Detroit's old large YMCA Buildings....

**Gistok** · September-30-23, 07:46 PM

I just found this very interesting Detroit Free Press article posted today about the 7 massive YMCA's located in Detroit [[and Highland Park)...

What happened to all of Detroit's massive YMCA buildings? 1 is facing the wrecking ball. [[msn.com)

The huge downtown YMCA [[once owned by Chuck Forbes) on Witherell St. was pounded to rubble to make way for Comerica Park in the late 1990s. And sadly the East Jefferson YMCA is slated for demolition soon, but check out some of the others that still survive.

**Lowell** · October-01-23, 08:01 PM

The Y's were all grand and beautifully appointed buildings. So sad they can't be saved. I think only Highland Park Y, where I played countless games of handball, is in use as a halfway house and maybe the Fisher Y at Grand Blvd and Grand River may be in some use.

**Dan Wesson** · October-02-23, 01:52 AM

Yeah, I would goto the Y at Harper near Gratiot and use the pool.
We also had rented a house where you could party and hang out behind that Y for a year or so.
Them houses appear to have disappeared.

Now it’s a operation get down bldg?

**GPCharles** · October-02-23, 07:58 AM

The copper roof of the Hannan Memorial Branch on East Jefferson was stolen over a two-night period, and nobody seemed to notice.

**stasu1213** · October-02-23, 08:33 AM

The Ys that were razed to make way for Comerica Park were havens for crime when they were standing as empty buildings in the 90s. The criminal element hung out on the steps of both buildings and it was very dangerous walking by them at night. Those were very beautiful buildings as well are the Ys on Grand River and east on Harper.

**Gistok** · October-03-23, 02:43 AM

Originally Posted by Dan Wesson

Yeah, I would goto the Y at Harper near Gratiot and use the pool.
We also had rented a house where you could party and hang out behind that Y for a year or so.
Them houses appear to have disappeared.

Now it’s a operation get down bldg?

Yeah... it's use is not the greatest, but it does serve a function, and as long as the building is being used, it's not falling to scrappers. I just hope that the building has had roof maintenance.

That building is one of the tallest buildings on the east side. That part of town doesn't have all of the multi-story [apartment] buildings that are common to the near-upper-west side.

**Sandhouse** · October-04-23, 12:55 PM

I remember going from Clinton Township around 1961 with my Cub Scout pack to the Harper YMCA for swimming and a meal in a room that was elaborately decorated as a log cabin. I wonder if that still exists?

I wasn't even aware the building still existed, as it's a block off Gratiot and I didn't spot it as I drove by.

**Gistok** · October-04-23, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by Sandhouse

I wasn't even aware the building still existed, as it's a block off Gratiot and I didn't spot it as I drove by.

The Harper/Cadillac Blvd. YMCA building [1/2 block from Gratiot] is easy to spot going eastbound on I-94, but difficult to spot from the westbound I-94 lanes due to the berm along the freeway.

**stasu1213** · October-04-23, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by Sandhouse

I remember going from Clinton Township around 1961 with my Cub Scout pack to the Harper YMCA for swimming and a meal in a room that was elaborately decorated as a log cabin. I wonder if that still exists?

I wasn't even aware the building still existed, as it's a block off Gratiot and I didn't spot it as I drove by.

1961 was a year that the area was much safer

**stasu1213** · October-04-23, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Yeah... it's use is not the greatest, but it does serve a function, and as long as the building is being used, it's not falling to scrappers. I just hope that the building has had roof maintenance.

That building is one of the tallest buildings on the east side. That part of town doesn't have all of the multi-story [apartment] buildings that are common to the near-upper-west side.

It is put to use. It is probably a cash cow while the owners just using it as some type of halfway house without having any plans to investing much money into it.