Boutique Hotel At Former Firehouse Site Washington/Larned

**401don** · March-04-13, 08:55 AM

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...firehouse-site

This sounds close to a done deal!

**gthomas** · March-04-13, 09:14 AM

Sweet!!

**gthomas** · March-04-13, 09:15 AM

....oh wait...hold on. It still needs City Clowncil approval..smh. Well keep hope alive..

**rb336** · March-04-13, 10:13 AM

just for those who don't know, it is a beautiful building, and just right for a boutique hotel

**401don** · March-04-13, 10:37 AM

We can have another debate about whether there's enough demand but what's important is that it preserves the building from decay. If the hotel fails it could always be converted to residential, etc. down the line.

**DetroitPlanner** · March-04-13, 10:44 AM

Isn't $1.25 million a little low for this beauty?

**Islandman** · March-04-13, 10:54 AM

It's beautiful building on the outside, but this is going to be a major renovation project for the inside. It does have its own underground parking, so that's a plus.

**bailey** · March-04-13, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

We can have another debate about whether there's enough demand but what's important is that it preserves the building from decay. If the hotel fails it could always be converted to residential, etc. down the line.

Hopefully the same or similar can be done with DPD HQ

**Hypestyles** · March-04-13, 11:03 AM

a combination of hotel and residential?

**dmike76** · March-04-13, 11:05 AM

I think it should be the HQ for the Ghostbusters.

**Gistok** · March-04-13, 12:12 PM

Back in the late 1980's after Denver developer John Madden built 150 W. Jefferson, he had another proposal to buy the Fire Station from the city, tear out the interior down to the bedrock [[leaving only the 4 walls), and build a 40 story office tower rising out of the 5 story shell of the building... to be known as Firehouse Square.

This project never made it past the idea stage... and eventually Madden lost 150 W. Jefferson to the banks.

Also, a little footnote... 150 W. Jefferson had the base of the building built with reinforcement to build a smaller 2nd tower [[along Griswold) that was also never built. When one looks at the site, you almost scratch your head questioning whether or not there's even room behind the Roney [[Scientologists) Building for a second tower... but I remember the newspaper article where Madded had a mini model of the 2nd tower in hand [[newspaper clipping image) and where it would fit next to the main 150 W. Jefferson Building.

**Gistok** · March-04-13, 12:35 PM

OK... a question... some of the links to the Firestation renovation [[such as Huffington Post)... mention Beth DunCombe as "head of the Detroit Building Authority"...

Is Ms DunCombe [[sister of Trudy DunCombe Archer, former mayor's wife)... and the head of the DEGC before George Jackson... back in town as a public servant?

Her major claims to fame were a plus and a minus.... 1) the idea to move the Gem/Century from its' demolition location to a city owned site next to the DAC... and 2) the demo of Hudson's.

EDIT:
Answered my own question....
http://www.detroitmi.gov/Departments...9/Default.aspx

**Chinman** · March-04-13, 12:58 PM

since cobo hall is being renovated and getting more conferences, this will work. auto show alone will fill it. there has been a wonderful increase in conventions booking cobo hall.

**jj84** · March-04-13, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Isn't $1.25 million a little low for this beauty?

It is probably filled with asbestos, will need to have the interior gutted and have all HVAC/Electrical/Plumbing/Communication totally replaced.

Basically what you're paying for is the land under the property. The whole it's a little low is the reason why there is so much land around Detroit, everyone thinks they have a gold mine and will just wait. Sell it -- get it redeveloped and move on. What they need to do -- along with the Pontchartrain is put in an undergorund walkway over to Cobo.

**bailey** · March-04-13, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by jj84

It is probably filled with asbestos, will need to have the interior gutted and have all HVAC/Electrical/Plumbing/Communication totally replaced.

Basically what you're paying for is the land under the property. The whole it's a little low is the reason why there is so much land around Detroit, everyone thinks they have a gold mine and will just wait. Sell it -- get it redeveloped and move on. What they need to do -- along with the Pontchartrain is put in an undergorund walkway over to Cobo.

Why? It's directly across the street. It's not like they have to cross 5 lanes of Jefferson.

**jj84** · March-04-13, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

Why? It's directly across the street. It's not like they have to cross 5 lanes of Jefferson.

When you go to conventions it is annoying to go outside when you're going to work - you need to take a coat, an umbrella or get hot, walk in the snow. It becomes a hassle to deal with - check coat, carry stuff, get salt and slush all over your pants and shoes. It's little things like that make a bigger difference than most people realize. Washington is also 5 lanes there but that's not the issue - 5 lanes or 2 lanes it's all the same conventioneers in bad climates don't want to go outside.

**DetroitPlanner** · March-04-13, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by jj84

When you go to conventions it is annoying to go outside when you're going to work - you need to take a coat, an umbrella or get hot, walk in the snow. It becomes a hassle to deal with - check coat, carry stuff, get salt and slush all over your pants and shoes. It's little things like that make a bigger difference than most people realize. Washington is also 5 lanes there but that's not the issue - 5 lanes or 2 lanes it's all the same conventioneers in bad climates don't want to go outside.

For the few days of inclement weather the exorbitant cost hardly seems worth it. Besides. Most advocates frown on separating pedestrian traffic as it takes people off of the street.

I would suggest reading the works of William H Whyte or the crank James H Kunstler [[despite being a crank, he does have some good points).

**jj84** · March-04-13, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

For the few days of inclement weather the exorbitant cost hardly seems worth it. Besides. Most advocates frown on separating pedestrian traffic as it takes people off of the street.

I would suggest reading the works of William H Whyte or the crank James H Kunstler [[despite being a crank, he does have some good points).

People that are going to the convention are not people that are going to walk around at that point. Possibly later that night they would. They are going to work and have a mission as they are going to work. I'm for people walking around, and think the bridge that connected the Greektown Casino Parking lot to the Casino was one of the worst things that happened to Greektown.

Getting to Cobo for them is work, the easier you can make that the more likely they are going to go out to explore the city after. If they walk out of Cobo and it's cold they are likely to just stay at their hotel after they are done working. I'm not going back out in the cold to explore, I'll just stay here.

There is a reason why so many convention centers have hotels attached - it is a great selling point of the hotel and venue.

**detroitsgwenivere** · March-04-13, 04:58 PM

This is old news, council has been talking about this for almost a year. Don't any of you go to city council meetings?

**Gistok** · March-04-13, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by detroitsgwenivere

This is old news, council has been talking about this for almost a year. Don't any of you go to city council meetings?

All of DYes only shows up on the 3rd Tuesday of the month...

**The Real McCoy** · March-04-13, 05:48 PM

This is fantastic news, but I was wondering what is going to become of the more spacious Old Hotel Pontchartrain??? Any pending developments?????

**401don** · March-04-13, 09:34 PM

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...text|FRONTPAGE

Does anyone else think 250 million is just a tad steep for 80-100 rooms?

**downtownguy** · March-04-13, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by jj84

Getting to Cobo for them is work, the easier you can make that the more likely they are going to go out to explore the city after. If they walk out of Cobo and it's cold they are likely to just stay at their hotel after they are done working. I'm not going back out in the cold to explore, I'll just stay here.

Do you think this will keep conventions from booking Detroit? As it is, this, along with the Pontch, are the closest to Cobo, and that proximity gives them a leg up over all other hotels downtown. Coming from any other hotel, they will be far more exposed to the elements than here.

**downtownguy** · March-04-13, 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by The Real McCoy

This is fantastic news, but I was wondering what is going to become of the more spacious Old Hotel Pontchartrain??? Any pending developments?????

Which "Old Pontchartrain"? The one off Campus Martius closed in 1920? Or the one constructed in 1965 and currently undergoing renovation and expected to open soon as a Crowne Plaza Hotel?

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...+Pontchartrain