Former site of Robeson Academy (Detroit, Michigan)

 abandoned / shut down, demolished

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Designed by Albert Kahn in 1917 as the new home of the St. Francis School for Boys orphanage, this 5-story building (3 floors, attic, basement) served as an orphanage for many years (although it was a military school from 1942 to 1969), expanding through several wings. The state shut down the orphanage in 1992 and served as the new home of Robeson Academy, a Detroit Public School aimed at young black males. The Malcolm X Academy would move in to the building in 2009, but by 2011 the building was in poor condition and badly in need of repairs, and the school was looking to get rid of it. In May 2011, it burned down (cause unknown, and classes relocated to nearby facilities), but due to a rapidly growing black mold problem and scrappers taking everything else of value, the building was torn down by summer 2012. Description derived from Detroit Urbex [detroiturbex.com/content/schools/robeson/]