MAR APR 1955 - River Rouge Historical Museum

Henry St., it was announced this week by Bill Mays, Local Manager. Plans for
remodeling program, scheduled to begin next fall, were made when company officials
were advised that two of the city‟s three proposed parking lots to be located on Burke
near Henry within a block of the A & P Store building, according to Mays. The
company has completed negotiations for the least of a 30 foot parcel of land adjacent
to the building, near Burke for expansion of the store. Work began Tuesday on the
company‟s $5,000 resurfacing program that will provide parking space for 78 cars at the
rear of the building, Mays reported. The parking lot, from the rear of the store to the
property line on Leroy an eight-foot alley west to Burke, and the parkway between the
street and sidewalk in front of the store building are being blacktopped. Council approval
for the resurfacing of the alley and the removal by the DPW of five trees from the
parkway was obtained by the company. Work is proceeding under the supervision of
George A. Deering, Superintendent of the DPW. Deering and City Engineering D. T.
Brown conferred with the paving contractors regarding proper drainage levels, restriping
and curbing before the resurfacing began. The Company‟s decision to expand its
investment in the River Rouge store resulted when it was learned that the city had
approved plans to construct off-street parking near the A & P Store,” Mays said.
Other businessmen, realizing the potential new business to be gained as a result of the
proposed new parking lots and the new fluorescent street lighting on Jefferson Avenue,
are planning improvements to their building. Shinner‟s Market and Shearer‟s Bakery
recently completed their new store, and the S.S. Kresge Co. has scheduled the remodeling
the River Rouge store in June.
See Industrial Highway Soon – Acquisition of the last two of seven industry-owned
parcels of land required before the city can start construction of the proposed industrial
highway was assured Tuesday night when Council passed resolutions complying with
conditions imposed by Allied Chemical & Dye Corp. and Texas Company. The firms,
before agreeing to transfer the deed to their properties stipulated various terms to
be met by the city. Deeds to the other parcels of land have been given to the city by
the Detroit Edison Co. (two parcels); Great Lakes Steel Corp; Great Lakes
Engineering Works & Solvay Process. Council met last night with a representative of
the Michigan State Highway Committee concerning Michigan Weight and gas tax fund to
be allocated to the city for the construction of the highway, planned to re-route heavy
industrial traffic away from West Jefferson and Great Lakes. With the addition of the
proposed highway, will extend 1.86 miles, to the city‟s major road mileage, River
Rouge will be entitled to additional State Aid for its major highway fund.
Resolutions, submitted to Council by City Attorney Kenneth J. Logan and adopted
Tuesday night, included conditions requested by Allied Chemicals and the Texas Co.,
before the corporations would agree to convey to the city properties they own on Marion
Avenue. As consideration for property owned by Allied Chemical, Council agreed to:
construct the highway not more than 60 foot wide; obtain deeds from other industries
owning land to be crossed by the proposed highway without compensation; assume and
bear the cost of constructing the proposed highway and its water main, sewer and fire
hydrant system, so that no part of the cost will be levied by special assessment against the
owners of land abutting the new highway; reserve the corporations rights to salt deposits
under the property and its right to remove salt by wells or shafts (not to be located on the
deeded property); grant to the corporation and the salt underlying the lands comprising
the portion of Coolidge Ave. located between the two parcels comprising the company‟s
property, and the right to remove the salt deposits. Terms of consideration for Texas Co.
property to be granted to the city included: providing the corporation with two curb cuts
on Marion Ave. between the Industrial highway and the Wolverine Pipeline station, a
third curb on the Industrial roadway as close as possible to the Marion Ave. intersection,
a fourth curb cut near the corporations southwesterly property line for access to an area