Detroit Harbor Terminal – Boblo Island Detroit Dock

The Detroit Marine Terminal, also referred to as the Detroit Harbor Terminal and the Bob-lo Warehouse/Dock, stands as a 10-story cold storage warehouse situated along the Detroit River.

Constructed in 1925 by The Detroit Railway and Harbor Terminals Company, the warehouse was built to alleviate the scarcity of available storage space.

It served as a hub where cargo ships would unload their materials, which were then stored or loaded onto train cars. To bear the immense weight of the freight, the floors and columns were constructed using reinforced concrete, effectively distributing the load across the building’s length.

Adjacent to the plant’s northern side was a single-story structure that facilitated heating, cooling, and housed substantial engines to power the air compressors.

The ownership of the port underwent multiple changes during the 1960s and 1970s, eventually falling under the ownership of Detroit Marine Terminals, Inc.

In 2002 and 2003, the US government imposed higher tariffs on foreign-produced steel, resulting in a decline in freight passing through the terminal. Consequently, operations were halted in September 2003, and both the port and warehouse were shut down.

After remaining dormant for two years, the port was purchased and reopened in the summer of 2005 by the city Port Authority, Ambassador Port Co., and Nicholson Terminal & Dock Co.

At that time, the terminal primarily handled steel cargo, including steel coils, wire, and slabs destined for automotive factories.

Additionally, other types of cargo, as well as occasional visits from US Navy vessels, occur throughout the year.

On October 28th, 2008, a two-alarm fire erupted on the warehouse’s fifth floor.

Since then, there have been several smaller fires that left significant amounts of soot but did not cause substantial damage to the building.

The north and east sides of the building bear large painted advertisements for the Ferry service to Bob-Lo Island, an amusement park located in the Detroit River.

However, the ferry service operated from an adjacent dock and was discontinued in the 1990s. On the south side of the building, the inscription “Detroit Harbor Terminals, Inc.” can still be seen, representing the period when the company owned the warehouse from 1966 to 1976.

The buildings are currently being torn down as part of the city of Detroit’s blight removal campaign.

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