Book Building owners buy St Al's Community center

**MSUguy** · November-07-11, 06:58 PM

The Archdiocese of Detroit has sold a downtown Detroit building that housed a warming center, soup kitchen and retail shop operated by St. Aloysius Catholic Church to AKNO Enterprises.

No sale price or development plans for the 1209 Washington Boulevard building were disclosed. But the move has shut St. Al's Community Center, also called Canticle Café, and caused a Franciscan friar, a priest and volunteers from St. Aloysius — located across the street from the now-sold structure — now to use bicycles to feed and clothe the downtown needy.

"St. Francis of Assisi walked among the people where they lived in order to preach the Gospel and to be of service to the poor," said Brother Al Mascia, who spearheaded the idea of using street vendor bikes equipped with food and clothing. "We are seeking to do that same thing by going out to the people in our downtown Detroit neighborhood."

Mascia used to operate out of St. Al's Community Center, but it was shut shortly after the building was sold about a month ago to the owners of the empty Book Building and Book Tower next door. That means AKNO Enterprises now controls the western side of the 1200 block of Washington Boulevard, which is near the glitzy Westin Book Cadillac hotel.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20111107/...#ixzz1d4Dq4iVK

This certainly points to some action with the Book Building in the near future

**canuck** · November-07-11, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by MSUguy

The Archdiocese of Detroit has sold a downtown Detroit building that housed a warming center, soup kitchen and retail shop operated by St. Aloysius Catholic Church to AKNO Enterprises.

No sale price or development plans for the 1209 Washington Boulevard building were disclosed. But the move has shut St. Al's Community Center, also called Canticle Café, and caused a Franciscan friar, a priest and volunteers from St. Aloysius — located across the street from the now-sold structure — now to use bicycles to feed and clothe the downtown needy.

"St. Francis of Assisi walked among the people where they lived in order to preach the Gospel and to be of service to the poor," said Brother Al Mascia, who spearheaded the idea of using street vendor bikes equipped with food and clothing. "We are seeking to do that same thing by going out to the people in our downtown Detroit neighborhood."

Mascia used to operate out of St. Al's Community Center, but it was shut shortly after the building was sold about a month ago to the owners of the empty Book Building and Book Tower next door. That means AKNO Enterprises now controls the western side of the 1200 block of Washington Boulevard, which is near the glitzy Westin Book Cadillac hotel.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20111107/...#ixzz1d4Dq4iVK

This certainly points to some action with the Book Building in the near future

It most certainly does. I think Gilbert is showing the way to developers. There certainly is an impetus to start moving staff from suburban offices to downtown and I hope that both Books
get some attention from major tenants.

**mikeg19** · November-07-11, 07:52 PM

Very interesting, but as far as I can tell they haven't done anything to secure the Book Building or made any necessary repairs to make the building inhabitable. Kinda makes me wonder what the master plan is for this block. It's gotta be incredibly valuable or potentially valuable real estate considering the transition downtown is going through right now and its proximity to the Book Cadillac. It'd be nice to hear some sort of news concerning the Book Tower finally...

**SaintMe** · November-07-11, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

Very interesting, but as far as I can tell they haven't done anything to secure the Book Building or made any necessary repairs to make the building inhabitable. ...

I can't speak to any repairs but the main floor has been boarded since the last tenants were kicked out in 2009, and when it's not padlocked the guard inside is pretty visible.

**rjlj** · November-07-11, 09:26 PM

Also, when the last tenants moved out and the power was shut off, after AKNO took it over, they restored the power and pumped out the basement since it had flooded due to no power. The building is being watched.

Originally Posted by SaintMe

I can't speak to any repairs but the main floor has been boarded since the last tenants were kicked out in 2009, and when it's not padlocked the guard inside is pretty visible.

**Mind field** · November-07-11, 09:54 PM

The book tower so needs to become condos and rental apartments.

**Dexlin** · November-08-11, 03:44 AM

I had no idea AKNO still owned the Book Building & Tower. I thought Key Investment Group [[a local outfit from Macomb county) had bought it back in November of 2009. I knew their renovation plan had failed, but I thought they had at least bought the building from AKNO.

That said, I think AKNO is a speculator, here. The only info I've ever been able to find on them is that they are out of suburban Vancouver, and it looks to be one of those real estate "companies" that only employs a handful or so people. I imagine they are sitting on it until the property gets even more valuable, because I don't think they have the wherewithal to redevelop the block, themselves.

bartock · November-08-11, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by MSUguy

The Archdiocese of Detroit has sold a downtown Detroit building that housed a warming center, soup kitchen and retail shop operated by St. Aloysius Catholic Church to AKNO Enterprises.

No sale price or development plans for the 1209 Washington Boulevard building were disclosed. But the move has shut St. Al's Community Center, also called Canticle Café, and caused a Franciscan friar, a priest and volunteers from St. Aloysius — located across the street from the now-sold structure — now to use bicycles to feed and clothe the downtown needy.

"St. Francis of Assisi walked among the people where they lived in order to preach the Gospel and to be of service to the poor," said Brother Al Mascia, who spearheaded the idea of using street vendor bikes equipped with food and clothing. "We are seeking to do that same thing by going out to the people in our downtown Detroit neighborhood."

Mascia used to operate out of St. Al's Community Center, but it was shut shortly after the building was sold about a month ago to the owners of the empty Book Building and Book Tower next door. That means AKNO Enterprises now controls the western side of the 1200 block of Washington Boulevard, which is near the glitzy Westin Book Cadillac hotel.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20111107/...#ixzz1d4Dq4iVK

This certainly points to some action with the Book Building in the near future

You know something is happening when moves are being made to force the poor people out of an area.

**rjlj** · November-08-11, 09:42 AM

Riiiight, totally forced out. Per the Detnews article:
"The Archdiocese bought the building in the 1990s and has had plans to vacate and sell the property for several years, McGrath said. "

Originally Posted by bartock

You know something is happening when moves are being made to force the poor people out of an area.

bartock · November-08-11, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by rjlj

Riiiight, totally forced out. Per the Detnews article:
"The Archdiocese bought the building in the 1990s and has had plans to vacate and sell the property for several years, McGrath said. "

Settle down, I was being cheeky.

**corktownyuppie** · November-08-11, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by bartock

You know something is happening when moves are being made to force the poor people out of an area.

That's one way of looking at it. The other way is see that investors have driven the prices up and guess who's going to profit from the sale of the property? The Archdiocese, which can now use that money to buy another similar property all of 1 mile northwest and still get rock bottom prices and use the profit to buy a bigger, nicer facility to serve even more of the needy.

I don't think trickle-down economics works as a way to solve the problems of the world. But if there's anywhere where just a little of it will do a lot of good? It's Detroit.

**SWMAP** · November-08-11, 09:59 AM

The warming center was always stop-gap. The AoD bought that building as part of a plan to restore Washington Blvd that was completely derailed as investments were wiped out. The building was never intended to stand. It was in terrible shape and appraisers thought it should be demolished, as I recall. The Franciscans at St. Al's asked to use it and so it happened.

Now even more retail is gone from the Ave. as the Catholic Book Store, an institution there, moved to Ford Road in Dearborn Hts., forced out by the Franciscans who want to put a second-hand clothing pantry in that space which I guess is the property of St. Aloysius and not the AoD. I wonder how that will go over witht the Book Cadillac people!

bartock · November-08-11, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

That's one way of looking at it. The other way is see that investors have driven the prices up and guess who's going to profit from the sale of the property? The Archdiocese, which can now use that money to buy another similar property all of 1 mile northwest and still get rock bottom prices and use the profit to buy a bigger, nicer facility to serve even more of the needy.

I don't think trickle-down economics works as a way to solve the problems of the world. But if there's anywhere where just a little of it will do a lot of good? It's Detroit.

Part II - I was being cheeky.

**corktownyuppie** · November-08-11, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by bartock

Part II - I was being cheeky.

LOL. Ok. Sorry in this town, you never know. I read part of an article and seriously thought its intent was satirical and "cheeky". Turned out to be off the front page of the Michigan Citizen.

Talking about cheeky, one other solution to all our problems would be to print our own currency, which can only be used to purchase items produced in Detroit. That way we can still meet all our financial obligations while simultaneously causing hyper-inflation for any Detroiters who wish purchase any good or service whose origin is anywhere that's not south of 8 mile.

Added bonus, all those thousands of retired city employees that are receiving pension checks living out of the city or state will now be required to spend that money in Detroit.

We could even have our own central bank.

You know what they say, "When in Detroit, do as the Greeks do...."

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · November-08-11, 11:50 AM

I did not realize the Catholic bookstore had moved. I've purchased several books in there [[although they had no works on the Latin Mass, which I assumed would be a large area of interest after the Church started having some Masses in Latin again).

If the Book Tower got residential tenants, I think the Washington Boulevard area would really pop, and would cause an acceleration of the rebirth of Capitol Park. Who knows, maybe even The Griswold project would come back to life. And would LOVE to see the Book Building scrubbed clean. It is one of the 2 grimiest buildings downtown, in my opinion. The other being police HQ, of course.

**detlump** · November-08-11, 12:26 PM

WWJ today was saying the center site was once proposed for an 80 story building, is this part of the Book complex that was never built?

**SaintMe** · November-08-11, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

Now even more retail is gone from the Ave. as the Catholic Book Store, an institution there, moved to Ford Road in Dearborn Hts., forced out by the Franciscans who want to put a second-hand clothing pantry in that space which I guess is the property of St. Aloysius and not the AoD. I wonder how that will go over witht the Book Cadillac people!

The space that used to be the Catholic Book Store is being renovated for use as the parish offices of St. Al's. Also anything that belongs to St. Al's belongs to the AOD.

**Eric_c** · November-08-11, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by detlump

WWJ today was saying the center site was once proposed for an 80 story building, is this part of the Book complex that was never built?

In a way, yes. IIRC, this building, by Kamper, is the Book Building Annex, built by the Book brothers as a sort of spot-holder during the Depression. This was indeed the site for the proposed 80 story building.

Somewhere up above, perhaps in one of the posted newspaper articles, someone said they thought it should be demolished.

But of course... >shaking head<

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · November-08-11, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by Eric_c

In a way, yes. IIRC, this building, by Kamper, is the Book Building Annex, built by the Book brothers as a sort of spot-holder during the Depression. This was indeed the site for the proposed 80 story building.

Somewhere up above, perhaps in one of the posted newspaper articles, someone said they thought it should be demolished.

But of course... >shaking head<

They should demo it and make it surface-level parking.

kidding

**Gistok** · November-08-11, 02:36 PM

What would have been... had the Great Depression not intervened....

**SWMAP** · November-08-11, 02:42 PM

The nursing ministry and clothing pantry has moved to the chancery building attached to St. Aloysius. It moved into a space where the Catholic Book Store was located before its move to 23305 Ford Road in Dearborn.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20111107/...#ixzz1d91YSpN5

I do know, having worked for the AoD that twhatever belongs to St. Aloysius belongs to the archdiocese. But parishes, even parishes sharing a building with the AoD have their own autonomy and parish rights as outlined in canon law.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · November-08-11, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

What would have been... had the Great Depression not intervened....

GMAN, that building would have been beautiful. But a little bit of pessimism is telling me that it would still be empty and in need of renovation today. And it would be far more daunting a task. I'm torn, but a little but glad it wasn't built. I'll just be glad if we can fix some of what we got. I recognize we can't save all of it, but we should save a few more gems.

**SaintMe** · November-09-11, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

The nursing ministry and clothing pantry has moved to the chancery building attached to St. Aloysius. It moved into a space where the Catholic Book Store was located before its move to 23305 Ford Road in Dearborn.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20111107/...#ixzz1d91YSpN5

I do know, having worked for the AoD that twhatever belongs to St. Aloysius belongs to the archdiocese. But parishes, even parishes sharing a building with the AoD have their own autonomy and parish rights as outlined in canon law.

We were told at our staff meeting with McClory in September that St. Al's offices were moving into the bookstore space and the ministries were moving to the basement of St. Al's. Of course It's not entirely shocking that plans would change and the News would find out before we did.

**cramerro** · November-09-11, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

What would have been... had the Great Depression not intervened....

I have seen this postcard and stared at it at least 35 times. What I just realized for the first time is that the Book Tower shown in the background is wider [[and i think shorter) than the one that was acutally built. I wonder what the story is behind that... what was on the south side of that block before the DPM facility that would have kept their development to just half the block deep....?

**Jason** · November-09-11, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by cramerro

I have seen this postcard and stared at it at least 35 times. What I just realized for the first time is that the Book Tower shown in the background is wider [[and i think shorter) than the one that was acutally built. I wonder what the story is behind that... what was on the south side of that block before the DPM facility that would have kept their development to just half the block deep....?

It's hard to tell, the postcard doesn't look too accurate with the proportions. Look how short and fat Book Tower is, and you can't even see how wide it is because the unbuilt tower covers part of it up.

Looking at it though, yeah it looks like the shorter wider part of the unbuilt tower might have taken up the entire depth of the block, but I think everything else shown is as it was built, just not drawn accurately.