WSJ: Berlin Investor wants to turn Fisher Body into Nightclub.

**motz** · October-15-14, 08:25 AM

I take it that a fair amount of people here are unaware of Tresor and exactly the amount of weight Tresor pulls in the music scene. They are one of the premier [[and when I use the word, I very much mean the genre of electronic music) techno clubs/brands/whatever in the world. If you're considered a legend, the hottest up-and-coming artist, etc, you play Tresor.

And because of that, I get the feeling that if Dimitri wants to open a club in Detroit, he will open a club in Detroit. Tresor Detroit would be the equivalent of having a techno Madison Square Garden in our backyard. This would be a destination stop for what is considered the best of the best. If they were able to stay open late and had a professional but not oppressively priced operation, I could see them taking over the space of "large electronic music space" that was left wide open with Bert's no longer doing events and the best runners up being Club Fantasy and lord help us, Blondies.

For reference: Tresor's website will give you guys some background on them.

**mikeg19** · October-15-14, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Metro Detroit is twice the size of Prague...

Prague has a metro area of over 2 million, plus it's annually one of the top 5 or 6 tourist destinations in Europe. I'd also believe that Prague has a much denser urban area than Detroit and also has mass transit in the forms of a subway. Plus it's relatively close to Berlin, Dresden, Vienna, Warsaw for weekend travelers.

Although metro Detroit is bigger with about 3.5 million residents, it's scattered over a much larger area comparitively. So I'm taking that into consideration as well.

**Hypestyles** · October-15-14, 11:46 AM

I wonder does the investor know that Detroit is überaus behind Berlin in terms of mass transit access?

**iheartthed** · October-15-14, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

Prague has a metro area of over 2 million, plus it's annually one of the top 5 or 6 tourist destinations in Europe. I'd also believe that Prague has a much denser urban area than Detroit and also has mass transit in the forms of a subway. Plus it's relatively close to Berlin, Dresden, Vienna, Warsaw for weekend travelers.

Although metro Detroit is bigger with about 3.5 million residents, it's scattered over a much larger area comparitively. So I'm taking that into consideration as well.

Your statement still doesn't make sense. Detroit is located near Toronto and Chicago, so what? Detroit is a bigger region than Prague by every measure and it is similar in size to Berlin.

Willi · October-15-14, 01:45 PM

Mass transit in Detroit is non-existent compared to an ICE train in Germany.

http://www.eurail.com/trains-europe/...eed-trains/ice

http://www.eurail.com/trains-europe/...ins/ice#routes

**Jason** · October-15-14, 02:04 PM

Culturally I think this would connect so many aspects of Detroit's past, present, and future, and would be fantastic.

I'm skeptical that there's money to do something like this though. I don't know what the exact state of the building is, but I imagine getting it safe to be occupied would be expensive. The building's size is cumbersome although having so much space you could do all kinds of things, exhibition or work spaces for any of the allied arts, and during the electronic music festival[[s) I'm sure they'd easily be able to temporarily expand into the building's empty space. Some space could possibly be used for label record activities, other space for some kind of residence program, etc. Getting the spaces fit for humans is expensive but once you have the space you can find all kinds of things to do with it [[not saying any of those things would financially justify the costs of renovation though).

At first the location doesn't seem to make sense, but it's probably pretty good. It's close to the students, will be close to the light rail, has easy freeway access, and it's isolated enough that the noise and crowds wouldn't be a disturbance.

Still, I'm extremely skeptical that this could do anything but bleed money, even if it was really successful.

**Jimaz** · October-15-14, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by hybridy

guess none of y'all have been to prague...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karlovy_l%C3%A1zn%C4%9B

Lázně is situated 50 meters from the eastern end of the Charles Bridge on the bank of the Vltava River.

It's a remarkable coincidence how often that particular remote bridge has been referenced here recently.

The Charles Bridge in Prague

I have no personal interest in it but the coincidence is notable.

It is a beautiful bridge.

**mikeg19** · October-16-14, 06:35 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Your statement still doesn't make sense. Detroit is located near Toronto and Chicago, so what? Detroit is a bigger region than Prague by every measure and it is similar in size to Berlin.

When was the last time you read that Chicago/Toronto/Toledo were hotbeads of tecno activiety? People in the US don't exactly travel well for tecno, hell, almost any music. Tecno is like a religion in many parts of Europe. I'd be willing to bet that Tresor in Prague pulls in a ton of people from the surrounding areas, as opposed to a "tresor" club in Detroit, which I'd think would have significantly less of an appeal to those in Chicago/Toronto/Toledo.

**Hypestyles** · October-16-14, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by Willi

Mass transit in Detroit is non-existent compared to an ICE train in Germany.

http://www.eurail.com/trains-europe/...eed-trains/ice

http://www.eurail.com/trains-europe/...ins/ice#routes

Metro Detroit could have this if it wanted. Oh, well.

.. side note-- I hope they have an '80s hip-hop night..

**Goose** · October-16-14, 11:17 PM

now is the time ve dance on sprockets

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**DetroitPlanner** · October-17-14, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Your statement still doesn't make sense. Detroit is located near Toronto and Chicago, so what? Detroit is a bigger region than Prague by every measure and it is similar in size to Berlin.

Yeah! Detroit is by Ann Arbor and Port Huron, that makes it the BEST!

**iheartthed** · October-17-14, 08:19 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

When was the last time you read that Chicago/Toronto/Toledo were hotbeads of tecno activiety? People in the US don't exactly travel well for tecno, hell, almost any music. Tecno is like a religion in many parts of Europe. I'd be willing to bet that Tresor in Prague pulls in a ton of people from the surrounding areas, as opposed to a "tresor" club in Detroit, which I'd think would have significantly less of an appeal to those in Chicago/Toronto/Toledo.

I can't follow your argument. You've changed your tune [[no pun) about why this won't work so many times that it's incoherent. I think this says more about your own pessimism than whether they can actually make a techno club work in Detroit.

**motz** · October-17-14, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

When was the last time you read that Chicago/Toronto/Toledo were hotbeads of tecno activiety? People in the US don't exactly travel well for tecno, hell, almost any music. Tecno is like a religion in many parts of Europe. I'd be willing to bet that Tresor in Prague pulls in a ton of people from the surrounding areas, as opposed to a "tresor" club in Detroit, which I'd think would have significantly less of an appeal to those in Chicago/Toronto/Toledo.

Do you know how many foreigners make the Movement pilgrimage every year? It's honestly like someone going back to their homeland to celebrate and take in everything the home of techno has to offer. Also Chicago/Toronto/Toledo were large parts of Detroit's early electronic music scene, with people travelling from those various metro's to attend some of the world famous Detroit parties. Your knowledge of the scene, as well as your reasons for failure, are pretty lacking, sorry.

**rjlj** · October-17-14, 08:58 AM

You are wrong on many fronts. First, Tresor is in Berlin. Techno, and EDM are huge right now in the U.S. and people travel for huge festivals and conferences all year long. Not to mention, people travel for all types of music festivals and events all across he U.S.. People traveled from all over when Motor was named one of the best clubs in he U.S.. How can you judge the appeal of a event space such as Fisher Body based on just a newspaper headline?

Originally Posted by mikeg19

When was the last time you read that Chicago/Toronto/Toledo were hotbeads of tecno activiety? People in the US don't exactly travel well for tecno, hell, almost any music. Tecno is like a religion in many parts of Europe. I'd be willing to bet that Tresor in Prague pulls in a ton of people from the surrounding areas, as opposed to a "tresor" club in Detroit, which I'd think would have significantly less of an appeal to those in Chicago/Toronto/Toledo.

**mikeg19** · October-17-14, 01:49 PM

[QUOTE=rjlj;455476]Not to mention, people travel for all types of music festivals and events all across he U.S.. QUOTE]

Is that why Metallica canceled its 3 day weekend festival on Belle Isle this year? Yea, I get it. Coachella, Bonaroo, and a few other festivals get huge crowds in. That's one weekend a year. DEMF is one weekend a year.

Let's get this straight, I'm not bashing the venue, tecno, or the guys dream of opening a tecno club here. If a few hundred kids wanna paint themselves green and wave glow sticks around for a few hours every weekend, who am I to care? My point was simply that I wasn't aware/didn't think that there was enough of a "tecno" population in the area to keep a major club going night in and night out 365 days a year.

**Goose** · October-17-14, 04:41 PM

stop arguing, techno is HUGE... its at least as popular as Jazz.....

**motz** · October-18-14, 07:23 AM

[QUOTE=mikeg19;455523]

Originally Posted by rjlj

Not to mention, people travel for all types of music festivals and events all across he U.S.. QUOTE]

Is that why Metallica canceled its 3 day weekend festival on Belle Isle this year? Yea, I get it. Coachella, Bonaroo, and a few other festivals get huge crowds in. That's one weekend a year. DEMF is one weekend a year.

Let's get this straight, I'm not bashing the venue, tecno, or the guys dream of opening a tecno club here. If a few hundred kids wanna paint themselves green and wave glow sticks around for a few hours every weekend, who am I to care? My point was simply that I wasn't aware/didn't think that there was enough of a "tecno" population in the area to keep a major club going night in and night out 365 days a year.

Orion had a tiny electronic music part, and honestly seemed like a clusterfudge when I went down there for Pride the same weekend. It wasn't very well planned out at all. And yes, "kids painting themselves green and waving around glowsticks" is actually very popular and a booming business.

**night-timer** · October-19-14, 07:23 PM

Whether Fisher 21 on Piquette will make it as a successful venue, I don't know. It isn't far from Woodward Avenue and Grand Boulevard and WSU, so maybe it's centrally located enough.

From what I know of the Fisher building, GM moved out and a few paint companies moved in. The paint companies moved out in '94 and, in '99, the building became the property of the City of Detroit due to unpaid property taxes.

Does the city want to sell, and if so, for how much?

Although I think Fisher is abandoned, I've also heard there are some industries still active inside on a small scale. Not sure about that, though.

This will be an expensive venture. What if asbestos is an issue? The area around Fisher [[Piquette, Hastings, Beaubien, Milwaukee Streets) is desolate. The venue will need to become a tourist-friendly venue attracting out-of-towners or suburbanites, like happens for Detroit sports fans on game days. Otherwise expect a lot of empty seats and negative space. At least there will be no noise complaints from neighbors.

Nightclubs and disco's have a lifespan, IMHO. They can be hip for a while and then out-of-favor a few years later.

If I actually knew anything about techno or was ever impressed by it, I'd probably have a clearer idea on this whole issue.

Still, there's a better chance of getting Fisher re-habbed as a venue than there is of wrestling the MCS train station from Matty Maroun. Not a chance. Only possibility there is maybe a small disco/techno venue inside the overall MCS [[hotel, casino, apartments, convention center, retail stores, restaurants, bars, etc) once it's re-done.

**Richard** · October-19-14, 10:11 PM

So what is or was 5140 Riopelle ?

**night-timer** · October-20-14, 03:25 AM

Originally Posted by Richard

So what is or was 5140 Riopelle ?

Not a techno venue, and it doesn't look abandoned, either.

**Islandman** · October-21-14, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by motz

Do you know how many foreigners make the Movement pilgrimage every year? It's honestly like someone going back to their homeland to celebrate and take in everything the home of techno has to offer. Also Chicago/Toronto/Toledo were large parts of Detroit's early electronic music scene, with people travelling from those various metro's to attend some of the world famous Detroit parties. Your knowledge of the scene, as well as your reasons for failure, are pretty lacking, sorry.

Mike's got a point. The days of Motor in Hamtown are gone, and at this moment in time there are not enough people in the general vicinity of Detroit to support a club of this size. Tresor enjoys its success becasue it's in Berlin, and many Detroit/NYC/Chicago folk have migrated there and built up a scene over the last 15 years. I saw the exodus of techno artists in NYC after 2001, and it was a ghost town in NYC for a while when it came to electronic music.

Add to that fact that Europeans are always willing to jump on a train to come check out a show. I've played in Europe many times and was always surprised to hear where people came from to check out one show; hell, some people would follow the tour. Europeans have a love for techno [[the actual music) that Americans as a whole never really had. Americans are much more concerned about being at the cool club than the music they are listening to.

All that said, I think a multi-use arts building [[club, music studios, work/live lofts) concept would be awesome for Fisher21. To make the whole thing a club would not be sustainable in the current climate, imo.

**mikeg19** · October-22-14, 08:27 AM

Maybe this guy is trying to devalue the property to get it on the cheap....

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2014/10/22/detroit-firefighter-hurt-building-collapses/17708465/http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...pses/17708465/

**Kathleen** · October-24-14, 07:13 AM

Some photos here...
http://motorcitymuckraker.com/2014/1...ighter-jumped/

**dmike76** · November-20-14, 11:08 AM

Here's a photo gallery of what Dimitri Heggeman did to an old power plant in Berlin. While I'm not likely to frequent a place like this, I still find it fascinating and it looks like it's a very good opportunity to enhance Detroit's techno scene. I'm all for it.

http://www.dailydetroit.com/2014/10/...lant-could-be/

**Hypestyles** · November-20-14, 11:31 AM

A reality show can be based on turning the warehouse into a nightclub.

there needs to be a major techno record label set up here. it should employ lots of people.