The "El Moore" - 624 Alexandrine

**Ocean2026** · February-16-10, 07:15 PM

Gsgeroge and Davewindsor hit on a good point. What exactly would it take financially to make it habitable? Would be be any views from the top?

**Gsgeorge** · February-17-10, 01:33 AM

Of course I really meant it a bit in jest. But with the right investment this could be the ultimate 4-story urban bachelor pad. I am sure the views from the top are excellent.

**Boo Stinking Boo** · February-17-10, 02:52 AM

Hi all,

I lived at the El Moore from May 1999 to November 1999. Those were the best months of my life, I was right out of college and this was my very first place of my own. My rent was only $200 a month. I lived in the 1st floor in the front corner apt on the right side. All the residents were so pleasent. The apt manager was named "Maria" I belive. I remember having the most beautiful wood panel all over the living room. There was an old gas fireplace in the living room, I slept there due to the back bedroom being so cold at the time. To my knowledge, the building was half occupied at the time, and the tenants were the best!
I know some of you are wondering why I left, well things took a turm for the worse when some man approached me at the bus stop asking me if I "dated". Since when do hookers stand at the bus stop at 3pm in the afternoon? Yet, I never had problems in regards to safety. I worked downtown on the afternoon shift and would catch the bus home at 11:30pm at night, and never had a problem when walking home from catching the Woodward bus. The only issue I had was having to look outside my window and seeing the WSU School of Mortuary Science building. I swear, one night I saw some kind of image in the window that haunts me to this day.

Moving foward, after I moved, about 8 months later in 2000 the tenants were informed the building would be sold and turned into lofts or condo's, all were forced to move, and that was in 2000!!!!!!!

**mauser** · February-17-10, 04:39 AM

Heres a whole photo set of the El Moore with lots of detail shots:

http://www.detroitfunk.com/?p=373

**davewindsor** · February-17-10, 08:23 AM

How many units is this place? When I look at the 1940 directory, it says there were 37 units. When I look at the Grubb&Ellis listing, it says the price is $124,000 [[$16,875/unit) which is 7 units. Was it a rooming house that was later turned into 2 bedroom apartments?Price: $124,000 [[$16,875/unit)Price: $124,000 [[$16,875/unit)Pre: $124,000 [[$16,875/unit)

**Huggybear** · February-18-10, 06:22 PM

Excellent points... a lot of people marvel at what was put in places in the 1890s, but even interior elements can reach the end of their lives: sometimes because it's economically infeasible to make them nice again and sometimes because they just fail.

Originally Posted by davewindsor

How do you incorporate them into the new renovations? How do you save it? Who uses 20L hanging wall toilets anymore? Everyone replaces them with 6L toilets now. Clean water and sewage charges are a lot these days. I'm willing to bet the wood panelling from the 1890s most likely has no plaster behind it. Fire marshall is not going to pass that, so it has to go. Solid wood doors don't have a fire rating tag. Fire marshall says, out it goes. The solid ones inside the apartment will have to go because it'll probably not pass the fire alarm bell auditory test, so you have to replace the doors with paper thin ones unless you want to spend extra paying an electrician to stick fire alarm bells inside each apartment. I wouldn't be surprised if that furniture has a lot of mildew and wood rot from it and that's why the previous tenants left it there. Claw tubs? They need to be refinished to be useful and they are highly impractical. People either want a full bathtub or a separate standup shower.

And to top it off, Doyle's third link says the proceeds goes to charity so they're not even doing it to make money off of it: "Besides being a cool event for local antiques-lovers, proceeds from Renevatio's auction will benefit Affirmations and Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, two local non-profit organizations."

**kathy2trips** · January-21-11, 12:42 AM

Here is the listing of that apartment building from the 1928-29 R.L. Polk Detroit City Directory. I count 32 names, so, 32 units. According to the recent realty listing [[here), it was built in 1910, it's now appraised at $135,000 [[why, when all the good stuff inside is probably gone?). Wouldn't mind seeing the floor plans. Those pre-WWI architects had some imagination! It's listed as being owned by the FDIC.

Attachment 8627

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · January-21-11, 01:10 AM

I am surprised that nobody posted this update. Given all of the comments above, now that there is news that the building has been secured and is in the hands of reputable new owners I would have expected more jumping for joy.

http://www.modeldmedia.com/devnews/elmoore011811.aspx

**Historyguy** · January-21-11, 01:22 AM

The El Moore was built in 1898 and designed by Almon Clother Varney, who designed the Cromwell Apartments on Second Avenue near the Masonic Temple and the Robert and Jennie Brown House and the Boydell House, both on Cass Avenue.

**Alley_Cat** · January-21-11, 10:43 PM

Here's a set of 71 photos from August of 2005. The auction was in April of 2007.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thegree...7623549535084/

**Richard** · January-21-11, 11:24 PM

Originally Posted by davewindsor

How do you incorporate them into the new renovations? How do you save it? Who uses 20L hanging wall toilets anymore? Everyone replaces them with 6L toilets now. Clean water and sewage charges are a lot these days. I'm willing to bet the wood panelling from the 1890s most likely has no plaster behind it. Fire marshall is not going to pass that, so it has to go. Solid wood doors don't have a fire rating tag. Fire marshall says, out it goes. The solid ones inside the apartment will have to go because it'll probably not pass the fire alarm bell auditory test, so you have to replace the doors with paper thin ones unless you want to spend extra paying an electrician to stick fire alarm bells inside each apartment. I wouldn't be surprised if that furniture has a lot of mildew and wood rot from it and that's why the previous tenants left it there. Claw tubs? They need to be refinished to be useful and they are highly impractical. People either want a full bathtub or a separate standup shower.

And to top it off, Doyle's third link says the proceeds goes to charity so they're not even doing it to make money off of it: "Besides being a cool event for local antiques-lovers, proceeds from Renevatio's auction will benefit Affirmations and Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, two local non-profit organizations."

I am not persay picking on you but there is a conversion kit for the wall hung toilets that brings them to the 1.6 flush, code is hard wired smoke and fire alarms that are also audible,and recently claw foot tubs have become cliche granted they are a pita to shower in but when combined with a stand up shower they fit into a period bathroom rather nicely.

A 100 year old heart pine or solid oak door is by far more fireproof then what is available out there today,dip them into a tub of caustic soda and water and the labor savings far outseeds the costs involved in replacement with the exception that most back then were 30" and handicap requirements are 36" but in the cases that I have experienced most commercial apartments back then had the 36 " doors anyways.

The subway bathroom tiles in the above are currently worth $35 per tile ,the original claw foot tub shower curtain rod also in the pics $350 to $400,the pink corner sink $500 very rare,the rounded sink $250 once the blue paint is removed of course , These items would not support those prices if the demand was not there.

**kathy2trips** · January-22-11, 04:18 AM

Originally Posted by MDoyle

Hecker house would be wonderful if not for the stupid gas station next door.

I understand we need gas stations, but that glaring aluminum [[or whatever) is a total ambiance killer. An old bank or renovated Victorian house would be a great gas station.

**softailrider** · January-22-11, 11:54 AM

Fantastic exterior, not sure you could recreate that today with any amount of money.

With the condo market still dead, that building in that location doesn't seem viable to me. Unless somebody could dream up some elaborate tax dodge or something like that. Sadly I can't see the value in a rehab.

**jon** · January-22-11, 12:37 PM

the green garage folks are taking it on [[follow model d link above). they'll do a wonderful job.

**Alley_Cat** · January-22-11, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by softailrider

Fantastic exterior, not sure you could recreate that today with any amount of money.

With the condo market still dead, that building in that location doesn't seem viable to me. Unless somebody could dream up some elaborate tax dodge or something like that. Sadly I can't see the value in a rehab.

The condo market in Midtown isn’t exactly dead.
"About 92% of Midtown's 4,300 rental units are occupied, according to the UCCA."
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110109/NEWS01/101090450/Detroit-s-profile-grows-as-investors-young-professionals-return-to-city&template=fullarticle
The El Moore is less than a half-mile from the DMC and about one-half mile from the WSU main campus.
　
　
Please refer to this thread for further discussion on the incentives to live in Midtown.
http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthread.php?8534-Live-Midtown-New-incentives-to-draw-residents-to-Midtown
　
　
And, like Jon said, the Green Garage folks will do a wonderful job.

**rjlj** · January-22-11, 01:37 PM

Where does it state that the Green Garage people will turn the El Moore into condos? Have you run the numbers for re-development of the El Moore as condo's versus apartments?

Originally Posted by softailrider

Fantastic exterior, not sure you could recreate that today with any amount of money.

With the condo market still dead, that building in that location doesn't seem viable to me. Unless somebody could dream up some elaborate tax dodge or something like that. Sadly I can't see the value in a rehab.

**softailrider** · January-22-11, 09:15 PM

Apartments, condos, whatever. I'll believe it when I see that place re done into something.

**motivedetroit** · January-23-11, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by jflick3535

if you honestly believe that its worth even half of 3.9 then god bless ya

If you had ever been inside the Hecker mansion, then you'd see why they are asking that price. It has the most incredible interior i have ever laid eyes on...better than the Whitney mansion farther south on Woodward and it's been incredibly well maintained. That quality and style of home is definitely worth $4 million.

**kathy2trips** · January-29-11, 05:09 AM

I'll second that. When it was Smiley Bros., we had our piano recitals there. Here I am, 8 years old, walking in with my Mom and Dad, getting ready to play my "Airy Fairies" and I face my first encounter with what I can only describe as palatial splendor. My Dad goes, "Now THIS is a HOUSE." LOL Yeah, Dad! That house had a big impact on me. In retrospect, It's as fine as anything you'd see in Europe. Wouldn't be surprised if the craftsmen who built it were from there originally.