University Club next to fall?

**DetroitDerek** · May-04-10, 06:31 PM

I spoke to Mr. Al [[ that's what he likes to be called ) in his liquor store the day after he bought the building and was boarding up the University Club. I was interested in taking some pictures inside, which he would not allow. He acted like he was interested in selling the furniture off, but was unreasonable about what he wanted for them. The furniture inside has since been removed [[ some of it thrown through a window rather than taken down 2 flights of stairs ). I've heard a few rumors about potential plans for this building and would love to see it saved.

**Huggybear** · May-07-11, 09:33 PM

Step 1: Permanent historic designation.

Public hearing: May 12, 2011 at 4:00pm. Wayne County Judicial Conference Room, 705 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, 2 Woodward Ave, Detroit 48226.

If the Historic District Commission recommends a permanent designation, it will go to City Council.

Step 2: City council approval.

This will be a critical hearing. Time and date will be announced.

**Mackinaw** · May-08-11, 03:41 PM

Brilliant, thank you for this crucial update, HB.

**bailey** · May-09-11, 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by Huggybear

Step 1: Permanent historic designation.

Public hearing: May 12, 2011 at 4:00pm. Wayne County Judicial Conference Room, 705 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, 2 Woodward Ave, Detroit 48226.

If the Historic District Commission recommends a permanent designation, it will go to City Council.

Step 2: City council approval.

This will be a critical hearing. Time and date will be announced.

What's step three?

**gumby** · May-09-11, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

What's step three?

Profit.

sorry had to reference South Park.

**bailey** · May-09-11, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by gumby

Profit.

sorry had to reference South Park.

Ha. exactly. glad you caught it. that last step is the tricky one.

**GPCharles** · May-13-11, 08:13 AM

15-20 people attended. Two against - Amori and his RE broker. 6-8 people spoke in favor of the historic designation.

**Richard** · September-13-11, 07:29 PM

Anymore updates on this yet?

**Rocko** · September-14-11, 11:54 PM

Everytime I drive by the building is in worse and worse shape. It must be open as many of the leaded glass windows are broken out and wide open. It is so sad to think that it was in ok shape just a few years ago....

**Patrick** · September-15-11, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by Rocko

Everytime I drive by the building is in worse and worse shape. It must be open as many of the leaded glass windows are broken out and wide open. It is so sad to think that it was in ok shape just a few years ago....

I'll bet that was the plan all along....pretend to "rehab" the building and stall the project, thus making the structure exposed to the elements. Then when called out about it...blame the building's bad shape on the stalled project...point fingers and blame CoD holdups and ...voila! You got yourself a lot primed for Dubai Bros. Party Store.

**marcwigle** · September-15-11, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Patrick

and ...voila! You got yourself a lot primed for Dubai Bros. Party Store.

What about a parking lot? Detroit needs more parking lots.

**One Shot** · October-30-11, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by Patrick

I'll bet that was the plan all along....pretend to "rehab" the building and stall the project, thus making the structure exposed to the elements. Then when called out about it...blame the building's bad shape on the stalled project...point fingers and blame CoD holdups and ...voila! You got yourself a lot primed for Dubai Bros. Party Store.

I too called this months ago. Said they would let the place fall victim to the natives and the elements then have to tear this unsafe eyesore torn down. I'm sure they're scumbag family went in a took out any remaining treasures to use in their own McMansions or sell for profit. Sadly this crap is a last priority in the city and they know it.

**buckster1986** · October-30-11, 05:51 PM

I took pictures of the building today...it's in sad shape...what an awesome and beautiful building to be so neglected...

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=16e85b8536

**Richard** · October-30-11, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by buckster1986

I took pictures of the building today...it's in sad shape...what an awesome and beautiful building to be so neglected...

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=16e85b8536

So sad in so many ways ,I wonder what the results are on the inside after the trac hoe removed the roof covering.

**Richard** · June-16-13, 01:01 PM

Via search I guess this would be the thread to update.

The club has now burned completing the cycle of abandon,allow scrapping and tagging ,then burn to demolish.

One would hope the recent arrival of demo funds were not an incentive in this case.

Yet another piece of the cities history chiseled away needlessly.

Fire at abandoned Detroit historic building under investigation

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz2WP4NPt7M

A historic club on Jefferson Avenue shuttered nearly two decades ago caught fire and burned early Saturday morning.
No one was injured in the blaze, which broke out at the abandoned building at around 5 a.m. The Detroit Fire Department said it was unclear what caused the fire and the incident is under investigation.

At 10 a.m., firefighters were still on the scene, closing down Jefferson Avenue in both directions between Riopelle and Rivard.

“We can’t get through to do a thorough assessment,” said Captain Keith Watkins of the Detroit Fire Department. “The roof line collapsed, all the school rooms in the back, it’s just burned out.”

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz2WP4cnili

**EastsideAl** · June-16-13, 01:08 PM

Drove by there yesterday. A crying shame and a terrible [[if all too predictable) way for a beautiful building to end.

I guess the Amori people got what they wanted and figured out a way to have the building fall apart and conveniently just - oooopsy - "burn down." Now they can build their wonderful new civic landmark liquorpalooza to replace that awful old civic landmark that was just in the way of "progress." [[for a world and a city that so badly needs a better place to buy liquor and lottery tickets).

I used to actually go to their store. I'll be goddamned if I ever set foot in one of their places again.

**Rocko** · June-16-13, 09:23 PM

From....

To.....

**313WX** · June-16-13, 09:39 PM

A Chaldean party store owner purchases the property for use as a parking lot and it mysteriously burns down to the ground soon after.

But of course. If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck and looks like a duck [[insurance fraud), it sure ain't an angel.

**One Shot** · June-16-13, 11:47 PM

Disgusting!!!!

**TexasT** · June-17-13, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by One Shot

Disgusting!!!!

Yep.

http://motorcitymuckraker.com/2013/0...lub-destroyed/

Preservationists were hoping to avoid such a mishap when they approached council members last year about the historic designation. But the discussion would devolve into a discussion of slave institution and the Holocaust.

“I don’t have the same nostalgia that most folks have about some of these buildings; most of them were built many years ago when certain folks couldn’t be let in,” Kenyatta said in September 2012. “You’ve got slave institutions that were designed by great architects and some of them still stand.”
Then Kenyatta glanced at preservationist Debbie Goldstein, who has a popular Jewish last name and is a member of the Historic Designation Advisory Board, and said, ”I’m sure folks would not be for preserving any elements of the Holocaust as well.”
Goldberg responded: “Mr. Kenyatta, we do preserve monuments of the Holocaust. We need to remember that.”
Kenyatta sniveled: “They can have the ones that belong to slavery; I don’t want them.”

**Honky Tonk** · June-17-13, 08:22 AM

Originally Posted by TexasT

Yep.

http://motorcitymuckraker.com/2013/0...lub-destroyed/

Preservationists were hoping to avoid such a mishap when they approached council members last year about the historic designation. But the discussion would devolve into a discussion of slave institution and the Holocaust.

“I don’t have the same nostalgia that most folks have about some of these buildings; most of them were built many years ago when certain folks couldn’t be let in,” Kenyatta said in September 2012. “You’ve got slave institutions that were designed by great architects and some of them still stand.”
Then Kenyatta glanced at preservationist Debbie Goldstein, who has a popular Jewish last name and is a member of the Historic Designation Advisory Board, and said, ”I’m sure folks would not be for preserving any elements of the Holocaust as well.”
Goldberg responded: “Mr. Kenyatta, we do preserve monuments of the Holocaust. We need to remember that.”
Kenyatta sniveled: “They can have the ones that belong to slavery; I don’t want them.”

He's right, let it burn and then knock it down. Welcome to Detroit.

**TexasT** · June-17-13, 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

He's right, let it burn and then knock it down. Welcome to Detroit.

This really, really ticks me off.

Black people in the South didn't exactly have it good either. I'm too young to know anything about the Jim Crow days but my dad and grandma went through it and they were so diligent not to pass down this very attitude that Kenyatta displays here. Everything I was ever taught about race relations - for my own personal benefit - is the opposite of Kenyatta, Jones, and their ilk. Truly sickening to me and makes me more and more thankful for the perspective I was raised with [[enough black pride to know that it's the racists who are idiots and not me, but not so much that I can't function in the real world). Kenyatta is utterly control by his bitterness.

/rant

**Honky Tonk** · June-17-13, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by TexasT

This really, really ticks me off.

Black people in the South didn't exactly have it good either. I'm too young to know anything about the Jim Crow days but my dad and grandma went through it and they were so diligent not to pass down this very attitude that Kenyatta displays here. Everything I was ever taught about race relations - for my own personal benefit - is the opposite of Kenyatta, Jones, and their ilk. Truly sickening to me and makes me more and more thankful for the perspective I was raised with [[enough black pride to know that it's the racists who are idiots and not me, but not so much that I can't function in the real world). Kenyatta is utterly control by his bitterness.

/rant

Thanx for the reaffirmation, seriously.

**48205to24** · June-18-13, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by TexasT

This really, really ticks me off.

[[enough black pride to know that it's the racists who are idiots and not me, but not so much that I can't function in the real world).

When someone says or does something I feel is offensive, I just imagine its Pickle from Moonshiners or Si from Duck Dynasty saying it and it is hillarious. Who can stay angry at Pickle or Si. It worked recently with the Frank Beckman fiasco who I was really suprised with. It always works with Nolan Finley. The best way to get back at people who dont think much of you or people like you is to be successful and prove them wrong.

Yes city council could have done more to save this place, but where is the anger with the owner especially if it could have been insurance fraud.
Now that the city council is a non-factor with the EM - how can we make people who purchase these properties more accountable?

**poobert** · June-17-13, 08:34 AM

Kwame Kenyatta represents the worst of Detroit politics. Vitriolically nationalistic, ill-informed, ideologically-motivated, and entirely ineffectual. Maybe he walked away from his historic house in Russell Woods because it was likely built by WASPs, you know, to stick it to the man. Maybe since Detroit was founded by a white guy that's why he's done his best contributing to its decline during his time in office. You know, because of, uh, slavery.