As Ferndale’s downtown was booming in the 1950s, parking was becoming a more difficult problem to solve. Many proposals were put forth, mostly focused on parking along Withington Avenue.

Parking was still plentiful on the Woodward medians at this time, but planners knew the state would eventually require that to stop. Several ideas were shared in the newspaper and commented upon by the public. One idea, in 1957, was to convert the surface parking lot on Troy to a multi-level structure 50+ years before anyone had heard of “The Dot”!

In July 1958 legal notices were posted in the newspaper to all 500+ residents of the Woodward Heights subdivision, where the lot would be situated, inviting them to show cause regarding the condemnation. In May 1959 the parking lot was put to the ballot as a bond issue and the city voted 4:1 to build what we know as the Withington parking lot.

In total, 16 homes valued at $294k in 1958 had to go. Just one resident was happy to have the city buy him out. Several residents on the south side of Withington between Woodward and Planavon asked to move their homes to other Ferndale locations. But it appears that only 3 were actually saved and moved. Details are in the photo captions below.

Several complaints were made by homeowners near the proposed location of the homes, as well as city commissioners that “it is a bad policy to move an older home into a new neighborhood”. A few of the homes had fallen into disrepair as they sat in limbo for years waiting to see if they would remain standing. But some of the homes appear in the 1959 photographs below to be attractive, well-built homes that would be much sought after today!

For one resident, this would have been the second move of her home! Mrs. Grace Bailey moved to Ferndale in 1919 and lived at 423 West Nine Mile Road (where Hungry Howie’s is today). Due to development in 1949 she had to fight the city to save her home and have it (and her garage) moved to 337 Withington. As a side note Mrs. Bailey used that home to take in boarders just like “Ma Bailey” in “It’s A Wonderful Life”!

Ten years later (in 1959) she had to vacate the home and tried to have it moved a second time, with no luck. Ironically, this is the only home photo we have not found yet.

By June 1959 the winning contractor, Goetz House Moving Company started work to move or demolish the homes. In mid-August the company was advised to expedite the situation since dignitaries had already scheduled the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new lot on Aug 31.

To save time, the contractor had been burning what remained of the homes and debris. The burning process had been a source of irritation to the Ferndale Fire Dept according to Chief William McMurray. He had removed a burning permit when fires were not properly handled. Complaints from neighbors, and patrons of the nearby Radio City Theater (who had to be evacuated when smoke filled the theatre) prompted his action.

The cornerstone was laid by Mayor Garbutt on Aug 31, 1959 while smoke still spiraled upward from the last homes to be demolished. A steel tube "time capsule" was placed in the cornerstone that contained a sample copy of the bonds used to finance the 345 car lot. It also contained a list of property owners who subscribed to the bond issue, and a list of city officials and business leaders who supported the lot. There did not appear to be any recognition of the families who gave up their homes for the lot.

On Nov 4, 1959 the grand opening of the parking lot was held and all Ferndale businesses help celebrate with carnivals and sales.

 

Stores on Nine Mile held a “Back Door Sale” in October 1960 as they continue to leverage the easy access via the Withington lot and their adjacent spruced-up entrances. The lot became so popular that in March 1973 they had to have a parking attendant booth installed. Due to the congestion the attendant & booth were removed in Oct 1973 and the lot switched back to metered parking as it remains today.

 

While not nearly as devastating as the swath cut across Pleasant Ridge for I-696 (see story in Winter 2022 Crow’s Nest), this was a difficult and undoubtedly sad situation for the families to accept in order to make Ferndale better for everyone.