The old iconic WWJ transmitter building
in Oak Park will be rehabbed and turned into an American comfort food
spot by the Union Joints restaurant group.
Designed by Albert Kahn and built in
1936 for the Scripps family, the Art Deco building served as the
transmitter for WWJ 950 AM until it was shuttered in 1995. The
historic building will be reincarnated as a one-of-a-kind,
approximately 100-seat restaurant complete with a DJ booth (a nod to
the building’s sonically centered past), outdoor seating, an event
venue and ample parking. The food will be similar to the group's
other restaurants, Catallo said, but with a little twist.
The Detroit Free Press reports the building is being purchased from
American Tower Corporation, which still owns and operates a
1,500-foot radio tower on a separate property nearby.
The new restaurant will seat 100 diners
and have its own parking lot in the back, along with outdoor seating.
"We think it will be awesome to
have a DJ booth in here and doing podcasts instead of broadcasting
through the tower."
The building sits on 8 Mile and city
officials hope reviving it will revive the street.
Erik Tungate, the Oak Park City
Manager, explained, "This has been a really derogatorily based
street for a long time. We hope this protect along with the city's
efforts will transform this narrative about the street."
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