Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects

Brewster-Douglass housing projects
General information
Location	2700 St. Antoine St., Detroit, Michigan United States
Height
Roof	46m 150 ft
Technical details
Floor count	14
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Harley, Ellington & Day; Detroit Housing Commission; Smith Hinchman & Grylls

Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects were the largest residential housing project owned by the city of Detroit, located in the Brush Park section on the East Side of Detroit, Michigan near the Chrysler Freeway, Mack Avenue and St. Antoine Street. The housing project is named after Frederick Douglass, African American abolitionist, author, and reformer. The projects are at present abandoned.

The complex was home to such notable figures as Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, Florence Ballard, Lily Tomlin, and Smokey Robinson during their early years. The claymation animated series The PJ's was based on the housing project as well. It was also seen in a screenshots for the movie Dreamgirls as well as D12's debut music video. RuPaul mentions the Brewster Projects in the intro of the 1992 song "Supermodel (You Better Work)".

History

The Brewster Project and Frederick Douglass Apartments were built between 1935 and 1955 and designed by Harley, Ellington & Day of Detroit. The Brewster Project began construction in 1935 when First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt broke ground for the 701-unit development; this first phase, consisting of low-rise apartment blocks, was completed in 1938. An expansion of the project completed in 1941 brought the total number of housing units to 941. The Frederick Douglass Apartments, built immediately to the south of the Brewster Project, began construction in 1942 with the completion of apartment rows, two 6-story low-rises, and finally six 14-story high rises completed between 1952 and 1955. The combined Brewster-Douglass Project was five city blocks long, and three city blocks wide, and housed anywhere between 8,000 and 10,000 residents at its peak capacity.

The Brewster-Douglass Project were built for the "working poor"; the Detroit Housing Commission required an employed parent for each family before establishing tenancy. As the Commission became less selective, crime became a problem in the 1960s and 1970s, and the projects eventually fell into disrepair. The Frederick Douglass Apartment towers were eventually converted to the senior housing.

In 1991, the low-rises apartment blocks of the original Brewster Project were demolished and by 1994 were replaced with 250 townhomes dubbed the "New Brewster Homes". Two towers (Towers 303 and 304) of the adjacent Frederick Douglass Apartments were demolished in 2003. As of 2007, the Detroit Housing Commission's long-term plan is for the demolition of the existing towers and low-rise housing of the Frederick Doulgass Apartments and to redevelop the site as a mixed-income neighborhood.

From historic marker on the site of Brewster Homes

“Between 1910 and 1940 Detroit, Michigan’s African American population increased dramatically. Faced with restrictions on where they could live, many African Americans were forced into substandard housing. In 1935 First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt broke ground for the Brewster Homes, the nation’s first federally funded public housing development for African Americans. The homes opened in 1938 with 701 units. When completed in 1941 there were 941 units bounded by Beaubien, Hastings, Mack and Wilkins Streets. Residents were required to be employed and there were limits on what they could earn. Former residents described Brewster as ‘community filled with families that displayed love, respect and concern for everyone in a beautiful, clean and secure neighborhood.’ The original Brewster Homes were demolished in 1991 and replaced by 250 townhouses.”

As of June 2008, all of the Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects have been boarded up with no plans for demolition. Many residents and citizens were outraged that the remaining four towers will no longer be occupied, as memories in this historical city landmark go to waste.

Hastings Street

Hastings Street was the center of black culture in Detroit between the 1920s and 1950s. Located at the southern edge of the Brewster-Douglass Homes the street was the home of innumerable salons and entertainment venues. With the addition of the high-rises and an influx of people moving into the housing, Hastings Street was billed as the place you could fulfill any conceivable need. The I-75 corridor is now in place of this important African American landmark. The (Walter P.) Chrysler Freeway was constructed between 1963 and 1968.

Constituent buildings

The four towers are designed in the Modern movement architectural style and made of brick. They are identical in look and each rise to the height of 14 floors. Technically, the structural heights are measured to the small, four foot masonry chimneys atop the machine, mechanical penthouses of each tower. An additional two foot metal chimney chute rises above the masonry chimneys.

One of the four towers prior to its closure.

Building Name	Address	Year Completed	Year Demolished
Frederick Douglass Apartments - Tower 306	Chrysler Freeway & East Vernor Highway	1952
Frederick Douglass Apartments - Tower 305	Chrysler Freeway & East Vernor Highway	1952
Frederick Douglass Apartments - Tower 302	2702 Saint Antoine Street	1952
Frederick Douglass Apartments - Tower 301	Chrysler Drive at Alfred Street	1952
Frederick Douglass Apartments - Tower 304	2602 Saint Antoine Street	1952	2003
Frederick Douglass Apartments - Tower 303	650 Alfred Street	1952	2003

Assigned schools

The buildings are zoned to the following Detroit Public Schools facilities:

• Spain Elementary School (K-8)
• Martin Luther King High School (9-12)

See also

• Public housing in Detroit

External links

• Fredrick Douglass Projects at Detroiturbex.com
• Google Maps location of Frederick Douglass Homes
• SkyscraperPage.com's pages on Frederick Douglass Homes
• Frederick Douglass Homes at Emporis.com
• Frederick Douglass Homes at the City of Detroit Housing Commission.