House Next to Senate Antiques Torn Down

[royce]

Sorry to inform you, Detroit Dad, but the little house that you liked at Fourth and the Fisher Fwy has been torn down. Why it was done I don't know, but it was quite a shock to me to see that it was gone. It didn't seem to be in disrepair. Sad that this small little part of Detroit's history was destroyed for no clear reason. Maybe someone here can shed some light?

[marcwigle]

Sorry to inform you, Detroit Dad, but the little house that you liked at Fourth and the Fisher Fwy has been torn down. Why it was done I don't know, but it was quite a shock to me to see that it was gone. It didn't seem to be in disrepair. Sad that this small little part of Detroit's history was destroyed for no clear reason. Maybe someone here can shed some light?

Duhhh... parking lot??!! Detroit needs more of them. sheesh

From the Google maps picture, it looked live-in, recycle bins and planters with flowers in them out front. Maybe it had a fire?

[Jimaz]

Google Maps link

[lizaanne]

What a shame, it looks like it was a cute little house.

[Gsgeorge]

I used to dream of buying this house up and moving it across the freeway to Corktown.

[detroitsgwenivere]

Speaking of which, a cute redhouse that needed some TLC on 14th in Corktown bit the dust this fall. The place was privately owned and taxes were paid up, and the surrounding landscape was kept up and house properly secured. Didn't make any sense to me considering how many houses really need demolition in that area. I assume that it was the owners decision in this case and the antique store's house.

[DetroitPlanner]

I assume that it was the owners decision in this case and the antique store's house.

Odd that an Antique Store owner would destroy an antique house. Maybe the sum ofits parts was worth waymore than the value of the home?

I think that there has to be some other story here.

[JohnnyFreddy]

Yeah....I always admired that house, and often wondered what was up with it.
Sad to see it go.
Maybe the owner is one of the maniacs that want the Old Cass Tech. school torn down,
and got impatient, so in a rage of 'erase Detroit history' he decided to destroy something
he DID have control over.
Another 'overrun with weeds' lot for everyone to enjoy.
Although...the lot on the other side of the building was for sale, and that's where
most of 'The Detroit Antique Mall' customers parked.
Maybe it sold, and the owners were compelled to tear the house down, for whatever reasons.

[eno]

Maybe, maybe not

[JStone]

So the last house on High Street is gone? That's sucks.

[JStone]

I called and was told it was "none of my business" and "the owners perogative". There are "plans" for the lot, but those plans were not disclosed to me.

[Johnnny5]

Taxes on an empty lot are undoubtedly lower than one with a building. The owner probably tired of paying taxes on a building that they had little use for.

[DetroitDad]

Sorry to inform you, Detroit Dad, but the little house that you liked at Fourth and the Fisher Fwy has been torn down. Why it was done I don't know, but it was quite a shock to me to see that it was gone. It didn't seem to be in disrepair. Sad that this small little part of Detroit's history was destroyed for no clear reason. Maybe someone here can shed some light?

Yeah, much to my dismay. That house had been up for rent/sale for years. It was a beautiful little place, but I can't imagine anyone wanting to live in it in that location.

[kathy2trips]

Poor little house. I'm in love with any of that Second-Empire, Italianate architecture. It's definitely pre-auto age, probably built in the 1870s-1890s, not later than that.

Wow, the damn freeways really messed up that area. I'm assuming that the service drive used to be W. Vernor. If that's the case, then the address is/was probably 850 W. Vernor.:

Attachment 8628
[[from R.L. Polk Detroit City Directory 1928-29)

R.I.P.