JULY 3, 2012 -- It may not be the most artistically inclined building, but the former Third Precinct police station in southwest Detroit -- with jail cells still in place and all -- is now the home of 555 Nonprofit Gallery and Studio. The forward-thinking gallery and studio space shares the new space with Detroit Farm & Garden, who we had the pleasure of profiling a week fews ago. Southwest Solutions put $1.5 million into renovating the building, which is stationed between the entrance to the Vernor commercial corridor into Mexicantown and at the foot of the Ambassador Bridge.

From a recent blog posted on 555's website:

“Before it was abandoned, the Third Precinct building had a long and often negative history,” says Carl Goines, executive director of 555. “We want to find creative ways to re-purpose the building to benefit the community."  

You can read the entire blog post here.

The 555 Gallery is best known for its controversial removal of a Bansky piece from the abandoned Packard Plant in 2010. The gallery now legally owns the piece and it continues to be a big draw. [PD]