Detroit police precinct turned into art center

A police precinct in Detroit used to have a space in the basement for officers to practice their shooting. That space will soon be transformed for visual artists to fire colored paint balls at canvases, a la Jackson Pollock.

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

It’s a different type of firing range. A police precinct in Detroit used to have a space in the basement for officers to practice their shooting. That space will soon be transformed for visual artists to fire colored paint balls at canvases, a la Jackson Pollock.

The precinct on Vernor Highway is being made over into an art gallery.

The building sat abandoned after the city of Detroit sold it. Recently, the 555 Gallery bought the 7000-square-foot property in a state of disrepair. Reports reflect that the outside was covered in graffiti and debris was scattered throughout the inside. Lead was removed from the firing range in the basement.

555 Gallery plans to turn the space into an art center with studio space for 50 artists and a gallery featuring the Banksy mural, found in Detroit’s old Packard plant. The center is expected to open next year.

“I love it,” said 555 Gallery’s Larry Halbert. “It’s taking it to its best use in my opinion.”

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