Glenn E. Wash, Construction Pioneer, Outspoken Activist for Black Empowerment in Detroit

Glenn Wash-1-3For more than five decades, the name and voice of Glenn E. Wash have resonated with pure entrepreneurship power and concern for change in the city of Detroit and throughout southeastern Michigan.

As an African-American pioneer in the construction field, Wash has greatly prospered as a developer, general contractor and construction manager, as well as with joint ventures and subcontracting opportunities.

Under the auspices G.E. Wash Construction, founded in 1965 and Glenn E. Wash & Associates, Inc., founded in 1977, Wash’s portfolio of work has an abundance of clients in such sectors as industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential development.

A short list of his many clients over the years the City of Detroit, Barton Cablevision (now Comcast), Ford Motor Company, Standard Federal Savings and Loan, Wayne State University, Chrysler Corporation, Eddie Bauer, General Motors, Veteran Administration and Bendix Corporation.

A partial list of projects with Wash’s construction fingerprints have included St. Patrick Cooperative in Detroit, a senior citizen high-rise apartment building, as well as the former high-rise and first Howard Johnson Hotel in the city.

Other projects have included the Michigan Bell Service Complex (Southfield), Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church, Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church and Northern High School addition. Also, Wash has led construction ventures that have included more than 20 fast-food structures, commercial structures, parking structures and other educational facilities.

Throughout his professional career, Wash has always taken pride in rendering only the best with each project.

“The wide range of building experiences that we have accumulated has always included a strong commitment to quality of materials,” said Wash. “Equally, the quality of workmanship has been the hallmark of my companies and our skilled team.”

Wash’s success as an entrepreneur was rooted in his thirst to make money before he was a teenager.

“I was in the business of shining shoes in this city when I was 12 years old,” said Wash, who moved to Detroit from Grand Rapids. with his family at a young age. “I hired my first employees when I was 14, and by the time I was 15, I had saved my first $1,000.”

As Wash grew up in the shadows of the old Olympia Stadium he he attended McGraw Elementary School and McMichael Middle School while developing a curiosity for building things, such as bird cages.

While attending Cass Technical High School, where he was one of just two African Americans in the school’s engineering program, he challenged and disciplined his mind to prove he was just as intellectually talented as those he shared classrooms with.

After graduating from Cass, Wash continued his pursuit of engineering at the University of Detroit.

Following a series of construction related jobs in the region, where he learned every aspect of the industry that historically had shut out African Americans, Wash, in May 1965 hung his company’s sign that read G.E. Wash Construction.

Based on his tremendous success as an entrepreneur over the last 50 years, Wash could easily just sit back and bask in that success. Yet, it’s important, even necessary, that he speak his mind on his beloved Detroit, politically, socially, educationally and economically. He speaks unplugged, uncensored and unapologetic.

On elected city officials’ qualifications.

“Most of the people that Detroiters have elected over the past 25 years were not qualified to be in those positions. They can’t get a job in corporate America, so they learn how to be politicians. We need better guidelines and specific qualifications for elected officials and appointees. To move this city forward, we need elected people who know something about business.

“Take our city council for example. Is there one successful business person on council that can explain business or real economic matters to others on the council based on having the experience of running a major business?”

On Crime in Detroit:

“You can’t fight crime properly when you have thousands of people without jobs, or the training to hold the kinds of jobs that are available today. Without a paycheck, there will always be those who will risk their lives and their futures to rob, steal and commit other crimes. Many young people in this city are without hope.”

On Taxes and Tax Abatements: “Too many folks have ripped off the city by getting tax abatements instead of paying taxes. I’ve always paid my taxes, which have amounted to millions of dollars over the years. I think everyone should pay. Now we’re getting a new hockey arena downtown and the citizens who will never attend a hockey game will help pay for it. It’s not right. We (the City of Detroit) are supposed to be broke, bankrupt, but we are still giving out tax abatements.”

On Belle Isle:

“We lost a world renowned jewel when the state took over Belle Isle. Its demise was due to the lack of participation of business people like me. We could have kept it going as a city park, but there was no concerted effort to come up with a real plan.

“I would have suggested bringing some of the large fast food franchises to the island. We could have also sold the naming rights to the various pavilions to bring in more revenue.

The issues of Belle Isle were just not dealt with in a timely manner, with business savvy council members. We had idiotic statements from some city council members such as, ‘We don’t control Belle Isle, but we own it.’ What good is that?

On Detroit’s emergency manager:

“My problem with the EM started when he first arrived. The governor said that the EM was going to save Detroit, so I thought the governor was going to send us a doctor. Instead he sent us a mortician.

“One of my biggest problems with the EM is that there are billions of dollars in accounts receivable, tax-wise, owed to the City of Detroit. Instead of beating up on these poor little pensioners, why doesn’t the EM go after these major corporations that owe the city billions?”

On Mayor Mike Duggan:

“Although I did not vote for Mayor Duggan, I feel that the new mayor is committed to working hard to serve the citizens of Detroit in ways that have not been experienced in recent years. He’s a hell of a politician. Quite frankly, in retrospect, after looking back at the other mayoral candidates that ran against him, if you look at it from a political perspective and not a color perspective, Mayor Duggan may be more of what this city needs at this time in our history.

“My message to Mayor Duggan is, ‘I’m here and I love the city of Detroit. I want what is best for the city, and I believe that you do as well. I am ready to get back in the game.’”

On Detroit’s future:

“The best thing I think that will happen over the next decade is that Detroit will become more of a destination place for tourism. A lot of foreigners and people from all over the United States will visit Detroit and spend money.

“Unfortunately, there will be very little that Black Detroiters will gain from this. Jobs and Black economic development in Detroit must be high priorities for things to improve across the board for everyone. The playing field is still not level. We (Black people) are playing checkers while those in power are playing chess.”

For Wash, the beat goes on. He is proud of his latest ventures which include the building and ownership of apartments and other properties throughout the city, including two adjoining strip malls on Livernois, south of West Seven Mile Road. The two complexes are home to Boston Market, PNC Bank, an Allstate Insurance office, a U.S. Navy recruiting office and a CVS pharmacy.

Wash also owns and operates Schaefer Lyndon Self-Storage, a state-of-the art facility that offers more than 1,500 storage units for residential and commercial storage, complete with U-Haul trucks and moving materials. The facility is believed to be one of largest inner-city storage facilities of its kind in the nation that is African American-owned.

Wash is also proud to continue his philanthropic spirit, which he has demonstrated throughout his five decades in business. He is currently in the process of establishing a scholarship foundation and fund for economically disadvantaged Detroit students who want to major in business, especially those who want to pursue careers in the construction industry.

“I strongly believe that if one is fortunate enough to be successful in business, he or she has a moral obligation to give back to the community,” said Wash.

“I have supported, and I will continue to support, numerous causes with sponsorships and donations that will benefit many charities. I have always tried to make a difference.”

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