30 Clifford St.

[WickedILL]

Pic progress update:

[mcsdetroitfriend]

Was just watching Season 3 episode 1 of top gear, lots of Detroit shots including this building when it still had the Laundromat signage on it

[SaintMe]

Article and pictures from Curbed Detroit:

If you don't recognize the building from our pictures above, it's because its last facade was literally BLOWN OFF over two years ago. In fact, our squat friend here has seen a lot of action over the past few years. Besides being firebombed, it's been the site of epic rap battles and intergalactic robot fights. And now the storefront on Clifford Street [[where Griswold Street T-bones) is going to see even more action.30 Clifford Street is set to become a Bar Louie.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...atery.php#more

[AGinthe313]

I’m not convinced that this is going to be a Bar Louie. If you look at the Google street map there is a “For Lease” sign on the building with a telephone number. If you run a Yahoo search on that number the first hit is the Albanian-American Chamber of Commerce Members Directory. Scroll down the page and you’ll find a listing for Louie's Ham and Corned Beef Shop with the same contact telephone number. Too much of a coincidence? Could be a Bar Louie, or it could be a bar named Louie’s – we’ll see!

[animatedmartian]

Feb 9th update.

Attachment 11997

[mcsdetroitfriend]

Feb 9th update.

Attachment 11997

Certainly did a number on that place! Looks good though.

[Lowell]

Bumped with new pictures inserted in the first post.

[andrew.w]

With the dual gables and little half-round details, it seems they may have been making a conscious reference to the old firehouse. Kudos to the designers if they were. It's looking good, though the first floor windows or the entrance could have been a little larger.

[kryptonite]

It looks nice, much nicer than it did before the 'blow up'. Louie's is a great place, so also good news about the future tenant.

Now possibly someday the grotesque apartment building next to 30 Clifford will get some type of improvements. That place always seemed to be the ugliest building on Washington Blvd. Isn't it the Claridge Apts.?

[Gistok]

It looks nice, much nicer than it did before the 'blow up'. Louie's is a great place, so also good news about the future tenant.

Now possibly someday the grotesque apartment building next to 30 Clifford will get some type of improvements. That place always seemed to be the ugliest building on Washington Blvd. Isn't it the Claridge Apts.?

Yep... Dan Gilbert put a bid in on that building.... see his latest thread...

[Gsgeorge]

This was 'stolen' from the other 30 Clifford thread, from a few years ago. User '48202' posted this image of 30 Clifford transformed for the film 8 Mile into a stylized version of Detroit's infamous Shelter night club.

If I was the owner I would have pics on the wall of this building in every film it has been in over the years. What a cool way to get people to come to your bar, I mean the place has been used more for films than it ever has in real life.

I wish they would've kept THIS facade up, it's gorgeous! Too bad the recent improvements have made it look more like a CVS than a unique urban building.

[ismoakrack]

Is that what it actually looked like or was it just for the movie?

[Gsgeorge]

Is that what it actually looked like or was it just for the movie?

Movie magic, my friend.

[mpow]

I agree, really looks like a cvs coming, the brick color is out of place. I love the 2003 picture, mash-up, organic, no-self conscious, and how the optometrist letters got all scrambled like a crossword puzzle.

[Chinman]

I agree, really looks like a cvs coming, the brick color is out of place. I love the 2003 picture, mash-up, organic, no-self conscious, and how the optometrist letters got all scrambled like a crossword puzzle.

That facade would not have lasted very long since it was mad out of wood with a foam covering.

[Wheels]

Attachment 13036

Looks like they were filming the new Transformers in DC.

[downtownguy]

I was walking by tonight and the front door was open. A single construction worker appeared to be locking up. He let me take a look inside and as you can see from the photo, nothing much has changed since Lowell posted a photo two weeks ago. However, the outside now has windows which you can see in the second photo. I think they really add more warmth to the facade. I asked the worker if they would be open soon and he kinda laughed as he said they still had a lot to do. His estimate: December.

[andrew.w]

Does it bother anyone else that the gables in the parapet wall aren't quite centered over the windows below?

[WickedILL]

Does it bother anyone else that the gables in the parapet wall aren't quite centered over the windows below?

I believe they are actually, the picture is just a little deceiving. You realize the building doesn't have a flat front right? It kind of curves around a little.

[downtownguy]

I walked by 30 Clifford again today, and decided I would try to settle the gable debate. Frankly, to the naked eye, it is hard to tell. But I snapped a couple of photos and overlaid a couple of lines to show the relationship of the gables to the windows. From that, it appears the left gable is definitely off-kilter, and the right possibly also, but only a little. Sorry for the truck parked in front, but I think you get the "picture" from the pictures.

[cramerro]

I walked by 30 Clifford again today, and decided I would try to settle the gable debate. Frankly, to the naked eye, it is hard to tell. But I snapped a couple of photos and overlaid a couple of lines to show the relationship of the gables to the windows. From that, it appears the left gable is definitely off-kilter, and the right possibly also, but only a little. Sorry for the truck parked in front, but I think you get the "picture" from the pictures.

You are correct, and the left one is much worse. To add to the visual impact, the fact that the first floor facade includes the 1-2 foot 'jut' out to the right side makes you feel like the whole bottom got shifted off center from the gables. I would have made that extra first floor piece visually separte from the rest of the first floor facade...

I'm just glad its a bar. When i first saw it in its recent state I throught for sure it would be a strip club, what with the smaller first floor windows and small door opening.

[swingline]

Does it bother anyone else that the gables in the parapet wall aren't quite centered over the windows below?

A bigger problem is that the kitschy gables are a completely unnecessary embellishment of an already poorly conceived facade by a builder [[or an owner) pretending to be an architect. Whoever decided upon the final design really squandered a great opportunity to improve a rare intact Detroit streetscape with a new storefront. Too bad there wasn't some kind of design oversight by the HDC or DEGC. Can't complain about the new investment though. If it's any good, I'll patronize the place.

[downtownguy]

I’m not convinced that this is going to be a Bar Louie. If you look at the Google street map there is a “For Lease” sign on the building with a telephone number. If you run a Yahoo search on that number the first hit is the Albanian-American Chamber of Commerce Members Directory. Scroll down the page and you’ll find a listing for Louie's Ham and Corned Beef Shop with the same contact telephone number. Too much of a coincidence? Could be a Bar Louie, or it could be a bar named Louie’s – we’ll see!

Has anybody heard any more definitive news on the occupants? The construction worker I talked to seemed clueless, but when I mentioned Louie's he perked up. But he didn't know the difference between a Bar Louie or a Louie's Ham and Corned Beef. He did, however, point out where the bar was going. That doesn't seem consistent with a deli.

[WickedILL]

You are correct, and the left one is much worse. To add to the visual impact, the fact that the first floor facade includes the 1-2 foot 'jut' out to the right side makes you feel like the whole bottom got shifted off center from the gables. I would have made that extra first floor piece visually separte from the rest of the first floor facade...

I'm just glad its a bar. When i first saw it in its recent state I throught for sure it would be a strip club, what with the smaller first floor windows and small door opening.

Hmm guess they are off, crappy. And yeah if it was a strip club I'd protest or something... the other one near by is bad enough. And on another note... I was disappointed to see the sides of the new 30 clifford facade has been spray painted "tagged" already!

[rutlev]

Way back in the 50's, there were 3 pizza places to go to after being at a movie downtown, there was Famous, across from the Fox, LaLanterna's, on Griswold
and there was Luigi's and if I'm remembering right, I believe it was in this very building. Is anyone out there old enough to remember where Luigi's was
located?