The Bunker

I was browsing through a skyscraper forum and found this picture of M-6 south of Grand Rapids, among others, taken by Adrian Leskiw about a month ago.



The sign on the left is for Southwood Village in Cutlerville, where I lived for 6 years. I used to wash my clothes at the laundromat where the new eastbound lane is.



Also in the archive: the 68th St exit where I managed a gas station, the 54th St overpass where I abandoned my '91 VW Fox (had to walk a mile to get to a Meijer Shifty Takers I could have hit with a rock from the car), and the Franklin St overpass where I changed a flat tire in the breakdown lane once. Creepy!

There was an awful article in the Freep yesterday about some of my favorite Detroit blogs. Two of the best bloggers in Detroit were portrayed as criminals and the only post reprinted was about the recent increase in gun violence. Apparently that's what Mike Wendland does to people who don't return his e-mails. Or maybe he just hates Detroit.


John's Detroitblog is more than just "photographs of blight and decay". The Summer Drinking Series was as educational as it was entertaining. John studies books about the buildings and history of Detroit at the library and then shares his discoveries with his readers. I also enjoy his commentary on local issues.


Pedro's photo blog covers less known buildings of Detroit and street scenes. He still works with film unlike most of us slackers. I love his church tours and local advertisement photos.


Detroit Funk is another great urban exploration photo blog. Graffiti photos are always favorites.


In addition to blogs, there are several image archives like International Metropolis and Forgotten Detroit. Forgotten Michigan even includes pics of out-of-town ruins like the Ypsilanti State Psychiatric Hospital. The largest archive of all is The Fabulous Ruins of Detroit at DetroitYES, containing around 1000 images. There's also a forum for discussing the D, which is proving to be a great help in planning our move.


Last but not least, the Detroit News Online Polls are always entertaining. One of last week's polls shows that 62.16% oppose a ban on assault weapons. Now that's the Michigan I know and love!

Steve and I have looked at every house listed for under $100,000 in Ypsilanti. Remember the $35,000 squatter house? Or the "metal" basement supports on Pearl? Some other gems we didn't share previously include piss smelling house of bad texture treatments and Frankenhouse of rotating floor joists.


Over the past few months, we've discovered that the housing market is inflated, there's no venture capital available for retail start-ups, storefront renovation costs are prohibitive, and there are few jobs in the county. All the jobs in SE Michigan are in the northern suburbs of Detroit.


We've decided to stop looking in Ypsilanti. We didn't think it would become too nice for us so soon, but we can't/won't afford to live here. I'm reluctant to post the locality we're scouting (the Cool Cities Initiative might find out), but we'll probably end up in the 48212.

Luckily, Steve discovered this satellite photo on EWashtenaw before the deal was completed. A property line dispute involving illegal apartments is more than we want to sign up for.

Do you remember Depot Town in 1974, for example, when Bev and Don Shankwiler bought the Artrain Building? The place looked like London after the blitz... Yet in 1977, when the Heritage Foundation held its September meeting in Shankwiler's imaginatively renovated building, things had begun to happen all along that part of Cross Street and a new spirit had emerged - the spirit is very much in the flesh, and Depot Town is a vital, living area popular to thousands all over southeast Michigan.


Small projects as well as big ones contribute to the new sense of faith emerging that Ypsilanti cant lose, that the old idea that this was a town without an identity is dead, and that a new sense of community pride is spreading well beyond the city limits.


Movement now is into Ypsilanti, not out of it. Enthusiasm is high, property is selling, people are moving in, most encouragingly into downtown. Lowered interest rates are a big help. Still, people want assurance that their investment is safe. A tight Historic Ordinance is a major way of protecting those investments which are so vital to the continued revitalization of Ypsilanti. -- Jack Harris, Ypsilanti Heritage Foundation

My mom and I canned tomatoes last weekend. She uses the Ball Blue Book recipe, but has a more fluid process worked out. My parents use the burner on their grill for the boiling water canner so they have an extra burner on the stove. I'll probably throw my lids in with the jars or pour boiling water over them in a dish on the side.


Check your older jars for defects and wash them with soapy water. Fill a boiling water canner 1/2 full with water. Heat the canner and other pots of water for lids, jars, blanching and topping jars off. When the water is simmering, 180 degrees, add a jar, lids and tomatoes to the various pots. Blanch the tomatoes until the skins crack, 60-90 seconds.


Move blanched tomatoes to cold water. Replace the now hot jar on the stove with a cool one. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice to the bottom of the hot jar. Trim the stem and blossom ends and any hard spots or defects from the tomatoes and remove the skins. Cut the tomatoes as desired and pack them into the jar, leaving 1/2 an inch of headspace. Don't be afraid to really stuff them in. Fill the jar with boiling water, again leaving 1/2 an inch headspace. Add up to 1 teaspoon salt, if desired. Remove trapped air by sticking a non-metalic spoon or spatula in around the sides. Pull back against the tomatoes gently to free hidden bubbles. Wipe the rim and threads clean with a damp cloth. Cover the jar with a hot lid using tongs or a lid wand. Screw a band on just until resistance is met. Place the jar on the elevated rack in the canner. Repeat until the canner is full.


Lower the rack of jars and process pints 40 minutes, quarts 45 minutes. Remove the jars from the canner and let them cool, an inch or two apart. The lids will pop down within a few hours.

This is an excerpt from the May 1990 YHF newsletter. A variation of this tour appeared in the August edition, distributed during the Heritage Festival.

FUN WALKING TOUR OF DOWNTOWN RECOMMENDED NOW!


Not so long ago, everything seemed to be happening all around downtown, while the downtown itself stood relatively idle. Now the scene has changed, and downtown is where you’ll find the action. In fact, we suggest you stir your stumps and take a walking tour of Ypsilanti’s NEW historic downtown.


Some highlights;


1. The Eastern Deli: just east of Brooks’ IGA and the laundromat. Expected market: EMU’s College of Business, opening in September — but why wait to try it?
2. EMU College of Business: the grounded nun, as someone have called it, capped with its great white brim; now silver tile are covering one of the great bays. What next?

3. Maria’s Yogurt: Watch for it at the NE corner of W. Michigan and Adams — a deli and frozen yogurt shop.
4. Tom Sachler’s renovation of the old Weurth building across from the fountain: stand by the fountain and look closely at what’s going on and note the red sandstone cornerstones at the top: quite impressive!

5. The facade and renovation at T. C. Speakeasy’s, next to Louis’ Cafe. This is the long—awaited removal of grillwork, the last eyesore on that side of the street in that block: feast your eyes on what a superb job they’ve done.
6. Louis’ Cafe itself, for good food and the charm of an old English interior, newly decorated.

7. Ralph Ellis’ facade work, in progress at 116 W. Michigan, next to his bike shop.
8. Then wander into Max’s Restaurant & Catering, at 6 West Michigan (just east of Haab’s). There you’ll find that owners Joe and Diane Mikulec have created a Gallery of Old Ypsilanti photographs, beautifully reproduced and box—framed on clean white walls, a real treat whether or not you stay to enjoy the ALWAYS fresh food (sandwiches, cole slaw, soups — yummm!)

9. Materials Unlimited is just next door, the site of our last great Foundation meeting, thanks to the owners. There’s nothing like lingering over a great collection of architecturals and antiques.
10. Then you could pop down into Riverside Park, via the entry just west of Max’s, for a wander — and up behind the Ladies’ Library, with its hanging garden, and head south on N. Huron, observing on the way . . .

11. The Oscar Haab Health Center: THE MOST PERFECT in-fill in a Historic District in every way: size, materials, design. Look! Look closely — and at its relationship to its neighbors. And remember: it was back when the buildings that filled that now long—barren lot were torn down that the present preservation movement really began in Ypsilanti. That movement has led to the establishment of our Historic District and the strong commitment to preservation that has become the backbone of this community. Now Ypsilanti is gaining a reputation for having more historical integrity than most of its neighbors. Smile. Look up that street, one of the great sweeps of historic architecture in the Midwest - and smile!
12. Turn the corner onto Pearl and observe what’s still going on at 108 & 110, where the Maxtons are doing a super quality job on what were two very sorry historic structures (one, at least, of great historic value - our G.A.R Hall).

13. If you haven’t seen the upstairs of the Phoenix Building on the SE corner of Pearl and Washington, do it now: just enter the stairway off Washington and do the tour: lots of activity going on up there in an historic atmosphere (you’ll love it). There is more——more new shops to look into——but that should give you a start. Again, take a nice morning, noon, or afternoon walk through downtown Ypsilanti; we think you’ll be pleased at the progress.