Looks like Boydell is at it Again

**Islandman** · August-01-12, 01:05 PM

According to a poster on the Unersity Lofts forum, none of the Boydell loft buildings have a valid COOs. Adding to the chaos is that they are evicting everyone at University Lofts and telling them they can move to another Boydell loft. Who in the hell would do that? Rough.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...icate-of-o.php

http://universitylofts.proboards.com...?board=general

**Curbed Detroit** · August-01-12, 01:21 PM

From Curbed.... http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...icate-of-o.php

**Richard** · August-01-12, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by Islandman

According to a poster on the Unersity Lofts forum, none of the Boydell loft buildings have a valid COOs. Adding to the chaos is that they are evicting everyone at University Lofts and telling them they can move to another Boydell loft. Who in the hell would do that? Rough.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...icate-of-o.php

http://universitylofts.proboards.com...?board=general

#1: 14th Street Lofts - 2101 West Lafayette Blvd Detroit Mi 48216

#2: Brooklyn Lofts - 2233 Brooklyn Detroit Mi 48201

#3: Coat Factory - 1652 Fort Detroit Mi 48216

#4: Grand Lofts - 727 West Grand Blvd. Detroit Mi 48216

#5: Greektown Lofts - 743 Beaubien Detroit Mi 48226

#6: The Hudson - 1915 West Fort Detroit Mi 48216

#7: John R Apartments - 2627 John R Detroit Mi 48201

#8: Lafayette Lofts - 1302 West Lafayette Detroit Mi 48226

#9: Milwaukee Park - 2566 East Grand Blvd Detroit Mi 48211

#10: River Parks Lofts - 227 Iron Detroit Mi 48201

Read more: http://universitylofts.proboards.com...#ixzz22KAGKPwy

None of those properties have COOs? wow that is going to be a lot of displaced renters.

**wardwood** · August-01-12, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by Richard

None of those properties have COOs? wow that is going to be a lot of displaced renters.

Does anyone have proof of this or are we in the realm of wild speculation?

**Richard** · August-01-12, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by wardwood

Does anyone have proof of this or are we in the realm of wild speculation?

That is the whole purpose of posting links,this one of a zoning appeal speaks volumes because why would you be dealing with zoning issues after the build out and the units are occupied ?

http://www.fileden.com/files/2012/7/...%20appeals.pdf

Now on the other hand I did kinda the same thing in another state ,I built a commercial property without pulling permits,to code,but I had it up and usable 6 month's faster and it was worth paying the fines to buy those 6 month's.

Another case was a company that built a 30 million dollar contaminated dirt burning plant under the radar,they got caught because they covered a wetlands creek to make the road but they were up and running and able to cover the after the fact fines and penalties.

So it is not an uncommon ploy.

But here you are dealing with tenants and even if it was done to code there are safety issues,maybe they have the blueprints and can push this through.

**Islandman** · August-01-12, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by wardwood

Does anyone have proof of this or are we in the realm of wild speculation?

If you look at the first link in my first post, it certainly looks legit to me. Unless some people are really, really bored.

**vivadetroit** · August-02-12, 02:30 PM

As a former tenant of the Grand Lofts, I can tell you that there is no way in hell that this building could pass any city or state inspection which I believe would grant them this occupancy. I lived on the 3rd floor and in the spring, when it rained, I had a gorgeous waterfall cascading down the walls. Think that nice cascade in the Atheneum Hotel when you're taking the old walkway to Greektown Casino.

Someone should check out the fact that he was paying the fire chief to keep his places open. There's the real story.. But good luck to all of the people who are in this position. Karma is coming back to bite Kefallinos in the butt.

**Islandman** · August-02-12, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by vivadetroit

As a former tenant of the Grand Lofts, I can tell you that there is no way in hell that this building could pass any city or state inspection which I believe would grant them this occupancy. I lived on the 3rd floor and in the spring, when it rained, I had a gorgeous waterfall cascading down the walls. Think that nice cascade in the Atheneum Hotel when you're taking the old walkway to Greektown Casino.

Someone should check out the fact that he was paying the fire chief to keep his places open. There's the real story.. But good luck to all of the people who are in this position. Karma is coming back to bite Kefallinos in the butt.

I think they call that a water feature on HGTV.

**bailey** · August-02-12, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by vivadetroit

As a former tenant of the Grand Lofts, I can tell you that there is no way in hell that this building could pass any city or state inspection which I believe would grant them this occupancy. I lived on the 3rd floor and in the spring, when it rained, I had a gorgeous waterfall cascading down the walls. Think that nice cascade in the Atheneum Hotel when you're taking the old walkway to Greektown Casino.

Someone should check out the fact that he was paying the fire chief to keep his places open. There's the real story.. But good luck to all of the people who are in this position. Karma is coming back to bite Kefallinos in the butt.

Not blaming the victim, but I'm really curious as to why the heck people rent from this well known slumlord? It's not like its a secret that DK/Boydell are terrible landlords and it's not like there is some shortage of housing around here. Yet people keep renting from him and then bitching that he's a slumlord. Is the rent insanely cheap?

**vivadetroit** · August-02-12, 03:16 PM

Wow, judge much!?! "Not blaming the victim" - seriously, yes, you are.

A lot of the people who stay there are there for many reasons: lost home to foreclosure/fire/eviction/etc, recent divorce/breakups, somewhere cheap & quick to move into when you're in a pinch, month-to-month leases, etc. Don't judge others unless you've been in someone's place.

In my case, I had lived in the Greektown Lofts & loved the place. I thought the Grand Lofts would be the same. I was wrong! I lived there for 3-4 months in early 2009 and then moved. None of my neighbors stayed for more than 6 months at the Grand Lofts.

The Greektown Lofts are probably the best of the lot. I would live there again if I lived in Detroit.

**bailey** · August-03-12, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by vivadetroit

Wow, judge much!?! "Not blaming the victim" - seriously, yes, you are.

A lot of the people who stay there are there for many reasons: lost home to foreclosure/fire/eviction/etc, recent divorce/breakups, somewhere cheap & quick to move into when you're in a pinch, month-to-month leases, etc. Don't judge others unless you've been in someone's place.

In my case, I had lived in the Greektown Lofts & loved the place. I thought the Grand Lofts would be the same. I was wrong! I lived there for 3-4 months in early 2009 and then moved. None of my neighbors stayed for more than 6 months at the Grand Lofts.

The Greektown Lofts are probably the best of the lot. I would live there again if I lived in Detroit.

Oh gimmie a break. I'm not judging anyone. I'm asking why, when there are tons of places all over metro detroit that are dying for renters, so many choose to rent from a known slum lord. I mean you can't throw a rock without hitting a apt complex advertising free rent/wi-fi...etc. My good friend just went through a break up and needed to get into an apt. he had a new place secured after an afternoon of looking.

Of course he wasn't limiting his search to hipster Detroit loft space with cool urban vibes.... he was more utilitarian in his search. He was just looking for a place that was affordable, clean, that he could get into quickly, and that was not owned by a slum lord.

Clearly DK has found a market segment that he can screw over repeatedly [[as evidenced by the numerous threads here and elsewhere and just word of mouth/common knowledge) and still keep his buildings full. Are we that desperate for "lofts" buildings?

p.s. re: Greektown lofts... pretty sure there is a thread here about tenant nightmares there too. So, maybe you had a good experience dealing with DK properties, but you appear to be in the minority

**Wheels** · August-03-12, 09:02 AM

Detroit should be putting jobs back in those old factory loft buildings and putting people back in the abandon neighborhoods. This would increase the need for more service oriented businesses in the neighborhoods more jobs more tax's collected. How would that be for a change?

**Pcm** · August-03-12, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by Wheels

Detroit should be putting jobs back in those old factory loft buildings and putting people back in the abandon neighborhoods. This would increase the need for more service oriented businesses in the neighborhoods more jobs more tax's collected. How would that be for a change?

Detroit should? Should Detroit move the city council offices there to the Grand Lofts? Should Detroit move the mayoral residence and staff to the Universal Lofts?

Also, "abandonED".