If you run a Google search of ruin porn, you’re almost guaranteed to find an image of Detroit. The Michigan Central Station, Packard Plant and photos of decaying housing stock are littered across the internet. As a preservationist, I find these images both hauntingly beautiful and deeply disturbing. Should we dismiss the great architectural heritage of this city based on a false narrative of neglect and decay? The answer is profoundly and emphatically, no. Now, if you’re still with me, and not on a Google search of ruin porn in Detroit, let’s explore a couple of projects that are about to launch. They’re not high-profile projects in Downtown or Midtown, which is why I am showcasing them here – because there is a lot of amazing work happening in the neighborhoods around Detroit.
Bethel Community Transformation Center
Along Woodward Avenue, near the historic Boston-Edison district, you’ll find the Bethel Community Transformation Center, an ornate historic Jewish synagogue. I recently had the chance to volunteer with the Detroit Phoenix Center, which is based out of the BCTC, and got to check out firsthand some of the work that is already being done in this space. But what you see now is only the beginning of an ambitious plan to restore the building as a community arts center and worship space. The large-scale effort to get funding to restore the building is underway, but it has potential to make a positive impact in and around the surrounding neighborhood.
In the HOPE Village neighborhood, you’ll find a two-story home, and although it’s nondescript, it’s restoration has potential to make a significant impact. I heard about this project while on a tour of the neighborhood with Focus: HOPE for our current Challenge. Three young architecture students from the Netherlands have partnered with several local organizations to turn this house into a model for low-cost energy efficiency. The first floor will become a community hub and training center, while the second floor will become an apartment.
Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with either of the campaigns to raise money for these projects, but I do support preservation, and I think you should too!