If You Could Own Any House in the City

[hybridy]

No one can discredit the fact that detroit has some great housing stock ...ever find a house in the city u wish u could have...aside from the mansions and penthouse condos...im talking materials, scale, proportion, location

rules:
in detroit city proper
still standing
single family home
not a speculative condo project
any reasons why...

some of my favs...

mediterranean on parkside...love the romeo balconies on the upper floor, triple bay of tall windows in living room. really stands out in university district full of tudors
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...,0.003422&z=19

colonial in virginia park....love the brick street and symmetry...close to woodward
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=...2,322,,0,-7.04

okay..now its your turn

[detroitbob66]

Manoogian Mansion!!!!

[CLAUDE G]

Indian Village looks like a nice place to live, mainly for Histric reasons.

Besides that, I would consider purchasing a condo on the Old Tiger Stadium site if that project ever gets off the ground.

[izzyindetroit]

[Zacha341]

Yep. I'll take ole' slumpy!

[izzyindetroit]

have you all seen this place??

http://detroit1701.org/BishopRes.htm

[lizaanne]

have you all seen this place??

http://detroit1701.org/BishopRes.htm

I love this home - this would be my pick as well. I've always dreamed of having our own personal chapel, and the one in this house is perfect.

[izzyindetroit]

I love this home - this would be my pick as well. I've always dreamed of having our own personal chapel, and the one in this house is perfect.

What I don't understand is, why did the church build such a big house for a single dude?

[stromberg2]

The Dodge House on 33 East Boston, not quite sure of the address of Henry Ford's house on Edison.

Stromberg2

[East Side OP]

izziindetroit, you pose an interesting question about the size of the house originally used by the Catholic cardinal. Actually, a cardinal serves as the host for many international and national gatherings of people gathered for church business. Some of these international visitors, such as members of the hierarchy on various missions from Rome might typically have also needed some work space available to them [[office space) as well as for one or two staff memebrs who might have been accompanying them. As one of only 7 or 8 American cardinals the Detroit archbishop's residence would quite frequently have been the location for various kinds of meetings, fund-raising events to help support the endless chain of charities operated by the Catholic Church and so on. So in a way, part of the purpose of a cardinal's residence is to function as a temporary kind of "company headquarters on the road" so adequate space is needed. Also, a cardinal rarely lives alone. There would have always been at least one or two if not a few more priests living there as well [[e.g. the priest who was the cardinal's executive secretary) and as unrelated adults, it would have been typical for each permanent resident of the house to have a modest suite of two or three rooms rather than just his own bedroom. That is the same model, by the way, used for all diocesan rectories in parishes. So a large residence for a cardinal is not intended to accommodate any kind of ostentatious lifestyle; the size has more to do with the dictates of the function of the facility.

[Wheels]

izziindetroit, you pose an interesting question about the size of the house originally used by the Catholic cardinal. Actually, a cardinal serves as the host for many international and national gatherings of people gathered for church business. Some of these international visitors, such as members of the hierarchy on various missions from Rome might typically have also needed some work space available to them [[office space) as well as for one or two staff memebrs who might have been accompanying them. As one of only 7 or 8 American cardinals the Detroit archbishop's residence would quite frequently have been the location for various kinds of meetings, fund-raising events to help support the endless chain of charities operated by the Catholic Church and so on. So in a way, part of the purpose of a cardinal's residence is to function as a temporary kind of "company headquarters on the road" so adequate space is needed. Also, a cardinal rarely lives alone. There would have always been at least one or two if not a few more priests living there as well [[e.g. the priest who was the cardinal's executive secretary) and as unrelated adults, it would have been typical for each permanent resident of the house to have a modest suite of two or three rooms rather than just his own bedroom. That is the same model, by the way, used for all diocesan rectories in parishes. So a large residence for a cardinal is not intended to accommodate any kind of ostentatious lifestyle; the size has more to do with the dictates of the function of the facility.

You left out the endless parade of young boys!

[rusty pipes]

have you all seen this place??

http://detroit1701.org/BishopRes.htm

It's a cool place, but 39,000 sq'? Really?

I'd much prefer this one, taken by southofbloor on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/southof...@N00/lightbox/

Although it's a shell inside, it's retained enough of its original character to be a really, really stylin' place...and I love me a project.

[dawn26]

any of the houses in Brush Park. i would have loved the "castle", but....

[Patrick]

The residential architecture of Detroit has always been my specialty. I’ve spent hundreds upon hundreds of hours studying older neighborhoods as well as blueprints for most of Detroit’s greatest homes.

-The former Meyer Prentis mansion on Balmoral in Palmer Woods. This massive home was probably Richard Marr’s greatest work after the now gone William Fisher mansion. I think that the home’s façade as amazing with excellent window surrounds and brickwork. This is what a mansion is supposed to look like. It couldn’t be replicated today.


-The Lemuel Bowen mansion, which is now part of Wayne State University’s Law School I believe….even though it is right on Woodward across from the Hecker mansion. The being so close to Woodward would suck, but at one time, this estate took up a whole city block and Woodward was much narrower.
-On Keelson, the street that runs up Grayhaven Island, there are a few vintage Mediterranean style homes still standing. Those would be very ideal for me. They seem secluded and on a private street. Too bad the surrounding neighborhoods have turned to shit.


-Another structure I am curious is about may not even be a home but it looks like it was at one time. It is on W. Grand Boulevard way down by the bridge south of Fort Street. It is on the west side of the street right next to that motel.


Few others in IV I will name and attach pics of later....

[wilderness]

-Another structure I am curious is about may not even be a home but it looks like it was at one time. It is on W. Grand Boulevard way down by the bridge south of Fort Street. It is on the west side of the street right next to that motel.

If it's the same building I'm thinking of? Longish?
At one time it was a small hospital or clinic [[possibly late-50's early 60's).

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

Seems like the thread rules evolved so I will add my grandmothers old house on Port Dr on Greyhaven Island. Built in 1924 the home was in the Family for over 50 years until imminent domain gave em the boot. The house had a priviate brewery in the walkout basement next to the boat well [[the Family owned and operated Koerber beer 1912-1956). The flag pole on the river side of the house served as the vent for the brewing process. Pweabic tiled fountian, Itialian marble fireplace surround, parque dance floor etc. This picture was taken from the Garwood property.

[citylover]

Seems like the thread rules evolved so I will add my grandmothers old house on Port Dr on Greyhaven Island. Built in 1924 the home was in the Family for over 50 years until imminent domain gave em the boot. The house had a priviate brewery in the walkout basement next to the boat well [[the Family owned and operated Koerber beer 1912-1956). The flag pole on the river side of the house served as the vent for the brewing process. Pweabic tiled fountian, Itialian marble fireplace surround, parque dance floor etc. This picture was taken from the Garwood property.

I love reading about this kind of Detroit history; imminent domain be damned

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

Here are few more pic's of my Great-grand fathers home on the Detroit river, one is the watercolor of the architects conception, the other is a photo of the Koerber [[port Dr), Garwood [[Keeleson Dr) and Fisher [[Lenox St) Estates. The Flag pole next to the Koerber home also served as ventilation for my G.Grandfathers in home 80 gallon brewery during prohibition!

[mouse]

Eastside Cat,
I believe I know your brother.. Port Huron Central High School?

[DtCtyGrl]

What an awesome thread. Dearly love the old homes of Detroit. I am looking for information on the home of my great-great-grandparents, Emory & Jeanie Wendell. They lived at 410 Seminole until their deaths in 1914 and 1915.

[Neilr]

...-The Lemuel Bowen mansion, which is now part of Wayne State University’s Law School I believe….even though it is right on Woodward across from the Hecker mansion. The being so close to Woodward would suck, but at one time, this estate took up a whole city block and Woodward was much narrower.
...

The Lemuel Bowen House is one of the only five remaining mansions that once lined Woodward Avenue.

The Brickbuilder, June, 1911

[p69rrh51]

The Lemuel Bowen House is one of the only five remaining mansions that once lined Woodward Avenue.

The Brickbuilder, June, 1911

George did nice work!

[x97winkler]

2152 Burns Street in Indian Village

[p69rrh51]

2152 Burns Street in Indian Village

Designed by William Vantine for George Holley. Vantine also did the final design of Fairlane.

[Kathleen]

You guys are amazing!!! Thanks for sharing all the photos and blueprints and info on these houses!!!