Any New News On Book Tower Being Renovated?

**jpbollma** · June-20-12, 09:21 PM

I don't think I have heard anything yet.

**mikeg19** · June-21-12, 04:26 PM

This is the one building I keep an eye on through websites and the news about renovations, but I haven't heard a peep in a couple months. There's always rumors swirling about Ferchill and now Gilbert buying it and renovating it, but nothing tangible. You'd have to think that after the Broderick and now Whitney undergoing renovations, the next big one would be the Book or UA Building. I'd love to see it restored.

**innercitydoc** · June-21-12, 04:57 PM

Does anyone have recent interior shots of the Book? I imagine that it is a severe state of disrepair.

**mikeg19** · June-23-12, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by innercitydoc

Does anyone have recent interior shots of the Book? I imagine that it is a severe state of disrepair.

I don't think it is at all in the interior to be honest. Last tenants moved out in 2009 I believe. And I believe someone has mentioned a security guard at the building. I doubt the scrappers have gotten to it, and it seems to be pretty secure. Can anyone confirm this?

**rb336** · June-23-12, 07:13 PM

Does Key Investment still own it?

**Gsgeorge** · June-24-12, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

I don't think it is at all in the interior to be honest. Last tenants moved out in 2009 I believe. And I believe someone has mentioned a security guard at the building. I doubt the scrappers have gotten to it, and it seems to be pretty secure. Can anyone confirm this?

I can confirm the building is pretty much in the condition it was left in when it closed, and there is 24/7 in-house security and the building only has one accessible entrance.

There was a bit of scrapping going on there for a few weeks in October of 2009, but other than that mostly everything's there. Just needs a long-overdue powerwashing [[that's gotta be at least 75 years of grime on there), some infrastructure improvements and modernizations.

**mikeg19** · June-24-12, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

Does Key Investment still own it?

From what I can find online it appears Key still owns it, but I thought I saw somewhere in 2011 Key defaulted on the loan. Anyone else have some more recent info?

**esp1986** · June-25-12, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

From what I can find online it appears Key still owns it, but I thought I saw somewhere in 2011 Key defaulted on the loan. Anyone else have some more recent info?

No. Key never bought it. It is still owned by AKNO Enterprises. As a matter of fact, they recently bought the three story building just to the south and boarded it up all the same. I recently heard they are trying to assemble financing for some sort of rehab.

**SaintMe** · August-28-12, 08:22 AM

FWIW, scaffolding going up at Book tower @ Washington and Grand River

**Danny** · August-28-12, 01:32 PM

That would be a part of the eyesore from the John Conyer's Blvd [[formally Washignton Blvd) corridor.

**Brian1979** · August-28-12, 01:45 PM

I've always liked this building, I tried to get to the top of it about 10 years ago, I asked for permission but they didn't give me permission so I never went to the top. It is in very bad need of a serious powerwashing though, that soot on the building is an eyesore and the building would look so much better if that soot was removed from it.

**mikeg19** · August-28-12, 03:52 PM

Scaffolding? Anyone have any information? And I've always liked this building a lot. I've come to appreciate its quirkiness. It does look like a mishmash of design elements and I hate that fire escape, but it's just too unique to hate IMO.

**Bad Brains** · August-28-12, 04:05 PM

Crap might be falling from it and there are always loads of people standing around it. It probably has something to do with that. I doubt any renovation is taking place.

**brizee** · August-28-12, 04:33 PM

There's a bunch of yellow scaffolding on the sidewalk starting on Grand River wrapping halfway around the block on Washington. There didn't look to be any over head covering so they might not be done constructing it.

**kenp** · August-29-12, 01:10 PM

The yellow scaffolding is part of a project by the city to protect people walking by. Its nothing to do with construction, unfortunetly.

**gthomas** · August-29-12, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by kenp

The yellow scaffolding is part of a project by the city to protect people walking by. Its nothing to do with construction, unfortunetly.

Will this be the same thing for the David Stott building? I see the same for this building too.

**dmike76** · August-30-12, 09:40 AM

Can you imagine how much it would cost to renovate that building? The word I'm thinking to describe it would be.....astronomical.

**daveyarm** · August-30-12, 11:10 AM

The steel scaffolding is now covered with wood planks. But they have 10" gaps between them-----some protection, huh?

**innercitydoc** · August-30-12, 12:26 PM

From Curbed:

UPDATE 12:25 PM Curbed Intern Chris Zadorozny just came through with this: I talked with a construction worker on the scaffolding today and he said it is up because of the city. The Book is on the city's dangerous building list and it's to protect the people.

**adam85** · August-30-12, 12:27 PM

http://historicdetroit.org/building/...book-building/

**jpbollma** · August-30-12, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by adam85

http://historicdetroit.org/building/...book-building/

I am a bit surprised that with the renovation of Broderick Tower and soon the Whitney as well as three buildings in Capitol Park that nothing is happening here. I would have thought the Book, the Stott or both would be bought up for more living spaces.

**adam85** · August-30-12, 12:42 PM

http://commons.emich.edu/cgi/viewcon...context=theses

I came across and just quickly glanced at this: a thesis paper written by a student, Chi-Ying Luo about six years ago explaining his vision for the Book

**mikeg19** · August-30-12, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by dmike76

Can you imagine how much it would cost to renovate that building? The word I'm thinking to describe it would be.....astronomical.

How so? The building was in use up to 2009 I believe and it's been inaccessible to trespassers, vandals, and scrappers. There is a guard there 24/7 as well. The building is in pretty good shape, although it would most likely need new electrical and plumbing amongst other upgrades. Still, it wouldn't cost near anything the Book Cadillac cost to renovate.

**mwilbert** · August-30-12, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

How so? The building was in use up to 2009 I believe and it's been inaccessible to trespassers, vandals, and scrappers. There is a guard there 24/7 as well. The building is in pretty good shape, although it would most likely need new electrical and plumbing amongst other upgrades. Still, it wouldn't cost near anything the Book Cadillac cost to renovate.

I don't think there is any unique factor that would make the Book Tower unusually expensive to renovate. However, it is a big building, which would make it a big project, and the upper floors probably only have a future as residential space.

I was in the building semi-regularly up until it closed, and my guess is that above the first couple of floors there is basically nothing usable but the exterior walls, elevator cores, and subflooring. The building wasn't in great repair, but more importantly everything in it was really old and unsuited to residential use. It wasn't all that well-suited to office use.

I hope that if the Broderick and Stott buildings are successful, someone will try to redo the Book. I think a lot of people would find living in the tower attractive, but I doubt it can be financed until there more of a track record with that kind of project downtown.

**Lowell** · September-16-12, 07:27 PM

Here is a picture showing the shiny new scaffolding...

I have heard people / company from Italy has control of the building and want to do something with it. Vague rumor, I know, but someone had to pay a lot for that scaffolding.