David Whitney Building to become Hotel and Apartments

**gthomas** · June-08-11, 01:15 PM

I agree with south cass still looking like WWIII! Everywhere space north of I-75 to Mlk/Mack to Motorcity Casino...its ashame!. Need some TLC!!! Cass tech right smack in the middle...how do kids learn in that environment while trying to study or pay attention to the teacher.

Originally Posted by Autoracks

im not sure i would lease an apartment at a building that doubles as a hotel. Dont want to live with a bedbug infestation

This is positive tho. Jobs have been moving downtown, If there is acceptable housing i would expect people will give downtown living a second thought. If that happens grocery and retail should follow suit. Downtown Detroit already has a lot going for it. Its just missing a few big pieces. Schools is a stumbling point but maybe that could get worked out too. People with good jobs tend to value education. Eventually the downtown area needs to become an area where people would consider raising a family. A good first step is making it an acceptable place for successful young adults to live near work i suppose. South Cass is still standing in the way of a downtown revival. Its still somewhat of an urban camping ground for people with mental health and addiction problems. They may sleep, eat, and get high on the other side of the expressway but in order to get money to pay for whatever it is they cant get from the soup kitchens and shelters they have to travel into the downtown area to get it. These folks are going to continue to exist and they have to go somewhere. As good as a healthy bustling downtown would be I would be truly excited and happy to see a vibrant downtown thru midtown then south to corktown and east thru the market.

**BrushStart** · June-08-11, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by gthomas

I agree with south cass still looking like WWIII! Everywhere space north of I-75 to Mlk/Mack to Motorcity Casino...its ashame!. Need some TLC!!! Cass tech right smack in the middle...how do kids learn in that environment while trying to study or pay attention to the teacher.

80% of that is Mike Ilitch. He owns a huge chunk of that property: weedy lots + abandoned hotels + barbed wire fences + boarded-up buildings. When will an effort be made to do something with that area? I call BS on derelict and absentee property owners, be they foreign or domestic.

**j to the jeremy** · June-08-11, 02:05 PM

Say what you will about him ruining neighborhoods, which is true, but any of his buildings are at least bricked in up to the 2nd floor. I still think a new Red Wings arena will go up over there...

**BrushStart** · June-08-11, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by j to the jeremy

Say what you will about him ruining neighborhoods, which is true, but any of his buildings are at least bricked in up to the 2nd floor. I still think a new Red Wings arena will go up over there...

True, I don't hate Mike Ilitch. On balance, he has done a lot for Detroit, and Detroit has done a lot for him. I simply think that for a man of his age and wealth, he should give back a little more freely, which might include making some of the property he owns visually tolerable. That area north of the freeway puts a horrific taste in my mouth every time I go by it, and it sends an awful message to visitors. That area really does look third-world, and to be frank, it is probably holding back anyone else from developing property around it. I'm sure there's a keen business strategy behind it, i.e. keeping property values low so he can acquire more lots w/o paying through the nose, but c'mon, at least put up some attractive fencing and clear the garbage. Chain-link w/ barbed wire? Really?