I am greatly saddened to report the passing of the forum’s 3WC and my very close personal friend Tony Pieroni who passed last night, after a brief illness, in his sleep surrounded by his loving wife and family. His passing was not unexpected but still comes as a gut punch and I will miss him greatly.
I met Tony not long after my 1997 online publication of the Fabulous Ruins of Detroit tour which included the famous Michigan Theater garage. As owner of the Michigan Building and garage, he emailed me mildly objecting that my presentation did not note the fact that the Michigan Building was a viable and largely-occupied business property. [BTW he acquired the building in the late 80’s and was not responsible for the theater’s gutting and conversion to parking.]
Being a supporter of positive Detroit efforts, I replied that I was happy to hear that and said I would, and did, add text to reflect it. A meet up lunch followed and we became fast friends, regular lunch partners and Detroit explorers ever since.
The event played a large role in my determining to move beyond telling the story of Detroit, through its ruins, of how Detroit became what is was in 1997, to refocusing the website toward what Detroit could become and creating the DetroitYES Project and this forum.
We were an odd couple. Our political views were largely at opposite ends and we had disagreements over the present and future of Detroit, but we respected our differences and made our points without rancor because we both cared deeply about the future of our city and country. Tony likewise had other friends of divergent viewpoints and was someone who, while remaining steady in his beliefs, never closed his ears or mind to ideas. I try to do the same and that deepened our mutual respect and friendship.
Over the years we had hundreds of meetups and explored the nooks and crannies of Detroit’s art, development, and restaurant scene. I learned a wealth of information from his experiences as a real estate lawyer with projects in Florida, Puerto Rico and Michigan, as a Michigan and Texas oil lease holder and developer, and even as owner of a private fishing trawler in Kodiak, Alaska. Many of you will recall his highly-informed posts on the inner-workings of Detroit developments and the intricacies of their financing. Now you know why.
Outwardly he was physically a big guy and a fearless rough-and-tumble businessman, but he had a soft heart and was generous to a fault. He long-encouraged me to take an office for DetroitYES in the Michigan Building and, when we did in 2011, he offered it for free. I ‘almost had to fight him’ to insist I at least pay for utility costs! Likewise he has left a trail of good works quietly assisting little guys threatened by lawsuits or getting them started in businesses.
He generously allowed visitors to view his iconic and historic Detroit site—The Michigan Theater where I had the delight of parking my car. If you were one, thank him. I told him he was crazy; some jerk was certain to sue him. Tony, never one to be intimidated, did it anyway. Thankfully nothing ever happened and countless thousands of grateful viewers from around the world were enlightened and deeply thankful for the experience.
Tony is survived by his wife, six children, a number grandchildren and five siblings. He was 80 full of life years old.
Thank you my friend, I will miss you more than I can express.
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Tony at the 333 Midland “Big Painting” exhibition in Highland Park in 2014.
http://detroityes.com/webisodes/2019/Tony-333.jpg
Lunch deep in Mexicantown at La Posada on Springwells—Tony letting me use him as a foil to sneak a candid shot of the humble restaurant with its piñatas.
http://detroityes.com/webisodes/2019/Tony-La-Posada.jpg
Visiting Galapagos Detroit’s Robert Elmes at his Highland Park HS site. Elmes briefly negotiated to buy the Michigan Building and theater.
http://detroityes.com/webisodes/2019/Tony-Galapagos.jpg
And, fittingly, in his Michigan Theater garage in 2015.
http://detroityes.com/webisodes/2019...I-Theater.jpeg
[This tribute will be moved to the Connections forum in the near future.]
