6030 Joy Road
H. J. Heinz Company Warehouse, Orleans Poultry Company, General Meat Distribution
The H. J. Heinz Company Warehouse at 6030 Joy Road was designed by Albert Kahn and completed between 1930-31. The structure consists of a small section of offices and a large storage warehouse.
Heinz was founded in 1869 in Sharpsburg, a borough just outside Pittsburgh, as Heinz Noble & Company. After bankruptcy and a name change, Henry J. Heinz became the company’s sole owner, which would incorporate in 1905. In 2015 Heinz merged with Kraft after a buyout by Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital.
The facility at 6030 Joy Road was used as a warehouse. The structure is located directly next to a rail line. The line splits off behind the vacant AMC Headquarters and continues to the former site of the Detroit Insulated Wire Co. factory complex near St Francis D'Assisi Church. The proximity of this facility to the rail line was imperative, as trains would have been the primary mode of transportation for the company at the time the warehouse was built.
It isn’t clear when Heinz left the property, but the Orleans Poultry Company moved into the facility in 1968. The chicken company originally occupied a space at 3031 Russell in Eastern Market that has since become a parking lot across from the Fire Department and Chase Bank.
Although Orleans Poultry left the building in either 1989 or 1993, its signage is still visible from Joy Road. Fading paint reads ‘Orleans International,’ and below the structural Heinz lettering, there are porcelain letters that, upon this visit, spelled “ORLE NS I T’.” After a few mind games, it was determined that this once read “ORLEANS INT’L.” At one time, there was large lettering on the Livernois side too.
In 1995, General Meat Distribution purchased the building for $100,000. The property has been vacant, but not abandoned, for at least a decade and a half.
While taking these photographs, a man approached and told me what he knew about the recent history of the building. He said that since it had been vacant, someone had set a fire in the portion of the warehouse closest to Livernois and Howell. Although the fire was pretty well maintained, he said the roof in that section of the building was starting to collapse from the damage.
The portion of the structure closest to Joy Road is in surprisingly great shape, although it’s apparent that scrappers, vandals, and dumpers have frequently been inside. In addition to warehouse equipment, I noticed a boat and garbage bags piled on one another.
In total, the structure has five warehouse-style drive-up doors. The building sits on a triangle-shaped island surrounded by transportation infrastructure. The CSX rail line is directly west, Livernois sits just beyond that, Howell Street carves a path to the north and east, and Joy Road sits to the south.
Although it’s unlikely that this property will be saved from a date with the wrecking ball, it’ll be a sad day when it’s finally demolished.
