©Nicole Wrona/MLS
Artists happy to be thrown in jail? Crowds excited to be put on an hour long wait list… at a pawn shop? Unheard of. People clamoring to check out a toy factory- ok, that sounds plausible… Take a look at the cool things you can do with imagination and some hardcore renovations. People around the city are creating some interesting spaces, using buildings for something totally different than the original intent. Here’s a look at a few.
©Nicole Wrona/MLS
A Toy Factory: Chocolate Cake Design Collective
A group of artists are renting a 10,000+ square foot former toy factory on Van Dyke. The Chocolate Cake Design Collective members have turned the expansive warehouse into areas for wood working, metal fabrication, and playing...I mean, printing. They sometimes host fowling in the back.
[Chocolate Cake Design Collective]
A group of artists are renting a 10,000+ square foot former toy factory on Van Dyke. The Chocolate Cake Design Collective members have turned the expansive warehouse into areas for wood working, metal fabrication, and playing...I mean, printing. They sometimes host fowling in the back.
[Chocolate Cake Design Collective]
©Nicole Wrona/MLS
A Jail: 555 Nonprofit Gallery and Studios
555 Nonprofit Gallery and Studios took over the former Detroit Police Departments Third Precinct last spring. The station in Southwest Detroit was closed in 2005. After Southwest Solutions renovated the building into a usable space, Carl and Monte Martinez relocated 555 Arts to the area. Reminders of the space’s previous stint as a jail remain: a firing range in the basement and jail cells which are rented to artist’s as studio space. [kinda shocked there's not a two mile long wait list for those studio cells- just sayin']
[555 Gallery and Studios]
555 Nonprofit Gallery and Studios took over the former Detroit Police Departments Third Precinct last spring. The station in Southwest Detroit was closed in 2005. After Southwest Solutions renovated the building into a usable space, Carl and Monte Martinez relocated 555 Arts to the area. Reminders of the space’s previous stint as a jail remain: a firing range in the basement and jail cells which are rented to artist’s as studio space. [kinda shocked there's not a two mile long wait list for those studio cells- just sayin']
[555 Gallery and Studios]
©Nicole Wrona/MLS
A Pawn Shop: Gold Cash Gold
A former pawn shop is the site of the latest Cooley project to hit the Corktown section of Michigan Avenue. The century old building will be transformed into a restaurant called Gold Cash Gold. Some of the facade and interior elements will be preserved. Gold Cash Gold is anticipated to open in early 2013.
[Gold Cash Gold]
A former pawn shop is the site of the latest Cooley project to hit the Corktown section of Michigan Avenue. The century old building will be transformed into a restaurant called Gold Cash Gold. Some of the facade and interior elements will be preserved. Gold Cash Gold is anticipated to open in early 2013.
[Gold Cash Gold]
