3564-3570 West Vernor Highway
Lithuanian Hall, Hispanos Unidos, Southwest Solutions
The Lithuanian Hall at 3564-3570 West Vernor Highway has been a pillar holding up the fabric of Southwest Detroit since it was completed in 1921. Considering its current price tag of $1,690,000, it will be for decades to come.
M. E. Zaldokas designed the structure at the corner of 25th and Vernor. When it was built, Vernor was still Dix. The name changed in 1925 to honor James Vernor, who served on Detroit City Council for a quarter century. His name was to be celebrated on one of the city's major thoroughfares of the era, formerly known as the Dix-High-Waterloo Crosstown Highway, which ran from city limit to city limit. As time has gone on, history now remembers Vernor for inventing Vernor's Ginger Ale. He also served in the Union Army in the Civil War.
The Lithuanian Hall was completed just three years after the Lithuanian People declared independence from the Germans. Lithuanian patriotism was high, and their numbers in Detroit continued to expand. The Knights of Lithuania and Daughters of Lithuania both used the space, and the American Legion Westward Post would eventually call it home, too.
Before the onset of the Second World War, Lithuania became a part of the Soviet Union. Early on in the war, the Germans recaptured the country. This evoked a strong sense of nationalism and propelled Lithuanians in Detroit to support the war effort. There were fundraisers at the structure, and bonds were sold to support the American effort abroad. Eventually, the Germans would be defeated, and Lithuania would fall back into Soviet rule.
Throughout the 40s and 50s, the Lithuanian Hall remained a hub for Lithuanians in Detroit. However, they weren't alone. As early as 1931, Detroiters with Spanish heritage rented and utilized the space for plays, dances, and events. One group, in particular, would use the location more than the rest, the Hispanos Unidos. The Detroit Free Press described the group as a men's organization in 1937. That same year, they held a Red Cross fundraiser to benefit the ongoing issues in Valencia, Spain.
In 1944, an article from the Detroit Free Press stated, "Hispanos Unidos of Detroit will inaugurate its building at 1920 Twenty-fifth [the side address of the Lithuanian Hall] at 3 PM this Sunday…” I'm not certain whether this meant that the group was renting a space full-time or that they had taken over ownership of the property. By 1948, there were postings for events at the 'Hispanos Unidos Hall.' Throughout the 1940s, Lithuanian events were still being held at the address.
At some point, there was another group called the 'Hispanos Unidos of Detroit' that put on theatre productions. In 1994, a group called 'Hispanos Unidos' was formed at Cass Tech for Hispanic students. I don't think either group was directly related to the hall.
In the 1960s, the hub for Lithuanians in Detroit had moved to 3009 Tillman, the former location of a Czech Hall called the Bohemian National Home. In the 1990s, the group left that location. Another Lithuanian Hall would exist at 9 Mile and Beech in Southfield a few years later.
Back on Vernor Highway, Hispanos Unidos purchased the former Lithuanian Hall building at some point. In 1959, Cubans celebrated Fidel Castro's victory over Fulgencio Batista there. In the 1960s and 1970s, the location was a hub for the community and students in Southwest Detroit. In the 1980s, theatre productions and concerts were held. In the 1990s, things went quiet.
In 2005, Southwest Solutions, a non-profit organization that provides housing, services, and other community programs, purchased the now-vacant structure to renovate it. On December 7, 2006, the grand reopening was held. An article in the Detroit Free Press stated that the building had closed in the 1980s.
Although the hall portion of the structure has been used as offices since 2006, most of the ornate details remain, including the stage. I saw the interior when I attended a meeting there in 2020, and it's quite the sight. There are partitions, desks, and computers where folks used to dance, attend community events, and watch theatrical productions. Even if the space isn't being used for what the builders intended, thanks to the work of the renovation team, it still could be someday.
The property is currently for sale for $1,690,000 through O'Connor. As of January 6, their site says it's under contract, which means an offer has been accepted, but some conditions need to be settled before the process is complete. According to O'Brien Construction's website, the redevelopment in 2006 was contracted at $2.2 million.
I'm curious to see what new owners will do with the property, but one thing is sure; The Lithuanian Hall and former Hispanos Unidos location will be a pillar of the community for generations to come.
From the Detroit Free Press on Sunday, November 9, 1930.
