River Plaza Apartments on Jefferson Completely Vacant

[royce]

On Thursday I drove by these apartments next to Owen Park on Jefferson and saw that they were completly abandoned. What happened and when did this happen?

[Richard]

On Thursday I drove by these apartments next to Owen Park on Jefferson and saw that they were completly abandoned. What happened and when did this happen?

Interesting review here from 06/12/2011 http://www.yelp.com/biz/river-plaza-detroit which would explain why it is better closed anyways ,but there seems to be a corp change in March. Phones are all disconnected.

In her review she is saying 9 years ago so that may not be a good guide.

[Eric_c]

Jesus. How can you take a riverfront property in a prime neighborhood and run it into the ground like that?

[313WX]

Jesus. How can you take a riverfront property in a prime neighborhood and run it into the ground like that?

It's Detroit.

[Bham1982]

Jesus. How can you take a riverfront property in a prime neighborhood and run it into the ground like that?

It isn't a prime neighborhood. That's basically the issue.

There are many beautiful prewar and mid-century apartment buildings along East Jefferson, but they aren't very desirable. Rents and sale prices are cheap.

Detroit, on the whole, absolutely kills it when it comes to nice, older buildings. But market demand doesn't necessarily correlate with "nice and old".

[jtf1972]

It's Detroit.

No excuse.

Architecturally this property could be scraped to the ground and it wouldn't matter. Whatever it replaced would have been more attractive than it, even if it was a Taco Bell.

Detroit can do better than this building.

Detroit must do better.

[313WX]

No excuse.

Architecturally this property could be scraped to the ground and it wouldn't matter. Whatever it replaced would have been more attractive than it, even if it was a Taco Bell.

Detroit can do better than this building.

Detroit must do better.

I agree Detroit can and must do better.

But the reality now, as Bham1982 put it, is that Detroit doesn't demand better.

[jtf1972]

A large part of why Detroit doesn't demand better is that when you're blowing past at 40mph that blink of an eye doesn't matter if it's a shithole or a beautiful place. It's just something in the rearview mirror, which is how most people see everything.

[313WX]

A large part of why Detroit doesn't demand better is that when you're blowing past at 40mph that blink of an eye doesn't matter if it's a shithole or a beautiful place. It's just something in the rearview mirror, which is how most people see everything.

It's market forces.

When you're catering to a lower class clientale, that will reflect itself in the surrounding environment. If you're trying to make money from an investment, you're not going to waste your money doing anything extravagant to satisfy poor people who likely don't even value what you're offering them.

When said clientale decides even they are sick of said environment and eventually move on, then you have River Place.

[MidTownMs]

It isn't a prime neighborhood. That's basically the issue.

There are many beautiful prewar and mid-century apartment buildings along East Jefferson, but they aren't very desirable. Rents and sale prices are cheap.

Detroit, on the whole, absolutely kills it when it comes to nice, older buildings. But market demand doesn't necessarily correlate with "nice and old".

Just because something is cheap doesn't necessarily mean it's undesirable...maybe to you but not everyone.

[rb336]

Those are hideous buildings, an eyesore even in their better years. knock 'em down

[Eric_c]

The Villages aren't a prime location?! >snort<

I see.

[Detroitej72]

It isn't a prime neighborhood. That's basically the issue.

Spoken like someone who hasn't got a clue. Indian Village is pretty much right across Jefferson and you've got the Gold Coast and Joseph Berry subdivision just east of there, which are prime neighborhoods. I guess some folks still cling to the "it's in Detroit, so it can't be good" school of thought, although I too think the buildings are not the finest example of architectural design.

[Bham1982]

Spoken like someone who hasn't got a clue. Indian Village is pretty much right across Jefferson and you've got the Gold Coast and Joseph Berry subdivision just east of there, which are prime neighborhoods. I guess some folks still cling to the "it's in Detroit, so it can't be good" school of thought, although I too think the buildings are not the finest example of architectural design.

The proof is in the market value. Indian Village is cheap. Really incredibly cheap considering the homes. Real estate in surrounding neighborhoods is almost free.

I never said it wasn't beautiful, or the homes weren't impressive. But the market determines whether or not this area is prime, and the East Side of Detroit is anything but.

[JenniferL]

It is not prime
Because of crime
I made a rhyme

[jerrytimes]

I agree Detroit can and must do better.

But the reality now, as Bham1982 put it, is that Detroit doesn't demand better.

The sad thing is there are the Detroiters that try, but there are too many that will destroy it. I've never lived in Detroit, and I wish I could move down there. I don't even know why....

[EastsideAl]

I live very near these buildings. Despite what should be a prime location, and proximity to other, much nicer, buildings, these places haven't been very nice for quite a while. They were purchased in the last few years by an out-of-town company that said they were going to improve things. They began replacing some of the old window frames, but also I'm told started moving in a lot of even worse tenants, and then letting the heat and the water be turned off. Now they seem to have abandoned the buildings altogether.

So, much like those bozos at the Lafayette Towers, these carpetbaggers came in from somewhere else, made some quick and easy bucks, and destroyed what could have been a pretty nice property. People like these really need to be called to account for what they do to our city, but of course there's no time and money for that.

As other posters have said, these buildings were never any great shakes architecturally [[yellow brick, sort of moderne-ish, perhaps from the '30s or '40s?). So, I hope they get torn down as soon as possible, before they turn into a full-scale blown-out eyesore, which would be detrimental to everyone around here, including the folks hoping for a comeback of the adjacent Whittier. Perhaps the land could be added to Owen Park, which also needs some improvement. Despite continued complaints from Indian Village/West Village/Gold Coast residents, that "park" has become little more than an overgrown drive-through lot for fishermen, etc., and the city is trying to use some vagueness in the park's ownership status to escape their responsibility to maintain it.

[Honky Tonk]

"It is not prime
Because of crime
I made a rhyme"

Well it's about time.....

[Detroitej72]

So, much like those bozos at the Lafayette Towers, these carpetbaggers came in from somewhere else, made some quick and easy bucks, and destroyed what could have been a pretty nice property. People like these really need to be called to account for what they do to our city, but of course there's no time and money for that.

Excellent point.

These out of town idiot's come in, buy real estate, squeeze every cent they can out of it while letting the property go to hell, then walk away. Somebody needs to hold them accountable, but as you stated, the city doesn't have the money. Then of coarse the conclusion most people will come to is "we'll, that's all Detroit", while the whole time it's these vulture companies dumping their trash.

This topic could warrant it's own separate thread.

[ghettopalmetto]

That building is getting in the way of all this progress. Can't we find some public money for its demolition? The people at Adamo have mouths to feed, you know.

[expatriate]

I walked around this property yesterday and I can't imagine what could ever be done with it to make it more attractive. I don't know when it was built, but I'm sure it was considered ugly the day it opened. It the city owns it it should be demolished the the property attached to Owen Park or sold off. If there is a private owner he needs to be forced to do something with it.

[Richard]

It looks like a soviet built apartment.

Intersting review on yelp,I guess it was not one of the most sought after locations.

If it was cheap enough I guess one could always stick a 1920s facade on it,the rest of the structure seems solid enough.

[p69rrh51]

It looks like a soviet built apartment.

Intersting review on yelp,I guess it was not one of the most sought after locations.

If it was cheap enough I guess one could always stick a 1920s facade on it,the rest of the structure seems solid enough.

Designed by Robert J. West for Saul Katz.
1)

Owen Park Plaza 8430 East Jefferson built in 1955 Gold Coast, Detroit, MI.
2)

River Plaza 8434 East Jefferson built in 1955 Gold Coast, Detroit, MI.

3)

An advertisement featuring 8430 and 8434 East Jefferson from a 1955 edition of the Detroit Free Press.

[p69rrh51]

The buildings replaced this house.

Designed by John Scott & Company for Willis E. Buhl.
Mostly Hall, 8430 East Jefferson built in 1910 Indian Village Historic District, Detroit, MI.

Demolished: Early 1950's?
Image from Beautiful Homes of Detroit and Vicinity, circa 1920

[Jason]

It's funny it was built in 1955, I had figured it was built in the 1930s.