Old Wayne County Bldg Bought by NY Investors. Looks like they plan to rehab for an

**Eber Brock Ward** · July-10-14, 11:47 AM

"top quality partner that it will identify at a later date"

http://www.freep.com/article/2014071...ht-by-N-Y-firm

Call me cynical, but "top quality partner that it will identify at a later date" doesn't really get me excited.

**mwilbert** · July-10-14, 12:08 PM

I don't think it should get you excited, but it is probably a good sign that they found a buyer. I will be curious to see what they do with it.

**bailey** · July-10-14, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by mwilbert

I don't think it should get you excited, but it is probably a good sign that they found a buyer. I will be curious to see what they do with it.

is what they'll do with it even a question? They, like every other absentee land speculator in Detroit, will let it sit empty until it's scrapped beyond repair and effectively demolished by neglect... .then get state, city and county tax subsidies to pay for the demo and to build a parking deck with first floor retail-- that will also sit empty.

/sarc

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · July-10-14, 12:12 PM

What would an appropriate use be for the building?

**Mackinaw** · July-10-14, 01:52 PM

Would be great for offices, maybe a large law firm or a few smaller firms? Hopefully Gilbert and co. aren't overlooking well-heeled law firms whose last generation of leadership took their offices out to Oakland county...I feel like that is a type of entity/group that can be enticed back downtown as long as the rent is right [[plus so many courts, particularly federal court, are right there).

Freep mentioned an adjacent county owned lot. Is that the one to the east or the one to the north along Randolph St. Both seem like pretty critical development parcels and my fingers are very much crossed that there is some new building coming in the future...that area is really the linkage between financial district and Greektown/Bricktown, and the fewer dead-zones the better off we are.

**bailey** · July-10-14, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by Mackinaw

Would be great for offices, maybe a large law firm or a few smaller firms? Hopefully Gilbert and co. aren't overlooking well-heeled law firms whose last generation of leadership took their offices out to Oakland county...I feel like that is a type of entity/group that can be enticed back downtown as long as the rent is right [[plus so many courts, particularly federal court, are right there).

Jeff Fieger agrees it makes a nice lawyerly edifice as half his commercials have him and his team walking very seriously up and down the steps.

I think the problem with targeting BIGLAW [[or at least the Detroit version thereof) is they mostly all have Detroit offices now. With the exception of Dave Trott's foreclosure mill, I can't think of a top ten/15 firm that doesn't have its flagship address as Detroit or at least a major presence in Detroit. [[I didn't look it up, so I could be wrong).

The problem is law firms are like any service industry they follow the clients, not the other way around. It seems that Detroit needs a few more major QL type businesses to make the move from OC to create the demand.

That said, I agree, I think it's only real use is offices. Seems like it would be a relatively easy reno. It's not like it was not used for decades. It needs some updating and some floor redesigns.

**DetroitPlanner** · July-10-14, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by DetroiterOnTheWestCoast

What would an appropriate use be for the building?

Cheesecake Factory? House of Blues? Offices of Feiger and Fieger?

**Honky Tonk** · July-10-14, 02:44 PM

how about a school of some sort?

**Neilr** · July-10-14, 03:33 PM

Here's a link to a thread from last year on which the old Wayne County Building was discussed. On it I posted some pictures of some of the grand interior spaces after the 1989 renovation of the building by Smith, Hinchman, & Grylls.

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...ounty+Building
Additionally, here are the floor plans of the 1st two floors after that renovation.
Name: Wayne County Bldg. plans.jpg
Views: 626
Size: 36.2 KB

Name: Wayne County Bldg. plans.jpg
Views: 626
Size: 36.2 KB

One potential problem with repurposing the building for private use, rather than public, is that there is a large quantity of space devoted to atriums, wide hallways, etc. that might not generate much usable rental space.

**DetroitPlanner** · July-10-14, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

how about a school of some sort?

nah... good chance of that being off the tax rolls. Lets make some money off of it. Somebody has to pay for the LED lights and to protect the hipsters.

**Mackinaw** · July-10-14, 03:34 PM

HT, I agree, academic use might also work. The resources would have to be drummed up. I thought perhaps a downtown facility for Wayne Law, but they'd really need to want it and to open up a line of funding. Then there is UM and MSU and their little nods to Detroit [[the occasional course or special program at their Midtown facilities); they really should get more deeply involved, and were they to follow my advice, then this could be a good spot.

Haha, good call on the Fieger ads, they are a NATURAL fit! It seems many of the big Detroit firms do have their big office downtown-- that's good politics, among other things-- but I notice that there are some national firms with satellites in the 'Detroit Metro' aka not downtown, and of course a plethora of midsize firms based entirely outside the city. I'm just saying, they aren't the worst targets for the downtown boosters, and they bring in some decent employment tax ratables and likely some people who would be inclined to live in the city.

**motz** · July-10-14, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Cheesecake Factory? House of Blues? Offices of Feiger and Fieger?

Maybe the largest Urban Outfitters presented by Dan Gilbert? How about an Apple Store/Target City hybrid? Oh!! I know!! A grocery store!!!

**Hypestyles** · July-10-14, 03:52 PM

something positive should be done with the building, instead of just abandoning or demolishing.

**Honky Tonk** · July-10-14, 04:47 PM

[QUOTE=Mackinaw;443122]HT, I agree, academic use might also work. The resources would have to be drummed up. I thought perhaps a downtown facility for Wayne Law, but they'd really need to want it and to open up a line of funding. Then there is UM and MSU and their little nods to Detroit [[the occasional course or special program at their Midtown facilities); they really should get more deeply involved, and were they to follow my advice, then this could be a good spot.

Haha, good call on the Fieger ads, they are a NATURAL fit! It seems many of the big Detroit firms do have their big office downtown-- that's good politics, among other things-- but I notice that there are some national firms with satellites in the 'Detroit Metro' aka not downtown, and of course a plethora of midsize firms based entirely outside the city. I'm just saying, they aren't the worst targets for the downtown boosters, and they bring in some decent employment tax ratables and likely some people who would be inclined to live in the city.[ube/QUOTE]

NOT wishing any evil on my alma mater, WSU, the latest trend in academia seems to be "satellite" locations. If I recall correctly, there's a substantial parking structure South of there, and the building is within walking distance of multiple apartments. There are a lot of storefronts that could be converted into bookstores, bars, restaurants, and the ever popular, "coffee shop".