Greek culture to go on display at new Detroit museum


Hellenic Museum hopes to realize dream by mid-2010

A decades-long dream by local Greek business leaders to create a museum celebrating their heritage appears close to reality.
The group has purchased the former Children's Museum in Detroit's cultural district and intends to convert it into the Hellenic Museum of Michigan.
Last month, the museum organizers bought the 67 E. Kirby building, between the Park Shelton and the International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit, from Wayne State University for $355,000. They offered a sneak peek of the space during Noel Night last weekend.
The museum could be open permanently by the middle of next year, organizers said.
"We've been discussing this and working on this for so long, and to be honest, much more hard work now comes because now we have bought the building," said John Korachis, a Detroit attorney who is among those leading the effort. Ernest Zachary, who heads a Midtown urban planning and development firm, is another principal in the effort.
The Greek business group said Comerica Inc. and Detroit Renaissance, soon to be called Business Leaders for Michigan, provided loans to help buy the building. The museum intends to spend $166,000 on construction and initial programming development.
The effort has been largely driven by the successful Greek entrepreneurs in Metro Detroit, Zachary and Korachis said. Zachary said the intent is to highlight the accomplishments and history of the area's Greek community, expose visitors to its culture and inspire future generations of dreamers and entrepreneurs.
"There are so many Greek success stories in the area, and they remain loyal to the area," Zachary said.
Among them are Compuware CEO Peter Karmanos, Greektown Casino founders Dimitrios "Jim" Papas and Ted Gatzaros, the small businesses that formed the Greektown entertainment area decades ago, and numerous small business owners, attorneys, academics, politicians and others.
Korachis said the building's purchase came months sooner than expected because Wayne State University was eager to sell. Now the organizers are "working like crazy between our day jobs" to ensure things go as planned.
"We're trying to be cautious and make sure everything we announce will actually come true," Korachis said.
The new cultural center is counting on the local Greek community for financial support, organizers said. The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Detroit estimates there are more than 200,000 Greek Orthodox Christians in Metro Detroit. A Greek community began to take root in the area almost a century ago.
The Hellenic Museum would include a permanent exhibition chronicling the story of Detroit's Greek immigrants, a cafe, a meeting center and a partnership with Wayne State University that would enhance its modern Greek program.
"It is easy to foresee many good uses for the proposed Hellenic Museum of Michigan," said Margaret Winters, chairwoman of WSU's Department of Classical and Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures.
That would include expanding its summer study abroad program, scholarships and routine symposiums at the museum.