Just as the Gordon Square Arcade was a reflection of the neighborhood's prosperity throughout the first half of the century, the building followed suit as the area succumbed to the effects of suburbanization after World War II. An absentee owner and a weakened commercial district each played their part as the building fell into disrepair, culminating in the parapet of the arcade crashing down onto W. 65th Street in 1978. Saved from demolition through the efforts of concerned residents and the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization, the building was rehabilitated in an effort to reestablish the intersection as a commercial center and promote development in the outlying community. A reflection of their success can be seen in the continued economic development of the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood outward from the Gordon Square district.
