Ilitches finally moving on Fine Arts Building facade & Blenheim Apts?

[Gistok]

It looks like the mothballed facade of the Ilitch owned Fine Arts Building [formerly the entrance to the Adams Theatre] on W. Adams [west Grand Circus Park], and the red Blenheim Apartments building behind Little Caesars HQ [facing Park Ave.] may finally see some movement on redevelopment.

The District Detroit RFP:

https://thedistrictdetroitoc.com/rfp...tWzm8uL1Kdr81Q

The once intact Fine Arts Building [and connected Adams Theatre] across the back alley facing W. Elizabeth, were purchased by the Ilitches in the early 1990s after Mayor Young shut down the Adams Theatre following a shooting there. The bad news was that the Ilitches used their demolished by neglect method by never putting a new roof on either building, and the 2 inches of mold on the Adams [1917 built] Theatre seats, and the partial collapse of the wood frame [1905] Fine Arts Building made them dangerous for anything but demolition. Fortunately the Detroit Historical Commission made them preserve the Fine Arts facade [held up with girders since 2009]. So now 15 years later, the Ilitches are finally moving on the W. Adams fronting Fine Arts facade, and the site of the W. Elizabeth facing former Adams Theatre auditorium.

Here is the 0.53 acre parcel from the W. Elizabeth side [where the Adams auditorium used to be]... with a functioning alley separating the 2 parcel halves. So any development there would have to retain the alley. [Note: the former Adams Theatre was known as an "alley jumper", where there was a under the alley passage for main floor patrons, and a skyway above the alley for balcony patrons.]

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hu...rl4j?entry=ttu

Also on this parcel facing W. Adams is the parking lot of the former 7 story Shurly Hospital, razed in the 40s or 50s. See image.

The other site is for a renovation of the red 1909 built 5 story Blenheim Apartments Building right behind the new Little Caesars HQ on Park Ave. The Ilitches have had this building mothballed for at least 25 years...

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hu...rl4j?entry=ttu


Attached image of West Grand Circus Park circa 1940s, showing the [razed] Shurly Hospital, and Fine Arts Building/Adams Theatre entrance... the Ilitch owned parcels to be RFPed for redevelopment.