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I went downtown a few days ago and I saw the hotel Ansonia [[or what it is now) and I wonder what happened to it? Anyone know? When did it close? When was it built? Who owns it now? I've always have loved Detroit buildings and for some reason I can't get this one off my mind. I've looked it up online but can't find anything except for a few pix.
Bump. Anyone?
An out of town developer purchased it about 3-4 years ago, promptly evicted all of the "tenants" and secured the building. I'm not sure if they still own it or not.
It needs to be converted into a apartment building.
It was being renovated into something [[ not sure what ) a few years back, they were working on it and the building next door. I haven't noticed anything being done there for a while now.Quote:
Originally Posted by CFABDETROIT
Ahhh, the wonderful nights of my youth at the beauteous Ansonia...
Not to be confused with the Ansonia Apartments over by the Masonic Temple...
A bit off topic, and I may have told this story before but here goes anyway.
I was renting the room directly above the main floor office about 9 yrs ago. It must have been about 4am one morning when I heard what I thought was some pissed off tenant slam a door once, twice, three then four times. I didnt think a lot of it till the next day when I ran into another tenant I knew who found the desk clerk dead of four gunshots in the back. Police never found out what the deal was but he did have a bunch of new syringes on him that he was probably selling on the side. Thinking back on it he was within 10 feet from me when he was killed.
I thought that that door slamming was a little bit louder than it should be.
Im sure many of you know it was a well known after hours booze store. $2 for a can of beer, pints of booze for $6 I believe. Was probably the corridors only place where you could get a 'short stay'.
George from Third Ave Hardware is the guy who used to own the Ansonia. I dont know any details of how he left.
I love the old painted advertisement on the side of the building, Becks beer I believe.
Went by the Hotel Ansonia this past weekend and noticed a few things:
1) The graffiti and advertisements on the south side of the building have been painted over in brown.
2) All of the openings on the building have been cinder-blocked, much like many of the other buildings in the area that have been subject of confidentiallity agreement laden real estate dealings of late.
3) The various advertisements that had been nailed to the building have also been romoved.
Whatever has been happening in the Cass Corridor of late continues. This is just more fuel on the fire.
I live right here :D....CASS CORRIDOR FOR LIFE :)......They found a dead body in the Ansonia a few weeks back. They then decided to cinder block both the Ansonia, The Atlanta [[next door), and even the alleys between the buildings! Old Diamond Lil's is even cinder blocked too! :eek: I also heard rumors of a man nammed Mike buying the properties to start a movement in the corridor?!?!?! :confused:
Who could this Mike be you speak of!? lol
Regardless of who it is that is buying/owns all of these properties, I am anxious to see what happens.
The brick is a sure fire sing that Ilitch Holdings purchased the buildings...
They are diligent about securing their properties because of the liabilities.
Don't be too quick to say that. A few years ago, Ilitch Holdings, Inc. was among the most cited landlords for problems pertaining to blight and safety of vacant properties. I am not saying this rules out the possibility that Ilitch bought them, but it also doesn't make it a certainty that he did.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...ress-on-blight
The part about Ilitch owned buildings is at the bottom of the article.
Where is the Ansonia?Quote:
Originally Posted by esp1986
Picture taken three years ago. I wonder what it looks now...
No vacancy...
If they ever restore the buiding, I hope they keep the commercials on the side wall. If they still are there.
http://i56.tinypic.com/iwrjau.gif
That was what has been painted over in brown.Quote:
Originally Posted by Whitehouse
It is at the northwest corner of Cass and the I-75 Service DriveQuote:
Where is the Ansonia?
Agreed, I love that BECKS BEER sign.
Shame it's gone. The Beck's sign itself was obscuring a Labatt's ale commercial.
http://i52.tinypic.com/20tgq3c.gif
http://i54.tinypic.com/9avcpl.gif
Anything new?
Some foreign guy was renovating that place and the building next door to the North several years ago. Then the Ansonia had a small fire, the condo market dive bombed and that was the end of that.Quote:
Originally Posted by marcwigle
They were recently re-sealed and the graffiti removed.
I remember that building now, Hate to see the ghost sign painted over. Gotta wonder myself what is planned for this building.
Regardless of what is happening with the Ansonia, why the hell paint over the old Beck's advertisement? That just really bothers me...ugh!
I remember asking if there were other examples downtown of those painted commercials in downtown. [[I said "murals" as the time which caused some confusion. Translation problem with me I guess. Murals are art.)
In my city old commercials are more valued for their history. And now some of them are back in bright colors. Here are some examples.
P. Keijzer. Special Address for hand-made goods and workman's clothing. As you can see it's now a lamp shop.
Restoration [[or recreation) of a classic commercial in the city of Harlingen.
Flexa. A paint brand. This used to be a paint shop. It's now a clothes store but they didn't bother to get rid of the sign. It's still there.
La Venezia. As you can expect, an Italian ice shop. And it still is. This building was in a very sorry state and was about to be torn down. But historians found out this was one of the very first full concrete buildings in the Netherlands. This is one of the longest serving food establishments in the city, going back more than 75 years. The building itself is close to 100 years old!
Here's another one.
Funny. This would be viable in Detroit.
Now you see it..., now you don't... [[In the meantime the new construction is about 80% finished and looks quite spectacular.)
Leeuwarden's finest!