Community Risk

Fire Destroys Part of Detroit's Artistic Attraction

May 3, 2013

A house that made up part of the Heidelberg Project in Detroit has been destroyed by fire, its cause was not immediately available.

Source Detroit Free Press

May 03--One of the houses that make up the Heidelberg Project on Detroit's east side has burned down.

Jenenne Whitfield, the project's executive director, said an overnight fire destroyed one of the project's most popular structures, Obstruction of Justice House, also known as the OJ House. It dates to 1995.

Whitfield said calls from neighbors reporting the fire began about 3:30 a.m. Information about what may have caused the blaze was not available.

A call to a Detroit Fire Department spokesman was not immediately returned.

The Heidelberg Project has gained international fame.

"Tyree Guyton, founder and artistic director, uses everyday, discarded objects to create a two block area full of color, symbolism, and intrigue. Now in its 27th year, the Heidelberg Project is recognized around the world as a demonstration of the power of creativity to transform lives," according to the project's website.