The University Club

[GPCharles]

The Bickley process was used frequently in the construction of rackets courts, which, contrary to popular opinion, are not made out of slate, but of poured concrete. The black color is a result of the introduction of lamp black into the concrete mix, although the courts are usually painted these days.

The Bickley family used their own particular method of mixing, pouring and curing the concrete. The family secret went to the grave with the last family member active in the business. The walls were poured in place over 2-3 courses of brick. Water ran down the walls continuously during the curing process, making them incredibly smooth.

The last court built in the world was constructed at St. Paul's School in London in the late 1990s. Repairing a court is part masonry, part alchemy and part luck. When painting a court you use one mix for the front wall, another mix for the side walls and a third mix for the back wall.

[GPCharles]

The lounge on the 1st floor behind the library was known as the "Poet's Bar" and had its own set of rules.

An interesting cast of characters were found there in the late-afternoon.

[GPCharles]

The room labeled as the "sauna" was actually a bar in the lower level know as the Rathskeller.

[mb1]

Any update on the status of the University Club??? This landmark has a significant amount of potential. The East Jefferson location is part of a redeveloping Riverfront District, next to Lafayette Park [[one of Detroit's most stable neighborhoods), and less than a half a mile from the Renaissance Center. Could the building be transformed in a similar manner to the Hecker or Whitney mansions?

[REL]

Let's see.... we see pics published, by someone who trespassed into the building, then that same person wonders why others would want to sneak into the building? And wonder how they got in? And wonder why they took stuff?

Could we please stop publishing pics like this, which glorify the degradation of these buildings, and show exactly what there is to steal from these places? Until we do this, we're just aiding the very thieves we are trying to protect the buildings from.

[Hamtragedy]

The owner is pretty hellbent at tearing the place down. It's been ravaged pretty much since the Y moved out.

[Huggybear]

Because when [[generally white, 20-something) kids break into [[or to be more euphemistic, "find openings in") buildings and take pictures it's always documentary, educational and a public service. Didn't you get the memo?

But really, taking pictures of abandoned buildings and posting them on the internet invokes the Heisenberg Principle. You can't take pictures of something without accelerating its demise by opening the building to others and advertising its openness. I'll put out there that as few as two people on this site have probably done as much as anyone in this town to promote destruction and looting - if not bring about the ultimate ends of buildings. On the other hand, we have yet to see anything good come out of these pictures. Wait, I'm sorry, some "art" pictures [[for sale) that surface from time to time. Taken by people who follow these people in.

Sadly, though, as somebody noted, the owner of this particular building has decided to demolish it, and has intentionally left the building open. Even if he hadn't been telling people this, the slipshod [[two pieces of cardboard) boarding-up for months is ample evidence.

Let's see.... we see pics published, by someone who trespassed into the building, then that same person wonders why others would want to sneak into the building? And wonder how they got in? And wonder why they took stuff?

Could we please stop publishing pics like this, which glorify the degradation of these buildings, and show exactly what there is to steal from these places? Until we do this, we're just aiding the very thieves we are trying to protect the buildings from.

[Detroitej72]

Many property owners purposely leave their buildings open to trespassers, especially when its a historic structure. That way, once they become looted, they can tear it down and build their cinder block party store without taking heat for demolishing the building. They can say, "hey, I had to knock it down, it was an eyesore".

[LodgeDodger]

Many property owners purposely leave their buildings open to trespassers, especially when its a historic structure. That way, once they become looted, they can tear it down and build their cinder block party store without taking heat for demolishing the building. They can say, "hey, I had to knock it down, it was an eyesore".

Sadly, that's pretty common around here. If only the building owners would be held accountable for keeping the buildings secure.

[softailrider]

Sadly, that's pretty common around here. If only the building owners would be held accountable for keeping the buildings secure.

About the only way to keep anyone out is to concrete block the lower level windowns and doors. Or, hire a 24 hour guard.

[buildingsofdetroit]

I'll put out there that as few as two people on this site have probably done as much as anyone in this town to promote destruction and looting - if not bring about the ultimate ends of buildings.

I'll take that as directed and me and others who do what we do. And that explains the thousands and thousands of other buildings we have never been in? And that explains how most of the buildings we've been in have already been ransacked and trashed? Personally, I think it's important to document these places while they're still here and before they meet the wrecking ball. There is no way you can pin that blame where you are pinning it. The Vanity is the only example I can think of where this idea might even remotely be possible. And that was tagged by hoodrats and gangbangers. Not the type of people you expect to be cruising DetroitYes or our sites. And I don't think your average run-of-the-mill crackhead-scrapper is going to my site or others like it to formulate their hit lists.

[RickBeall]

>>But really, taking pictures of abandoned buildings and posting them on the internet invokes the Heisenberg Principle. You can't take pictures of something without accelerating its demise

Hey, it's going down. At least a few pictures of it will survive. That's all we are going to get Huggybear.

Huggybear, it's time to hike up your shorts and go out and explore a building.

[manualshift]

Photographs on the internet are the cause of the University Club being re-purposed from an abandoned building into a ruin. The cause is not that the owners did not or could not guard and preserve the property.

[detroitbob66]

I'll take that as directed and me and others who do what we do. And that explains the thousands and thousands of other buildings we have never been in? And that explains how most of the buildings we've been in have already been ransacked and trashed? Personally, I think it's important to document these places while they're still here and before they meet the wrecking ball. There is no way you can pin that blame where you are pinning it. The Vanity is the only example I can think of where this idea might even remotely be possible. And that was tagged by hoodrats and gangbangers. Not the type of people you expect to be cruising DetroitYes or our sites. And I don't think your average run-of-the-mill crackhead-scrapper is going to my site or others like it to formulate their hit lists.

I do it! Constantly.....in fact, I explore every day of the week! I take it as directed at me also since I am a so-called "twenty-something" kid who photographs abandoned Detroit. The point for me is to not necessarily publish everything to show the demise because thats pretty ignorant to think. I am more interested in the architecture and the detail in the buildings. I love to see these places that can sometimes serve as time-capsules. You do not see my pictures anywhere or often, but I have been into almost every abandoned building in Detroit one can name, except maybe a few giants downtown. I try to not glamorize or glorify the decay, but no other city in America has what Detroit has. I am a photographer, I am an urban explorer, I am a Detroit resident, I am a Wayne State student, I am a "white" twenty-something male, but most importantly, I LOVE the City of Detroit!

[piczka]

Why not plant a few IED's in our abandoned historic sites. That would make the pickers think twice. Nothing lethal, but loud enough to scare the hell out of someone. Most of the stolen items can probably be retrieved in antique shops along Grand River, Michigan and Livernois.

[davewindsor]

I do it! Constantly.....in fact, I explore every day of the week! I take it as directed at me also since I am a so-called "twenty-something" kid who photographs abandoned Detroit. The point for me is to not necessarily publish everything to show the demise because thats pretty ignorant to think. I am more interested in the architecture and the detail in the buildings. I love to see these places that can sometimes serve as time-capsules. You do not see my pictures anywhere or often, but I have been into almost every abandoned building in Detroit one can name, except maybe a few giants downtown. I try to not glamorize or glorify the decay, but no other city in America has what Detroit has. I am a photographer, I am an urban explorer, I am a Detroit resident, I am a Wayne State student, I am a "white" twenty-something male, but most importantly, I LOVE the City of Detroit!

If you LOVE the city so much and want to save these places as time capsules, why don't you take a drill with a box of long screws with you and after you're done taking pictures screw the damn plyboards back on. I walked by the National Theatre last week during the middle of the day and noticed someone pulled the plyboard off to get inside. That's being part of the problem. How hard is it to put a few screws back into the plyboard to secure it from hobos after you leave?! How many screws in total have you put in after visiting these place? ZERO?

[Jared9903]

If you LOVE the city so much and want to save these places as time capsules, why don't you take a drill with a box of long screws with you and after you're done taking pictures screw the damn plyboards back on. I walked by the National Theatre last week during the middle of the day and noticed someone pulled the plyboard off to get inside. That's being part of the problem. How hard is it to put a few screws back into the plyboard to secure it from hobos after you leave?! How many screws in total have you put in after visiting these place? ZERO?

generally, it is not photographers ripping the boards off of the windows and the doors. I know that no one I know would do that.

[davewindsor]

generally, it is not photographers ripping the boards off of the windows and the doors. I know that no one I know would do that.

Yea, keep playing the denial game. The plyboards that were screwed in there just magically seperated from the screws so hobos could get inside.

Did you know that a one hour tour of the Biltmore Home to take pictures costs over $50? Here you're getting in for free to take your pictures. How about considering it the cost of admission. Buy a quarter's worth of screws and spend a minute of your precious time to resecure the plyboard that was pulled off to get inside after you're done. It's a lot cheaper than paying admission. Do you think any passerby is going to stop you or care if you're putting screws back into the plyboard to secure it?

[DetroitPole]

What the hell?

Okay, I don't really give a shit about urban ruin porn photography, and I'm sure the people who do it, at least some of them, do some damage, but people here are clearly demonstrating a lack of understanding of the city and what happens to abandoned buildings here.

The people who do the most damage are without question the scrappers. It would really blow my mind if these scrappers are trolling around DetroitYes looking for open buildings. The level of professionalism, if you've ever seen these guys, range from crackhead homeless pushing shopping carts full of copper pipes around to evil Sandford-and-Son jalopy-type operations. These guys aren't hopping on their I-Phones to look up some kid's photos. Christ, all you have to do is drive by a building and you can tell if you can get in or not.

Do you really think a few screws are going to stop ANYONE? If you're simply screwing plywood onto more wood, how long do you think it would take for someone to unscrew it or just bust a hole in it? As a pervious poster noted, the only way to really secure a building in the city is cinderblocks for the first and second story.

The photographers may indeed lead to more and more photographers. However the damage they may do themselves is negligible compared to what a scrapper can do in ten minutes.

http://hud2.towerauction.net/cgi-bin/e7_search.cgi
For some evidence, look up the HUD inspection reports online for the properties currently on the market in Detroit. Now, I have never seen any photographs posted by hipsters of modest mid-century foreclosed bungalows, and HUD does secure the homes, but virtually ALL of them - if not all of them, have significant damage from scrappers. As of me posting that link, they all had damage done clearly by scrappers. The property detail report will show how, most commonly, the piping is removed, followed by radiators and furnace. This often makes the cost of repairs more than the purchase price of the home. I'm trying to illustrate that this total destruction of structures in the city, in this case residential, has NOTHING to do with photographers. The same is true for the commercial, industrial, and other structures here.

Sorry, I know things are more genteel in Windsor, but we have a lot bigger things to worry about than photographers around here.

[davewindsor]

What the hell?


Do you really think a few screws are going to stop ANYONE? If you're simply screwing plywood onto more wood, how long do you think it would take for someone to unscrew it or just bust a hole in it? As a pervious poster noted, the only way to really secure a building in the city is cinderblocks for the first and second story.

The photographers may indeed lead to more and more photographers. However the damage they may do themselves is negligible compared to what a scrapper can do in ten minutes.
.

YES IT WILL STOP A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM ENTERING! I've secured a window before with a dozen 6" screws. Later, I had to take it off for an inspector and had a drill battery die on me. I had to remove the remaining screws by hand with a screw driver. It took me 20 minutes by hand! Something that would take me a minute with a good drill. It makes a HUGE difference. Do you think hobos with shopping carts are running around with battery charged 19v drills or a regular screwdriver?

You're gonna kick a hole in plyboard?! Bullsh-it. Have you ever tried to bust a hole in plyboard with your foot or fist? Unless you're walking around with an axe. Have you seen many hobos walking around with an axe?

If you saw somebody spending 20 minutes removing screws by hand from a window on the University Club on Jefferson, you think it would not draw police attention or a passerby calling the police or getting involved?

I have $300 locks. It would take a pro half an hour to pick. Has anyone ever broken into one of my places with a $300 lock? Never. It's too much work and it draws too much attention to do it out in the open for so long so your bandits move on that's not secure.

I've secured many buildings, so don't tell me made up bullsh-it. Securing a building properly goes a very long way in preserving the inside from vandals, junkies, hobos and scrappers.

[bailey]

If you saw somebody spending 20 minutes removing screws by hand from a window on the University Club on Jefferson, you think it would not draw police attention or a passerby calling the police or getting involved?

In a word; No. I've seen far worse than that go on for far longer without a cop showing up.

But as to the rest of the point... yes, properly securing a property is going to go a long way towards preservation. Maybe reserving the outrage for the University Club itself that first allowed the property to fail and then the YWCA for allowing the property to become further blighted might be more appropriate than blaming hipsters with cameras entering buildings already open to the elements?

[detroitbob66]

What the hell?

Okay, I don't really give a shit about urban ruin porn photography, and I'm sure the people who do it, at least some of them, do some damage, but people here are clearly demonstrating a lack of understanding of the city and what happens to abandoned buildings here.

The people who do the most damage are without question the scrappers. It would really blow my mind if these scrappers are trolling around DetroitYes looking for open buildings. The level of professionalism, if you've ever seen these guys, range from crackhead homeless pushing shopping carts full of copper pipes around to evil Sandford-and-Son jalopy-type operations. These guys aren't hopping on their I-Phones to look up some kid's photos. Christ, all you have to do is drive by a building and you can tell if you can get in or not.

Do you really think a few screws are going to stop ANYONE? If you're simply screwing plywood onto more wood, how long do you think it would take for someone to unscrew it or just bust a hole in it? As a pervious poster noted, the only way to really secure a building in the city is cinderblocks for the first and second story.

The photographers may indeed lead to more and more photographers. However the damage they may do themselves is negligible compared to what a scrapper can do in ten minutes.

http://hud2.towerauction.net/cgi-bin/e7_search.cgi
For some evidence, look up the HUD inspection reports online for the properties currently on the market in Detroit. Now, I have never seen any photographs posted by hipsters of modest mid-century foreclosed bungalows, and HUD does secure the homes, but virtually ALL of them - if not all of them, have significant damage from scrappers. As of me posting that link, they all had damage done clearly by scrappers. The property detail report will show how, most commonly, the piping is removed, followed by radiators and furnace. This often makes the cost of repairs more than the purchase price of the home. I'm trying to illustrate that this total destruction of structures in the city, in this case residential, has NOTHING to do with photographers. The same is true for the commercial, industrial, and other structures here.

Sorry, I know things are more genteel in Windsor, but we have a lot bigger things to worry about than photographers around here.

Exactly! Well said Detroitpole! I couldn't agree more

[mauser]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge8lz6eTiks

I didnt tear no plywood off - I walked in the front fuckin door. I locked it when I left.

[Django]

It was pretty much wide open a week ago. I stopped by today on request to take pics of anyone scrapping the place but it was all locked up.

If a scrapper wanted to get in he would.

There are different degrees of scrappers. Ive been scrapping metal for almost 20 years in Detroit. People used to thank me for hauling out scrap metal that would be laying in vacant lots. When the prices of metal went through the roof Ppl came out of the woodwork to scrap metal. Not all scrappers steal the siding off your house. If a building is obviously unusable I have no problem with a scrapper taking what they can.

[LodgeDodger]

You shouldn't have been there in the first place--you were trespassing. When are you going to learn the law applies to you?