Metropolitan/Wurlitzer progress

[Van Dyke Brown]

The entrance sign has been restored:

[Atticus]

The entrance sign has been restored:

Great Pic. The hotel’s website is now active, and you can actually make a reservation at the Element Metropolitan Hotel as early as Mid January 2019. Exciting to see.

[p1acebo]

The entrance sign has been restored:

Wow that is beautiful, I never thought that this building would get rehabilitated but I am glad it did!

[dtowncitylover]

HistoricDetroit.org says Metropolitan will open Monday.

[DetroitGuy423]

HistoricDetroit.org says Metropolitan will open Monday.

Wow, and to think this building almost met the same fate as the Statler.

[EGrant]

It was arguably in worse shape than the Statler from what I recall; the whole back wall appeared to be falling off at one point. Amazing win for historic preservation.

[stasu1213]

HistoricDetroit.org says Metropolitan will open Monday.

This is amazing. I walk past this building everyday. It’s amazing that a few years ago this building was considered to be razed. Demolition George Jackson would had been chomping at the bit to get the contract. The building looks great and the alley will be a great access to walk through with shops facing it.

[Zads07]

Really excited to check out both the Metropolitan and Wurlitzer during the holiday season when I'm back in town.

Unreal that these were considered for demolition just 4-5 years ago and how bad of shape they were in.

Really goes to show that with money, time and DEDICATED OWNERS that any building can be saved.

[stasu1213]

I think finally that dedicated owners were allowed to purchase the Metropolitan and the Wurlitzer instead of family and friends of those in city government who had purchased these buildings years ago and just sat on them and let them deteriorate.

[Detroitdave]

I think finally that dedicated owners were allowed to purchase the Metropolitan and the Wurlitzer instead of family and friends of those in city government who had purchased these buildings years ago and just sat on them and let them deteriorate.

Here, here !
see what happens when things are done in the right way, mostly lol

[stasu1213]

Cant wait for the alley to open behind the Metropolitan Building. Will love to see boutiques open off the alleyway

[Detroit Stylin]

I think finally that dedicated owners were allowed to purchase the Metropolitan and the Wurlitzer instead of family and friends of those in city government who had purchased these buildings years ago and just sat on them and let them deteriorate.

What family and friends of city offiicials owned these two buildings? 🤔🤔🤔

[gnome]

What family and friends of city offiicials owned these two buildings? 🤔🤔🤔

I seem to recall that Mungo had the “development rights” to the Wurlitzer. Not the political consultant guy, his brother, the fellow who reigns at Cafe d’Mungo on Griswald. He also had a space in the Himmelhoch building that was quite unusual. The space was set up like a fine dining establishment with cloth tablecloths and silverware all set up, but there were dead flies all over and the candles had melted from the sun.

[archfan]

I seem to recall that Mungo had the “development rights” to the Wurlitzer. Not the political consultant guy, his brother, the fellow who reigns at Cafe d’Mungo on Griswald. He also had a space in the Himmelhoch building that was quite unusual. The space was set up like a fine dining establishment with cloth tablecloths and silverware all set up, but there were dead flies all over and the candles had melted from the sun.

Larry Mongo had the development rights to the Metropolitan Building. The decision to grant rights was controversial - Historic Detroit has a good description.

[dtowncitylover]

The beautiful restoration of the Metropolitan's terra cotta crown is a sight to see. It's really breathtaking to see at night.

[Detroit Stylin]

Im just glad to see it functioning again. So now the question is....how many/what are the buildings downtown that are still empty as compared to say 2002?

[Worldsgreatest]

basically nothing, nothing that doesn't at least have plans.

[NSortzi]

The only places I can think of that are still empty without plans are the old Cunningham’s/Colonial department store that wraps around the David Stott Building, the bank building across the street from the Stott and next to Capitol Park Lofts, and the Executive Plaza Building. Executive Plaza is also Detroit’s last empty high rise without plans. We’ve come a long way since being America’s skyscraper graveyard.

[DetroitSoldier]

The only places I can think of that are still empty without plans are the old Cunningham’s/Colonial department store that wraps around the David Stott Building, the bank building across the street from the Stott and next to Capitol Park Lofts, and the Executive Plaza Building. Executive Plaza is also Detroit’s last empty high rise without plans. We’ve come a long way since being America’s skyscraper graveyard.

I would include the United Artists Building to the highrise list. I dont believe the Ilitch plan there is a real one. That is a massive 18 story hulk right in the middle of an area that is prime to explode with life in the next couple of years with the nearby Book Building and the apartments on the Statler site across the street.

[K-slice]

I would include the United Artists Building to the highrise list. I dont believe the Ilitch plan there is a real one. That is a massive 18 story hulk right in the middle of an area that is prime to explode with life in the next couple of years with the nearby Book Building and the apartments on the Statler site across the street.

I've heard talk that Olympia is going to hand the UA Building over to someone looking to turn it into "affordable housing", that's just something being passed around the real estate rumor mill right now though.

If the Michigan Building finds a buyer looking to renovate, the UA will really stick out like an sore [[empty) thumb in that area.

[Rock N Rye]

Im just glad to see it functioning again. So now the question is....how many/what are the buildings downtown that are still empty as compared to say 2002?

The Fowler Building. It is for sale for $22 million right now after being purchased for $700,000 in 2014.

[Jimaz]

Restoring Detroit: This Historic Building was Nearly DEMOLISHED.

[DetroitSoldier]

Restoring Detroit: This Historic Building was Nearly DEMOLISHED.

The line at 14:30..."There must be at least a couple hundred thousand residents downtown now..."

Um...

[401don]

The line at 14:30..."There must be at least a couple hundred thousand residents downtown now..."
Um...

The narration of a lot of youtube videos is really bad. Some guy takes a video and talks out his wazoo.