Eloise to be redeveloped on Paranormal Theme

[Vic01]

from the article:
"Among some of the eerie aspects of the Eloise campus, the Free Press noted, was that about 7,100 patients were buried in the cemetery across from the building. Many of the graves are unidentified by name, with just “very basic” markers with numbers on them"
I believe that the cemetery mentioned is across from the current Eloise complex and West of Merrimen Rd, not close at all to the remaining buildings or land. If so, then this aspect seems like a non-issue. Can anyone confirm this?

[Jimaz]

There's a Wikipedia article on the Eloise cemetery. There are GPS coordinates in the upper right corner.

[Danny]

Leave Eloise as is.

[Vic01]

There's a Wikipedia article on the Eloise cemetery. There are GPS coordinates in the upper right corner.

Thanks, I tried 3 different maps and they all showed the cemetery as across Michigan Ave. to the South and a bit of a distance down Henry Ruff Rd.
I doubt if "anyone" in the cemetery will be disturbed or offended by the described development on the North side of Michigan Ave.
Many other cemeteries in Metro-Detroit have some type of business or commercial development closer to them.

[Jimaz]

Thanks, I tried 3 different maps and they all showed the cemetery as across Michigan Ave. to the South and a bit of a distance down Henry Ruff Rd....

You're most welcome.

I think I read somewhere in there that there have been multiple cemeteries over its history. So, yeah, it gets complicated.

[Gistok]

Maybe they could call it The Shining Hotel... or since it would be overlooking the cemetery... they could call it The Overlook Hotel...

They could get Stephen King to do the ribbon cutting! And since there's so much free space, they could build a maze and get Topiary! And it could be a great place for a winter carnival...

[jcole]

The similar Clinton Valley Center which had been a mental institution from 1873 to 1997 when it closed and was completely demolished in 2000 is part empty lot, with a Harbor Freight on one side and a subdivision on the other. I don't see how this is any more respectful than repurposing Wayne County General-Eloise into a hotel, restaurant or whatever else. They have sold churches to be turned into coffee houses and dug up cemeteries and moved the bodies to build parks. It's land; the people who lived and died there are long gone and probably wouldn't care what they did with it. I had friends in Clinton Valley who would probably love to see it turned into a Paintball or Hatchet throwing facility. Patients were not treated with love and gentleness for the most part in either place and they would probably hoot with laughter to see them become something that now longer housed suffering and pain

[jcole]

It is definitely not the one on the corner on the same side of Michigan as Eloise. That is a private cemetery. The last one used by Eloise/Wayne County Hospital was south of Michigan on Henry Ruff Road. I mapped it one time. I have to see if I can find that. The northernmost one on Henry Ruff was used early on but but there is one further south that is surrounded by pine trees and was used til 1948

from the article:
"Among some of the eerie aspects of the Eloise campus, the Free Press noted, was that about 7,100 patients were buried in the cemetery across from the building. Many of the graves are unidentified by name, with just “very basic” markers with numbers on them"
I believe that the cemetery mentioned is across from the current Eloise complex and West of Merrimen Rd, not close at all to the remaining buildings or land. If so, then this aspect seems like a non-issue. Can anyone confirm this?

[jackie5275]

I worked in the Eloise/Wayne County General complex. First, there was and is only one cemetery south of Michigan Ave on Henry Ruff. The cemetery on the NW corner of Michigan Ave & Merriman is Westlawn Cemetery. It has no connection to Eloise, however, Jackie Wilson is buried there. You can see his grave from Michigan Ave.

Second, if the developer can turn this into another Grand Traverse Commons, more power to them. However, D Bldg is pretty much the only building left that is viable to do anything with. It will take lots of $$$$ to fix that place up to make it safe. It wasn't totally safe when I worked there & has gone downhill since. The developer, from what I can see, didn't do much to shore up safety. I don't see much coming from this as $695K, IMO, isn't enough to redevelop this place. They will have to remediate before they can redevelop.