The parking garage for the Riker building in downtown Pontiac. photo by Pj. McArdle
By Patrick McArdle
Goodbye Pontiac, hello I-75 south. It’s a long road to Florida. My destination, 1,300 miles to Dania Beach. Before I leave I wanted to hang in the downtown area one more time. I have been here for 6 weeks. Most of my time spent photographing Pontiac. Subject: the decline of a once vibrant city.
Discovering a less than alive and lost dreams Pontiac was easy. Available signs dominate the store fronts. Dusty windows scrapped clean for peek holes were on every window. After awhile I realized the signs advertising available were placards of hope. They were not written or scribbled out on computer paper. Instead they are shiny, bright and easy to read. Placed perfectly and professionally.
The buildings that are occupied are also shiny and new looking. Artistic in design and definitely in favor of highlighting the architectural marvels that they were and still are.
One in particular, the Riker building has been under renovation for six years according to one of the construction workers. I roamed around the building and discovered an amazing array of large open space areas used for various purposes. Top notch through and through. As a kid I went to the Riker for my dentistry work. Touring the building gave me hope for Pontiac. I realized the possibilities for a new and shiny Pontiac. A secret garden of wonderment and artistry.
There is a book waiting to be written about Pontiac. For my purposes today, I’m simply jotting down what it feels like to be back in Pontiac after a 30 year hiatus. I left Pontiac on a negative note which made it difficult to look at and enjoy my visit. That changed quickly when I strolled through the streets and alleys of downtown. In the alleys I could see the remnants of the old cobblestone that once paved the main roads.
My grandmother would ride with us on the bus and we would go to Walgreens (not sure if that was the store) and get malts. I would ride the bus to the Pontiac Press and pay my paper route bill on Saturdays. Great and warm memories.
After a 30 year leave and as a photographer I immediately fell in love with the downtown area. There are amazing images on every street and they all tell a story. Ultimately I am dreaming of creating a coffee table picture book from my images.
Photographing downtown recently I got hungry and stopped in to eat at the Oak House Deli, at 1 south Saginaw street. I was told it was the oldest surviving building in Pontiac. It was built in 1830 in the center of Pontiacs business disrtrict which at the time was booming.
The front view of the Crofoot building in downtown Pontiac. photo by Pj. McArdle
Indeed the building has a unique and one-of-a-kind history. It’s another story waiting to be written which will not happen in this article. For more historical info visit The Crofoot.com.
The décor at the deli compliments the flavor of downtown and adds some artistic and refreshing touches. For example, there are tables to eat at, couches to sit and chat with friends and a 14 foot long bar table with stools. The wood is finished and topped out with polyutherane. It matches the shiny floor which is real wood. The front wall is solid windows and affords a perfect view of the street action and beyond.
In the Oak House there is plenty of open spacesutrrounded by artistic elegance. photo by Pj. McArdle
The area is open and spacious and the walls are dominated by posters of various music and other entertainament events sponsored by the Crofoot, a mixed use independent entertainment complex. The Oak House Deli occupies an area in the front of the building. It also has has the Pike Room and a ballroom.
The Crofoot is another story on its own which, again I will not cover here. For more on that go to Crofoot.com
The elegantly framed posters and pictures on the wall include Jay and Silent Bob Get Old, Alabama Shakes and an special inauguration dinner for President Obama with Jazz Pianist Charles Anthony in the Pike Room and the Hidden Agenda Band DJ Ron Jackson in the Crofoot Ballroom. These are only a few of the events sponsored by the Crofoot as southeastern Michigan’s most dynamic independent promotion company. They produce shows in nearly a dozen venues spread out across mid and West Michigan via Fusion Shows.
So to say that the Oak House Deli is a jewel and beacon of hope for Pontiac is an understatement. It demonstrates the will power of Pontiac residents to stay vibrant and the recreate the spirit of the city that was named after one of the greatest Indian chiefs in America.
