1648 West Fort work

Drove by the warehouse at 1648 W. Fort Street the other day and noticed crews had knocked out the old windows and cinder blocks on the two upper floors and were installing new window frames. This comes about after a week after I saw a crew out power washing the front of the structure along the sidewalk. This warehouse is directly across the street from the Salvation Army warehouse, and next to the former Hudson's warehouse, to the west of 10th Street.

Does anyone know who owns this building or what they might be doing? Good to see some investment in another one of these old warehouses.

Why didn't you ask the crews, Rocko? I would think they might be more informed than a bunch of people on the internet. :D

Does anyone have a picture of this warehouse? I'm not sure which one it is. I'll have to check it out next time I'm out that way.

Drove by and took a photo of this warehouse this morning, now I need to find the cable to connect the camera to the computer! They were working in the building again today, and either a DTE or AT&T bucket truck was working on the wires from the utility pole out back to the side of the building.... good sign!

From the morning of 9-4-2009:

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The old Hudsons warehouse is in the background here.

Thanks for the pics, Rocko. I wonder what's going on.

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Originally Posted by Rocko

From the morning of 9-4-2009:

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The old Hudsons warehouse is in the background here.

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Huh. I didn't know that was an old Hudson's warehouse. Neat. Hudson's must have had them all over downtown.

What's the sign say down there towards the end of the second building? Is it part of the building or a street sign?

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Originally Posted by buildingsofdetroit

Huh. I didn't know that was an old Hudson's warehouse. Neat. Hudson's must have had them all over downtown.

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Yep, and the old Greyhound headquarters down the street [[by the Ambassador Bridge) used to be a warehouse for Crowleys back in the 80s.

Sure would like to know what's going on with this building, but it looks encouraging. This has always been a favorite of mine, because if you look closely [[while driving by), above the main doorway, between the second and third floors, it says "Detroit Showcase Company". [[Can't really see it in the photos). I've got a small showcase with a brass tag that states this. The writing on the building is very faded, but if you drive by, it's quite obvious.

I believe the sign at the end of the second building says something about the sidewalk being closed and use the other side of the street. Yeah, right. Not a good idea to cross Fort in front of the USPS, though many people do.


Google doesn't have much to say about Detroit Showcase Company, though. If anyone has info, I'd appreciate it.

I never knew the old Greyhound bus building was once a Crowley's Warehouse. That building itself is another cool old industrial structure, I love the Greyhound name and dog on the Fort Street side. Are the Greyhound letters some kind of tile?

As to the sign in front of 1648, it's just one of those "Injure or Kill a worker" signs that MDOT has to put up before construction projects. When I was taking those photos, I was almost sideswiped by a Salvation Army truck. If there would have been impact, I'd have asked for you all to please donate a penny or two in the red kettle to Rocko's car repair fund! If anyone finds out what's going on with 1648, please, I'm curious.

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Originally Posted by Rocko

I never knew the old Greyhound bus building was once a Crowley's Warehouse. That building itself is another cool old industrial structure, I love the Greyhound name and dog on the Fort Street side. Are the Greyhound letters some kind of tile?

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Yeah, the facade has to be going on at least 30-40 years old and it still holds up well with time. Greyhound uses the exact same logo today, minus the "Lines". Seeing it up close on google, it looks like tile or brick to me. One wouldn't think that building [[seeing it for the first time) has been partially or completely abandoned for 25 years. It would be a shame to lose it. I hear the building's in danger of being demolished or sold to another party [[and the new owners will likely paint over the facade).

Is that new asphalt on Fort St without lines or just an optical illusion with the picture?

Optical Illusion on the photo - that's just the shadow from the Salvation Army Warehouse which was right behind me. They actually have been repainting the crosswalks on Fort in recent weeks, but the road stripes need to be redone, too!!

As for that about the Detroit Showcase Company, I never noticed that inscription over the entry. If I find anything out about them, I'll let you know.

Well, my wish was granted:

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Optical Illusion on the photo - that's just the shadow from the Salvation Army Warehouse which was right behind me. They actually have been repainting the crosswalks on Fort in recent weeks, but the road stripes need to be redone, too!!

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I drove Fort for the first time this week today and all the stripes from the Rouge Drawbridge to Griswold have been repainted... both the white lane markers and the double yellow/turning lines. Now I know where I'm going!

Noted the ongoing progress at 1648 this afternoon as well. Window glass is being installed on those upper two floors where the wooden framing is in the photos. They probably have a third of the glass installed thus far. In the photos, the darker brick portion had a second level which is cinder blocked in where the windows once were, I noticed today that they are working on removing the cinder blocks and putting in wood framing to install windows there, as well. Good to see!

Rocko, thanx for following this through and keeping everyone informed. It's easy to let threads drift the Ye Olde Thread Cemetery...

Greyhound/warehouse is owned by the Bridge Co. I believe.

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Originally Posted by gnome

Rocko, thanx for following this through and keeping everyone informed. It's easy to let threads drift the Ye Olde Thread Cemetery...

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Yes as Gnome said... you Rock Buster!! ;)

Now if there was a theatre nearby I could regale the conversation with insipid small talk about theatres.... [[how far is 18th Street? ... site of the former Hollywood Theatre... :D ).

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Originally Posted by Gistok

Yes as Gnome said... you Rock Buster!! ;)

Now if there was a theatre nearby I could regale the conversation with insipid small talk about theatres.... [[how far is 18th Street? ... site of the former Hollywood Theatre... :D ).

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Yes, Gistok, I'm sure you would have been happy to tell us about a "might Wurlitzer" organ, had there been one on the site. :) Rocko, thanks for keeping us updated.

Thanks for the comments, all. Work continues on this warehouse. They are finishing installation of the windows on the top two floors and are now installing frames on the next few floors below, knocking out cinder blocks as they go.

I'd take more progress photos except I'm already close to my 3mb size limit for this site...

From Model D Media.....1648/1652 is being turned into lofts!



Coat Factory Lofts on Fort St. getting ready for tenants




Another adaptive reuse of a former factory by Dionysia Properties is ready to hit the market. The Coat Factory Lofts, located at 1652 W. Fort St. across the street from the main Post Office, is currently taking deposits for rentals, with move-in slated in the next month.

The 62 units range in size from 600 to 1,200 square feet and in rent from $550 to $1,000. They feature exposed brick walls, wood floors, new kitchens and bathrooms, and high ceilings. "It's got great cityscape viewing, absolutely beautiful," says project manager Eric Novack. "The second floor units also face the river as well."

For more information or to set up a walk-through, visit LoftPlace.com or call 313-223-1500.

Read about another recent Dionysia project, the Grand Lofts in Southwest Detroit, here.

Source: Eric Novack, Dionysia Properties
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

http://www.modeldmedia.com/devnews/c...ory021610.aspx

I don't think that the building next door was a Hudson's warehouse, the building kitty corner from that building, 1915 W.Fort was built in 1912 as a Hudson's warehouse. I worked there for 12 years, on and off, and there is ample evidence [[blueprints, for one) that 1915 was Hudson's. They assembled all of the floats for the Thanksgiving day parade there, the lower addition on the east sode of the building was built in 1959 to accomodate the parade.
The new owners took it over in late 2003, did a bunch of work and it has sat since then.

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Originally Posted by Rocko

From Model D Media.....1648/1652 is being turned into lofts!



Coat Factory Lofts on Fort St. getting ready for tenants




Another adaptive reuse of a former factory by Dionysia Properties is ready to hit the market.

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Another half assed project brought to you by Dennis K.

What is the difference/relationship between Dionysia Properties and Boydell Development Group?

I knew this project was Boydell because I saw an add in the paper for Loftplace.com's new lofts at The Coat Facory in the Metrotimes. And they own the building I work in, which also have lofts.

I thought the large warehouse closest to 12th Street was the Ernst Kern Co. warehouse...
also the Hollywood Theatre was farther out Fort St. at Ferdinand near Junction Ave. not at 18th Street.

Detroitbob--when you say "the large warehouse closest to 12th street" do you mean 1648 W.Fort? there used to be a large warehouse [[almost) on the northeast corner of Fort and 12th, it had a painted sign advertising "Harmo tire co.", that building caught fire on the upper two floors about eight years ago and was demolished afterwards. I know for a fact that the building on the SW corner, 1915 W.Fort was built as a Hudson's warehouse, and was used by them until the 1980's. Gale research owned it after Hudson's, and Dick Kughn bought it from Gale in the late 80s.

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Originally Posted by casscorridor

What is the difference/relationship between Dionysia Properties and Boydell Development Group?

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i think boydell is the umbrella name of the corporation, owned by kellafinos, all other entities are subsidiaries.

The Coat Factory Lofts [[aka Fort Street Lofts) were not listed on the loftplace.com website, but some digging got me to the "temporary" page -- you can view some photos from inside.

http://www.loftplace.com/01/fortstreet/

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Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

The Coat Factory Lofts [[aka Fort Street Lofts) were not listed on the loftplace.com website, but some digging got me to the "temporary" page -- you can view some photos from inside.

http://www.loftplace.com/01/fortstreet/

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Wow. Those photos confirm what I suspected. I drive by this place almost every day. The windows went in very quickly awhile back. Then I noticed all work stopped. The whole thing looks cheap and shoddy. Like they slapped up some drywall and sanded the floors [[very poorly I might add - one photo clearly showing circular sanding marks on the floor). Also I don't see any parking, unless it's in the rear. Don't mean to sound negative, but good luck with this.

If Dennis K. is involved you will have more problems than swirls in your floor. Expect calls for maintenance to go unanswered, cheapest material, shoddy workmanship, etc................ As Savoy sez, good luck.

I lived in one of their residential properties for a month in 2006. One of their main commercial guys [[Eric Novak) used to live upstairs from me in a place in the North Cass Corridor. [[IMO Boydell--or whatever their called--is lucky to have him.)

While they aren't going to win any preservation awards or attract high-end tenets, the company serves an important niche in the city. Other property owners will sit on a building and hope that someday they can sell if for more than they bought it for. This group brings buildings to life, and they reinvest much of the proceeds into bringing more buildings to life.

Detroit would be in a worse position without the Russell Industrial Center and the countless cheap residential buildings they manage. You get what you pay for. With one of their places, you get a lot of space, but otherwise it is cheap.

Read what Jane Jacobs says about the need for old buildings. It is not about architectural character, but rather about a cheaper place to experiment and innovate. There is enough room in Detroit for the Book Caddy and the Coat Factory Lofts.

Better fixed up half-assed then torn down.

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Originally Posted by jsmyers

I lived in one of their residential properties for a month in 2006. One of their main commercial guys [[Eric Novak) used to live upstairs from me in a place in the North Cass Corridor. [[IMO Boydell--or whatever their called--is lucky to have him.)

While they aren't going to win any preservation awards or attract high-end tenets, the company serves an important niche in the city. Other property owners will sit on a building and hope that someday they can sell if for more than they bought it for. This group brings buildings to life, and they reinvest much of the proceeds into bringing more buildings to life.

Detroit would be in a worse position without the Russell Industrial Center and the countless cheap residential buildings they manage. You get what you pay for. With one of their places, you get a lot of space, but otherwise it is cheap.

Read what Jane Jacobs says about the need for old buildings. It is not about architectural character, but rather about a cheaper place to experiment and innovate. There is enough room in Detroit for the Book Caddy and the Coat Factory Lofts.

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I see he is just busting his balls doing something with the old Lafayette Clinic building.

I was in The Carey the other day and there are no hand rails on the stairs and lots of loose treads and broken landings.

How about the issue at The Millwakee Lofts a few years ago when everyone had to move out because ther was no C of O for the building?

He is a slum lord plain and simple.

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Originally Posted by Toolbox

.....He is a slum lord plain and simple.

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One of many leeches in this city. When is the city gonna slap huge fines on these maggots, compounded daily for these unsecured, obviously not-to-code bastions of neglect and indifference? Heaven knows, we could use the money.

You guys would rather have these places abandoned just because of a couple of broken faucets & they're a little slow on their paperwork? They must manage over 500 different units between their several lofts. That's a lot of spaces & people that would not be around otherwise. The young artist types are willing to put up with a lot for some supercheap rent & a big space in an old building.

Hudson's downtown did 10,000 sales a day in the 1950s, a volume that is probably equal to that of a Somerset. Many of those were delivered - and in that context, the warehouse that is now part of Ford Field seems hideously undersized. Have you ever seen the Warren facility?

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Originally Posted by buildingsofdetroit

Huh. I didn't know that was an old Hudson's warehouse. Neat. Hudson's must have had them all over downtown.

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Awesome building

Are we talking about the same building referenced in this Craigslist ad?

"
Looking for staff for gallery.ASAP


Laura Deljanin is pleased to announce, the kick off of the 2010 season for Art, Fashion and Fun at the Fort Street Gallery. The calendar for this new year will fill this venue, with well-rounded year. The space has been reserved for, Art, Fashion, Live Music Performance, Theatre, Film as well as lectures and corporate and private events. The room offers a panoramic view of the Detroit Downtown skyline to the left, Windsor straight ahead, and the Ambassador Bridge to the right. “This building is a historical building, the old warehouse of Hudson’s. My passion for Metro Detroit’s architecture has been a crusade for me, to draw attention to huge diamonds in the rough. These are buildings that are waiting to show their glory. And a 15 minute drive from nearly any location.� says Laura. “In a day and age when natural disasters are destroying history, its certainly time to celebrate what beauty we have to offer in this state.�

We are hiring, art sales, curator position and fashion cordinator.
please call
248 379 9997
or send resume
Thank you."

http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/med/1644222727.html

1648 is the L shaped building with a black roof on the north side of Fort titled as "Reed Sportswear Manufacturing" on Google Maps.

Immediately to the west of this, the trapezoidal shaped building with the white roof is the one I thought was the old Hudson's warehouse. I know at least the lower floors of this building are still in use of this building....not sure by who. Not sure of the address.

The building that is becoming the Fort Street Gallery is on the south side of Fort just west of Rosa Parks, the address is something like 1903 W. Fort. It is T-shaped with an addition on the east side. I noticed they've closed all the windows that have been opened for the past year...but I wonder if the entire window framing element that was on the top floor facing west that was all demolished by some impact has been repaired. Nice to have the whole joint open to the elements...I have to say.

Still nice to see the ongoing occupation of these old warehouses on W. Fort, whatever the use may be.

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Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

You guys would rather have these places abandoned just because of a couple of broken faucets & they're a little slow on their paperwork? They must manage over 500 different units between their several lofts. That's a lot of spaces & people that would not be around otherwise. The young artist types are willing to put up with a lot for some supercheap rent & a big space in an old building.

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How about if one of the young artist types was your child and they fell on the broken stairs that have no handrails in the Carey building. Would your thinking change if your child was now a quadrapalegic?

There is a difference between a property that could use some TLC and one that is downright dangerous and unsafe to be in.

I think the official address of this building/lofts is now 1652 W. Fort Street. I believe at least some of the units are occupied based on the window decorations and curtains visible from Fort. Be nice if they'd do a little clean up work on the exterior though.

Anyone know what's going on with the old warehouse at Lafayette and 14th? I see new windows are going in on the upper floors....another loft project?