Jefferson-Chalmers business district

**DetroitZack** · October-05-11, 05:31 PM

How about a thread to discuss the work going in the Jefferson-Chalmers Historic Business District? Work appears to be coming along nice in the Chalmers building as well as the apartment building on Newport across from the Vanity Ballroom.

**stasu1213** · October-05-11, 06:29 PM

I wonder what is going to be done about the liquor store which is called Chalmers Market. Too many trouble makers still hang out at that corner.

**kryptonite** · October-07-11, 10:39 AM

It's been a few years since I was in the Jefferson/Chalmers area. I used to be in the area often when I lived in Morningside. Jefferson/Chalmers has such potential with the riverfront, several parks, a previously attractive business strip, canals, some great older larger homes, etc. Obviously it has deteriorated a great deal in the last 40 years. It would be nice to hear about some positive developments in the area. If anyone has any news, it would be great to hear updates. Thanks for starting the post Detroitzack.

**stasu1213** · October-07-11, 06:53 PM

The Grosse Pointe newspaper had ad sketch of what the area was going to looking like. This was four year ago. The plans were halted. There was an grassy island in the middle of Jefferson that started at Newport and ended at Alter. The buildings was to become residential lofts or condos on the upper floors and retail inside the storefronts. This was during both Kilpatricks reigns. Carolyn and Kwame.

**MidTownMs** · October-07-11, 08:00 PM

I grew up in Jeff-Chalmers. There were so many places to shop and eat that you didn't need to go downtown to shop unless you wanted to go to Hudson's or some of the other department stores like Crowley's or Kern's. There were about four or five movie theaters on Jefferson between Chalmers and Conner. The first time I went to the movies downtown was to go to the Motown review at the Fox in the early 60's. When I was a kid we used to trick or treat on Jefferson. There were so many businesses up and down Jefferson we had to make a couple of trips home to unload our bags. It would be great to see Jeff-Chalmers come back.

**stasu1213** · October-12-11, 09:21 PM

I had noticed that the Chalmers Market that is on Jefferson and Chalmers had been closed for a couple of days. Does anyone have any info to whether the market is close permanately?

**corktownyuppie** · October-12-11, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

The Grosse Pointe newspaper had ad sketch of what the area was going to looking like. This was four year ago. The plans were halted. There was an grassy island in the middle of Jefferson that started at Newport and ended at Alter. The buildings was to become residential lofts or condos on the upper floors and retail inside the storefronts. This was during both Kilpatricks reigns. Carolyn and Kwame.

Well, F-- the Kilpatricks, but they're not the ones to blame for the halted development. You can blame that on Lehman Brothers, Goldman Sachs, and Merill Lynch's disaster with bad mortgage debt and the ensuing banking crisis in 2008 and 2009.

The number of halted developments that year was astronomical.

**detroitbob66** · October-12-11, 11:01 PM

Save The Vanity Ballroom! Ohh wait, nevermind.....Too Late

**stasu1213** · October-13-11, 05:11 AM

I am glad the the project is a go. The area will be a nice area once it is renovated. I would not mind living in the building that once housed the tire shop. It would make a great building for lofts. . I hope that the Chalmers Market had closed permanently. A REAL Butcher's shop such as the one on Mack near Morros in GP should open in that spot.

**bailey** · October-13-11, 08:11 AM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

Well, F-- the Kilpatricks, but they're not the ones to blame for the halted development. You can blame that on Lehman Brothers, Goldman Sachs, and Merill Lynch's disaster with bad mortgage debt and the ensuing banking crisis in 2008 and 2009.

The number of halted developments that year was astronomical.

I would also imagine there is a dearth of demand to thank as well. Regardless of the difficulty of getting financing, if there was demand it would get built. The hurdle now is you actually need to have a business model that isn't "if we build it they will come" to get financing. And you have to have more of your own skin in the game.

Look, if someone is looking to rent an apartment.... why would they do it in Detroit/Jefferson Chalmers when Grosse Pointe Park's rental housing district [[that has comparable options...and most in much better shape) right across Alter?