University Motel

**neongod** · January-02-20, 04:43 PM

Hi Folks,

I'm currently looking for pictures of the University Motel sign located on 2nd. I have looked into the WSU digital collection, Detroit historic etc.. I wonder if this was always called the University or started out as something else? Any info you can share is appreciated.

**Former_Detroiter** · January-02-20, 05:05 PM

Name: university motel.jpg
Views: 1045
Size: 10.5 KB

https://detroit.curbed.com/2017/11/1...n-detroit-sold

**neongod** · January-03-20, 03:43 PM

Thank you, yes I saw this at Curbed as well. In looking at this upclose onsite, I have a feeling that this was originally a porcelain sign with a neon overlay. Nothing in the Burton collection or Detroit historical sites. Kind of an obscure motel, looked around for a postcard on ebay, no dice.

**Scottathew** · January-03-20, 03:59 PM

EDIT: I accidentally posted a picture of the wrong University Motel!

**Zacha341** · January-03-20, 04:03 PM

Yargh. Ah what a joyful wintery day that was. Makes me want to go fire up some hot cocoa!!

**EastsideAl** · January-03-20, 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by 48307

Here's an older version of it

Nice sign, but that's the University Motel in Ann Arbor, per the caption.

Here is a picture of the Detroit University Motel from the 1976 buildings survey [[featuring not one, but two, VW Beetles):

Hard to tell from this angle just what the sign says, but my memory of the area is that it was the University Motel back then too. It was built some time after the Ford Freeway was cut through this neighborhood in the early 1950s, as it does not show on the 1951 map I have access to.