Abandoned Boat Club

This place is on private property. Listing for informational purposes only. Please do not visit without express permission from the land owner. "Today, it’s a crumbling landmark on Belle Isle, but the Detroit Boat Club is steeped in history. The building was dedicated on Aug. 4, 1902, and was the first concrete structure in the country. Sadly, the DBC abandoned its home in 1996. Today, it’s used only by crew teams and needs millions in work." The Detroit Boat Club, established in 1839, is the oldest continuously-operated sport rowing club in the United States. It was first created on the Detroit River during a time in which Detroit, Michigan was just starting to grow. The Detroit Boat Club is a member of the Detroit Regional Yacht-racing Association (DRYA). Detroit continued to grow. Horse-drawn trolleys were being replaced by electric streetcars, planked sidewalks were paved and gas lamps were replaced by electric lights. On the river, sleek racing sculls became standard equipment, and canoeing became popular. The Detroit Boat Club became even a greater force in the social and sporting fabric of Detroit. The old Belle Isle Bridge, which burned in April 1915, had a swing section which opened at midnight, preventing anyone on the island from reaching the mainline until the next morning. To be trapped on the island was tantamount to disgrace and social ostracism. All club dances ended promptly at 11:30. Long after the present bridge opened in 1923, dances at the Boat Club and Detroit Yacht Club continued to end at 11:30. In 1992 rent on the Detroit Boat Club property jumped from $1 to $100,000. Utility payments fell behind and membership continued to drop. The club filed for bankruptcy citing a $1million debt. The city announced plans to take over operation of the building. In 1996, the boat club members voted to move out of the city. Since the social club left Belle Isle in 1996, the historic building has fallen into disrepair. Current assessments put the needed repairs over $20 million. The club has around 200 members who pay $400 in dues a year. This pay along with few other forms of income, have led to many business proposals for renovation of the site. The City of Detroit currently has no plans for the building, however continues to be open for any feasible ideas. The organization that runs the rowing program, Friends of Detroit Rowing, are currently looking into building a better boathouse and structure for competitive rowing. This leaves the historic Detroit Boat Club behind. There are no projects to restore the boat club, as time and weather further the deterioration of the building.