WWJ Art Deco Building On 8 Mile Road

[Wthom100]

Any one know anything about this WWJ building? - What is (or was) it used for? Does it still operate? When was it built? Is WWJ still involved with the building?  I remember as a kid riding down 8 mile in the late 60's early 70's and getting a quick glance through the front glass door - you could get a glimpse of the multi-color lights on a control panel.  I wonder if the equipment is still in the building?  Maybe it's old vacuum tube equipment!

Looks like all the neon was taken off the "WWJ" sign out front. Looks like there is an old junk car stored on the side of the building. 

This building seems like is (or could be) a great part of Detroit radio history. Great art deco appearance!

   

[cmrivdog]

The building is used primarily for storage. I think in an absolute emergency they can use the transmitter in the building (there are still tubes in it).

One of the best parts is inside the front door, on the ceiling is a Diego Rivera mural depecting the old WWJ building when the station was housed in what is now the Detroit News. There used to be a copy of the mural in the WWJ lobby.

[cmrivdog]

Quick correction, I think the mural is by one of Rivera's students. It is still a wonder to look at.

[Human Numan]

I have seen that building before on 8 mile road the times that I would be on 8 mile road.

I have at times thought that was WWJ newsradio 950's studio or it was their studio a time in the past.

[The Atrium]

The building is used primarily for storage. I think in an absolute emergency they can use the transmitter in the building (there are still tubes in it).

One of the best parts is inside the front door, on the ceiling is a Diego Rivera mural depecting the old WWJ building when the station was housed in what is now the Detroit News. There used to be a copy of the mural in the WWJ lobby.

Neat! I didn't know it was still used for any purpose at all. I am glad its still standing and that they've been nicer to it then Tiger Stadium.

[Bob1370]

That was their main transmitter location back when they were running 5 kW DA-N, up until about 2000 when their new downriver facility came online and they powered up in stages to 50 kW DA-2. I think they built it back in the late 1930s when they first got a 5 kW authorization on their old prewar 920 frequency.

Haven't been to Motown in a little while--are the big tower, and the stubby second one they installed before the war to pull in the signal to the east and west for the nighttime DA pattern, still standing?

[Scott Fybush]

Haven't been to Motown in a little while--are the big tower, and the stubby second one they installed before the war to pull in the signal to the east and west for the nighttime DA pattern, still standing?

One tower was left standing for auxiliary AM operations from the Eight Mile site. The site is now used primarily for TV - WWJ-TV/DT and WTVS-DT operate from a tall tower that was built where the other AM tower used to stand. There's a new building on the north end of the property (with entrance off Meyers Road) that houses the TV transmitters.