63 Alfred Street: Where Capitalism Failed: The Life and Times of a Venetian Gothic Mansion in Downtown Detroit [Paperback]

John Kossik (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 13, 2010

In downtown Detroit there exists a grand residence built in the Venetian Gothic style some 130 years ago. It stands now in ruins seemingly more comfortable in the company of a lonely castle in the Scottish Highlands than in the shadow of Ford Field (Detroit Lions), Comerica Park (Detroit Tigers), and Joe Louis Arena (Detroit Red Wings). Though its only occupants for the last 40 years have been crack dealers and the local homeless population, its history reflects the length and breadth of the American Experience. This is its Story

Editorial Reviews

Review

63 Alfred Street: Where Capitalism Failed: The Life and Times of a Venetian Gothic Mansion in Downtown Detroit is more than the tragic history of a grand residence built 130 years ago that has fallen into virtual ruin today, used by crack dealers and the local homeless for the past 40 years. 63 Alfred Street is an extremely critical examination of the urban decay that has plagued Detroit's inner city, and the factors that cause it. Author John Kossik, a former resident of Detroit, compares the inner city's social ills to a Hydra - just like the mythical monster of legend, it has many heads (causes), which must be tackled as a whole and dealt with properly or else they will regrow. Kossik names many culprits in Detroit's degredation, from the demolishing of vibrant neighborhoods to create road systems that encouraged white flight, to a tax burden that drives out young families and keeps them from returning, to a culture of entitlement amid union auto workers that cripples Detroit's auto industry, to Detroit's unhealthy dependence on the auto manufacturing industry in the first place, and more. Kossik doesn't have all the answers, but through his judiciously researched blend of history and sociology, he hopes to spread greater awareness of the problem and aid the search for solutions. A thoughtful and invaluable study of seemingly intractable social problems, 63 Alfred Street is highly recommended. --Midwest Book Review, Library Bookwatch, January 2011

About the Author

John Kossik was born and raised in the Downriver suburbs of Detroit. He graduated from Michigan State University with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering in 1983. He has lived and worked in the Pacific Northwest since then and has written numerous articles in publications such as Chemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering Progress, Genetic Engineering News, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Filtration+Separation, and Bioprocess International. He is co-patent holder of Disposable rotary drum filter, US Patent No. 6,336,561. A life-long Tiger fan until that venerable structure was abandoned in 1999, he subsequently gave up watching the game. He lives with his wife and two grown children in suburban Seattle. An amateur photographer, historian, and marine reef-keeper, this is his first book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (June 13, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1452874956
• ISBN-13: 978-1452874951
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #758,586 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Kossik (1959- ) was born and raised in the Downriver suburbs of Detroit. He graduated from Michigan State University with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering in 1983. He has lived and worked in the Pacific Northwest since then and has written numerous articles in publications such as Chemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering Progress, Genetic Engineering News, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Filtration+Separation, and Bioprocess International. He is co-patent holder of Disposable rotary drum filter, US Patent No. 6,336,561. A life-long Detroit Tiger fan until that venerable structure was abandoned in 1999, he subsequently gave up watching the game. He lives with his wife and two grown children in suburban Seattle. He is also an amateur photographer and marine reef-keeper.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Deserves Wider Audience, October 21, 2010

By 

DougB - See all my reviews

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This review is from: 63 Alfred Street: Where Capitalism Failed: The Life and Times of a Venetian Gothic Mansion in Downtown Detroit (Paperback)

Whle traveling through the ruins and remains of downtown Detroit, as a former resident of a life-less suburb in the Detroit metropolitan area, I had often wondered as to how some of the beautiful buildings ended up in their present state? In profiling this now decrepit building, at this lone address, the author simultaneously describes the deterioration of this singular structure along with the general socio-economic decline of the City. This book is a great read for anyone who has ever pondered similar questions in any similarly depressed region of the United States.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Odd Read, Great Subject., January 26, 2011

By 

Steve - See all my reviews

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This review is from: 63 Alfred Street: Where Capitalism Failed: The Life and Times of a Venetian Gothic Mansion in Downtown Detroit (Paperback)

A disjointed read that as best as I can tell, very occasionally ventures into (much unappreciated) fiction. It ends in a brief, scathing, unenlightening rundown of the usual suspects responsible for Detroit's decline (local government gone a muck, racial inequality, industrial decline, union excess, etc...). I very much like the subject matter, though I feel the work itself brings little to the table outside of its recounting of the history of the RG house and by extension, Brush Park.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Somewhat interesting, April 25, 2011

By 

Jared Christopher (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 63 Alfred Street: Where Capitalism Failed: The Life and Times of a Venetian Gothic Mansion in Downtown Detroit (Paperback)

I have to admit I bought this by hitting the wrong key on my Kindle, and thought that I might as well read it. I love old houses and "ruin porn", and for the most part liked his account of the house. I also thought the read was a bit disjointed, but was impressed about the sheer wealth of obscure information and wondered how he thought to find it out, such as interviews with descendents of the residents. I skimmed over a lot of it, mainly because I read a lot of history, and found parts redundant to my experience. I would have liked to have read a little more about decorating and construction methods. Was it worth the time? Probably. But he sure does seem obssessed with that turret.....