Islandview rehabs and new development

**gumby** · March-29-17, 07:50 AM

Looks like a pretty solid plan by The Platform. I often wondered about what the future held for that old Nursing home, glad to see it will see new life.

"The Platform Founders Dietrich Know and Peter Cummings are proud of their restoration of the iconic Fisher Building and projects in Midtown and the New Center.

For Knoer, it's the Islandview area of East Grand Boulevard and East Jefferson, at the entrance to Belle Isle.

After at least a year of planning amid many other projects, The Platform now pushing forward on outlining its plans for Islandview.

One key step: They've bought the Big Boy on East Jefferson, giving them one acre to redevelop at the entrance to the neighborhood.

The restaurant will be demolished after it closes on Easter Sunday.

Across the street, The Platform has entered into an agreement with intention to acquire five parcels from the Detroit Land Bank Authority on East Grand Boulevard between East Jefferson Avenue and Congress Street.

This development includes the renovation of a former nursing home at 130 E. Grand Blvd. that was built in 1898 and designed by Louis Kamper, architect of the Book-Cadillac Hotel, Book and Broderick towers and many other Detroit landmark"

http://www.mlive.com/business/index....art_river_home

**Eric_c** · March-29-17, 08:47 AM

God dammit. Big Boy is closing. That's a pretty solid place here in the neighborhood. A real shame.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · March-29-17, 09:20 AM

It's great to see projects like this taking place outside of downtown and midtown, but I have to agree that it's a shame about the Big Boy. I ate there when I lived in West Village.

**Honky Tonk** · March-29-17, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by Eric_c

God dammit. Big Boy is closing. That's a pretty solid place here in the neighborhood. A real shame.

I agree, I love the Soul Food Buffet, the salad bar isn't bad either.

**Hypestyles** · March-29-17, 09:43 AM

all too bad it's closing. But hopefully the developers are ethical and will rehab with intent to enhance the neighborhood and not just "clear 'em out". We'll see.

**1953** · March-29-17, 10:15 AM

I'm also distressed by the closing and demolition of Big Boy. I wish that chain would open a place downtown. I think it would be a nice place to have lunch sometimes.

1953

**the rock** · March-29-17, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by 1953

I'm also distressed by the closing and demolition of Big Boy. I wish that chain would open a place downtown. I think it would be a nice place to have lunch sometimes.

1953

How long has Big Boy been there? I am gong way back, but I remember when that location housed a Sanders store. Again, that was way back.

**MSUguy** · March-29-17, 11:41 AM

Given the developer's track record you're probably looking at a very nice mixed-used project on that corner. Sucks for the employees, but whatever is coming is going hell to be a lot better than a Big Boy

**DeLemur** · March-29-17, 12:33 PM

The Big Boy is good?!? Haa awesome. My wife is always trying to get me there and I think she's crazy. I'll get in there soon then.

Soul food buffet it is.

**1953** · March-29-17, 01:14 PM

I think I once heard a member of the Curis family say they built it because of their friendship with Coleman Young in the 80s.

1953

**gumby** · March-29-17, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by MSUguy

Sucks for employees

Per the article the employees won't lose their jobs just be relocated to another restaurant owned by the company.

**emu steve** · March-29-17, 03:05 PM

I've always liked Big Boys and when I'm in town have a Slim Jim at the Big Boy by the DTW airport.

I was at the Belle Island Big Boy in the last couple years. The place seemed empty.

Was business down?

**248lurker** · March-29-17, 03:59 PM

When my dad--and for a few occasions, I--worked in that area, we'd occasionally have lunch at that Big Boy. Sure, it's a shame to lose what might be one of the few sit-down restaurants in the area, but if the area can't adequately support it, I can see why there are plans to do something else with the property. Let's hope The Platform makes good on its plans to spruce up that part of town.

I think I once heard a member of the Curis family say they built it because of their friendship with Coleman Young in the 80s.

I'm not sure if it's still there, but there used to be at least one picture inside of Mayor Young at the restaurant's ribbon cutting ceremony.

**1953** · March-29-17, 07:10 PM

Crains is reporting that that Big Boy is 50 years old and was built just after the riot.

**Former_Detroiter** · March-29-17, 08:22 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong but I remember a Howard Johnson Restaurant at that location before it became Big Boy's .

**emu steve** · March-30-17, 03:56 AM

Do Belle Island runners still frequent that restaurant after their weekend runs?

**stasu1213** · March-30-17, 05:25 AM

Had eaten there many times years ago especially on the morning of the boat races. I used to sit at the dining table at watch the Budweiser speed boat laying on it's side on back of a truck

**Margarite** · March-30-17, 08:00 AM

Originally Posted by the rock

How long has Big Boy been there? I am gong way back, but I remember when that location housed a Sanders store. Again, that was way back.

Yes, it was a Sanders. On hot summer nights, my friends and I along with their parents would stop there on our way to the Island and buy ice cream. We would spend hours there talking and laughing.

**gumby** · March-30-17, 08:28 AM

I think people are focusing on the wrong part of this, who cares about a crappy Big Boy that is set back from the road behind a parking lot at what should be a major intersection? In fact I hope they close and tear down the Tim Horton's across the street as well. There is nothing to say something better won't take it's pace.

A Louis Kamper gem is being saved.

**shoelessjoe** · March-30-17, 09:15 AM

7033 E. Jefferson absolutely was a Howard Johnson's. This Big Boy location has a "Lamplighter Room" which is a carryover from the Howard Johnson's era. The "Nims" designed "Series 77" roofline is still visible on the eastern end of the building. For reference from the Howard Johnson's history site orangeroof.org...

http://www.highwayhost.org/Michigan/...jefferson1.jpg

"Almost by chance the 20th century modernist architect Rufus Nims became involved creating designs for the Howard Johnson Company. His most famous building became known in Company lore as the series '77,' and to HoJo's fans is what this site calls the Nims-Type. That familiar Restaurant building itself served to redefine and refocus Howard Johnson's image in the 1950s as ultimately modern."

**the rock** · March-30-17, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

Had eaten there many times years ago especially on the morning of the boat races. I used to sit at the dining table at watch the Budweiser speed boat laying on it's side on back of a truck

Was Miss Budweiser sitting in the parking lot of Pinkey's restaurant across the street on the NE corner? Bud Schaeffer used to put a boat there on display during the hydroplane races.

**Mackinaw** · March-30-17, 03:13 PM

Promising- that is a stretch of Jefferson that could use density to foster the urban/walkable linkage from Gold Coast/W. Village into E. Riverfront.

Would be cool to see a Big Boys open up somewhere along Jefferson to the east-- plenty of vacant land.

What ever happened to the plans for the NW corner of Van Dyke and Jefferson?

**ABetterDetroit** · April-08-17, 04:01 PM

It is great that this project appears to be on a forward track and it is understandable why the Big Boy property was coveted due to its location as a center for this revitalization, but it does suck that including them couldn't be part of it with constructing a new restaurant immediately close by on Jefferson for them to move directly into without closure. Of course, we don't know that The Platform group didn't try to do this but a vacant land shortage doesn't make sense as to why it couldn't be done.

**DetroitSoldier** · September-24-18, 09:23 AM

Does anyone have an update on this development? Is it dead? With an announced completion date of 2020, it seems that construction would need to begin soon to meet their target. I think this is an important development in spurning development along E. Jefferson.

https://www.theplatform.city/grand-jefferson-2/

**NSortzi** · September-24-18, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitSoldier

Does anyone have an update on this development? Is it dead? With an announced completion date of 2020, it seems that construction would need to begin soon to meet their target. I think this is an important development in spurning development along E. Jefferson.

https://www.theplatform.city/grand-jefferson-2/

If you scroll down on the page you linked to it gives you what stage the development is in. The Platform is good about keeping up to date with their projects on their site. And as we all know, development in Detroit takes years.