youngnationdetroit — iSWD Programming — Inside Southwest Detroit

Mav and crew came through to hang the new posters on the building! Much appreciated. The posters tell a little about what’s happening on the corner and provide #TAP869 as a way to keep up with construction and other updates.

The hashtag will be a channel to communicate with people who pass by daily and want to stay up on what’s happening behind the scenes when they may not know otherwise. Even though the days are shorter and colder and people don’t see each other as often to chat and share info, things are still happening. This is a way to help to keep neighbors and others informed.

For example, we have recently adjusted the construction schedule to line up with changes and new information such as availability of materials, permit schedules, and other factors. We anticipate that construction will be complete late April or early May. :)

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitDecember 30, 2016tap869, thealleyproject, ElsmereAndAvis, motorcitystreetdanceacademy, youngnationdetroitComment

Chuck the Contractor Keeps a Tidy Workspace

Chuck, the general contractor, told us before he started he likes to keep a clean and safe work site.

Inside and out they have kept up as shown here… going the extra mile with little things like painting the temporary facade and using the cinder blocks from the building to block off the work area.

Separately, its interesting to see the blocks like mixed up puzzle pieces of the artwork that was on the building. A couple neighbors have asked about the blocks today and will be able to come and get whatever is left over when the project is complete. :)

Trenches have been dug in the front to set the steel in 48″ of concrete to support the expansion on the front (Avis) side of the building. They will be filled soon.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitNovember 3, 2016tap869, elsmereandavis, thealleyproject, youngnationdetroitComment

Removal of Cinderblocks Reveals the Building's Frame

As the cinderblocks come off the front of the building they reveal more of the building’s original look. The front had a diagonal entrance at the corner and probably had a decorative wood frame with windows surrounding it.

As the rest of the blocks are removed they will be used to block off the work area in the front. Eventually some of the materials that are removed (cinderblocks, bricks, etc) will be used in other parts of the building as needed.

Inside trenches have been dug for new plumbing and electrical work to service the new layout. Trenches will be dug outside in a couple days for the foundation for the front expansion and patio. Stay tuned for more updates!!

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitOctober 29, 2016thealleyproject, elsmereandavis, youngnationdetroit, southwestdetroit, tap869Comment

Original Openings On The Building Revealed

The original openings on the building are being revealed during the deconstruction/preparation process. In some ways its starting to become easier to picture what the building may have been set up like in the 20′s when it was originally built. This will become more obvious in the coming weeks when more bricks and blocks are removed to prepare for construction!

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitOctober 7, 2016tap869, thealleyproject, southwestdetroit, youngnationdetroit, elsmereandavisComment

Work On Building Becomes Visible

“Young Nation will engage Southwest Detroit youth, adults, and business owners to lead the transformation of a vacant structure and lot into active sites of cultural and community development. A participatory design and development process will expand The Alley Project at the key neighborhood intersection of Avis and Elsmere.” -Young Nation’s ArtPlace America Grant Request (2015)

This week work on the building became visible from the outside! In 12-14 weeks we’ll be sitting inside looking through pics of when it looked like this and talking about what we all did together to create a new space.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitOctober 5, 2016thealleyproject, tap869, tap101, swdetroit, youngnationdetroitComment

Construction Begins!

Construction (or at least deconstruction) began recently on our plaza project that we have been planning together for the past couple years!! The project includes the building at 8869 Avis and the lot across the street (9101 Avis) and will transform the corner into a plaza that will host performances, youth and community activities, gatherings, and more.

The building construction will take place first and then development and construction of the lot will follow soon after. The inside of the building is being prepared now for all the work that will happen between now and January, when the building is planned to open.

(Click on the tags below to see other photos from the process and see how the space is progressing… already it looks different than when we were planning together.)

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitSeptember 30, 2016tap869, thealleyproject, ElsmereAndAvis, southwestdetroit, youngnationdetroitComment