in the 80s

**Scottathew** · October-12-18, 03:00 PM

Here's what it looked like from above in 1949:

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And more recently:

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**p69rrh51** · October-12-18, 09:42 PM

The building makes its first appearance in the 1908 city directory. Its listed as vacant. The subsequent city directories list it as a private residence through the 1920 city directory. I did not research the address beyond 1920.

**EastsideAl** · October-13-18, 02:06 AM

My memory of that building is the same as stasu's. It was a common party store/candy store for several years. If you look at it from the side though, as in 48307's Google link, you can see clearly that it was indeed once a house.

**Bigb23** · October-13-18, 02:09 AM

Even more interesting to me is the oval track in the satellite photo. It's still landscaped and tended, but looks too small for actual racing or testing.
Weird to have that in a neighborhood.

**EastsideAl** · October-13-18, 02:14 AM

Originally Posted by Bigb23

Even more interesting to me is the oval track in the satellite photo. It's still landscaped and tended, but looks too small for actual racing or testing.
Weird to have that in a neighborhood.

I'm not sure why that's unusual. It was Kettering's track for many years, and had their football field in the middle of it. Most Detroit high schools had that configuration.

**Bigb23** · October-13-18, 02:20 AM

I never thought of a high school track! After all, this is the Motor City.

**stasu1213** · October-13-18, 07:58 AM

There were many homes next to it and on the whole strip of Vandyke. Cunningham's was on the Northwest corner of Van dyke and Harper. A Sunoci gas station was on the Southeastern corner of Van Dyke and Harper right across from Kettering when the student parking lot was in the front of the school