Temple Hotel is no more.

**gumby** · May-06-14, 07:33 AM

Can't believe no one has posted about this yet. I guess it was inevitable but still kinda sad because this could have been a very attractive building if restored.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/g...5050135&Ref=PH

**DetroitPlanner** · May-06-14, 07:55 AM

I am sure the parking lot that will replace it will mean more revenue and less upkeep for the new owner.

**Bham1982** · May-06-14, 07:57 AM

Illitch needs more parking lots for his taxpayer subsidized "urban redevelopment" moonscape.

**rb336** · May-06-14, 08:24 AM

All you Ilitch haters, just take a breath. First off, it was owned and demolished by DTE, not Olympia. Second, it was not, in any way, worth saving unless you are interested in preserving the history of sex work and STD transmission in Detroit

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · May-06-14, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by gumby

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/g...5050135&Ref=PH

Can't believe no one has posted about this yet. I guess it was inevitable but still kinda sad because this could have been a very attractive building if restored.

There was probably not a more debauched property in the city; it would never have lived that down. Even if totally restored and prettied up, I would not want an apartment in a longtime flop house home to fleas, hookers, pimps, addicts and assorted other nefarious types. We should work to save some buildings; others we should be happy to be rid of. This is in that slot for me.

I know that everyone is certain all Ilitch wants is one arena surrounded by hundreds of thousands of parking spaces, I think you will all be pleasantly surprised in the coming years. While certainly his stadiums require parking, one of the reasons he replaced so many buildings with parking was to have relatively vacant land available for building when the market conditions could support development [[which, by and large, they wouldn't have for the last few decades). Building apartments, hotels, stores or offices on much of that land would have been sure money losers until recently. Now that downtown is desirable and growing, I think quite a few projects, aside from the arena, will sprout in the next five years. No one will know for sure for some time, but I think many will be pleased with the status of many Olympia lots in the near future. In Ilitch's defense: I am not aware that he turned down any viable investors from building on anything he owned. There weren't any.

**MvGuy** · May-06-14, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by rb336

All you Ilitch haters, just take a breath. First off, it was owned and demolished by DTE, not Olympia. Second, it was not, in any way, worth saving unless you are interested in preserving the history of sex work and STD transmission in Detroit

"Demolition is the last resort of the incompetent"

**DetroitPlanner** · May-06-14, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by rb336

All you Ilitch haters, just take a breath. First off, it was owned and demolished by DTE, not Olympia. Second, it was not, in any way, worth saving unless you are interested in preserving the history of sex work and STD transmission in Detroit

I never mentioned that family in my post. In America all corporations have an equal opportunity to kick out the poor and develop parking lots for the wealthy.

**emu steve** · May-06-14, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by rb336

All you Ilitch haters, just take a breath. First off, it was owned and demolished by DTE, not Olympia. Second, it was not, in any way, worth saving unless you are interested in preserving the history of sex work and STD transmission in Detroit

Bingo. Excellent post.

Two main points:

1). That building has a notorious past which many are glad to see gone,

2). AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, it suggests that NOT all land/buildings in the immediate area of the new arena are owned by the Ilitiches.

What does #2 mean, it means rather than depending on simply one developer, i.e., the Ilitches, we have more individuals or companies who will be in play for developing the area [[and that is a good thing).

Did someone post a while back, that DTE had plans for that area that they needed to build a power station [[or something) there???

This DTE connected might have been footnoted a while back.

**emu steve** · May-06-14, 09:37 AM

One point which was missed is that the article made a 'geographical typo':

72 Temple is certainly west of Woodward, BUT east of the Masonic Temple.

**SpartanDawg** · May-06-14, 09:40 AM

Only Detroiters would bitch and moan about not saving a god damn whore house... what the hell is wrong with some of you? "ohh no keep detroit weird and cool don't let the greedy billionaires move the city forward"

and this is why our city is the butt end of jokes..

DTE Energy bought it.. is destroying it to build a power station to supply the arena district going up.. chill the f out and move on.. this is not a story

**emu steve** · May-06-14, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by MikeyinBrooklyn

There was probably not a more debauched property in the city; it would never have lived that down. Even if totally restored and prettied up, I would not want an apartment in a longtime flop house home to fleas, hookers, pimps, addicts and assorted other nefarious types. We should work to save some buildings; others we should be happy to be rid of. This is in that slot for me.

I know that everyone is certain all Ilitch wants is one arena surrounded by hundreds of thousands of parking spaces, I think you will all be pleasantly surprised in the coming years. While certainly his stadiums require parking, one of the reasons he replaced so many buildings with parking was to have relatively vacant land available for building when the market conditions could support development [[which, by and large, they wouldn't have for the last few decades). Building apartments, hotels, stores or offices on much of that land would have been sure money losers until recently. Now that downtown is desirable and growing, I think quite a few projects, aside from the arena, will sprout in the next five years. No one will know for sure for some time, but I think many will be pleased with the status of many Olympia lots in the near future. In Ilitch's defense: I am not aware that he turned down any viable investors from building on anything he owned. There weren't any.

Excellent post.

NO developer develops or redevelops to lose money. Would any developer build a hotel if the occupancy rate in the area was 50%? It would be financial suicide for himself and others.

And development/redevelopment happens when conditions are 'right'. That could mean the cost of land, cost to build [[including the cost of money), expected demand for what is being built or redeveloped, etc. make sense.

In other words: Timing, timing, timing.

Build too soon and one could lose their shirt.

Build too late and others may get there first [[e.g., the cost of land may go up significantly for someone 'late to the party').

**gvidas** · May-06-14, 10:01 AM

Detroit's downtown architecture is [[or was) pretty heavy on the hotels -- they are large, ornate buildings, after all: Madison-Lenox, anyone? The history of the hotels tells an interesting story about the city's expansion. One chapter of that just ended, and another is about to start; so, yes, this is a slightly significant moment in time.

One way to tell that story is: when we ran out of room for new hotels in the central downtown area, development moved to the Cass Corridor. Temple Hotel was surrounded by giant hotels such as the American, Eddystone, and Harbor Light -- nevermind all the smaller ones that we just park on.

And the last operating examples of this hotel district? Yup, Temple Hotel. [[Sure, sure, there's other old hotels in New Center and south of the Fisher. But what's the next closest hotel?)

Also, Houdini died there.

**softailrider** · May-06-14, 10:02 AM

From what I hear they set records by renting the same room 10 times in one day.

**softailrider** · May-06-14, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by gvidas

Detroit's downtown architecture is [[or was) pretty heavy on the hotels -- they are large, ornate buildings, after all: Madison-Lenox, anyone? The history of the hotels tells an interesting story about the city's expansion. One chapter of that just ended, and another is about to start; so, yes, this is a slightly significant moment in time.

One way to tell that story is: when we ran out of room for new hotels in the central downtown area, development moved to the Cass Corridor. Temple Hotel was surrounded by giant hotels such as the American, Eddystone, and Harbor Light -- nevermind all the smaller ones that we just park on.

And the last operating examples of this hotel district? Yup, Temple Hotel. [[Sure, sure, there's other old hotels in New Center and south of the Fisher. But what's the next closest hotel?)

Also, Houdini died there.

That article mentioned the hotel was "once luxurious" hard to believe that. The place didn't have private baths.

**emu steve** · May-06-14, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by SpartanDawg

Only Detroiters would bitch and moan about not saving a god damn whore house... what the hell is wrong with some of you? "ohh no keep detroit weird and cool don't let the greedy billionaires move the city forward"

and this is why our city is the butt end of jokes..

DTE Energy bought it.. is destroying it to build a power station to supply the arena district going up.. chill the f out and move on.. this is not a story

Actually, it is a good story. ;-)

As simplistic as it may sound, building a power station is a good thing.

In other words, "infrastructure." Building infrastructure is a necessity for development.

**jt1** · May-06-14, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by MikeyinBrooklyn

There was probably not a more debauched property in the city; it would never have lived that down. Even if totally restored and prettied up, I would not want an apartment in a longtime flop house home to fleas, hookers, pimps, addicts and assorted other nefarious types. We should work to save some buildings; others we should be happy to be rid of. This is in that slot for me.

I know that everyone is certain all Ilitch wants is one arena surrounded by hundreds of thousands of parking spaces, I think you will all be pleasantly surprised in the coming years. While certainly his stadiums require parking, one of the reasons he replaced so many buildings with parking was to have relatively vacant land available for building when the market conditions could support development [[which, by and large, they wouldn't have for the last few decades). Building apartments, hotels, stores or offices on much of that land would have been sure money losers until recently. Now that downtown is desirable and growing, I think quite a few projects, aside from the arena, will sprout in the next five years. No one will know for sure for some time, but I think many will be pleased with the status of many Olympia lots in the near future. In Ilitch's defense: I am not aware that he turned down any viable investors from building on anything he owned. There weren't any.

The 'hope' that Ilitch will do something positive can be refuted in two words: Madison-Lennox.

He was contacted by numerous developers for the building, refused to speak with anyone. Pulled the old demolition by neglect, then got a nice $750K 'loan' for his parking lot contingent that it have development by a certain point in time. That time has gone by, nothing but a 'landscaped packing lot' and, to the best of my limited knowledge, not a penny paid back on the loan.

Someone that gave two shits would have at least listened to those offering to buy the place for redevelopment. But I'm sure they will have another announcement offering more grand plans that will quietly face away.

**emu steve** · May-06-14, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by gvidas

Detroit's downtown architecture is [[or was) pretty heavy on the hotels -- they are large, ornate buildings, after all: Madison-Lenox, anyone? The history of the hotels tells an interesting story about the city's expansion. One chapter of that just ended, and another is about to start; so, yes, this is a slightly significant moment in time.

One could also make the point although it is bit of a stretch: "The Cass Corridor died" [[or another nail in the coffin of the Cass Corridor, long live Midtown.)

**downtownguy** · May-06-14, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by MikeyinBrooklyn

There was probably not a more debauched property in the city; it would never have lived that down. Even if totally restored and prettied up, I would not want an apartment in a longtime flop house home to fleas, hookers, pimps, addicts and assorted other nefarious types. We should work to save some buildings; others we should be happy to be rid of. This is in that slot for me.

By your logic, the Milner/Ashley probably isn't worth saving either. And that old porn theatre on Woodward, the Garden -- no one will ever go there, let alone rent the new apartments on the same block.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · May-06-14, 11:28 AM

I once stayed a week at the old Hotel Riverview in Manhattan [[before I moved to NYC, which is before I moved back). Built in the early 1900s, it housed the NY arrivals from the sunken Titanic [[the living ones saved by the Carpathia) back in the day. It was so decrepit, with tiny narrow rooms, dim narrow hallways. It was also considered a "luxury" property when it opened [[because it was a step up from a rooming house). The clerk was behind bulletproof glass, working girls and boys were on the street right outside the hotel pot wafted in and out of windows. When I was very young and poor man, it was fine [[$25/night in the far West Village! A steal!) As I understand it, the Temple was not as nice in it's later days.

**emu steve** · May-06-14, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by downtownguy

By your logic, the Milner/Ashley probably isn't worth saving either. And that old porn theatre on Woodward, the Garden -- no one will ever go there, let alone rent the new apartments on the same block.

Why is 72 Temple being compared to any other building in Detroit?

Isn't each building unique? Its own fate?

And what makes this conversation border on the absurd is that the property being discussed isn't owned by Ilitch and is being demolished by DTE for a power sub-station.

That, to me, makes any reference to Ilitch in this thread irrelevant and essentially off topic.

**rb336** · May-06-14, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by MvGuy

"Demolition is the last resort of the incompetent"

What an absurd comment. What in the world made that building desirable? Its mediocre architecture? its history?

**rb336** · May-06-14, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by downtownguy

By your logic, the Milner/Ashley probably isn't worth saving either. And that old porn theatre on Woodward, the Garden -- no one will ever go there, let alone rent the new apartments on the same block.

Milner/Ashley and the old porn theater have some value aesthetically speaking.

Anyone who bitches about the demise of the Temple are simply doing a knee-jerk "demolition bad" reaction, and for some, throw in "especially if it benefits Ilitch."

**Bham1982** · May-06-14, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

What an absurd comment. What in the world made that building desirable? Its mediocre architecture? its history?

It's certainly better than the future parking lot/vacant lot. At least it's throughly urban and pedestrian-oriented.

**rb336** · May-06-14, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

It's certainly better than the future parking lot/vacant lot. At least it's throughly urban and pedestrian-oriented.

i suspect the sarcasm font is needed

**1953** · May-06-14, 02:25 PM

Let's find some balance here. Tearing down any building that old is sad, and I hate to see it happen. Yes, it has a seedy history, but many historic properties with high value have the same. Still, this is one we probably had to see go, as it stands in the way of the renovation of the whole neighborhood around it, which is almost entirely open land. Perhaps we can focus our preservation efforts on seeing the Eddystone and Park hotel buildings integrated into the new development instead.

1953