Wurlitzer Bldg Sale Pending

**DetroitScooter** · August-08-11, 09:08 AM

UPDATE: Oct. 1, 2014 - Movement on the Wurlitzer is happening. It appears to have been sold and slated for renovation.

Click here to jump to post 77 for details.

I noticed that there were more tickets taped to the scaffolding in front of the Wurlitzer Building this morning. I actually saw them last week when they took down the fencing in front of the building, but today I snapped some pics.

Look ma, no fence

Tell it to the judge

Oh snap! $1030.00 each!

There are two piles like this, plus one or two individual tickets taped up that have deteriorated to the point of unreadability

There were some workers their last week, but I can't see a lot of progress, other than the fence being down. The fire escape was still there on Friday, but I didn't walk by that side this morning.

**j to the jeremy** · August-08-11, 10:16 AM

It's a good thing the city seems to be pressuring them, and the freep is doing their part as well. It's a shame this building is being demolished by neglect.

**JBMcB** · August-08-11, 12:20 PM

This is only good news if they actually fix the building. The deal should be - fix the building and the tickets get torn up. Demolish the building and you still have to pay.

I'm guessing they have to pay either way, which makes demolition cheaper...

Steve bennet · August-08-11, 12:44 PM

The city that is issuing these tickets is the same city that left the Lafayette Building crumbling, unsecured, and dangerous for years.

How ironic.

**esp1986** · August-08-11, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by Steve bennet

The city that is issuing these tickets is the same city that left the Lafayette Building crumbling, unsecured, and dangerous for years.

How ironic.

Sure the Lafayette was crumbling, another story entirely, but it was never a safety risk to neighbors and pedestrians. With people walking by on a daily basis to and from Tigers games and with football season coming up, a lot of people will be walking down that street who could be seriously hurt if more of the building falls.

**mikeg19** · August-08-11, 04:17 PM

The owners are both a practicing lawyer and sitting judge in the city of Detroit, correct? Here's a solution...Fix the building, or you're done practicing.

**Gistok** · August-08-11, 04:43 PM

Is that right mikeg19? Talk about gall.... not even picking up the tickets he just got, let alone pay for them...

Too bad this isn't something that's the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission could investigate... I'll bet that judge would pay those tickets ASAP...

Do you know the name of the judge?

**Jimaz** · August-08-11, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Do you know the name of the judge?

I don't but their names have been in the paper. They are husband and wife. The wife is the judge.

**Jimaz** · August-08-11, 05:08 PM

According to this recent Detroit News article, they are Paul and Daphne Means Curtis.

I haven't heard their side of the story yet but I'd bet it's interesting.

**mikeg19** · August-08-11, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Is that right mikeg19? Talk about gall.... not even picking up the tickets he just got, let alone pay for them...

Too bad this isn't something that's the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission could investigate... I'll bet that judge would pay those tickets ASAP...

Do you know the name of the judge?

I know it's not a viable option, it's just frustrating that people are allowed to do these things. If you or I get a speeding ticket, we show up and pay it in a timely fashion when the court dictates. If we don't, a warrant is put out on us. These people just continually ignore the problem and there isn't anything the city can really do about it it seems.

**downtown_racine** · August-08-11, 08:09 PM

Does the fact that its owned by an LLC keep the owners schmucks free from any real penalties monetarily or otherwise ?

**Supersport** · August-09-11, 02:33 AM

Sure the Lafayette was crumbling, another story entirely, but it was never a safety risk to neighbors and pedestrians.

Uh...yes it was. There were multiple occasions when sections of the Lafayette came crashing down onto the sidewalk and the city had to put baracades on the sidewalk.

**Gannon** · August-09-11, 04:19 AM

I believe if it can be proven the LLC was employed to escape consequences of bad behavior, I believe it can be negated.

At this point, there is evidence of that...

Steve bennet · August-09-11, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by esp1986

Sure the Lafayette was crumbling, another story entirely, but it was never a safety risk to neighbors and pedestrians. With people walking by on a daily basis to and from Tigers games and with football season coming up, a lot of people will be walking down that street who could be seriously hurt if more of the building falls.

Really? I seem to remember large sheets of slate falling from the side of the building for years before they finally put a fence up around it prior to demolition.

I guess people not going to Tiger or Lions games aren't as important.

The Lafayette was in worse shape and a far greater hazard. Why didn't the city ticket itself?

**Gistok** · August-09-11, 12:47 PM

The slate was a later "modernization" effort only to the first and 2nd floor facades of the Lafayette Building. So it would be more likely in your field of vision.

I've never heard of a single "fleur-de-lis" falling off the top of the Lafayette Building.

Steve bennet · August-09-11, 06:38 PM

Forget the Lafayette Building, what about the thousands of abandoned dangerous city-owned structures around the city? Why aren't they writing tickets to themselves for those one?

**DetroitScooter** · August-16-11, 07:06 AM

There is a lot of work going on at the Wurlitzer Building today. A crew was cleaning up the outside yesterday, but today they are moving the scaffolding/debris shield and there are probably 5-8 construction types going in and out. Good news?

bartock · August-16-11, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

The owners are both a practicing lawyer and sitting judge in the city of Detroit, correct? Here's a solution...Fix the building, or you're done practicing.

Daphne Means Curtis is a Wayne County Circuit Court judge, and a .............. one at that.

Apathy among voters in virtually every county allow these judges to get elected and then re-elected and then re-elected. If you are an elected, sitting judge in Macomb, Oakland or Wayne County, it takes a lot of hard work to LOSE your job.

Whether protected by a corporate veil or not, you take neglectful owners of a downtown building that is in a condition that poses a threat to the safety of constituents, put them in front of Judge Means Curtis, and see what she does. This normally wouldn't be tolerated, yet....

**esp1986** · August-16-11, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by Steve bennet

Forget the Lafayette Building, what about the thousands of abandoned dangerous city-owned structures around the city? Why aren't they writing tickets to themselves for those one?

Well, let's see... writing tickets to one's self, it is just a big circle, nothing ever gets done. In case you missed it, the city is using federal funds to tear down thousands of hazardous structures a year right now. Unfortunately, there are too many of them to count, literally. The city is trying to tear down the most hazardous of them, but like I said, there are just so many. So many of the dangerous structures around the city aren't even city owned, and we see how well tickets do.

**tarkus** · August-16-11, 10:04 AM

They are removing the canopy of the Wurlitzer as I sit here typing this. Sorry unable to post pics.

**rjlj** · August-16-11, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by tarkus

they are removing the canopy of the wurlitzer as i sit here typing this. Sorry unable to post pics.

wtf !!???!!!!

**BrushStart** · August-16-11, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by tarkus

They are removing the canopy of the Wurlitzer as I sit here typing this. Sorry unable to post pics.

I wonder what this means... Is the building being prepped to to be leveled, or are we seeing some forced efforts to preserve it?

**downtown_racine** · August-16-11, 03:01 PM

How much needs to be spent and what needs to be done to satisfy the city ?
LoL whatever the cost I bet it will make the $200k buy in price look cheap. Good luck to the lawyer schmucks.

**wolverine** · August-16-11, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by esp1986

Sure the Lafayette was crumbling, another story entirely, but it was never a safety risk to neighbors and pedestrians. With people walking by on a daily basis to and from Tigers games and with football season coming up, a lot of people will be walking down that street who could be seriously hurt if more of the building falls.

Yes it was a safety risk. And they also failed to secure their property. It was always open.