Lafayette Building on "Detroit Today"

[buildingsofdetroit]

WDET is going to discuss the Lafayette fight at 1 p.m. on "Detroit Today."


To those who wrote the mayor and signed the petition, thanks for trying. C. Howard Crane thanks you, as do I.
It appears that this mayor can't make a sensible decision for himself. Wait a waste of money. What a waste of a great building. What a great site for another undeveloped, vacant lot downtown.
So long, Lafayette. Sorry you had to fall to the same nonsensical decision like so many others in this town.

[buildingsofdetroit]

My comment:
"I'd like to know how spending millions upon millions of dollars to demolish the Lafayette makes more sense than spending a FRACTION of that money to clean it up. If it were cleaned up, it would surely draw more interest from developers - especially once the horrendous economy rebounds - and would solve the eyesore problem while giving those at the Book-Cadillac something gorgeous to look at instead of another parking lot. The Book-Cadillac and Fort Shelby were just as bad, if not worse, inside than the Lafayette and look at them now. The demolition of the Lafayette is a wasteful use of tax money and of a potential resource in a city with little money and even fewer resources."

[buildingsofdetroit]

If interested, here is the full MP3 of the show. The Lafayette starts about the 1-hour mark.
http://wdet.org/audio/detroittoday/652/DT_4-1_full_show.MP3

[Fnemecek]

I have to admit that the guy from the DEGC did an outstanding job presenting the pro-demolition argument. I especially liked how the estimated cost to redevelop the Lafayette Bldg. went from $20 million to $60 million within a couple of minutes.

Wow! If the building is deteriorating that fast then it really does need to be demolished. :eek:

Oh, and he was clearly right that the LB is what is keeping the Book-Cadillac from selling their condos. I mean, never mind that the LB was the same condition it's in today as it was when folks reserved all of those condos and put down an non-refundable deposit on them.

The fact that the economy has crashed since then has absolutely nothing to do with that change.

The fact that folks were unable to sell their existing homes elsewhere also has nothing to do with that change.

It's all because of the Lafayette Bldg. As soon as it comes down, the DJIA will soar a thousand points and the real estate market with rebound - unlike all of those other times when knocking down a historic building was tried without producing any results.

[Lorax]

Great to see so much effort trying to save a great building- it's a shame that the old shortsightedness of city officials always seems to win. Might be interesting seeing which demolition company gets the contract, I'd bet money they are either related to, or otherwise involved with city officials. Wherever a buck is to be made. I fear for the Book Tower, which is probably next in line, only after it's stripped of course.

[Russix]

It would be pretty neat to live in the BC and have an office in the LB.

[Russix]

I had some inspiration to complete a "Requst for Proposal", I've kinda run out of steam on this, if anyone wants to contribute their ideas or estimates, feel free. I'm going to mail it to Ken and the DDA tomorrow.
Orginal is here: http://www.degc.org/data/Lafayette_Demo_Mactech_EKS_RFP.pdf

A PROPOSAL
For the
FACADE RENOVATION
And
MOTHBALLING
Of The
LAFAYETTE BUILDING in DETROIT, MICHIGAN
DDA RFP No. 2009 – LAFAYETTE REDO – 001

Proposing Entity:
Address: Detroit, MI

B.
Facade Renovation Cost:
$35,000
Mothballing Cost:
$24,400
Total Cost:
$59,400
C. Starting and Completing Work
Façade Renovation 30 days
Mothballing 30 days

D.
E.
F. UNIT PRICE SCALE
UNIT PRICE NO. 1
The cost of removing unsafe slate colored façade addition from lower part of building, removing graffiti, vegetative growth, and visible dilapidation debris.
30 x 10 Cubic Yard Dumpsters $7,000
3 Scissor Lifts $4,500
6 Masonry Workers @ $15.00 x 4 weeks $14,400
6 General Labors @ $10 x 4 weeks $9,600

UNIT PRICE NO. 2
The cost of installing treatments to windows for appearance, security system, and mothballing the building for future development.
4 Window Installers @ $15 x 4 weeks $14,400
Security System $5,000
Materials $5,000

[reddog289]

Hell, I mean heck put me on the sissors lift, gimme a pry bar and I'll take care of it. But only if my truck can make it down there .

[AQCE]

From the horses mouth:

City of Detroit, Budget Deficit Reduction Plan, January 30, 2009
Page 5, last 2 sentences:
Other: Explore public-private partnerships to refurbish City-owned building by developers. This may make these properties attractive for future sale and with potential revenues for the city.

Cockrel obviously forgot about this particular item. I wonder if he remembered to reduce his salary by 20%?

[Lorax]

It's amazing how short sighted politicians are- when they have the opportunity to make a difference, and really set a positive example, they screw it up every time. Cockrel needs to grow a pair and draw the line in the concrete- this far- no further. the Lafayette is certainly salvagable, and should be mothballed at less expense than demolition.

So, my only conclusion is what I mentioned in this thread earlier- someone's getting a kickback on the taxpayer's dime. The only reason for this building coming down, is that someone at city hall is getting paid off. Let's see who the demo contractor is. Maybe the Historic District Commission needs to grow a pair as well, and ask to see all the estimates they get for the demo work, and read the fine print. The city apparently doesn't employ any attorneys who are worth a sheet.