Register now to get rid of these ads!

History An old firehouse - The ultimate shop?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Bigcheese327, Apr 30, 2013.

  1. derbydad276
    Joined: May 29, 2011
    Posts: 1,336

    derbydad276
    Member


    the corridor has been poised for 30 years but it hasn't happened yet

    all they can do in the city of Detroit is argue

    now is that the city of Detroit has been totally destroyed
    people that want to get ahead are moving to suburbs but they are bringing their personal problems with them
     
  2. plym_46
    Joined: Sep 8, 2005
    Posts: 4,018

    plym_46
    Member
    from central NY

    Open your own Ghost Busters franchise.............
     
  3. WE DID IT!
    DO IT! If ya can get one for the right price. Fence it off if the neighborhood is a little rough?

    I lived in an old oil refinery for about 14 years. Built in 1918 and the buildings are super strong. All the pipes, tanks and equipment had been removed years before but the buildings remain.

    Friend here in town bought and moved into an old fire station from the city last year. Two story with living quarters upstairs. Probably about 4,000 SF MOL. Located in stable residential area. Fixing it up now and hopes to move his 50 DeSoto project inside soon.

    Can ya post pics??
     
  4. I read an article where some people want to demolish most of Detroit and return it to open/agricultural land and leave the "good parts" for the good people who wish to live in a dignified manner. I can't, completely, disagree with the idea, the problem being that the vermin that infests these rotting cities will move on and destroy someone else's life. Not a bash on Detroit, the automakers, the unions at all. Many of the failures of Detroit, and others as well, are due, at least in part, to governmental social programs and entitlements.
    OT political rant over
     
  5. Fiddy 2
    Joined: Mar 25, 2013
    Posts: 20

    Fiddy 2
    Member

    I have wanted to do this for years, unfortunately I don't have that kind of money, and I'm fairly sure it wouldn't be conducive to family life. Having lived in firehouses for 20 years, for me it would be just another day, but for my wife and kids the rough nature of a firehouse might be something they wouldn't like, and pretty expensive to remodel.
     
  6. Amen to that Brother! Gotta live to the northwest of Detroit and close suburbs now. As far as you all saying go for it...I invite you to come to Detroit and look around! Bands of well armed youths running their community like the Wild West. Not much regard for their own life let alone some guy with a bunch of old cars he's working on. If ya got money to do that and fix the place up....you must have money....if ya got money you are a mark and it will be a matter of time before you are robbed, mugged, beat, or possibly murdered. We lived in Detroit (west side) until the corner store was robbed and a stray bullet came into our living room. My dad then moved us to Inkster...google that city..same issues as Detroit in a much smaller area..I hope it turns around one day
     
  7. SquireDon
    Joined: Aug 8, 2010
    Posts: 600

    SquireDon
    Member
    from Oregon

    I'm sure they miss both poles.
     
  8. Cruiser
    Joined: May 29, 2006
    Posts: 2,241

    Cruiser
    Member

    Great idea fire houses are very cool. The only way is to buy one and move it far from Detroit to a good location. Sliding down the pole to work on your car would be cool. :D

    CRUISER :cool:
     
  9. spiderdeville
    Joined: Jun 30, 2007
    Posts: 1,134

    spiderdeville
    Member
    from BOGOTA,NJ

    DETROIT? you must be dreaming
     
  10. skyrodder
    Joined: May 7, 2005
    Posts: 1,925

    skyrodder
    Member

    That would be Awesome! I have always thought to myself if I had the money to buy and restore and old fierhouse near downtown here I would and make my living/shop space. this part of town is up and coming quick and its nice to see that the old fire station was saved and restored,and not torn down like a lot of the older buildings around here.
     

    Attached Files:

  11. jcmarz
    Joined: Jan 10, 2010
    Posts: 4,631

    jcmarz
    Member
    from Chino, Ca

    Then you would need secret access to the pole and a sidekick to help you save the day.:D
     
  12. hdman6465
    Joined: Jul 5, 2009
    Posts: 662

    hdman6465
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Flash on here lives in an old firehouse near Boston. He may have some pics next time he checks in.
     
  13. cmarcus
    Joined: May 23, 2012
    Posts: 953

    cmarcus
    Member

    All that speak of Ghostbusters. There is a firehouse that was for sale in River North in Chicago for a while, and I thought it was prime real estate for a bar and grill. Guess I never even thought of a garage! DUH! Now it is getting worked into some plans to be preserved into some fancy-schmancy high rise residences. Better than getting torn down, I guess...

    http://www.jdlcorp.com/projects/212.w.illinois.asp

    [​IMG]
     
    DualQuadFury likes this.
  14. scarylarry
    Joined: Apr 24, 2001
    Posts: 2,547

    scarylarry
    Member

    Living in a converted building IS super cool but insurance is tough. We have it but it is pricey & we need renters insurance for our collectable stuff. Just one other thing to consider.
     
  15. jesse1980
    Joined: Aug 25, 2010
    Posts: 1,355

    jesse1980
    Member

    I'd jump on it if I didn't have a wife and kids. Id buy in one of the nicer areas though.
     
  16. ... "And please, spare me your Detroit bashing. I've had my fill of hearing about the evil unions and / or corporations that caused the problems. Just dig on the beautiful architecture and dream."
     
  17. If old firehouses with architecture and prices like that were available around here, I'd already be renovating. :rolleyes:
     


  18. I agree. That's part of the problem I see with the Detroit Fire Houses is what you mention.

    After the initial purchase, you improve the property to better the neighbor hood. What was a non-taxable property now becomes a "Cash Cow" for the city. A person helps the economy and spends with local businesses to improve the property. Then the tax man cometh and you get raped.

    You get screwed twice. First on the sales tax of the materials and then on increased property value. Not to mention all the title transfer fees, survey, inspections, etc.

    AND with Detroit being broke, they're looking for ALL the revenue they can get. The sale of the fire house is just the beginning :eek: .

    When I saw a Detroit Police Headquarters for sale I question buying any property there. It's too rough, even for the POLICE :rolleyes:.
     
  19. slammed
    Joined: Jun 10, 2004
    Posts: 8,150

    slammed
    Member

    How about back to the OP's intent of 'how cool would a place like that be' not so fella's feel free to pile on the negative aspects of such an endeavor.
     
  20. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I'd have to think that the original poster's idea was to show some cool old firehouses that would make cool shops/garages that you could have living quarters above and even a man cave in the process. A lot of other towns and cities have great looking old firehouses that are now pretty well obsolete for fire departments to operate out of but would be great for converting to a shop/home setup. There is one here locally that a friend's family bought and put their business in several years ago. They lucked out as the building is still in pretty good shape and they bought it when the fire department moved out and it didn't sit empty for a long period of time.
     
  21. THREE ROOMS DEEP
    Joined: Apr 12, 2009
    Posts: 47

    THREE ROOMS DEEP
    Member

    Spike Lee lives in an old FDNY firehouse in Manhattan, Anderson Cooper lives in an old NYFP firehouse in Manhattan as well.
    Detroit, 70,000 vacant private dwellings, 7/10 homicides dont get sloved a year, 7000 missing persons in the city and 30 working structure fires on any given day!
     
  22. You are correct, Grosse Pointe Park is adjacent to the lower East side of Detroit. The Ford Fairlane Estate is in Dearborn, the Edsel and Eleanor Ford Estate is on Gaulker Pointe, the edge of Grosse Pointe Shores on Lake St. Clair.

    The gatekeeper's house is bigger than most homes and it has a turnstyle in the garage!

    Detroit Fire Station #7 is actually in Detroit on Coplin, on the lower east side.
    Would be fun to live in an old piece of history for sure!


    Grosse Pointe is beautiful. The lake, trees, and gracious homes make it a special place. I wish I never would have moved away from there...
     
    Last edited: May 1, 2013
  23. Rick Sis
    Joined: Nov 2, 2007
    Posts: 710

    Rick Sis
    Member
    from Tulsa OK

    One thing that kind of concerns me about living over the shop in an old firehouse like this is actually.....fire. With the living quarters over all sorts of flammables, in an old building that is likely balloon framed, I'm thinking I would want a very advanced alarm and sprinkler system and a zip line escape plan.

    I sure hope someone can save these buildings. They really are awesome.
     
  24. old1946truck
    Joined: Apr 9, 2008
    Posts: 685

    old1946truck
    Member

    If that was in Birmingham it would either be torn down or turned in to a bum shelter......
     
  25. Speed~On
    Joined: Apr 28, 2011
    Posts: 1,610

    Speed~On
    Member

    I too have thought of how cool it would be to renovate an old firehouse. The apparatus floor has high ceilings for a lift, expensive floor drians that run the lenght of the floor, plenty of storage, an industrial kitchen, great architecture, and of course...fire poles!

    A lot of the old firehouses in our city are still standing and many have been converted into residential rentals. If I could afford to purchase and renovate one I certianly would.

    That's like every mans dream!
     
  26. Stormin' Norman1
    Joined: Jan 15, 2009
    Posts: 134

    Stormin' Norman1
    Member

    That's what I was wondering. I've been on "google streets" and have seen all the beautiful old houses sitting vacant and for sale and the ones that are occupied must have renters because they look delapidated.
    These buildings are beautiful, but if there is no prospect of making a living and ones life is in constant danger, I'll past.
    Having said that I hate to see these historic buildings fall to ruin.
     
  27. Chrisbcritter
    Joined: Sep 11, 2011
    Posts: 1,970

    Chrisbcritter
    Member

    If you want to see what you may be getting yourself into, check out some of the old police and fire stations here:
    http://www.detroiturbex.com/content/healthandsafety/index.html
    "Decayed" would be a kind way to put it. Having had some experience in home rehabs, I know once the roofs fail and leak (and they usually do long before these places are abandoned) and all that lead paint starts peeling and the mold starts growing, you're in for trouble. And let's not even get into asbestos removal... and all the rewiring to replace what the tweekers pulled out... and local government's mistrust of outsiders (from my CA boss's nasty experience in OR)...
    Having said all that, hey, I'd be happy for some of you to prove me wrong.
    Good luck - and happy hunting.
    P.S. Another friend and I once looked into buying an old elementary school in TN with the same idea (a gymnasium full of our cars!); might be an alternative.
     
  28. young'n'poor
    Joined: Jan 26, 2006
    Posts: 1,281

    young'n'poor
    Member
    from Anoka. MN

    I always look at these old buildings and dream of the shop/home I could make. Being married with two kids doesn't kill the dream for me though, my wife thinks it would be cool to own a building like that. She has a relative who owns a old school that is just the coolest place to me...
     
  29. Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Joined: Apr 20, 2008
    Posts: 4,670

    Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Member

    Another concern to add to critters list of renovation $$$$ considerations with an ancient building is if it's designated as a "historic building", you have to play by the rules; possibly no add ons, modifications to the exterior, etc. Worse than an HOA.

    For CA. possibly add earthquake retrofit and in "wildfire zones", adding sprinklers to the building.

    The Firehouse just down the street came up for public auction after the city replaced it with a new mega station. I didn't hear what it went for, but figured it would have been a dream pad for a single guy into cars. It would take a lot to make it comfortable for a guy like me-married with kids.
    Like most old stations it was "all business" and very plain looking inside (like most old city buildings).

    And typical of most old residential stations;
    deep two bay with tall doors and garage roof which would easily allow for a hoist in the garage or even a motorhome.
    Kitchen, family room, rest room, small office and bunk room. Nothing fancy.
    Lots of concrete and a small parking lot. On a busy corner/smallish lot.
     
  30. Sometimes, what seemed like a good idea at the time, turns into
    another thing altogether that you never planned for ..... ;)


    Great idea - until reality sets in







    Jim
     

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.