The historic Blue Bird Inn on Detroit’s west side is getting closer to reopening.
The building at 5021 Tireman Ave., once a renowned music venue where jazz legends like John Coltrane and Miles Davis performed, was abandoned by the early 2000s and faced the threat of demolition.
In 2019, however, the Detroit Sound Conservancy purchased the old neighborhood jazz club and has been advocating for its rehabilitation ever since. Now, the nonprofit has received a grant of $1.9 million from the Mellon Foundation to help fully realize the vision over the next four years.
“We are profoundly grateful to Detroit’s legacy of cultural champions who have paved the way for this substantial philanthropic support,” Jonah Raduns-Silverstein, DSC Director of Operations, said in a press release. “After years of work and advocacy, The Blue Bird Inn will once again become a welcoming home for Detroit’s ongoing musical story. These resources allow us to fully restore the Bird to its historic, sonic, and cultural excellence.”