Herman Kiefer Health Complex in Detroit offered for new use

[Vic01]

The Herman Kiefer Health Complex, for decades the place where many Detroiters went for immunizations and vital records, is up for a new role, if the city can find a developer interested in taking on the now-abandoned site hovering next to the Lodge Freeway south of Clairmount.

Brad Dick, director of the city’s General Services Department, which operates and maintains all city-owned buildings, jokes that the old hospital could probably survive World War III.
“It’s a great building, but what are you going to do with 424,000 square feet?” he asked during a tour of the facility last week, ahead of showings scheduled for today for developers interested in the site. “Some developer has to have a vision for what it could be and the money to back it up.”
Detroit announced this month that it’s seeking proposals for redevelopment of the nearly 18-acre site. Dick said the building could be renovated into apartments or condos, but he concedes that the size of the building and costs estimated in the tens of millions to restore it could be prohibitive. He’s not expecting the city to reap top dollar from potential bidders.
“You really want someone who’ll do something that benefits the city,” Dick said. “It’s less about the dollars you get for it.”

http://www.freep.com/article/2014032...0020/1001/news

Anyone know how to contact Fernando Palazuelo? He thinks BIG, this sounds like his kind of project...

[Zacha341]

Interesting. I saw the Fox2 News truck over there with a reporter this morning at 7:35 or so. Looking to see what they reported.

[illwill]

That's a huge building. I'd convert the middle section to a retail mall. Cafe's, art galleries, restaurants, shops, stores etc.

The other sides would have private entrances for high-end apartments.

[mwilbert]

I would like to keep the complex as intact as possible, but that location isn't going to be an easy sell to a developer. You would have a hard time charging rents high enough to justify renovation. The logical developer would be Henry Ford Hospital, but it is a little too far northwest, and probably more space than they could easily digest.

[Hypestyles]

nothing's happened in quite a while. I wonder if anything is going to finally be done to redevelop it.

[Zacha341]

Nothing happening and they keep a 24 hour car and foot patrol around the building, or it'd be picked clean by the scrappers like the two DPS schools nearby [[Hutchins and Crossman) have been.

[gvidas]

sounds like a plan was accepted and the [[albeit very slow) ball is rolling:

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...efer/73048532/

[Zacha341]

Wow! Per that link the city is paying a half mil annually to secure the Herman Kiefer building. I mean I see a few security vehicles and what not but does it ACTUALLY cost that much? I wonder what the guards make? Nice contract! Eh... hmm....

"Detroit has spent about $500,000 annually for security at the main hospital building, and at least $100,000 more for maintenance and utilities."

[smallferret]

IKEA! It's plenty big!

[Honky Tonk]

Herman Kiefer is in Southeast Detroit? This is the largest historic preservation project to happen in Detroit outside of the downtown corridor,” Cox told council members. Is he refering to Mike Ilitch, the preservationist?

[Gistok]

Very pleased that this is [[slowly) progressing... but I have to second Honky Tonk's puzzlement... not only on the geography brain fart... but also seems like someone has forgotten about the larger Parke Davis complex that is now the restored River Place.