Moose Lodge coming back?

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · September-05-13, 04:16 PM

To be more specific, according to Curbed it looks like our favorite pizza tycoon might actually be restoring the Loyal Order of Moose building!

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2013/09/loyal-order-of-the-moose-appears-destined-for-renovation.php

**Spartan** · September-05-13, 04:20 PM

lol, right...

**Gistok** · September-05-13, 04:42 PM

From what I know... the Moose was sold to Ilitch with the promise that it not be torn down... apparently that is the case. Whether or not it is being restored for use... or just mothballed for now, like the United Artists... remains to be seen.

**rjlj** · September-05-13, 05:19 PM

It looks like Ilitch is doing what he should have done years ago, fix the vaulted sidewalks and reopen the public right of ways. At this time, I would expect nothing more out of this.

Originally Posted by Gistok

From what I know... the Moose was sold to Ilitch with the promise that it not be torn down... apparently that is the case. Whether or not it is being restored for use... or just mothballed for now, like the United Artists... remains to be seen.

**Lowell** · September-05-13, 05:51 PM

By chance I snapped these just last night when the bright new barriers first attracted my attention.

My first thought was demolition especially when I saw the ironically-named Caterpillar M313 but from what Gistok writes, hopefully not.

**p69rrh51** · September-05-13, 07:01 PM

Designed by Baxter, O'Dell & Halpin. Loyal Order of Moose Lodge 2215 Cass Avenue built in 1922.

**Gistok** · September-05-13, 07:57 PM

Lowell, a few years ago when Blair McGowan sold the Moose to Ilitch, his son posted on DYES that part of the sales stipulation was that it NOT be torn down. I don't know how enforceable that is... but at least it appears to have some validity... vis a vis the current stabalization of the building.

**Lowell** · September-05-13, 09:14 PM

I'm no expert on demolition but that I found that the Caterpillar M313 [picture] is an excavator, more for digging than tearing down but capable of both. It is seemingly too short anyway and the space for it to operate without the debris landing on it seems too small.

The Moose in 2006 with the famous tiki bar Chin Tiki on the right end.

Are there any pictures around of the lodge before the lower floor was 'modernized' with brown bricks on the columns and those boxes above?

In my quick searching I discovered that Henry Ford and Detroit Lion Billy Sims were Moose[s]. How's that for an odd couple?

**JenniferL** · September-06-13, 01:00 AM

When I saw this thread title, I thought there were actual moose strolling around the east side somewhere, a la the opening from "Northern Exposure."

**getmoore** · September-06-13, 06:54 AM

Originally Posted by JenniferL

When I saw this thread title, I thought there were actual moose strolling around the east side somewhere, a la the opening from "Northern Exposure."

LOL! Me too.

**motz** · September-06-13, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

I'm no expert on demolition but that I found that the Caterpillar M313 [picture] is an excavator, more for digging than tearing down but capable of both. It is seemingly too short anyway and the space for it to operate without the debris landing on it seems too small.

The Moose in 2006 with the famous tiki bar Chin Tiki on the right end.

Are there any pictures around of the lodge before the lower floor was 'modernized' with brown bricks on the columns and those boxes above?

In my quick searching I discovered that Henry Ford and Detroit Lion Billy Sims were Moose[s]. How's that for an odd couple?

Curbed reported that workers on the site said that they are fixing up the concrete ceiling in the basement for future renovation. They weren't sure if they were going to restore the street level windows that allowed natural light in the basement, just that the building is supposed to be renovated, and this is the first step.

**Lily** · September-06-13, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by JenniferL

When I saw this thread title, I thought there were actual moose strolling around the east side somewhere, a la the opening from "Northern Exposure."

I was hoping

**Chinman** · September-06-13, 11:23 PM

it's on the edge of the New Arena! What a Great Place to open a Restaurant or upscale living space!

**Chinman** · September-06-13, 11:25 PM

bet it would be a great place for visiting teams to stay instead of out in Birmingham where he does not own much!

**Gistok** · September-07-13, 12:01 AM

Originally Posted by Chinman

bet it would be a great place for visiting teams to stay instead of out in Birmingham where he does not own much!

Are you sure that's still the case? As I understand it a lot of visiting hockey teams stay at either MotorCity Casino or the Atheneum. A lot of out of town hockey players have been spotted at MotorCity Casino.

**Tetherunit** · September-10-13, 01:53 PM

Drove by today and it appears that they are excavating the perimeter of the Moose below street grade. I hope its not razed, but I suspect this parcel will eventually be a casualty of the new Stadium Entertainment District [[superblock).

**Django** · September-10-13, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by JenniferL

When I saw this thread title, I thought there were actual moose strolling around the east side somewhere, a la the opening from "Northern Exposure."

I was thinking moose in lower Michigan which haven't been since the late 1800s as I just found out. They would have had to cross the Mackinaw Bridge. There are around 500 in the UP.

**Gistok** · September-10-13, 02:27 PM

No it won't be a casualty. At the location it's at Grand River and Cass are too close together.... and Cass will not be closed so it can be part of an arena. That's not a good spot for an arena. Although it could be right across the street from one if the west Foxtown site were chosen.

I just came across an old bookmark... this may have been a map made by our old member VERIFIABLE... who was making detailed maps of what property the Ilitch's do own. This particular map doesn't really include the Midtown land.....
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid...6b6d28a2&msa=0

**downtownguy** · September-10-13, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

No it won't be a casualty. At the location it's at Grand River and Cass are too close together.... and Cass will not be closed so it can be part of an arena. That's not a good spot for an arena. Although it could be right across the street from one if the west Foxtown site were chosen.

That didn't stop him from tearing down the Madison-Lenox to, um, put up a parking lot.

**motz** · September-11-13, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by downtownguy

That didn't stop him from tearing down the Madison-Lenox to, um, put up a parking lot.

I don't know if you saw what I posted above, but the workers on site were quoted as saying they are not prepping for demolition, but rather doing much-needed repairs on the concrete ceiling in the basement. I don't think they'd be fixing the basement if they wanted to tear down the building.

**downtownguy** · September-11-13, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by motz

I don't know if you saw what I posted above, but the workers on site were quoted as saying they are not prepping for demolition, but rather doing much-needed repairs on the concrete ceiling in the basement. I don't think they'd be fixing the basement if they wanted to tear down the building.

Yes, I did see what you wrote. I was addressing specifically what Gistok wrote. I hope the workers are providing you with accurate information. But, based on Ilitch's track record, I'm skeptical until we see the finished product.

**drjeff** · September-11-13, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Are you sure that's still the case? As I understand it a lot of visiting hockey teams stay at either MotorCity Casino or the Atheneum. A lot of out of town hockey players have been spotted at MotorCity Casino.

Actually a lot of teams last season were staying at the Book Cadillac. I saw the team buses next to the hotel on a regular basis. That's also where the Lions, and at least some visiting teams, stay the night before a game at Ford Field.

**Gistok** · September-11-13, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by downtownguy

That didn't stop him from tearing down the Madison-Lenox to, um, put up a parking lot.

Different modus operandi.... they started hacking the ML apart first with a long backhoe. So far we've not seen that here...

**IrishSpartan** · September-11-13, 11:54 PM

Originally Posted by drjeff

Actually a lot of teams last season were staying at the Book Cadillac. I saw the team buses next to the hotel on a regular basis. That's also where the Lions, and at least some visiting teams, stay the night before a game at Ford Field.

Nice to hear. In the "old days" of the 1950's-1960's all the American League teams stayed at the Book or then Sheraton Cadillac except the Yankees. The Yankees stayed at the Statler-Hilton for a number of years. The Montreal Canadians stayed at the Sheraton Cadillac as well. The other NHL teams would stay at the Leland. I'm not sure where most of the NFL or NBA teams stayed. I would guess most of the NFL teams stayed at the Sheraton Cadillac in those days.

**Ltdave** · November-30-13, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by Tetherunit

...it appears that they are excavating the perimeter of the Moose below street grade...

Originally Posted by rjlj

...fix the vaulted sidewalks and reopen the public right of ways...

there is a turn of the century department store building in port huron that had the vaults under the sidewalks and this is exactly what they did with them. they tear up the sidewalk and either make repairs or in the case in PoHo, they pour new 'basement walls' that eliminate access to the vaulted areas and then backfill and repave the sidewalks...

i agree if its right near the new hockey barn, it would be IDEAL for a restaurant [[provided the foods even a modicum better than hockeytown cafe)...