The Notorious Brewster Projects

**RickBeall** · January-25-10, 05:53 PM

Wow! With that view of the stadium, you would think somone could buy the projects and turn them into luxury housing. Imagine a sports fan up there, watching the game on TV, his friends over, and they can see the stadium with the blimps floating over it outside their window.

**BVos** · January-25-10, 09:15 PM

The Brewster homes and land were supposed to be sold last year by the DHC to a private developer but the deal fell through due to the same reasons other deals are falling through all over the country. The DHC is now in talks with the City to demolish most and hopefully all of the buildings. There's really no way to renovate these buildings to modern standards, at least not in a way that's cheaper to just demo and build new.

**tallboy66** · January-26-10, 04:20 PM

**Goose** · January-26-10, 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by RickBeall

Wow! With that view of the stadium, you would think somone could buy the projects and turn them into luxury housing. Imagine a sports fan up there, watching the game on TV, his friends over, and they can see the stadium with the blimps floating over it outside their window.

it is ironic

there are condo towers on the detroit river with awesome views that you can get for sub 100,000K, same style apartment and simialr building in chicago you then call it the gold coast and can get 750K for it....

it really is sublime....

**Khartoum** · January-26-10, 05:37 PM

Sweet tallboy! Thanks for sharing those!

**RickBeall** · January-26-10, 05:40 PM

Imagine the view from the existing buildings while they selectively blew up some of the others.

"Hey you kids, quit playing in there!"

Bearinabox · January-26-10, 06:19 PM

The implosion pics are Jeffries West, not Brewster.

Long Lake · January-26-10, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by Goose

it is ironic

there are condo towers on the detroit river with awesome views that you can get for sub 100,000K, same style apartment and simialr building in chicago you then call it the gold coast and can get 750K for it....

it really is sublime....

Location, location.

Stick that Chicago condo in NYC, London or Hong Kong, and suddenly it's worth 5 million, not 750k.

Stick that Detroit condo on Fenkell and suddenly it's worth nothing, not 100k.

The point is that Detroit needs to create a reason for demand, rather than always concentrating on adding to supply.

Supply will take care of itself.

**tallboy66** · January-26-10, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by Bearinabox

The implosion pics are Jeffries West, not Brewster.

Yes I should have specified for non Detroiters.

**Doma** · February-14-10, 12:31 PM

So we are driving around Detroit last night after having dinner at Angelina Italian Bistro and I come across these abandoned towers right next to Ford Field. My immediate reaction was "how the hell is this possible?". Even in Detroit, this seems like an incredible waste. I mean, these are walking distance to so many great things. Does anybody know what is going on here?

**DetroitPlanner** · February-14-10, 12:42 PM

Those are the Brewsters. Study up on public housing and you will get your answer.

**jonathanlivingstonseagull** · February-14-10, 12:54 PM

http://detroityes.com/mb/showthread.php?t=4260

**wolverine** · February-14-10, 01:09 PM

Went in these buildings awhile back. They are also part of a failed renovation project.

**mikeg19** · February-14-10, 01:19 PM

The Brewsters are such an eyesore I really wish they would knock them down. That's a huge swath of land that could be used or marketed for something else.

**Fury13** · February-14-10, 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by Doma

I mean, these are walking distance to so many great things. Does anybody know what is going on here?

I suggest that you move right on in to one of those buildings. Like you said, they're in close proximity to so many great things. I hear that rent is very cheap, too. Just bring lots of blankets with you, and maybe a couple of bodyguards, or a gun.

**izzyindetroit** · February-15-10, 01:10 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

The Brewsters are such an eyesore I really wish they would knock them down. That's a huge swath of land that could be used or marketed for something else.

Why are you so quick to destroy a place with so much important history??

**EastsideAl** · February-15-10, 01:21 AM

Anyone want a used housing project? Slightly worn and needs a little work, but certainly well located!

Seriously, mikeg is right. These buildings are done and really need to be torn down, and new housing needs to be built in their place. It really is too good a location not to be put to better use, and instead of being a drag on the surrounding area could be part of the revival that it has long been ripe for.

**izzyindetroit** · February-15-10, 01:25 AM

ok eastside, maybe the city can just demo them and then stick the property owner with the tab... oh wait...

**exmotowner** · February-15-10, 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

The Brewsters are such an eyesore I really wish they would knock them down. That's a huge swath of land that could be used or marketed for something else.

or another parkinig lot.

**kenp** · February-15-10, 09:31 AM

Dont the Good Times family still live there, you know, JJ, Thelma and Michael

bartock · February-15-10, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by kenp

Dont the Good Times family still live there, you know, JJ, Thelma and Michael

DY-NO-MIIIITE!! [[the buildings) *[[rimshot)....[[cough).

**Rocko** · February-15-10, 10:03 AM

Isn't Woodbridge Estates a successful renovation of one of the old projects along the Lodge at MLK? Not that we need more of that type of housing, I have no idea if there is demand for it or not, but it seems like that development has been successful......at least the new clocktower on the one building helps me know if I'll make it to work downtown on time!

**Detroitnerd** · February-15-10, 10:13 AM

Interesting. I'd never even considered those buildings being re-used. But I doubt it will happen. If I can hazard a generalization, the "preservation community" in town is so used to picking its battles, it would probably never gel behind housing projects.

They were designed to be the opposite of the neighborhood they replaced, the old Hastings Street neighborhood. [[Actually, you could argue that if Hastings Street were still there, preservationists would want to see it preserved, as it had the oldest housing stock in the city when it stood. And it looked it!)

The thing is, very few people right now like these sorts of buildings. Instead of those quaint streets and historic lines preservationists like, these buildings are a bit too functional, too utilitarian, designed by social scientists trying to apportion each citizen his allowance of light and air and space, inorganic and austere. Plus, they're at that age [[about 60 or 70 years) when they look out-of-date. [[Usually, things get re-evaluated after 150 years or so.) I'm surprised to see somebody propose reusing them. And, you know, if this were a city of even 1 million people. or if the downtown working population grew suddenly, it might just be feasible.

**royce** · February-15-10, 10:14 AM

The Brewster-Douglass projects are one site that I sincerely hope is not redeveloped into a Hope VI development. The Brewster Homes were built to improve public housing. If any new public housing goes in that area it should be on the Brewster Homes site. Any other development should be market rate housing so that hopefully Brush Park can finally be redeveloped. Gentrifying this area would not be a bad thing.

**royce** · February-15-10, 10:31 AM

Here is the other Brewster Projects site. Hey, folks, you've got to do more scrolling down before impulsively creating new threads on the same topics.