Wurlitzer Building to be saved, turned into boutique hotel

**SpartanDawg** · January-07-15, 01:15 PM

Update: Restoration Beginning. Jump to Latest Discussion >>

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ASH NYC is the firm buying. Could close on it tomorrow January 8, 2015.

HUGE news if this happens. Would also add another 40ish hotel rooms? not sure how many could fit in this building.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...next-rehab.php

**animatedmartian** · January-07-15, 01:43 PM

At this point I'm less than optimistic with this building since this is like what... the 3rd buyer in only a couple of years? But hey if they close on the deal, all the more better.

**SpartanDawg** · January-07-15, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by animatedmartian

At this point I'm less than optimistic with this building since this is like what... the 3rd buyer in only a couple of years? But hey if they close on the deal, all the more better.

what's comforting is this company is who fronted the $100,000 bill Duggan forced the current owners to spend to secure the building. It was part of the agreement to buy this building.

Therefore they've already sunk money into their upcoming purchase. sounds like they're serious

**JDKeepsmiling** · January-07-15, 02:16 PM

What I am about to write was inconceivable a couple of years ago:

This will happen. This will happen becasue the supply of beautiful, old, empty buildings in downtown Detroit is quickly dwindling. Supply is short, demand is high. It will happen, even if it is not this particular buyer.

**ParisianLesion** · January-07-15, 02:37 PM

Here is a link to their website: http://ashnyc.com/team

A lot of contemporary design fluff with little information regarding specific properties, but seemingly evidence of an established firm with robust ideals to "bridge the worlds of interior design and property development, while embracing related opportunities to design products, furniture, brands and experiences."

Here is a recent write-up on the firm in Architectural Digest: http://www.architecturaldigest.com/a...eckman-ash-nyc
which includes this interesting line: "that enterprising attitude is what propels the firm, which is developing hotel projects in New Orleans and Detroit, a residential conversion of a Brooklyn factory, and a debut furniture collection."

This is very exciting and I expect to see this project succeed. Of course, I will harbor the required dose of "believe it when I see it" Detroit skepticism - although I think we can all admit that confidence in investments in the city is getting better every day, making the required dosage of said skepticism more in line with that of a healthy urban core.

To think that in a few short years that corner of Brush and Farmer may see a completely revitalized Wurlitzer and Metropolitan Building! Does anyone have any information on how/if the Metropolitan redevelopment is progressing?

**SpartanDawg** · January-07-15, 03:20 PM

UPDATE:
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/bus...ract/21387287/

Detroit News CONFIRMS story. building is under contract for 1.1 million

**bailey** · January-07-15, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by SpartanDawg

UPDATE:
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/bus...ract/21387287/

Detroit News CONFIRMS story. building is under contract for 1.1 million

would have preferred the city seized it from the slumlord first THEN sold it.... but oh well.

**Hypestyles** · January-07-15, 07:05 PM

I'm not believing anything until the actual renovation gets underway.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · January-07-15, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

I'm not believing anything until the actual renovation gets underway.

If they already have $100,000 of "skin in the game," this might really have a good chance of happening.

**Lowell** · January-07-15, 11:30 PM

Was talking with old friend and 1515 Broadway owner Chris Jaszczak last week and he mentioned that possibility too. Ash approached him about purchasing 'air rights' to build balconies on the north side that would therefore overhang 1515 and deny his lot the ability to build higher.

I told Chris that if the hotel happens he owes them a cup of coffee. He has endured the Wurlitzer ruins next to his place for decades including a chunk of it falling through the roof of 1515 into his second floor living space.

**ABetterDetroit** · January-08-15, 12:38 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Was talking with old friend and 1515 Broadway owner Chris Jaszczak last week and he mentioned that possibility too. Ash approached him about purchasing 'air rights' to build balconies on the north side that would therefore overhang 1515 and deny his lot the ability to build higher.

I told Chris that if the hotel happens he owes them a cup of coffee. He has endured the Wurlitzer ruins next to his place for decades including a chunk of it falling through the roof of 1515 into his second floor living space.

Thats what I was thinking.... Some lucky new owner will get a free cup of good coffee!

**gvidas** · January-08-15, 12:30 PM

Here's a video I took a few years ago. I wasn't doing much at the time, so when a crane showed up to try and do something about the imminent danger posed by the Wurlitzer Bldg fire escape / falling debris, I grabbed a tripod and hung out in the YMCA parking lot for a few hours.

This is the only exciting minute:

Good luck to the new owners.

**Mind field** · January-14-15, 11:27 PM

Wish we'd hear more details from ASH NYC about the Wurlitzer.

**emu steve** · January-21-15, 03:31 AM

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/bus...otel/22088483/

**Danny** · January-21-15, 07:57 AM

Save the Wurlitzer Building! The bricks are falling down.

**mikeg19** · January-21-15, 08:48 AM

With the Wurlitzer and Metropolitan on the cusp of renovations, that area on Broadway will be quite the nice little area. It's crazy to think that downtown will soon have very few abandoned buildings. Just need that damn Book Tower to get moving.

**Khorasaurus** · January-21-15, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

With the Wurlitzer and Metropolitan on the cusp of renovations, that area on Broadway will be quite the nice little area. It's crazy to think that downtown will soon have very few abandoned buildings. Just need that damn Book Tower to get moving.

Check out the Crain's article on Fundrise from a few weeks ago. They basically said "we can't disclose the properties we're looking at funding, but one of them is a 30 story vacant building in Downtown Detroit."

There's only one of those left.

**1953** · January-21-15, 11:23 AM

I think its time to start building 30+ story buildings then...

1953

**mikeg19** · January-21-15, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by Khorasaurus

Check out the Crain's article on Fundrise from a few weeks ago. They basically said "we can't disclose the properties we're looking at funding, but one of them is a 30 story vacant building in Downtown Detroit."

There's only one of those left.

Which in itself was a wierd comment considering that's the only one 30+ stories but they "can't comment". But the comment only says "looking at funding". Nothing impending. I wanna see a goddamn construction crew and trash chute on the building. Lets GO!

**Knightmessenger** · January-27-15, 11:07 PM

this would be tremendous because as a kid, riding on the People Mover between Grand Circus and Broadway, every building was vacant and derelict.
On the final day of Youmacon, it occurred to me that pretty soon, everything could be occupied.

I mean what a different view of essentially the same stuff on the same path.

**Khorasaurus** · January-28-15, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by Knightmessenger

this would be tremendous because as a kid, riding on the People Mover between Grand Circus and Broadway, every building was vacant and derelict.
On the final day of Youmacon, it occurred to me that pretty soon, everything could be occupied.

I mean what a different view of essentially the same stuff on the same path.

There are some really interesting videos in the People Mover thread of the loop in the late 80s. The stretch from Cadillac Center to Times Square looks AWFUL - nothing on the Crowley/Kerns site, vacant Hudson's, almost nothing occupied on Library or Broadway, no Opera House, and almost nothing occupied on Grand Circus.

We've made huge strides, and if everything planned in that part of town comes to fruition [[Hudson's site, Metropolitan, Wurlitzer, Statler site), that stretch will be a fully functioning big city neighborhood again.

**rondinjp** · March-26-15, 01:57 PM

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...ique-hotel.php

**SpartanDawg** · March-26-15, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by rondinjp

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...ique-hotel.php

man that would be amazing. metropolitan and wurlitzer could be coming back online within a few months of each other. would COMPLETELY reinvent that pocket of downtown.

**gvidas** · March-26-15, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by SpartanDawg

man that would be amazing. metropolitan and wurlitzer could be coming back online within a few months of each other. would COMPLETELY reinvent that pocket of downtown.

Not nearly so radical a change as moving the People Mover underground.

**mikeg19** · March-27-15, 06:17 AM

Man, if this and the Metropolitan come back from the brink, there won't be to many really large abandoned buildings left in downtown.

By my count off the top of my head it's:

Book Tower, UA, Stott, Freep.