Omni to leave Detroit.

**tallboy66** · September-14-10, 08:18 PM

Didn't they build the Garden Hilton JUST for the superbowl? Last time I checked Gratiot ave. wasn't a tourist destination.

**wolverine** · September-14-10, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by tallboy66

Didn't they build the Garden Hilton JUST for the superbowl? Last time I checked Gratiot ave. wasn't a tourist destination.

Huh? The Hilton Garden is on Gratiot downtown. Or is this one of those hip and trendy kind "district things" where a place isn't a tourist destination if it's 2 blocks away. Oh Deroit's Times square is so 1920's.........

**royce** · October-17-10, 03:19 AM

I passed by the hotel Saturday and the front entrance and windows along the lower floors have been boarded up and painted black. A guard stood guard [[actually sat on a park bench) outside of the hotel. With its location along the river, why did this hotel fail? What were major drawbacks for visitors? How could these drawbacks be eliminated? Was the economy the main reason for its demise? I went to the hotel for a few events and drinks at its bar, but I never stayed as a hotel guest. How were the rooms and how was service? It's hard to believe that no one could step forward and save the place. Can this place work as a condo or apartments? I just hope it doesn't languish for years because it's such a beautiful and unique building.

**professorscott** · October-17-10, 11:04 AM

Replying to a couple of different comments:

1. Jefferson does not qualify for light rail or bus rapid transit. Ridership on existing fixed-route bus is not sufficient. Gratiot qualifies to contend for BRT funding but not light rail, and Gratiot has vastly more transit ridership than Jefferson.

2. The location of the Omni was isolated from everything else going on in Detroit. Not by a huge distance, but enough to make it nonviable as a location for a hotel in a weak economy. Let me use a contrast: say you stay in a hotel at the Ren Cen, what is within walking distance of that? Now: say you were staying at the Omni, what is within walking distance?

The east riverfront has not taken off in the way the city might have hoped, and the Omni was a victim of that.

**mwilbert** · October-17-10, 01:20 PM

I stand corrected on BRT on Jefferson vs. Gratiot--all those eastside streets look the same to me.

As professorscott says, the Omni is too far east when there are plenty of hotel rooms around.. I have never been inside so I don't know exactly how it is set up, but generally it would be pretty expensive to convert a hotel to residences. I'd like to think someone with lower costs could run it as a hotel, but the Ponchartrain is in a better location and doesn't seem to be viable. The Omni might make a nice nursing home.

DetroitDad · January-16-11, 03:52 AM

I find this extremely hard to believe. Jefferson always seems to be so busy at rush hour, not to mention at other times of day. Are they actually only taking into consideration current low income or "brave" riders, and not the middle and upper income Gen Y's and Millennials who currently drive down I-94, Jefferson, and other nearby mirror streets? That has to be it.

Originally Posted by professorscott

Replying to a couple of different comments:

1. Jefferson does not qualify for light rail or bus rapid transit. Ridership on existing fixed-route bus is not sufficient. Gratiot qualifies to contend for BRT funding but not light rail, and Gratiot has vastly more transit ridership than Jefferson.

2. The location of the Omni was isolated from everything else going on in Detroit. Not by a huge distance, but enough to make it nonviable as a location for a hotel in a weak economy. Let me use a contrast: say you stay in a hotel at the Ren Cen, what is within walking distance of that? Now: say you were staying at the Omni, what is within walking distance?

The east riverfront has not taken off in the way the city might have hoped, and the Omni was a victim of that.

**wolverine** · January-16-11, 04:16 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitDad

I find this extremely hard to believe. Jefferson always seems to be so busy at rush hour, not to mention at other times of day. Are they actually only taking into consideration current low income or "brave" riders, and not the middle and upper income Gen Y's and Millennials who currently drive down I-94, Jefferson, and other nearby mirror streets? That has to be it.

In other words, you have no data to set down in front of us. Number one rule: If you want to prove something to people, whether it's in your career or to the forum, come with statistics and evidence. You're not even presenting collective opinions either, just your own thoughts and they aren't carrying much weight or doing much convincing. Even if I agree with you on some points, you do not deliver them correctly.

DetroitDad · January-16-11, 04:55 AM

Originally Posted by wolverine

In other words, you have no data to set down in front of us. Number one rule: If you want to prove something to people, whether it's in your career or to the forum, come with statistics and evidence. You're not even presenting collective opinions either, just your own thoughts and they aren't carrying much weight or doing much convincing. Even if I agree with you on some points, you do not deliver them correctly.

Thanks for the tip Wolverine. It's true, I'm spreading a meme, I guess. I don't know of any reports to prove this.

On the other hand, my first hand knowledge is what it is. Without getting to into what I do [[management is not a fan of social media talking) and where I do it, I basically sit and look at traffic congestions for all of Southeast Michigan, on a computer all day. We are linked into MDOT's traffic cams, and while I don't consider myself an expert, The Crosstown is a headache to deal with at rush hour, so much so that we do not allow our local delivery drivers to use it during peak times. I will admit, I am not sure exactly why I-94 is gridlocked everyday, it seems to be more of an interchange issue than a capacity issue. Either way, one alternative is often East Jefferson, which seems to be as busy as any suburban feeder street.

There is no reason to believe that those people would ride light rail over I-94, you are certainly right. But, I think this subject would be very useful in a report.

Actually, don't take my word for it, you too can view traffic all day long, right on your desktop. Go to; http://mdotnetpublic.state.mi.us/dri...eraviewer.aspx . There is also a good app for smartphones and Windows 7, which utilizes Google maps, and also reports on the radials.

**English** · January-16-11, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitDad

I find this extremely hard to believe. Jefferson always seems to be so busy at rush hour, not to mention at other times of day. Are they actually only taking into consideration current low income or "brave" riders, and not the middle and upper income Gen Y's and Millennials who currently drive down I-94, Jefferson, and other nearby mirror streets? That has to be it.

Of course, it's logical to have a light rail line connecting the proposed M-1 line to Alter Road via Jefferson. These include some of the most viable areas of the city. But I think that the Pointes would have a fit, seriously. Imagine all the poor people who'd flood in. No... we can't have that.

**mam2009** · January-16-11, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by English

Of course, it's logical to have a light rail line connecting the proposed M-1 line to Alter Road via Jefferson. These include some of the most viable areas of the city. But I think that the Pointes would have a fit, seriously. Imagine all the poor people who'd flood in. No... we can't have that.

Were you being facetious, English? Poor people have absolutely no place in the Pointes. They can't afford it! And the Pointes offer nothing that they can benefit from for free. I wouldn't call myself poor but I have very little reason to go there myself. The Pointes have stayed exclusive for one reason and one reason only -- lack of opportunities for folks who can't afford to be there. DDOT runs into Grosse Pointe Park via E. Jefferson and SMART runs into Grosse Pointe Farms via Moross. Public transportation hasn't caused the infiltration of the Pointes up until now so please do not give anyone any ideas about why we can't use light rail on Jefferson. I would love the idea of hopping the train downtown!