An old postcard of the Historic Wolverine Hotel overlooking Grand Circus Park. Al Kaline, and other Tigers, lived at the Wolverine before they settled into their own homes. Maybe they were seeing into the future, planning ahead and trying to live as close as possible to the ballpark? The building to the right was the YMCA, which also fell victim to the wrecking ball.
The Wolverine Hotel in its heydey as depicted by this postcard. You can see the Gem Theatre next door. The newspapers keep saying that the Wolverine was demolished to make way for Comercia Park. NO! It was demolished to make way FOR A COMMERCIA PARK PARKING LOT!! GET IT STRAIGHT! If Chuck Forbes did not move the Gem Theatre, they would've blown it to smithereeens too!
The Historic Wolverine Hotel is imploded. Thanx to BigBlast.com for this pic!!
The Wolverine Hotel was reduced to rubble. What's in it's place today? A Comercia Park parking lot (of course)!
Here's that parking lot today. Chalk up another fine piece of history destruction for the city of Detroit.
An animation of The Wolverine Hotel implosion from BigBlast.com.