Shoppes at the Detroit Boat Club

**French777** · January-20-10, 03:42 PM

I had this idea the last time I was on Belle Isle. I saw the abandon Detroit Boat Club and thought "what a beautiful building to just sit empty". So I did a little research and read that the boat club moved out in the mid-1990's, and there are no plans to raise the building or to renovate it.

Anyway, my idea was to turn the building into a place for shops,restaurants,Belle Isle information ect. The shops could offer picnic related goods, other shops could offer clothes and touristy items.

There could be two restaurants. One could be upscale and the other could be more moderately priced and family friendly menu. Both the restaurants could have outside eating and indoor eating.

- A mini-museum would be inside the building as well. The current "Belle Isle" exhibit at the Detroit historical museum would be permanently moved to this mini-museum. The exhibit would explain the History of Belle Isle, Future plans ect.

- The docks would be replaced with Trek deck. There would be an installation of new lights, railings, benches and a bait shop.

- A water taxi could run between Hart Plaza and this "Shoppes at the Detroit Boat Club"

Why a water taxi to Belle Isle?
- I bet many people would rather simply park downtown and take a boat over to the isle. With taking the boat over they would save gasoline and not have to worry about their automobile on the isle.

I know funding always is a key factor..... But Do you think this is a innovative idea of what to do with the Detroit Boat Club building?

**TKshreve** · January-20-10, 03:58 PM

I grew up swimming at the Boat club until the early nineties.

The building is dilapidated and only getting worse. Renovation would cost lots of $$$$. The entire grounds from the docks to the parking lot is generally unsafe and defunct. The inside ballrooms and dining halls have a strong mildew smell from what I understand.

Although your idea is nice, I don't think it is economically viable. Unless you have a bundle of money and nowhere to go with it.

**French777** · January-20-10, 06:48 PM

Well I hope someday there is the Water Taxi though. I remember reading about the possibility of one being proposed to depart from Milliken State park and head to Belle Isle.

**gnome** · January-20-10, 07:08 PM

The Detroit Rowing Club ... might be the wrong name, but those people with the skinny boats and long oars ... have been the sole occupants of the old Boat Club for a decade or more. The volunteer rowers have tried repeatedly to buy the building from the City, but the price tag is beyond what their tiny wallets can afford. They have poured countless dollars into the place just to keep the water out, but without a real lease or the possiblity of actually owning the building, the thought of spending more money on the place doesn't make sense.

Now, a year or so back Marsha Cheeks - Kwame's aunt - and a group of shysters wanted to turn the Boat Club into a Boarding/magnet school to teach marine arts ... whatever that might be; but thank god they couldn't come up with the money and/or City Council wouldn't sell it to them. Maybe someone else can remember the details. I do remember that Rochelle Riley thought it was a wonderful idea.

In short, there are people who use the building and are keeping it in as good of condition as they can.

Route29 · January-20-10, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by gnome

The Detroit Rowing Club ... might be the wrong name, but those people with the skinny boats and long oars ... have been the sole occupants of the old Boat Club for a decade or more. The volunteer rowers have tried repeatedly to buy the building from the City, but the price tag is beyond what their tiny wallets can afford. They have poured countless dollars into the place just to keep the water out, but without a real lease or the possiblity of actually owning the building, the thought of spending more money on the place doesn't make sense.

Now, a year or so back Marsha Cheeks - Kwame's aunt - and a group of shysters wanted to turn the Boat Club into a Boarding/magnet school to teach marine arts ... whatever that might be; but thank god they couldn't come up with the money and/or City Council wouldn't sell it to them. Maybe someone else can remember the details. I do remember that Rochelle Riley thought it was a wonderful idea.

In short, there are people who use the building and are keeping it in as good of condition as they can.

As an aside, I don't know why Rochelle Riley has a column. Her tirades often make little sense.

**p69rrh51** · January-20-10, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by TKshreve

I grew up swimming at the Boat club until the early nineties.

The building is dilapidated and only getting worse. Renovation would cost lots of $$$$. The entire grounds from the docks to the parking lot is generally unsafe and defunct. The inside ballrooms and dining halls have a strong mildew smell from what I understand.

Although your idea is nice, I don't think it is economically viable. Unless you have a bundle of money and nowhere to go with it.

You are quite right! There is a reason the city gave the property back to the Boat Club and the club then returning it back to the city is not just the condition of the clubhouse. The supports that hold up the island are rotting away after all the protective fill washed away along time ago. The last time I heard any figures for a repair were around 20 million dollars and that was over 15 years ago. Who knows what the cost would be now especially with additional deteriation.

**stromberg2** · January-21-10, 02:17 PM

I like the idea, French, but I think it would take a private developer with some balls and cash to make it happen. Unfortunately, The city sure won't do anything. They are more into destruction than developing.

Stromberg2

**Guideboat** · January-21-10, 11:53 PM

Is there any viability of it becoming an operating marina again? The location seems ideal. If so, then income from that could be used to slowly stabilize the building. Kudos to the Rowing Club for keeping things together.

I toured the building during last year's Shiver on the River and the interior did not seem out-of-control decrepit. The stucco on the outside could surely use some work, but the rooms were to my untrained eye in saveable shape. If they [[whoever that might be) could stabilize the building it seems like it would be a great facility for events such as weddings, etc. <sigh> if only i had capital.

**Vance V** · February-11-10, 06:50 AM

Even i love the idea, French. The city is yet to develop. I think private developer can make the changes.

lilpup · February-11-10, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by p69rrh51

You are quite right! There is a reason the city gave the property back to the Boat Club and the club then returning it back to the city is not just the condition of the clubhouse. The supports that hold up the island are rotting away after all the protective fill washed away along time ago. The last time I heard any figures for a repair were around 20 million dollars and that was over 15 years ago. Who knows what the cost would be now especially with additional deteriation.

The current rowing club that's in there is willing to invest in it and has tried to get control of it from the city via long-term lease but the city won't deal.

**kryptonite** · February-11-10, 08:48 AM

I visited the DBC building Saturday and it was heated well and had no moldy smell. But I'm sure the heat was on because of the open house and who knows whether it is heated on a normal day.

The rowing club appears to be doing what they can to keep the building from deteriorating further. There is new fencing on the outside and a new gate to the parking lot. The building does need a lot of work, but what is there now is very nice and has potential.

Personally I don't see shops and restaurants working there, it is not easily accessible because of the one-way ring road around the island. maybe a BI visitor center and a snack bar at most. It would probably have to be a joint venture between the city and private investors.

Belle Isle is somewhat like Fort Wayne, a site with some minimal preservation being done by private non-profit organizations; but with too many old decaying buildings and a city government without the funds, brains, or ability to do much to stop the deteriation of the buildings.

**Hermod** · February-22-10, 07:47 AM

Originally Posted by French777

Well I hope someday there is the Water Taxi though. I remember reading about the possibility of one being proposed to depart from Milliken State park and head to Belle Isle.

There used to be a Belle Isle Ferry that ran from a dock just east of the mainland side of the bridge to a dock on the island. Folks that used buses/streetcars to get to the bridge could take the ferry rather than walking across the bridge.

**Lowell** · February-22-10, 09:20 AM

Thanks to the rowing club the building is stabilized. Even though it looks ragged on the outside the roof doesn't leak and a new furnace was installed a few years back. The docks and piers all need rebuilding if it were ever to be reprised as a yacht club. I doubt if that would ever happen as there is a huge surplus of dockage in the metro.