Crain's Detroit Business Behind the Story: Writer Vickie Elmer talks to Nina Ignaczak about her report on the retail growth in Hamtramck. Bank Suey is among the businesses featured in the report.
Walter Wasacz explores the economic boom taking place in Hamtramck for Model D Media.
"Also recently opened is Bank Suey, a project that offers low-cost space for community-driven events and activities. The building — once a bank branch, later a bar, and most recently a Chinese carry-out — has quickly asserted itself by illuminating the night at the crucial intersection of Jos. Campau and Caniff."
Model D 's managing editor, Matthew Lewis, and managing photographer, Marvin Shaouni, set out for an entire day in search of Detroit's most beautiful blocks. Within this photo series of the most beautiful blocks in Detroit, our corner was featured:
"Joseph Campau and Caniff ("Downtown" Hamtramck)
At this corner in "downtown" Hamtramck, the city's north/south and east/west traffic converge. The streets and sidewalks are alive as the city's diverse residents make their way to and from important errands. They are racing to the bank branch or the mosque, strolling to the grocery, or slightly staggering from the darkness of the bar. Here, like in few other places in Detroit, the magic of the city is at work."
"Troubled Assets is a photo series that documents the abundance of repurposed bank buildings in Detroit, Michigan. Their ubiquitousness, and craftsmanship, is a reminder of Detroit's large role in finance and the economy between 1920 and 1950. As millions flocked to the city to work for the auto companies, downtown banks established neighborhood branches with high frequency, often building near a competitor and using architecture that exuded confidence, class, and security. Today, many of these historic structures still stand -- no longer as banks, but rather as churches, hair salons, nightclubs, pawn shops, and day cares; others are abandoned, for sale, for lease, or their status is unknown.
This is a survey of pre-1949 bank buildings in the City of Detroit. Most of these structures were the property of the Detroit Savings Bank (now Comerica), the National Bank of Detroit (before merging with the National Bank of Chicago), or the Peninsular Savings Bank. When the banks folded, their physical assets were sold, leaving behind the structures for commercial and sometimes even residential use. "
"The interior is strange. It looks like it would be much bigger from the outside, first of all. They could fit several tables inside, Instead there are none. All you will see in this dimly lit room is an old church pew on the side to wait for your food from the window. You might think it is closed even when you are inside. You may think you're going to be abducted while waiting for some dumplings..."
Crain's Detroit Business Behind the Story: Writer Vickie Elmer talks to Nina Ignaczak about her report on the retail growth in Hamtramck. Bank Suey is among the businesses featured in the report.
Listen to the conversation here.