22050 Argus Avenue
Redford Village Hall, Detroit Fire Department Engine Company 54 and Ladder Company 26, Redford Boys’ Club
I’ve found determining the origins of this structure to be extraordinarily difficult to trace. However, there’s enough that’s worth sharing to post it anyways.
According to the Redford Township Historical Society, the site of this structure was originally home to the Smith family’s farmhouse. By 1921, that structure was converted to house the Redford Township Hall. I can’t be certain whether that’s true, but I’d imagine this structure was built from the ground up, not rehabilitated.
In addition to housing the township offices until Detroit annexed this part of Redford Township in the mid-1920s, the structure also was home to the fire department. After annexation, it continued to house firefighters.
Engine Company 54 and Ladder Company 26 operated out of the building until the late 1930s. Near the tail end of 1937, construction on a new structure at Grand River and Trinity began. It was completed a year later and is still in operation today.
The old Redford Village Hall had become the Redford Boys’ Club within a few years. According to a retrospective in the Detroit Free Press in 1950, there were a lot of kids “with nothing to do in the late 30s,” and many of them were getting into trouble. So, the community had the idea to make a center for boys to learn skills, hang out, and socialize. It soon became a part of the Detroit Parks and Recreation Department and was funded by various local groups. The city owned the building and furnished the employees, including a boxing instructor.
The club remained in the building through the 1970s, which may have also, at some point, housed a senior center. After the Boys’ Club left, I’m unsure what happened to the property. It’s a short walk from Grand River and Lahser; however, as Detroit became a car-centric city, it was easily missed by those speeding down those thoroughfares.
Old Redford Academy was established across the street in the 1990s, and there’s still shopping nearby today.
The Grand River and Northwest Neighborhoods Framework Plan in 2018 recommended adaptive reuse of the structure, stating that a mixed-use development would assist in the stability of the area as a whole. In addition to redeveloping the Redford Village Hall, the recommendation said that by activating the vacant lots on either side of the structure, the neighborhood’s historic nature could be preserved, but modern amenities would be available.
As you can see, the recommendation wasn’t followed. The neighborhood continues to see investment and has become one of the more walkable communities in Detroit; however, the city plans to demolish this structure. The roof has started to cave in, and officials undoubtedly want a large plot of land to offer developers. The lot on the Redford side is listed as owned by a non-profit, but the city owns the other.
The demolition of this structure seems like a significant miss by the city. With the current investment happening in the neighborhood, the block bounded by Argus, Rockdale, Redford, Grand River, and Lahser could be a unique corner of the city. This could be a walkable corridor, especially considering there’s a school next door, many apartments across 6 Mile, and a Meijer within walking distance.
Just because the city wants to tear this structure down doesn’t mean it will. However, the odds look grim, similar to the city-owned Wolverine Post across Lahser. As I often say, here’s to hoping 🤞
