A 3D look inside the 1922 building. You would ride the bus to school arm to arm sitting on each other back, then wait in all these lines to get in the school. When Detroits Cass Technical High School was closed in 2005 in order to move to a new building next door, the city was scheduled to lose one of its unofficial landmarks. It had a capacity of 3,600 students and was connected to the High School of Commerce, which opened earlier the same year in Cass Tech's former building, by Victory Memorial Arch, a pedestrian bridge over Main Street that was a memorial to students killed in the war. ], including the Symphony in B-flat by Paul Hindemith and La Fiesta Mexicana by H. Owen Reed. Named in honor of Lewis Cass, the school was located on the top floor of the old Cass Union School, a three-story brick building built in 1861 on a farm donated by Lewis Cass. Even so, we loved it. Advertisement In 2005 the main building was abandoned with the remaining students occupying an adjacent addition. From stand out skyscrapers to incredible lobbies, heres your guide to the seeing as much of the best downtown architecture possible. The ruins of a similar first-wave industrial complex. See. Today theres a Meijer grocery store on the site. The CTMB (marching band), under the direction of Sharon Allen, has performed for Patti LaBelle, Sinbad, and Jay Z as well as various college and university homecomings. Crumbling Houses Show the Sad Decline of Detroit. History of Cass Tech High school from its founding to the present day. At that time, we were the only school with a gymnastics program so I got very involved with that. When it was announced that the school would close following the 2006-2007 school year, there were a little over 1,000. The derelict cornerstones of the same city hall lie cast aside. Sugar River Valley Regional Technical Center - Newport (Newport, NH) White Mountains Regional High School (Whitefield, NH) Wilbur H. Palmer Vocational Technology Center (Hudson, NH) Windham Regional Career Center (Brattleboro, VT) Winnisquam Agricultural Programs (Tilton, NH) Portable Document Format (.pdf) . ALUMNI Registration In the words of the inimitableLL Cool J: Dont call it a comeback. [1], Of the students attending Cass Technical High School in 202122, 1,832 (76.2%) of them are Black, 277 (11.5%) are Hispanic, 223 (9.3%) are Hispanic, 57 (2,4%) are White, 6 (0.2%) are American Indian or Alaska Native, and 9 (0.4%) are multi-racial. Its just sad to see. It would have cost around $60.8 million to build today. Detroiturbex is attempting to bring attention to these ghostly remains through a photo project highlighting the city's abandoned buildings. Detroit Urbexs series was influenced by the work of photographer Camilo Jos Vergara, who has documented the evolution of American cities taking the exact same photograph over a period of time, sometimes over decades. One of its recent projects focuses on Cass Technical High School, a building damaged by a fire in 2007 and later demolished in 2011. [6][7], The former building, including the extension, was left vacant (with classroom fittings and supplies inside). But they wouldnt bother us. The loss of these schools can be felt in many ways: increased transit times for students commuting to schools farther away, absence of a neighborhood anchor, presence of a large abandoned building near homes. They were beginning to integrate Redford when I started there. Cass Tech's band practices on the auditorium stage. I was amazed at the school. One of the most photographed landmarks in Detroit is a monument to the labor movement in Michigan. Entrance is based on test scores and middle school grades. RF T09F84 - High angle view of a vintage camera, film, photo paper and light meter. RM JJJGNY - Benneckenstein, Germany. View all items related to Cass Technical High School, 2023 Detroit Historical Society. Was a May Day Attack by Pilgrims a Practice Run for a Massacre? The original swimming pool, which was closed after the addition was added in the 1980s. (source), Opened to the public in 1915, the Detroit Athletic Club remains among the most elegant private clubs in the United States, thanks to constant maintenance and care from its members. I enjoyed school, being able to go there with my siblings. How Cass Tech has changed over the years. Nearly every classroom in the school was left filled with desks, supplies and equipment. It was huge: eight stories with an elevator that been around for decades. (source). [16] In 2021, U.S. News ranked Cass Tech 84th among Michigan high schools, and reported a 62.9% percentile score on the SAT. Although I hated to see it demolished, the building isnt what makes us great. Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer, actress, and record producer. Confronting Satan in a Dark Spanish Castle. Historic Briggs mansion in Boston-Edison lists for just over $1M. This directory is not just composed of graduates of this school, as some of the famous people on this list didn't necessarily earn a degree from Cass Technical High School. The largest residence in Wayne County is now the most expensive sale in Detroit this year. The Triangle Society is committed to maintaining that legacy by providing financial support to Clubs, organizations, athletic and academic programs at Cass. Renovation was deemed impossible and the decision . Regardless of how you look at it, Detroits been through a lot, and has some battle wounds to show for its fights. Cass Union Schools president, Benjamin F. Comfort, suggested that fewer students would drop out if they were given vocational training that they could use in Detroits growing factories. He set world records in the 100-yard dash and 100 meters event and Olympic records in the 100 meters and 200 meters events. Comments (-1) SPIRIT Club Minutes. It was an area that was like an island unto itself. I remember us hanging out at the police station across the street from school. Check out more photos at historicdetroit.org. [6][8][9] By 1942 the school had more than 4,500 students and was the largest in Michigan. (source), In the foreground, the desintegrating old Cass Tech High School that is often featured in media reports on Detroit, eclipsing the snazzy new Cass Tech located immediately next door. In his full career as a sprinter, Tolan won 300 races and lost only 7. The specter of Michigan Central Station has become emblematic of the dichotomy between Detroits past and present state. The area was like, Did our parents really love us? There were drug dealers, hookersit was skid row. Built in a style of gothic construction at the beginning of the 20th century, Cass Tech was a symbol of success for one of Detroits only magnet schools; it was demolished in 2011. Like all stories told about a place by outsiders, those on the inside see things quite differently. "Red, White, and Cool", Learn how and when to remove this template message, Detroit Public Schools Community District, U.S. National Register of Historic Places, "Search for Public Schools - Cass Technical High School (260110304669)", "Whitmer strips name of slave owner Lewis Cass from state office building", "Cass Technical High School After Closing", "WEEKLY LIST OF ACTIONS TAKEN ON PROPERTIES: March 28, 2011 THROUGH April 1, 2011", "Michigan MPS Cass, Lewis, Technical High School", "Cass Tech will lose some less popular classes", "The 78 Michigan public high schools with best results on 2019 SAT", "Drum roll: Cass Tech marchers raise enough money to play D.C.", http://michigan-football.com/bb/casstech.html%7C, https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=taMxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XKwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=894,4865755&dq=cass+tech+football&hl=en%7C, https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QCNAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=i1gMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1499,5915116&dq=cass-technical&hl=en%7C, "Old Cass Tech catches fire: Blaze can't douse hopes of those who want to save it", "The Life and Death of an Iconic Detroit High School", "Cass Tech High School Detroit, MI: Total demolition/abatement", "Modern Furniture & Contemporary Designers, Furniture Store", "Iconic textile designer Ruth Adler Schnee going strong", "Why the Whitney's Humanist, Pro-Diversity Biennial Is a Revelation", "Funeral Details for Arthur Fields - Ira Kaufman Chapel", http://www.trombone-usa.com/rosolino_frank.htm%7CFRANK, "Pat Ivey Strength and Conditioning coach at Mizzou", Cass Tech High School at Detroiturbex.com, Cass Technical photos circa 2009 at Silentbuildings.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cass_Technical_High_School&oldid=1152682443, March 1926: 1st Place National Champions, This page was last edited on 1 May 2023, at 17:30. A victim of globalization, corporate greed, and the collapseof the industrial belt, Detroit was in rough shape by the 1970s. Some have a story, but we have a legacy. To get a sense of what it was like to go to some of these closed or demolished schools, we spoke with alumni who attended three of them. Old Cass Tech and Michigan Central Station. Detroits nighttime skyline as viewed from Windsor. Its just not that clear-cut. Patrick Krupa (www.patrickrupa.com) for HistoricDetroit.org The cafeteria in the 1980s addition Mark Hall for HistoricDetroit.org Opened in 1907, the original Cass Technical High School, commonly referred to as Cass Tech, was located at 2501 Second Avenue in Detroit. History is cyclical, and its affect on Detroit will be no exception. Photo Galleries. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. See top plays & highlights of the best high school sports. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. The building is there but its dilapidated, its burned down. Prominent graduates from Cass Technical High School include celebrities, politicians, business people, athletes and more. Your culture and entertainment cheat-sheet. Detroits 10 best social media accounts for architecture and homes, Locations in Detroit with ties to Inside the Actors Studio host James Lipton, Pope designates Ste. [32], As of 2022[update], approximately 2,400 students attended Cass Technical High School: 583 students in the ninth grade, 637 students in the tenth grade, 606 in the eleventh grade, and 575 in the twelfth grade. It is here is where we pick up the modern narrative of Detroit, the Roger and Me story of a city abandoned by its industry, and collapsing into a pile of rubblebut look again. McCollum, Brian (September 2003). While the new building was set to cost $98 million, the old schools restoration was expected to total $117 million. The brick and limestone Gothic building was large: eight stories fitting 4,400 students and 50 classrooms. Many locally and nationally known figures are counted among its graduates including Diana Ross, John DeLorean, Ellen Burstyn, Sean Anderson (aka Big Sean), Lily Tomlin, Peter Karmanos, and David Alan Grier. Pictures from the demolition of the school in 2011. Flickr photos, groups, and tags related to the "casstechnicalhighschool" Flickr tag. Demolition. 163 Cass Technical High School Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 163 Cass Technical High School Premium High Res Photos The old structure caught fire in 2007, and was eventually demolished in November 2011. The original Cass Technical High School was built in 1922, and for over 80 years, the drab, antiquated eight-story structure was full of thousands of secondary school students.. In 2008, the band performed at Texas Southern University. The Detroit Boat Club, located on Belle Isle, was the first poured concrete building ever erected. Offer subject to change without notice. Photo from the Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University. | 5401 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48202. Technicians. Today. Group, a Graham Holdings Company. The Detroit Boat Club as it appears today. Explore. Cass Tech could hold about 5,000 studentsthats about 1,500 kids in every grade. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Modern Detroit is a lot of things, all at once: infamous city of decay, hotbed of creativity, time capsule of the American dream, etc. I attended because I had a first cousin who also graduated from Cass. [24] Tolan came to be known as the "Midnight Express". Cass Technical High School placed in the top 50% of all schools in Michigan for overall test scores (math proficiency is bottom 50%, and reading proficiency is top 20%) for the 2020-21 school year. Comedian, Theatrical producer, Television producer, Record producer, Television producer, Film Producer. She graduated in Home Economics with the January class of 1962 from Cass Technical High School in Detriot, Michigan. Cass Tech won the 2011, 2012 and 2016 MHSAA Division I state championships. To "raise awareness of the social and economic challenges the city of Detroit," the folks at Detroiturbex decided to tell the story about an abandoned Lewis Cass Technical High School with the help of superimposed then-and-now photos. [Detroits] been here for years. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Ross rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, The Greatest Actresses Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting), The Funniest Female Comedians of All Time, The Greatest Singers of the Past 30 Years. In 2017, the building suffered severe damage from a fire in its auditorium. Media outlets have labeled the once thriving Motor City "a ghost town. The city was splendid before the advent of the automobile, and later set an example for the nation (if not the world) on how to stoke an economic and social boom. [citation needed] In 2013 CTMB went to the 2013 inauguration for President Barack Obama. [citation needed] He was the first African-American to receive the title of the "world's fastest human" after winning gold medals in the 100 and 200 meters events at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. This CASSmates special edition t-shirt is available in sizes small to 3x. Despite the demolition of the old building, Cass Tech lives on in a new building. And, in the words of the former principal George Cohen, nostalgia doesnt fix the cracks.. In the Cass Tech project, images Duce took of the destroyed school were layered with photos from the 1980s and 1990s that came from a box of negatives found in the old yearbook room. Detroiturbex is attempting to bring attention to these ghostly remains through a photo project highlighting the city's abandoned buildings. It also occupied an opulent building designed by renowned local firm Donaldson & Meier in the Mediterranean Revival-style. I have gone back recently and man. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. In Brooklyn, New York City circa 1977. Though Detroit Urbexs Cass Tech series failed to stop the schools demolition, it remains an important testimony of what the school used to be. 20th July, 2017. The fight over an iconic high school may be coming to a head in Detroit: Cass Technical High School was closed six years ago after a new school was built next door, but the old. Everything from Diana Ross to Lily Tomlin is included on this list. The High School of Commerce - a former home of Cass Tech High - is demolished in August 1964 to make way for Interstate 75. OC hosted a roundtable discussion about industry and workforce ready graduates. No purchase necessary. First, they photographed every room the old Detroit school, which was abandoned after a 2007 fire. Photo from the Walter P. Reuther Library. These plans were met with resistance, as many alumni felt the original building would be emotionally difficult to demolish. Ground was broken in 2002, and a ribbon cutting took place three years later in 2005, though the old building was not demolished. It was established in 1907 and is part of the Detroit Public Schools Community District.It is named after Lewis Cass.. Until 1977, Cass was Detroit's only magnet school and the only non-neighborhood enrollment school in Detroit. It was ultimately demolished in 2012. Student Life. [15] However, in 2019, Cass Tech was not among the 78 Michigan high schools with the highest average SAT scores. Video Center. 2501 Second Ave. Detroit, MI 48201-2601. Richard L. LaVoie. The first class graduated in 1910 with only six or seven students, but by 1909 enrollment jumped to 700 students and a new wing was added to the Cass Union School to accommodate the increased enrollment. Anne Church in Southwest Detroit a basilica. Everythingsonsaletoday As a building on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, the original structure was left in place, however a large fire gutted it in 2007. This t-shirt will be a great addition to your CT Vibe wardrobe. Richard L. LaVoie 06/10/1944 - 03/21/2023 Richard L. LaVoie was born in 1944 in Detroit, MI to parents, Harold and Stella LaVoie. Photos of Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan, whose alumni include Diana Ross and Jack White School moved to new building in 2005 which left original facility empty and it. Although my parents didnt attend, they understood about it being a college prep and pushed me to go. [10][11], In 2008, due to declining enrollment, teacher staffing was reduced and some classes that were not very popular with students were removed. [25], A new campus opened in May 2005 in an adjacent lot on Grand River Avenue to the north of the original building. Detroiturbex.com is a website and photo project which documents a changing Detroit. At its peak, Redford High School had over 4,000 students. This Cass Tech Fine-Art photograph is a photo picture print of a building that holds many memories for the thousands of City of Detroit Cass Tech High School graduates who have walked its corridors. The operator of the tank driving school in the East German . The swimming pool in the 1980s addition was supposed to be Olympic-size - but contractors used English measurement instead of metric. Also, many of these schools were architectural gems designed by some of the citys most renowned firms and designers. Over 90% of the material in the building was recycled for other uses or as backfill. Detroit Schools Superintendent Wales C. Martindale visited Europe to learn about their successful technical schools, deciding to adapt their educational model to the new high school in the Cass Union School building. All rights reserved. Utilizing images of the school in its heyday transposed over photos of the neglected building, Detroiturbex succeeds in evoking a state of Detroit's decline. Don't miss a beat. People on this list must have gone to Cass Technical High School and be of some renown. (source). Between the move and the time when the building was torn down, the once majestic building was left to decay. Back then, the Cass Corridor had a lot of homeless peopleyou would step over them just get to school. By 2000 over a million people had moved elsewhere, leaving the city up to 60% vacant by some estimates. A lot of people felt it was overwhelming with that many people. The interior had elaborate tilework, an ornate library, pool, gymnasium, auditorium, and more across its six buildings. User Options. Yet there sat Detroit, perfectly situated as a trading point of goods from the first wave of the Industrial Revolution. In high school, she was on the swim team, Y-Teens, and a hall guard. Cass Tech, on the left, was connected via a bridge to the High School of Commerce, right, which had served as the previous home of Cass Tech. The Now/Then section about Cass Tech was started back in 2010, before demolition work had begun, a Detroit Urbex contributor who goes by the name Albert Duce explained. In addition to being one of Detroits highest performing schools, Cass Tech was also a historical landmark with an illustrious list of famous alumni like Alice Coltrane, Diana Ross, David Alan Grier, and Big Sean to name a few. Cass Tech. Population and industry in Detroit has declined remarkably in recent years. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Students are required to choose a curriculum pathroughly equivalent to a college "major" in the ninth grade. The Detroit skyline and boats on the Detroit River as seen from Windsor, during the heyday of rum-running. I remember the auditorium with graduation ceremonies, plays, and music functions. Paul Hitz (www.paulhitzphotography.com) for HistoricDetroit.org. Then they put the pictures of the buzzing life from the . Wow my high school is gone, they tore it down. Escapism via car had been the goal of much the work being done in Detroit: earn enough to not have to be there anymore, then move to the land of suburban dreams-come-true as soon as the option presents itself. It was mostly white when us blacks started to come inthey began to leave soon after. Winner will be selected at random on 06/01/2023. The incredible Stone Hedge mansion, built for Detroit Tigers owner Walter O. Briggs, is listing for $1,050,000. In 2000, the Detroit Public School District announced plans for construction of the current modern Cass Tech building, which was built in 2004. [20], The concert band program rose to prominence under the direction of Harry Begian, who led the Cass Tech bands from 1947 through 1964. Photo from the Walter P. Reuther Library. Somehow this midcentury gem is still on the market. Detroit, MI. I also played tennis. The massive machinery that drove Cass Tech's elevators. Share your memories by posting photos or stories, or find out about your next class reunion! Downtown Detroits essential architecture: A walking tour. Caria Taylor, a member of Cass Tech High School's Class of 2021, used the isolation of COVID as an opportunity to develop her hobbies: reading, writing, and photography. [7] The 1922 building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in March 2011. All contents We spoke with alumni of three closed or demolished schools to hear what it was like to go there and what their loss means. Detroit's March Toward Bankruptcy in 10 Pics, 'Destroying Detroit': 10,000 Homes to Bite Dust. [17], In 1984, Cass Tech was honored by the U.S. Department of Education among 262 schools that should "shine as inspirational model for others," a list that included public and private schools. Nothing but burnt down homes and empty lots. First built to serve Redford Township, the city later annexed this region and integrated it with the Detroit Public Schools system. Photo from 1910-1920. Unless otherwise noted, all images in this post are used courtesy of theLibrary of Congress Digital Collection. Comments (-1) The Workforce of Tomorrow Roundtable. At the end of the 2009-2010 school year, Cooley High School closed due to budget deficits and decreased enrollment. Photo from the Detroit Free Press archives. While Detroit architecture and culture has indeed suffered, much remains, and there are many who work fiercely to protect it. All rights reserved. It is named after Lewis Cass. I got along with everyone. As a child, he proved himself an apt learner . (source), The remnants of a beauty parlor. But over the years, the building just got older and older. Sep 20, 2021 - Cass Tech High School (old) - Old photos gallery Historic Detroit. Lewis Cass Technical High School, demolished in 2011, was one of Detroit's largest high schools. Atlas Obscura is proud to present this post as part of a partnership with the excellentPalladium Boots, who encourage you to explore your street, city, and the world. The school brought us a sense of community, because everyones got problems but school was the outlet. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. The group sifted through old photographs of the school's peak years . First opening as Cass Union School, it moved to its Second Avenue location in 1922. Cass Tech High School (old) Students work on engines in a Cass Tech shop class. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. In the Cass Tech project, images Duce took of the destroyed school were layered with photos from the 1980s and 1990s that came from a box of negatives found in the old yearbook room. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. The classrooms were left full of desks and other supplies when the district abandoned the building. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. It remains one of few magnet schools in Detroit. Jumping out the windows to get out of the classrooms, since it wasnt that far down. The Main Building of the Detroit Public Library as it appears today. [4], Until 1977, Cass was Detroit's only magnet school and the only non-neighborhood enrollment school in Detroit. An aerial view of Cass Tech on April 17, 2009. . It was hugeit took almost a whole square block. A lot of memories come back when I go past it. This page is not available in other languages. Cass Tech was a proud educational landmark in downtown Detroit. Named in honor of Lewis Cass, the school was located on the top floor of the old Cass Union School, a three-story brick building built in 1861 on a farm donated by Lewis Cass. The Child-Eating Bunyip Haunts Australias Wetlands, Detroit Lives: Part 2 - Music, Motown and Mansions. The Bishops Mansion, Detroits largest residence, sells for $2.7M. What doesnt appear in the images, however, is how the old Cass Tech, with its classic and imposing architecture, made high-schoolers feel like they belonged to something great. [7] The alumni association announced plans in April 2007 to renovate it as a multi-use center including arts spaces, retail, and residences,[6] but in July 2007 a fire damaged the 1922 section. There were all these different areasgym, showers, other facilities. 65.0% of the students are female.[1]. Architecturally, I thought it was beautiful. [5], The school was founded in 1907 on the third floor of Cass Union School on Grand Union Avenue, subsequently moving to its own wing. Photo by Dan Austin of HistoricDetroit.org. When George Floyd was murdered, and racial justice protests swept across the country, she was out in the streets with her camera. In 1950 Detroit was the city of tomorrow. Cass Technical High School (simply referred to as Cass Tech) is a magnet high school in Midtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. Students work in the Cass Tech foundry about 1940. The original building was designed Burrowes & Eurich, but there were multiple additions over the subsequent decades. The venerable Second Avenue facade of Cass Tech High School. Pinterest. A new building nearby on Second Avenue was designed in Collegiate Gothic style by Malcolmson and Higginbotham with Albert Kahn as construction architect; construction began in 1916,[6] the cornerstone was laid in 1917,[7] and after delays caused by World War I austerity measures, the building opened in September 1922. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Cass Technical High School Opened in 1907, the original Cass Technical High School, commonly referred to as Cass Tech, was located at 2501 Second Avenue in Detroit.
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