Benjamin Gravel developed a great appreciation for local architecture as a kid when his parents showed him a book called "The Buildings of Detroit," the Detroit Free Press reports.
So a couple years ago, Gravel and a friend launched a Facebook page called "Historical Detroit Area Architecture", writes John Gallagher of the Freep. The site has more than 8,500 followers.
Gallagher reports:
His site is another sign that metro Detroiters have been awakening to a new appreciation of what they have here -- a fabulous collection of building from across the generations from the mid-19th century to today. That pride in the past may have waned somewhat during the city's long economic decline but its revival is another sign of hope for the region.
"This group is just voracious in its appetite to learn about the city and its architectural history," Gravel says.
Gravel, 53, operates a computer repair shop in Grosse Pointe Woods.
