The Notorious Brewster Projects

**detroitbob66** · January-21-10, 01:05 AM

UPDATE 2104: Brewster Project Demolition >>

See also: Brewster-Douglass Projects Demolition Proceeds
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Original January-21-2010 thread starting post follows:

I recently went to Detroit's once most infamous housing projects....the Brewsters. I have heard all sorts of stories about what happened here. Can anyone really tell me if the City of Detroit just all of the sudden cut the power and forced everyone to leave? I cannot believe that any human would do such a thing.

**detroitbob66** · January-21-10, 01:10 AM

Here are some pics from this summer, since I always have all sorts of problems with attaching pictures on this website. I could not upload any of the great shots that I took this week! It wasn't the first time either, does it happen to anyone else? Anyway, enjoy the pictures of a sad story

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**ndavies** · January-21-10, 08:38 AM

About 5 years ago, They tore down several of the high rises to decrease the density. They then spent a small fortune on upgrading the remaining buildings. They had put in all new windows in the remaining towers.

As you can see, the towers have been scrapped back to uninhabitable. I'm not sure why the project was allowed to backslide.

**Danny** · January-21-10, 09:00 AM

So much for Detroit city government subsidized housing. The Brewster projects where Motown legend Diana Ross and the Supremes grew up is a urban ghetto wreck just like Chicago's Cabrini Green. Just tear tear down that eyesore before some squatter or arsonist lights a fire and burn the place down.

**Gannon** · January-21-10, 10:02 AM

I was just laughing the other day as I passed by them...regarding the twenty-foot tall security fence they put up to protect the buildings from scrappers...

...that was nearly immediately scrapped. Only in Detroit.

I don't remember them putting money into these buildings, all the upgrades seemed to happen at the Jefferies projects over on the Lodge and MLK. But I don't doubt you, N, I just don't remember it.

It still breaks my heart a bit to see the Brewster Recreation Center go down with this whole deal...I spend some time there in the early seventies not knowing I was white.

No Cheers on this one...other than the ironic chuckle over that fence.

**detroitbob66** · January-21-10, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by ndavies

About 5 years ago, They tore down several of the high rises to decrease the density. They then spent a small fortune on upgrading the remaining buildings. They had put in all new windows in the remaining towers.

As you can see, the towers have been scrapped back to uninhabitable. I'm not sure why the project was allowed to backslide.

I think your thinking of the other notorious projects...The Jeffries. They tore some of those towers down and rebuilt a couple of them into a senior citizens place.

**ndavies** · January-21-10, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by detroitbob66

I think your thinking of the other notorious projects...The Jeffries. They tore some of those towers down and rebuilt a couple of them into a senior citizens place.

No it was the brewster project.

I used to own one of the Crosswinds condos right at the other end of winder. I drove by brewster every workday morning for 8 years. I have pictures of the demo of the towers. I did watch as the new windows were installed. I don't have any pictures of all the brand new aluminum frame windows they installed after they demoed the other buildings.

**cman710** · January-21-10, 05:55 PM

According to Wikipedia, Towers 304 and 305 [[2602 Saint Antoine Street and 650 Alfred Street) were demolished in 2003.

MichMatters · January-21-10, 11:16 PM

When HUD took over DHC back in 2005, it relegated DHC [[and all of its plans) to an advisory role. Needless to say, HUD -- not being a local commission and having to oversee housing in the entire nation -- doesn't respond as quickly as even the corrupt DHC so I don't suspect we'll see much done with these soon. I actually inquired about the future of the site to DHC a year or two ago out of general interest, and they essentially told me that they don't have much jurisdiction over anything that happens with the city's public housing, anymore.

BTW, the towers are the Frederick Douglass projects, the low-rise section is the Brewster projects/Homes, thus the hyphenated name: Brewster-Douglass projects.

EDIT: I see they got a new websitefinally. The last website was horrible. Perhaps, the fed overseers have helped their operations.

**MikeM** · January-21-10, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by detroitbob66

I think your thinking of the other notorious projects...The Jeffries. They tore some of those towers down and rebuilt a couple of them into a senior citizens place.

They tore down 5 of the 8 Jeffries towers and 2 of the 6 Brewster towers.

DetroitDad · January-22-10, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by detroitbob66

I think your thinking of the other notorious projects...The Jeffries. They tore some of those towers down and rebuilt a couple of them into a senior citizens place.

Yes, a huge clock tower was erected on one of the towers, I can't remember if it's operational. The area is surrounded by a new subdivision, with some decent looking homes, along with many vacant lots and half completed frames; victims of the mortgage crisis maybe?

I had the privilege of venturing into these buildings recently. Inside, these towers are extremely plain. The elevators were an experience as well, they seemed safe, but were very cramped and slow, I had to wait in line to enter.

Spending one's last decades in these buildings must be an extremely demoralizing and depressing experience.

MIWP · January-22-10, 12:35 AM

JBI, NFL, YBI, FBI, all carved into my high school desks with sharp objects. Murder Right Pilots will kill...

Damn!

MIWP · January-22-10, 12:37 AM

Originally Posted by detroitbob66

I think your thinking of the other notorious projects...The Jeffries. They tore some of those towers down and rebuilt a couple of them into a senior citizens place.

Pass that shit bob!

**DetroitZack** · January-22-10, 01:42 AM

Interesting that a thread was made about these buildings. Just the other day I was wandering around them taking pictures and exploring. What a waste.

**gnome** · January-22-10, 05:42 AM

Well said, MichMatters

**stasu1213** · January-22-10, 05:55 AM

When built the Brewster had solid structured buildings. The biggest mistake was building the highrises and not looking at the economic forecast of the area and also the city

MichMatters · January-22-10, 06:20 AM

The biggest mistake was actually the relaxing of the standards for those who moved in. If I remember correctly, you had to have at least one household member working to qualify for a unit. They'd originally been built for the "working poor", but they kind of cut out the "working" part over the years. Projects weren't and aren't inherently a bad idea, but you have to implement the policy correctly and stick to it to make them work.

**HazenPingree** · January-22-10, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by MichMatters

The biggest mistake was actually the relaxing of the standards for those who moved in. If I remember correctly, you had to have at least one household member working to qualify for a unit. They'd originally been built for the "working poor", but they kind of cut out the "working" part over the years. Projects weren't and aren't inherently a bad idea, but you have to implement the policy correctly and stick to it to make them work.

Despite being for working poor, such projects inherently concentrate poverty. Though planners moved to concentrate poverty until at least the 1960s, mixed income housing is now considered the ideal. [[research has hinted that it increases overall academic test scores and reduces overall crime.)

**Pcm** · January-22-10, 10:49 AM

I see that someone finally got ballsy enough to head up there and tag one of the towers facing east.

I had always wondered why there wasn't any more prominent graffiti on those buildings. Probably because they're actually pretty scary.

**detroitbob66** · January-22-10, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by MIWP

JBI, NFL, YBI, FBI, all carved into my high school desks with sharp objects. Murder Right Pilots will kill...

Damn!

I dont know what JBI or FBI means in Detroit, but NFL = N*gg*s from Linwood, and YBI = Young Boys Incorporated, do you know what JBI or FBI means?

**detroitbob66** · January-22-10, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by ndavies

No it was the brewster project.

I used to own one of the Crosswinds condos right at the other end of winder. I drove by brewster every workday morning for 8 years. I have pictures of the demo of the towers. I did watch as the new windows were installed. I don't have any pictures of all the brand new aluminum frame windows they installed after they demoed the other buildings.

Sorry ndavies, you were absolutely correct

**reddog289** · January-23-10, 01:38 PM

On my way to the GSCC a couple years ago, I ended up in there. Don't know how I did but needless to say the girlfriend wasn't impressed. Kinda a "Get us outta here now " thing.
One of the reasons she don't like going to Detroit with me.

**mauser** · January-24-10, 06:44 AM

Originally Posted by Pcm

I see that someone finally got ballsy enough to head up there and tag one of the towers facing east.

I had always wondered why there wasn't any more prominent graffiti on those buildings. Probably because they're actually pretty scary.

http://www.detroitfunk.com/?p=4071

**RickBeall** · January-25-10, 02:43 PM

With all the housing in Detroit available for cheap, you would think there would be no need for public housing.

But boy, from the top floors of those towers, what a million dollar view!