This Trash-to-Treasure Detroit Art Revolution Has Survived City Demolition Attempts Since 1986

The Heidelberg Project, Detroit

Back in 1986, Tyree Guyton came home from the army to find his Detroit neighborhood in ruins. Instead of walking away, he grabbed a paintbrush, a broom, and got his grandfather Sam Mackey to help.

Together they turned two blocks on Heidelberg Street into colorful art by painting polka dots on houses and using junk they found. Guyton was just 31 when he started this project that now covers 3,600 square feet.

Neighborhood kids joined in too, helping collect over 7 tons of trash that became art materials.

The Numbers House started with one woman’s lottery dream

You can still visit one of only two original buildings left standing – the Numbers House. It’s covered with colorful numbers because of Thelma Woods, who lived there and dreamed of winning the lottery.

Her family donated the house to the project. There are over 1,000 hand-painted numbers of all sizes and colors on this house. In 2019, workers turned it into a 1,200 square foot gallery space that serves as a community hub.

The Woods children, who helped create the project, come back every August 26th to celebrate.

Guyton’s family bought the famous polka dot house for $4,000

The house with all those colored dots has been in Guyton’s family since 1947, when his great-grandparents bought it for $4,000. Now called the Dotty Wotty House, it’s painted with about 5,000 dots in 17 different colors.

It’s survived both city bulldozers and fires, and now serves as the Heidelberg Project History House. The 1,800 square foot building sits at Heidelberg Street and Ellery Avenue.

In 2016, Guyton got $100,000 to fix up the inside, helping preserve this key piece of project history.

The O.J. House burned down twice in just one year

A family handed Guyton their keys in 1994 saying “Turn it into a work of art.” He named it the O.J. House, referring to both the city’s 1991 demolition order and the O.J. Simpson trial.

By 2013, it had grown into a 2,400 square foot display with 372 paintings. Then disaster struck at 3:30 am on May 3, 2013, when someone set it on fire. Despite adding security, someone burned it again just months later in October.

Even with a $45,000 reward, no one was ever caught for these fires.

You’ll find Tim Burke’s art gallery right next door

Tim Burke has run his own art studio in a pink house on Heidelberg Street since 2007. His Detroit Industrial Gallery features robots taller than 8 feet and sculptures made from car parts.

Burke proudly mentions he gave Guyton all the mannequins used in his early artwork. His gallery covers five lots with a green fence made of pallets around a 12-foot red flower sculpture.

Burke has painted “This is NOT the Heidelberg Project” on his building more than 20 times because visitors often get confused.

Arsonists destroyed eight houses in a shocking series of attacks

Between 2013 and 2014, fires wiped out eight Heidelberg Project buildings. Security cameras caught someone in a hood starting the November 23, 2014 Taxi House fire using a milk jug filled with fuel.

The Party Animal House burned on March 7, 2014, and the Doll House went up in flames on September 30, 2014. Even after installing a $72,000 security system with night-vision cameras and hiring guards around the clock, the fires kept happening.

FBI and ATF agents investigated but never made arrests. The most recent fire destroyed the You House in 2019.

Clock faces throughout the project make you think about time

As you walk around, you’ll spot over 75 painted clocks on sidewalks, trees, houses, and objects – all showing different times. The biggest one is 8 feet across, painted on a garage.

Guyton started adding these clocks in 1995 while thinking about how life and art don’t last forever. He was inspired by Plato’s idea that “time is a moving image of reality” and Einstein’s thought that “time is an illusion.”

Since 2008, he’s also painted the sequence “1-2-3” next to many clocks to represent new beginnings.

A basement full of broken dolls creates an unsettling display

One of the strangest parts of your visit requires walking down shaky steps into a 600 square foot cement basement with burnt beams overhead. Inside, you’ll find 267 dolls arranged in specific patterns.

Most are missing arms, legs, eyes, or hair, making a powerful statement about lost childhood. This underground space stays 52°F year-round and contains baby dolls from 1950 to 1990.

Visitors often leave pennies around the dolls as offerings. Guyton spent three years collecting these discarded toys before completing this display in 2011.

Heidelberg 3.0 will turn this art project into a village for artists

In 2017, Guyton announced plans for “Heidelberg 3.0,” changing from a one-man show to a community of artists working together. The plan will convert 12 buildings into cultural centers and create 16 live-work studios for visiting artists.

They’ll also build a 7,500 square foot community garden to grow fresh vegetables for neighbors. The Knight Foundation gave a $1.5 million grant in 2022 to help make this happen.

Work started in 2023 with fixes to Elba Ellery Park, which now has paths for visitors who have trouble walking.

A car covered in 47,000 pennies honors Detroit’s auto industry

At the Motor City Lot, you’ll see Detroit’s car industry history on display. The main attraction is a “Penny Saab” car covered with 47,000 pennies that visitors have donated since 2010.

The lot shows off 14 car hoods painted by local artists and 23 hubcaps arranged in a spiral. Six mannequins wearing Ford factory uniforms from the 1960s stand guard over the display.

Guyton has used parts from 37 different cars made in Detroit between 1950-2000, showing how important the industry has been to the city.

Famous faces from Kate Moss to MTV have highlighted this street art

Big celebrities and brands have helped make the Heidelberg Project famous. Supermodel Kate Moss came by in June 2006 with photographer Bruce Weber for a special W magazine spread.

MTV filmed their show “Made” here in 2007, reaching 2.4 million viewers. Harvard University’s School of Design partnered with the project, and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services donated $150,000 between 2011-2014.

Hip-hop leader Russell Simmons even provided $75,000 over three years after visiting in 1998 and calling it “urban genius.”

Shoes hanging everywhere represent people who’ve left the neighborhood

Throughout your visit, you’ll notice more than 350 pairs of shoes tied together and hanging from trees, fences, and buildings. Each pair stands for someone from the neighborhood who has died or moved away.

This tradition started in 1992 when Guyton hung seven pairs after a family moved out. The oldest shoes are from 1973, given by a 90-year-old resident.

Every April 15th, they add new shoes in a community ceremony. Local runners donate about 40 pairs of used athletic shoes each year to keep this display going.

Money problems have changed the project’s education programs

In April 2023, the Heidelberg Project ran into money troubles and had to pause its arts academy that had taught over 600 Detroit students yearly since 2009.

They sold their 4,500 square foot headquarters for $360,000 in March 2025 to focus on keeping the main art display going. Even with these challenges, you can still take 40-minute walking tours if you book ahead, download a free app with GPS directions, and join quarterly community art events.

Right now, they’re working with Wayne State University to save 35 years of project history in an archive.

Visiting The Heidelberg Project

You’ll find this outdoor art display on Heidelberg Street between Ellery and Mt. Elliott in Detroit’s McDougall-Hunt neighborhood. It’s free to visit daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Just make sure to park only on the south side of Heidelberg Street or on Ellery to be considerate of neighbors. For the best experience, download the official app for a self-guided GPS tour. Wear comfy shoes since the ground is uneven.

If you want more info, join a 40-minute guided walking tour on weekends for a suggested $15 donation. It’s best to visit during daylight hours and keep valuables out of sight in your car.

If you need any accessibility help, contact them at least two weeks before your visit.