It has been determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places by the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office. The United Sound building meets the criteria for designation for the following reasons: DSC believed that the Detroit City Council should designate the United Sound Systems building as an historic district in Detroit. In this effort, DSC asked historical preservationist Rebecca Binno Savage to begin the process to achieve historic designation in Detroit. Historic Designation Processĭetroit Sound Conservancy was asked in January 2014 by the owners of United Sound for help in efforts to preserve the historic United Sound Systems in Detroit. In August 2015, Detroit Sound Conservancy announced that they would help United begin the process of getting a Michigan Historical Marker for the studio.Ī successful fundraiser was held on October 23rd which brought in over $3000 towards the Michigan Historical Marker.įrom November 2015 to May 2015, DSC rented spaces for its first office, vault, and exhibit area in the lower level at United Sound. He joined us at the unveiling of the marker. Photo of Dave Usher who produced artists like Dizzy Gillespie and Jackie Wilson at United Sound Systems. On Sunday, June 25th, an event was held at United Sound Systems from 4 – 6 pm to celebrate the installation of the Michigan Historical Marker. In June 2018, United Sound Systems was put up for sale.
It really is the center of Detroit’s musical 20th century,” said Gholz. Gholz said he hopes there is a historic covenant or “some sort of understanding” with any future owner about preservation and operating the space as a public good, “and we are hoping to impact that process in any way that we can.” “This is not just a building. And so we’re going to take that as a win,” (Executive Director of DSC) Carleton Gholz said. Via Michigan Radio: “This is the first day that we know of when the Michigan Department of Transportation said out loud that it’s a bad idea to demo the building, and that they will preserve the building.
On Friday, January 11, 2019, Michigan Department of Transportation announced the purchase of United Sound Systems and their intention to move, preserve, and eventually resell the building. Michigan Department of Transportation Purchase 2019 Jim Vitti, recording engineer Our Public Statement 2020ĭuring the first year of the pandemic, and after a year of MDOT owning United Sound Systems, we kept the temperature of our activism to protect United up through our outreach around our public statement, “ Is a service road more important than our City’s world-renowned musical legacy?” More than thirty musicians, scholars, engineers, songwriters, politicians, and community members co-signed our statement. Karen Hudson Samuels, advocate, historian, and Detroit Sound Conservancy Board MemberĪlex Alexander, musician, photographer, and tour guide at United Sound Systems These have included:ĭon McCreedy, record industry veteran and son of United Sound co-founder Anthony Siracuse The United Sound System Legacy family has had significant losses during the pandemic. However, today, the struggle to protect and defend United Sound Systems continues! Please follow our efforts below and via our social media channels with the hashtag #UnitedSoundSystems If you have any questions or want get involved please contact us via email at or call direct at 31.
Both of these efforts pressured the Michigan Department of Transportation to change its mind about having to demolish the property for the expansion of I-94. We spearheaded the process to create a historic district for the site and then helped raise the funds for a two-sided Michigan Historical Marker. Since 2012, we have been the leading advocate for United Sound’s historical legacy. You can read a partial list of these artists and recordings here. Since the 1930s, local, national, and international artists, arrangers, recording engineers, producers, songwriters, businesses, and ordinary people, have made their way to 5840 Second Avenue in Detroit to record popular, commercial, and personal recordings. United Sound Systems Recording Studios (United Sound) is one of Detroit’s first independent recording studios. Protecting 2012-Present Protecting The Original Mothership United Sound Systems Recording Studios is one of Detroit’s first independent recording studios.
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