But it looks like the three buildings next to the Harvard Square Centre Building (which is currently undergoing renovation into residential units) on Broadway Avenue might soon undergo their own "renovation".
That little area of #Detroit could sure use a boost... and it looks like it just might be happening.
@BruceMirken I believe that they used to be candy and flower shops, closed decades ago and left to decay.
The interiors of these buildings are clearly unsalvageable (I looked through the windows myself) - and only the building facades will be saved.
My understanding is that the developer will build a new residential building in the back of the facades that are or can be saved (to retain some of the neighborhood aesthetic, a common strategy in #Detroit.)
@adamjcook I like the idea of mixed use developments and adding housing to formerly commercial areas, but the idea of erecting a new building behind a historic facade makes me queasy. Every one of these I've ever seen turne out to be a sort of Frankenbuilding that feels like it's trashing it historic roots.
@adamjcook The examples I know are in San Francisco. In at least some cases they could have done better -- the original buildings weren't that far gone.
I do not know much about San Francisco, but I am willing to bet, on average, their buildings are far less damaged than ours.
Part of the issue in #Detroit (not that it necessarily applies to these buildings) is that we had (still kinda have) a bunch of deadbeat slumlords that took advantage of Detroit's harder times in the 80s.
They intentionally sat on historic buildings (that they could not rip down otherwise) until they literally fell apart for the parking lot space.
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