Wayne State University Hotel planned @ Warren & Woodward?

[Packman41]

Makes sense. Hotel and restaurant majors should be encouraged to work there no matter who owns it for practical experience. MSU owns its own hotel and staffs it largely with students.

MSU is different – they have School of Hospitality Management and WSU does not have such an educational program.

Let’s leave hotel ownership in private hands.

[Zug]

University-owned hotels are not uncommon. I know Stanford and Georgetown has [[or at least "had") them. I would guess they typically have management companies & not students/university employees doing day-to-day operations.

However, it doesn't sound like this is happening for WSU anyway...

[stinkytofu]

That plot of land is the saddest excuse for a "park" I've ever seen. It would've been nice for WSU to have put in more than $50 to make it look decent since it's in such a prime location.

[DetroitPlanner]

Most universities have their own hotel.

Isn't that a hard statement to back-up? I know many will rent out dorm rooms during off seasons, but a hotel would be a different enterprise. I don't know how you would even get that data without contacting every university in the country and asking.

I could see this working for this particular site. It would operate in similar fashion to how the Ronald McDonald house runs, but for older patients and their families and as a for-profit.

[TexasT]

University-owned hotels are not uncommon. I know Stanford and Georgetown has [[or at least "had") them. I would guess they typically have management companies & not students/university employees doing day-to-day operations.

My undergrad in Texas has one on campus. I believe UM does as well. When I travel for football games, I notice a lot of schools I'm visiting have them. I'd definitely say it's pretty common.

[gthomas]

Well...there you have it.

So I'm confused...OP, did the owner of the Subway say that WSU was developing the lot or was that just a guess on your part?

Why suggest that I made a "guess" when I specifically said " The owner of the Subway shop" mention that he will have to vacate the property due to redevelopment of the site. I asked, what's being develop on the site...he said a hotel. I guess we will see what will happen on that intersection once they vacate the building and demolish it.

[TexasT]

Why suggest that I made a "guess" when I specifically said " The owner of the Subway shop" mention that he will have to vacate the property due to redevelopment of the site. I asked, what's being develop on the site...he said a hotel. I guess we will see what will happen on that intersection once they vacate the building and demolish it.

Yes, but you didn't say that the owner said it was WSU that was developing the hotel. I couldn't tell whether you guessed that or he stated that - the OP doesn't make that clear. Hence the "I'm confused" comment.

If the store owner was wrong about the WSU part, then he could be wrong about everything. If the store owner only said that he's being moved to development, that part could still be true...

[belleislerunner]

The owner of the shop didn't tell you anything that hasn't been known for years. If you do a search on this website-the owner of Subway refused to sell his property [[i.e. terminate his lease early) when WSU was demolishing the rest of the block. So WSU decided to let him ride it out. When the lease expires in Sept/October - it will be demolished and nothing will happen for the foreseable future. All the minutes can be found at www.bog.wayne.edu Anything more is just childish speculation.

[gthomas]

Look! I don't care what yall say, I know I talked to the owner yesterday. He SAID he will have to vacate by the fall due to the building being demolished. I don't make up false "speculations", don't blame me...blame the owner for giving out false accusations. He did say "Wayne st univ was building there", he may not know all facts. I don't have time for yall "bickering" about this site, I can care less. I'm just relaying information "false or not"...have a bless day.

[belleislerunner]

Relax. The owner did not lie to you when he said he was closing. That was factual. The false speculation was the WSU was building a hotel on the site.

To clarify - if we go back to 2010 - here's the excerpt from the WSU BOG minutes.

The former Public Safety Building at 76 West Hancock, 4823-29 Woodward and most of 4847-69 Woodward. Part of 4847-69 Woodward is occupiedby a Subway franchise, a sandwich shop which leases space that actually fronts on Warren. When this property was purchased, the University assumed the lease that the previous owner had with Subway, whichhad a five year renewal option that did get exercised by the tenant. Steps taken to-date to buy-out the remaining years of the lease have been unsuccessful. Therefore, the project budget includes funds to makeappropriate modifications to retain this portion of the building. The Subway shop on Warren will continue to be occupied by the current tenant until the lease expires on August 31, 2013, or until a buy-out is negotiated.Additionally, the Simons Building at the corner of Woodward and Hancock, and the building at 60 West Hancock will continue to accommodate University programs.

And the result will be... "Following the demolition of the aforementioned buildings most of the land will be an open green space..."

http://bog.wayne.edu/meetings/2010/0...0_item%20p.pdf

[gthomas]

I believe in "private" developers, maybe its a "private" development not officially announced yet? It may not be Wayne st Univ developing the site, who knows? I really HOPE that yall don't think the intersection will be a "huge" grass lot for long, do you?? Trust me, it won't stay like that for long, that site is too important.

[Gorath]

In reference to the buildings that have now been demolished the agenda notes stated;
"Both reports noted the University’s intent to demolish several of these structures as steps to prepare the land for future redevelopment and to eliminate urban blight at the University’s front door at Woodward and Warren."


I know what is done is done, but how can this building be considered blight that needed to be demolished?

[Wesley Mouch]

Most universities have their own hotel.

Look at that residence building of theirs on Cass. It looks more like a 1980s hotel than anything else.

[wolverine]

Isn't that a hard statement to back-up? I know many will rent out dorm rooms during off seasons, but a hotel would be a different enterprise. I don't know how you would even get that data without contacting every university in the country and asking.

I could see this working for this particular site. It would operate in similar fashion to how the Ronald McDonald house runs, but for older patients and their families and as a for-profit.

It is hard to back up, but university owned hotels are certainly common. They build them because they provide additional sources of revenue as well as accommodation for donors or important visitors. I've been seeing new RFP / RFQ's for new university hotels pop up quite a bit nationally. There's two university owned hotels going up here in Chicago so that alumni and parents can stay close to UC and Loyola campuses, despite that plenty of options exist in the city.

I think building a hotel next to WSU's campus is a great idea. And it's not just beneficial to parents of students, but people who may want to stay up in the midtown area. The argument that universities should stay out of the hotel business is nonsense, it's another source of revenue that these institutions certainly need.

[p69rrh51]

In reference to the buildings that have now been demolished the agenda notes stated;
"Both reports noted the University’s intent to demolish several of these structures as steps to prepare the land for future redevelopment and to eliminate urban blight at the University’s front door at Woodward and Warren."


I know what is done is done, but how can this building be considered blight that needed to be demolished?

Thx for posting the image of The Detroit Community Fund Building. I was unable to take a pic before the building was razed. A Donaldson & Meier design built in 1927.

[Zacha341]

Further, does do we need another hotel at all in Detroit? So many hotels, city and suburb, already complain of not enough 'heads in beds' as they say.

Why do WSU want to be in the hotel business?

[Zug]

It's more about location of the hotel. Other than Inn on Ferry Street, there's virtually nothing in Midtown. And I believe they are doing very well. Considering there's a university and a few museums within 4 blocks of Woodward/Warren location, you could argue that there's a demand/need.

However, I don't think there's consistent demand for random hotels in the suburbs next to a freeway exit...so those aren't needed.

[m b v]

Further, do we need another hotel at all in Detroit?

Heck no we don't. But universities spend the tax payers & tuition money faster than it comes in.