Intrigued by this building

**Wintersmommy** · May-19-10, 11:54 AM

What was this?

2206 Hunt Street

http://tiny.cc/xfyta

I got lost this morning taking a route to avoid traffic on 75 ..found Gratiot and stubbled upon this building. I find it amazing that such a pretty building could not have a purpose in our city and would just sit empty. I am intrigued by it and wondering if anyone knows what it was

**Wintersmommy** · May-19-10, 11:56 AM

ok the link takes you to the intersection ...sorry about that

Its the building on the corner of Dubois and Hunt with the flag pole in front of it..
I believe the address is correct 2206 Hunt

was this a police station or something like that?

**Wintersmommy** · May-19-10, 12:02 PM

ok maybe I am wrong, maybe the address is 2200 Hunt street

looks like maybe this was recently a business called Federal Process Center

its for sale now

either way its the old building on the corner with the flag pole, I suck at this link thing

**n7hn** · May-19-10, 12:03 PM

It is pretty cool, looks like an old police dept building, for sale $985,000

**Gary** · May-19-10, 12:22 PM

It's the old Gratiot Ave. DPD precinct, if I'm not mistaken.

Bearinabox · May-19-10, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by Wintersmommy

I find it amazing that such a pretty building could not have a purpose in our city and would just sit empty.

Did you recently move here from somewhere else? Pretty buildings nobody knows what to do with is pretty much all we have in Detroit. It's unfortunate, wasteful, and kind of messed up, but amazing is one thing it most assuredly isn't.

**Wintersmommy** · May-19-10, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by Bearinabox

Did you recently move here from somewhere else? Pretty buildings nobody knows what to do with is pretty much all we have in Detroit. It's unfortunate, wasteful, and kind of messed up, but amazing is one thing it most assuredly isn't.

nope been here all my life, but everytime I stumble across one of these places I find myself amazed all over again

**Wintersmommy** · May-19-10, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by Gary

It's the old Gratiot Ave. DPD precinct, if I'm not mistaken.

that did it !! Thank you
I found info on it here ...http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/...tml?1220436215

**5speedz34** · May-19-10, 03:28 PM

I wonder how much they are asking for it?

**preserve** · May-19-10, 04:04 PM

I 've lived in Detroit all my life and rarely make it to the east side, but was there on this past Sat. and saw that same building for the first time. We were walking, so I was able to read the inscriptions on the stones and confirmed it was a police station. Very nice on the outside, looks like there may have been a law office in there at one time too.

**n7hn** · May-19-10, 04:21 PM

$985,000 is the asking price, they called me already. LOL

**5speedz34** · May-19-10, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by n7hn

$985,000 is the asking price, they called me already. LOL

LOLOLOLOL. Wow I guess they are waiting for a better economy?!

I realized this is the building I see everytime I drive to Wayne down E. Vernor. It's very very beautiful. Would be great for mixed use.

**n7hn** · May-19-10, 05:17 PM

well....they didnt WAIT to contact me! LOL ..... you had so give info to see price. usually I wont do that but i was weak......fastest unwanted contact EVER. Matter of fact, fastest contact of any kind EVER.

**DetroitZack** · May-19-10, 05:26 PM

This building always caught my eye too. I have a photo of it somewhere on my computer.

**Krawlspace** · May-20-10, 09:42 AM

Image of the station ca. 1930 I am guessing.
http://bit.ly/auuCWi

ca. 1950
http://bit.ly/9JYj1n

I believe there is a pool and basketball court inside. I had some images but can't locate them at the moment.

**Wintersmommy** · May-20-10, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by Krawlspace

Image of the station ca. 1930 I am guessing.
http://bit.ly/auuCWi

ca. 1950
http://bit.ly/9JYj1n

I believe there is a pool and basketball court inside. I had some images but can't locate them at the moment.

Thank you for the pics!! I really love this building for some reason and I am going to drive by it again tonight, it looks so intact after all these years
I would LOVE to see inside it

**n7hn** · May-20-10, 11:12 AM

http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/hso/sites/16446.htm

some info, no interior pics. I want some too.......

**Ray1936** · May-20-10, 11:55 AM

It was designted as the Third Precinct from around 1897 until 1954 when it closed. Known as the Hunt Street Station, it covered about ten square miles of Detroit turf on the lower east side. In 1959, the area was merged with the Seventh Precinct, which was housed on Chene street, and later replaced by a new building. The Hunt Street Station was built in 1897 at a cost of $25,965.00. In addition to housing the precinct, the third floor became the first police training school in the United States. It had originally been intended to be used as a dormitory for personnel, as officers of the era worked 12-hour shifts. Total personnel assigned t the station of those Victorian days consisted of 36 officers.

Interstingly, when the station was first opened, it was known as the Second Precinct, until a re-alignment of precincts took place in 1910, when it then became the Third Precinct.

-- With a little help from the 1980 DPD annual report.

**Wintersmommy** · May-20-10, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by Ray1936

It was designted as the Third Precinct from around 1897 until 1954 when it closed. Known as the Hunt Street Station, it covered about ten square miles of Detroit turf on the lower east side. In 1959, the area was merged with the Seventh Precinct, which was housed on Chene street, and later replaced by a new building. The Hunt Street Station was built in 1897 at a cost of $25,965.00. In addition to housing the precinct, the third floor became the first police training school in the United States. It had originally been intended to be used as a dormitory for personnel, as officers of the era worked 12-hour shifts. Total personnel assigned t the station of those Victorian days consisted of 36 officers.

Interstingly, when the station was first opened, it was known as the Second Precinct, until a re-alignment of precincts took place in 1910, when it then became the Third Precinct.

-- With a little help from the 1980 DPD annual report.

Thanks Ray..have you been in this gem before ?

**Wintersmommy** · May-20-10, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by n7hn

http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/hso/sites/16446.htm

some info, no interior pics. I want some too.......

great info...I want to get a closer look tonight but the building appears to be in excellent condition for something so old and so long ago abandoned

**n7hn** · May-20-10, 12:25 PM

i agree,,,, Im looking for my lost million.....sigh

**Islandman** · May-20-10, 02:52 PM

I too have been intrigued by this building. I think at some point the early 2000s it was used as a repo yard for construction equipment. The fenced lot was usually packed. Funny, I always thought it was an old bank.

**Patrick** · May-20-10, 03:51 PM

EDWARD C. VAN LEYEN

Edward Van Leyen was the architect...never even heard of him before this but that building is a masterpiece. Maybe someone can buy it, tear it down, and place a liquor and porn shop on the site?

**EastsideAl** · May-20-10, 03:54 PM

This building has been empty for a very long time. Back in the late '60s a good friend of ours looked into putting a restaurant in there, since it was so close to the the then extremely popular Joe Muer's [[yes, people used to line up out the door and down the street at Muer's). But even then the price being asked was ridiculously prohibitive, so he decided instead to open a place near Wayne. A place that later became highly popular under subsequent owners.

**Ray1936** · May-20-10, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by Wintersmommy

Thanks Ray..have you been in this gem before ?

Looked 'er over from the outside a few times, but no, I've never been inside. I have been inside the old Eighth Precinct station at Grand River and 12th.....er....whatever that street is now...Rosa Parks?.......and I can tell you that the world's largest pigeon nest was in the attic when I was there.