West Vernor/Springwells Historic District

The West Vernor/Springwells Historic District contains a diverse collection of commercial buildings constructed from the 1910's and 1920's to the early 1950's which reflect various architectural styles of the periods in which they were built. The district was and remains important as the "main street" of its westside neighborhood, maintaining its pedestrian traffic and neighborhood atmosphere as it did when it was first developed at the beginning of the twentieth century.

The area became a commercial center for the surrounding neighborhood in the early 1900's as a result of the following factors: 1) The location of the district at the intersection of two locally important roads, Central and Springwells Avenues, with West Vernor, 2) its setting near the brick yards and industrial sites along Dix Road a few blocks to the north, 3) and the influx of German and other immigrants to the area because of employment opportunities at the industrial facilities being built nearby along the railroad lines.

During the late nineteenth century, this area was a quiet farming community and part of Springwells Township. The Wayne County atlas of 1876 shows that the area was comprised of the following farms: C. Clipert, Moses Field, R.M. McGinnely and P. Burns. At this time Dix Road ran west from Junction Avenue and turned northwest at Waterman Avenue. There was no road where Vernor Highway exists now west of Waterman Avenue. Roads had been built on what is now Central and Springwells. During the 1880's Toledo Road was built westward from the junction of Dix Road and Waterman Avenue. As the subdivisions in the West Vernor/Junction district became thickly settled, the new growth began to take place farther west toward the area of West Vernor and Central Avenue. The farms in the area were subdivided in the late 1880's. The major subdivisions were the Bellnap Drake Sub, the Ferndale Avenue Sub and Hannan's Ferndale Sub. It was during this time that Toledo Road was renamed Ferndale Avenue. A few wood frame commercial buildings began to appear on Ferndale Avenue shortly after the farms were subdivided.

The district quickly began to develop as industries located in the area. One of the earliest industries that attracted immigrant workers was the brickyards which were located along nearby Dix Road, above Waterman Avenue. The construction of the Michigan Central Railroad Yards and Car Shops in the area of Dix Road, Waterman Avenue and Livernois Avenue was instrumental in establishing this region as a transportation hub. Stockyards immediately sprang up on Dix Road in close proximity to the railroad yards. Other large employers that built facilities close by were the Fisher Body Corporation and the Solvay Process Company.

The Vernor/Springwells District is an important study of neighborhood commercial development in the city of Detroit during the early 1900's. Although a few wood frame commercial buildings were constructed, the majority of buildings erected were in the "Commercial Brick" style and were larger than their wood predecessors. Many of the commercial buildings now were built to house three or more storefronts; becoming much wider than the commercial buildings in the neighboring West Vernor/Junction district. The buildings at 7746-7760 and 7600-7620 W. Vernor had as many as six storefronts. Although many of the proprietors continued to live above their businesses, the second floor was now commonly being used for office space. The district became the site of the neighborhood's leading commercial institutions such as banks and theaters. The two major buildings that stand out visually in the district are the Rio Theater (7700-7720 W. Vernor) at the eastern end of the district and St. Gabriel's Church (8100 W. Vernor) at the western end of the district.

St. Gabriel's Church is important in the history of the German Catholic community on the west side of Detroit. In 1915, Father Peter Esper was given the task of organizing a new parish in the vicinity of Ferndale (Vernor) and Central. He took the Baker Street trolley from Holy Redeemer where he was residing due west until it turned south on Springwells Avenue, then considered the city limits. Two blocks west from where he debarked was the corner where he decided to establish St. Gabriel's Church (Ferndale and Norman). Nearby, Divinity Lutheran Church (2110 Springwells) organized in 1917. The congregations of both churches were comprised of different ethnic groups. The majority of parishioners however were German. These churches did not place an emphasis on ethnic heritage as older congregations did, perhaps because of the growing anti-German feeling nationally around the beginning of World War I, or perhaps because many of the parishioners in this developing area were younger people who felt no strong bond with the Fatherland. Divinity Lutheran, for example, was the only Lutheran church in southwest Detroit to never employ the German language in its services.

The only church in the district is St. Gabriel's. The parish's present building, a contemporary limestone-trimmed brick structure, was built in 1953. The architects, Diehl & Diehl (George F. Diehl and Gerald Diehl), specialized in Catholic work in the early post World War II era. St. Gabriel's is an important work of the Diehl & Diehl firm.

The Vernor/Springwells district stands along the route of the Baker streetcar line that had been extended down Ferndale Avenue to the new Ford Motor Company Rouge Plant. In 1925, the new Vernor Highway was constructed to run westward from the city down Dix Road, then turned at Ferndale Avenue instead of continuing to the northwest on the arced section of Dix. The extension of the highway brought an incredible influx of traffic, which in turn created new commercial development. Restaurants, bakeries, hardware stores, clothing stores, groceries and theaters located in the Vernor/Springwells district.

By 1929 the brickyards that had been located along Dix Road disappeared. They were replaced by many small industries and the expansion of the railroad yards. The Detroit Street Railway offices and switching station were built near the intersection of Vernor and Livernois. Larger industries built in the area included American Agriculture Chemical, Michigan Carbon Works and Peerless Portland Cement.

The Vernor/Springwells commercial district continued to grow during the later 1930's and 1940's. New buildings were erected during that time, though usually smaller one story commercial structures. As with the Vernor/Junction district, many of the store owners remained in business for quite a long time. Rebert's Bakery was established in the 1920's and remained open until the 1980's. Todt's Pharmacy was established in 1940 and just recently closed in the 1990's.

The district continues to remain an important chapter in the history of ethnic heritage in southwest Detroit. The late 1950's saw the beginnings of a migration of African-American residents into the neighborhood. The city's Hispanic population, historically centered farther to the east on the city's near west side, began to move into the area in the 1980's. The area retains a mixture of diverse ethnic groups with residents including African-Americans, Hispanics and descendants of English, Irish and German immigrants. The increase of Hispanic immigrants to the community is currently strengthening the commercial district with the establishment of many Hispanic restaurants, groceries, and retail stores.

The district began to be commonly referred to as Vernor/Springwells during the 1950's and 1960's. This section of Vernor Highway became the site of an annual Fourth of July Parade in the 1950's which continues to be held to this day. Although the surrounding neighborhood has declined economically with the closing of many of the local industries, the community has remained strongly united. The creation of many strong community organizations, especially the Southwest Detroit Business Association (located in the heart of the district), has helped this commercial area remain an integral part of the community and is working to support the commercial businesses in the area.

The West Vernor/Springwells Historic District is a six block long, early twentieth century commercial area on West Vernor Highway between Norman Avenue and Honorah Avenue in southwest Detroit. West Vernor Highway is a busy two-lane thoroughfare that runs from Michigan Avenue and the Michigan Central Railroad Station on the east to the Detroit city limits and the city of Dearborn on the west. The district encompasses two important intersections, West Vernor/Central Avenue and West Vernor/Springwells Avenue, in the heart of what is today a predominately Hispanic neighborhood. These intersections have a high concentration of commercial buildings with substantial pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

The West Vernor/Springwells Historic District contains a concentration of early twentieth-century two-story commercial buildings that forms a unique compact business district. This district reflects the growth and development of the area due to the development of industries along the railroad tracks just to the north and to the development of the gigantic Ford Motor Company River Rouge factory complex to the west in the late 1910s and early 1920s.

The district is visually defined by two modern space frames constructed at its east and west borders. The metal frames together with sidewalk improvements were designed by the architectural firm of Johnson, Johnson, & Roy and erected in the mid-1970's. The frames act as gateways and are intended to focus attention on the heart of the commercial district. The eastern section of the district focuses on the intersection of West Vernor and Central Avenue. The white stuccoed Target Furniture Store (formerly the Rio Theater) at the northwest corner of the intersection is the visual focal point in this section of the district. The commercial blocks contain a mixture of two-story brick Commercial Style buildings that have storefront space on the first floor and residential/office space on the second floor. The buildings are uniformly set back from the street and form a wall of repetitive storefronts. Some of the commercial buildings in this district are long, containing four to six storefronts. Some of the key commercial buildings in the district include the six-storefront, round-corner building at the northwest corner of Honorah (7600-20 W. Vernor), the 1930 hardware store building at 7647-49 W. Vernor with its colorful Art Deco terra cotta and roofline; the six-storefront Georgian Revival building at 7746-60 W. Vernor and the 1912 building at 8020-24 W. Vernor with its round-corner "tower" and upstairs bay windows. A handsome International Style bank building dating from 1952 survives remarkably intact at 8060 W. Vernor.

The western section of the district ends at Norman Street with the parish complex of St. Gabriel's Church. The complex contains the original Romanesque Revival church built in 1918 (later converted into the parish school), the 1916 Italian Renaissance style rectory, and the contemporary St.Gabriel Church built in 1953 and designed by Diehl and Diehl, distinguished Detroit architects of many early post World War II Detroit Catholic church buildings.

The West Vernor/Springwells district is located in the heart of southwest Detroit, which was, and still is, one of the state's most important industrial regions. The district lies to the southwest of the Michigan Central Railroad yards and just one and one-half miles east of the Ford Motor Company River Rouge Complex. Dix Road, a few blocks to the north, divides the residential neighborhood surrounding the West Vernor/Springwells district from the heavy industrial areas.

The neighborhood surrounding the West Vernor/Springwells Historic District is comprised of a variety of single-family and two-family residences built as a result of the influx of workers drawn to the area by the job opportunities at the various nearby industries, but especially by the construction of the Ford Rouge Complex beginning in the late 1910s. The neighborhood contains a mix of bungalows and doubles (horizontally divided buildings with flats on each floor), both wood frame and brick. A number of well- designed Craftsman Style bungalows can be found scattered throughout the neighborhood. A few brick rowhouses and small apartment buildings built during the 1920s can be found on many side streets.

List of Buildings - All buildings are contributing unless otherwise stated.

7600-20 West Vernor. 1915 Long two-story Commercial brick block with rounded corner at Honorah, pent roof with exposed rafter ends below along two street facades; white brick and tile accents.

7626-40 West Vernor. 1925 Two-story Commercial Brick; storefront below, residential above; paneled concrete piers flank the storefronts; rope columns flank original upper floor entrance doorways; most of the other façade details are covered by modern sheathing.

7647-49 West Vernor. 1930 One-story brick commercial building; Art Deco influenced multi-colored terra cotta decoration with faces in repeating square blocks in cornice.

7655-61 West Vernor. 1920 Two-story Commercial Brick; storefront below, residential upper.

7660 West Vernor. 1971 (Non-contributing) One-story steel frame gas station.

7700-20 West Vernor. 1935. RIO THEATER. Cyril Edward Schley, architect. Broad-fronted one-story building with rounded corner. Used as a furniture store since the mid-1960's, the theater space remains substantially intact. The present stuccoed southwestern façade appears to be modern.

7701 West Vernor. One story brick commercial building with an angled corner.

7709-15 West Vernor. 1925 Two story brick commercial building; first floor storefront.

7719 West Vernor. 1929 One-story brick commercial building, now combined with 7709-15.

7721-25 West Vernor. 1929 Two-story Commercial Brick; storefronts below, residential above; yellow brick front, buttresses frame the entrance to the second floor; dual stringcourses in the cornice. No. 7721 has a Moderne recessed entry storefront.

7739-43 West Vernor. 1924 (Non-Contributing) Two-story brick; storefront below, residential above, yellow brick front covered with wooden vertical boarding.

7746-60 West Vernor. 1929. Harry Slatkin, builder. Large two-story Georgian Revival brick; storefronts below, office space above; symmetrical façade displays a pediment capped window in the center of each third of the façade at the second-story level and a limestone belt course.

7747-49 West Vernor. 1922. Rassault Brothers, builders. One-story brick commercial building; distinctive lozenge pattern in the frieze created by raised brickwork.

7755-57 West Vernor. 1928. Joseph Bornstein, builder. One-story brick commercial building; cornice with carved limestone lion heads and antefixes.

7759-7807 West Vernor. 1981 (Non-contributing) One-story brick commercial building constructed later than the period of significance.

7815 West Vernor. 1915 (Non-contributing) One-story brick commercial building. The building's façade has been altered with little trace of its original design.

7816-20 West Vernor. ca. 1920 Two-story Commercial Brick; storefronts below, residential above; paneled brickwork detailing in frieze. No. 7820 has original storefront with deep entry arched over, glazed tile aprons below display anthemions on cornice.

7819-21 West Vernor. 1929 S.S. KRESGE COMPANY Two-story Commercial Brick; storefronts below, residential above; brickwork detailing.

7830-38 West Vernor. 1916 Two-story brick and tile; storefront below, residential above; bracketed classical cornice and simple brickwork detailing. White glazed brick front; blue brick around windows, in belt course and on either side of the central window. Deeply recessed entry to 7830 has arched head, marble aprons.

7835 West Vernor. 1926 One-story brick commercial building with modern façade except for brick pier at end and granite base below.

7837 West Vernor. n/a (Non-contributing) Two-story brick commercial building. The original enframed window wall has been blocked in.

7840-50 West Vernor. 1915. M. Tessler, contractor. Two-story brick commercial building; storefronts below, residential above. Façade has been rebuilt with modern storefront, possibly 1940's.

7900-04 West Vernor. 1912 Two-story dark maroon brick commercial building; storefronts below, residential above; stone-like buttresses; broad segmental arch door and window openings on first story.

7908-18 West Vernor. 1916. Dalton R. Wells, architect (Non-contributing) Two-story brick commercial building; storefronts below, residential above; prominent stringcourse; façade given a stucco finish with original details lost.

7924 West Vernor. 1919. Van Leyan, Schilling & Keough, architect Two-story commercial brick; stepped Moderne enamelled metal panel façade added probably c. 1935-1940. Lower portion replaced 1960's.

7928-30 West Vernor. 1917. H. F. McIntyre, builder (Non-contributing) One-story brick veneer commercial building. Façade probably redone c. 1950's.

7936 West Vernor. ca. 1980 (Non-contributing) One-story cement block commercial building.

7938 West Vernor. 1936. One-story Commercial Brick building.

7944-46 West Vernor. 1925 NASS BUILDING Two-story Commercial Brick; storefronts below, offices above; cement plaque bears building name.

8020-24 West Vernor. 1912. J. H. Killean, builder Two-story round corner brick; storefronts below, residential/office above; bay windows on front and side under bracketed cornice; saw tooth brick work band beneath bracketed frieze supporting simple classical cornice.

8026 West Vernor. 1920 (Non-contributing) One story brick infill commercial building.

8028 West Vernor. 1948 (Non-contributing) One-story cement block/brick veneer commercial building with modern slanting roof and facade.

8044-46 West Vernor. 1915. H. W. Schwartz, builder (Non-contributing) Two-story brick; storefront below, residential above. All original façade treatment has been covered or replaced.

8052-58 West Vernor. House, early 20th century; storefront added 1953. Two-story wood frame house with modern cement block commercial front added to the front.

8060 West Vernor. 1952. S.E. Redstone, architect One story International Style drive-in bank.

8065-8103 West Vernor. ca. 1925 Two-story brick; three storefronts below, residential above; simple brickwork detailing, lozenge and circle patterns in brickwork.

8100 West Vernor. 1953. ST. GABRIEL'S CHURCH Diehl & Diehl, architects Contemporary brick and limestone church building; gabled front portico supported by brick piers.

8118 West Vernor. 1916. ST. GABRIEL'S RECTORY Oscar C. Gottesleben, architect Two-story side gable brick rectory; enclosed arcaded porch in the front.

8138 West Vernor. 1918. ST. GABRIEL'S ACADEMY Oscar C. Gottesleben, architect Two-story Romanesque Revival brick school building; arched doorways and windows.