The Archdiocese of Detroit has sold a downtown Detroit building that housed a warming center, soup kitchen and retail shop operated by St. Aloysius Catholic Church to AKNO Enterprises.

No sale price or development plans for the 1209 Washington Boulevard building were disclosed. But the move has shut St. Al's Community Center, also called Canticle Café, and caused a Franciscan friar, a priest and volunteers from St. Aloysius — located across the street from the now-sold structure — now to use bicycles to feed and clothe the downtown needy.

"St. Francis of Assisi walked among the people where they lived in order to preach the Gospel and to be of service to the poor," said Brother Al Mascia, who spearheaded the idea of using street vendor bikes equipped with food and clothing. "We are seeking to do that same thing by going out to the people in our downtown Detroit neighborhood."

Mascia used to operate out of St. Al's Community Center, but it was shut shortly after the building was sold about a month ago to the owners of the empty Book Building and Book Tower next door. That means AKNO Enterprises now controls the western side of the 1200 block of Washington Boulevard, which is near the glitzy Westin Book Cadillac hotel.


From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20111107/...#ixzz1d4Dq4iVK


This certainly points to some action with the Book Building in the near future