Tenants ordered to vacate Detroit's Russell Industrial Center

**MSUguy** · February-20-17, 11:42 PM

Not exactly shocking if you've ever been in the place.

http://www.metrotimes.com/news-hits/...ity-inspection

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · February-21-17, 02:09 AM

The only shocking thing is that it took this long. Honestly, this place is so big and high profile, and the city was well aware that it was not in accordance with zoning, lacking proper permits and inspections, etc. FOR YEARS.

The bad news: Detroit, lacking functioning government for a very long time, has a lot of catching up to do, beyond fixing the lights.

The good news: we're starting to catch up.

I think the Russell Industrial Center has a bright future, as there will be lot more demand in Detroit for loft living, artist & artisan spaces going forward. They will just need to do it properly now.

Condolences to the [[at least temporarily) evicted tenants. Hopefully you get some of your money back.

**1953** · February-21-17, 09:49 AM

I hope that this move was long telegraphed. It's not sound strategy to go from no laws to laws in 0 to 60, especially when it results in a big, high-profile, and empty property.

1953

**belleislerunner** · February-21-17, 09:55 AM

Is this what you would tell the victims of the Oakland fire? There should have been a six month grace period for them to get up to code?

No - these are human lives. If the building isn't up to code - it should be shut down immediately if it is - and the tenants should file civil suit against the owner for unnecessarily putting their lives in danger. You could have hundreds of deaths here.

Imagine if that place lit up during the Dirty show last weekend.

**Lowell** · February-21-17, 10:26 AM

This City of Detroit statement says it all:

"The owner[[s) of 1600 Clay have constructed or allowed the construction of multiple commercial and residential tenant units without obtaining the proper permits, inspections, and approvals. They have erected walls using combustible materials, illegally installed plumbing, and heating systems in numerous units without the proper permits, inspections, and approvals.

"During a recent inspection, the smell of natural gas from the multiple illegal installations was so strong, DTE had to be immediately called to correct the leak. The legal use of this facility is a Factory. The owners have allowed the following uses in this facility illegally: antique furniture resale, Artists, Photography Studios, Music Recording Studios, Residential units, Counseling Center [[including children), Fitness Workout. Due to the blatant disregard for city ordinances, laws, and regulations this owner has shown, this facility will be vacated until it has all proper permits inspections and approvals.

"We plan on sitting down with the owner later on this week to discuss this facility coming into compliance."

I feel for the tenants, many who I know, and hope something can be resolved. But that place has always been an immense safety hazard as it was being carved up and used. It has also been an immense creative hub where great art and novel industries were happening.

Does anyone know if tenants are being allowed access to their spaces or if is padlocked?

**Bigdd** · February-21-17, 10:45 AM

The cost of coming into compliance will be HUGE. And it won't be just the one year. They might get 15 pages of violations,.. then the owner corrects them for a 1/4 million or 1/2 million,...

But it's not over.

While it's true that in the following years the inspectors will write far fewer violations,.. some of those will still be hugely expensive.

In the end [[if not right away),.. the costs of these corrections will price the "artists" right out of the market.

**401don** · February-21-17, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by belleislerunner

Is this what you would tell the victims of the Oakland fire? There should have been a six month grace period for them to get up to code?

No - these are human lives. If the building isn't up to code - it should be shut down immediately if it is - and the tenants should file civil suit against the owner for unnecessarily putting their lives in danger. You could have hundreds of deaths here.

Imagine if that place lit up during the Dirty show last weekend.

I couldn't believe they continued to let it operate after Oakland and I don't feel sorry for tenants who got away with cheap rent for a long time, knowing it was precisely because the place wasn't up to code.

**mwilbert** · February-21-17, 11:53 AM

You can't leave a situation like this in place without a plan for remediation, but I agree with 1953, it probably doesn't make sense to go from completely ignoring these kind of situations to full enforcement with nothing in-between.

Everybody knew about this place. I've been there myself a number of times. I would think you should be able to work out some kind of graduated plan where you deal with the high-level safety issues, like leaking gas, immediately and deal with the other issues over time. The zoning thing is idiotic--there is no actual manufacturing use for the Russell Industrial complex, so all that enforcing the zoning would do is ensure that the complex is abandoned. That isn't to say that the owners shouldn't have gotten it rezoned to reflect realistic uses, but that is a stupid reason to close it--it isn't like it is disturbing the neighbors.

Of course, for all I know they tried to work with Keffalanos and couldn't. I wouldn't be shocked.

**1953** · February-21-17, 01:54 PM

Yes, this is what I would tell the victims of Oakland.

I've been in this building. Its perfectly apparent to anyone who enters that the place is diy, and the cheap rent comes with risks.

Thank goodness that a landlord [[even a bad one) kept the place humming along when so many others were lost to the wrecking ball.

1953

**noise** · February-21-17, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by belleislerunner

Is this what you would tell the victims of the Oakland fire? There should have been a six month grace period for them to get up to code?

No - these are human lives. If the building isn't up to code - it should be shut down immediately if it is - and the tenants should file civil suit against the owner for unnecessarily putting their lives in danger. You could have hundreds of deaths here.

Imagine if that place lit up during the Dirty show last weekend.

The victims of the Oakland fire would likely argue something similar. They would know their scene / interests / art / hobbies would not have a place to exist otherwise. Likewise, the hundreds/thousands of people attending events in similar venues every night in every city in the world would feel the same way.

That, of course, is not to argue there shouldn't be code enforcement.

**Crystal** · February-21-17, 03:04 PM

When I heard about Oakland's "Ghost Ship" fire in December, my thoughts immediately turned to Russell. It seems insincere for any Russell manager or tenant to claim they were caught off guard.

Structures with code violations, whether occupied or not, put first responders at increased risk if there is a fire or other emergency.

Maybe now would be a good time to remind that 36 died in the Oakland fire.

**SWMAP** · February-21-17, 03:41 PM

noise wrote: "They would know their scene / interests / art / hobbies would not have a place to exist otherwise. Likewise, the hundreds/thousands of people attending events in similar venues every night in every city in the world would feel the same way."

For sure then the families of the Oakland victims won't sue because their son/daughter/mother/father chose to live in a building that was a deathtrap! They will understand that the "scene" was most important. And the deathless art that was being produced - that was worth the inferno.

**noise** · February-21-17, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

noise wrote: "They would know their scene / interests / art / hobbies would not have a place to exist otherwise. Likewise, the hundreds/thousands of people attending events in similar venues every night in every city in the world would feel the same way."

For sure then the families of the Oakland victims won't sue because their son/daughter/mother/father chose to live in a building that was a deathtrap! They will understand that the "scene" was most important. And the deathless art that was being produced - that was worth the inferno.

What an odd non-sequitur.

It's almost like you didn't read my post.

**G-DDT** · February-21-17, 04:36 PM

Folks on another forum kept bringing up how shady the landlord is, how poorly kept his other facilities are, how other places [[Masonic Temple) are also suspect for the same treatment soon, and the possible connections the RIC have to the Russian mafia throwing afterhour events there.

**Urban Pheasant** · February-21-17, 05:39 PM

We are all left scrambling to find out some truth and have been given until Friday to move out our lively hood. They say on Friday that they will lock the building and we will not be granted access to our studios. Some of us have hundreds of thousands of dollars tied up in equipment that we cannot remove because the elevator is broken. This situation is messed up and we need a better resolution than being kicked out right NOW. Best of luck to my fellow Russell Tennants. This to shall pass in one way or another.

**ggores** · February-21-17, 07:15 PM

I always wonder about the ship-shod electrical wiring I see in some of these kinds of venues. A loading dock in an abandoned factory converted into a living space for four or five people. Loose outlets, live wires dangling from the ceilings, and a coffee pot brewing on an old work bench, straddled by a bunch of old industrial-era tools and gadgets - very cool. Stories told and re-imagined about how people used to get by, to be innovative. All great stuff. But the Russel Industrial Center was [[and for just a few more precious hours IS) a behemoth of that spirit.

Having been there at its beginnings, maybe around 2007 or so, as a visitor/shopper, and also as a guest in recent times, the extreme in-house security is what always worried me. For after all of the visitors have left and only the tenants remained, I would think it a hard place to escape should an industrial accident occur, not so much flooding, but of a massive fire.

Mostly of concrete and steel, I never gave much thought to a horrible fire to break out. And that is a mistake. If such an emergency ever did happen, oy, it would be absolutely tragic, because I would think it'd be harder to get out than to get in [[the DFD would have to text someone with the key to the gate, eh?).

There should be a very strong effort on the part of the City to make sure that everyone and all of their precious supplies and works are preserved and a proper relocation effected.

I will be completely befuddled if the Mayor cites this as one of his examples of how he is "taking care of things" in the State of the City address tonight.

And all this talk about the "cheap rent" there? Whoah. Maybe 1200 bucks a month is cheap to some... I guess the amenities could make up for that.

Eastern Market might be the better deal. Who knows?

**Meddle** · February-21-17, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by Bigdd

The cost of coming into compliance will be HUGE. And it won't be just the one year. They might get 15 pages of violations,.. then the owner corrects them for a 1/4 million or 1/2 million,...

I'm sure money will pass from hand to hand, whether or not any real work is done.

**EastsideAl** · February-21-17, 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by noise

What an odd non-sequitur.

It's almost like you didn't read my post.

It's not really all that non-sequitur. Part of the reason that this is happening now is that the City of Oakland is facing many millions of dollars in lawsuits from the family members of the deceased for the city's failure to enforce its laws and regulations. Part of the reason they let it go was that they thought an arts community like the "ghost ship" was a cool thing to have for the life of that struggling city [[which it probaly was), and that the sort of catch-as-can construction and flouting of building codes, etc. was part of the low-cost artistic "scene" and was essentially harmless.

**stasu1213** · February-21-17, 11:14 PM

Do the owner of Milk is pizza still own this property? Did he purchased the building on the Dequindre Cut that had the cheap windows installed? Why does this guy allowed to keep purchasing properties that he will do little to restore

**Oddz313** · February-22-17, 07:35 AM

I suspect the place does not have much of a future. I see the jail and courts possibly taking over the place. Lincoln Juvenile is really close and Dickerson is not that far either. They can ship them all through the Grand Blvd corridor while adding some big spaces to downtown

**noise** · February-22-17, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

It's not really all that non-sequitur. Part of the reason that this is happening now is that the City of Oakland is facing many millions of dollars in lawsuits from the family members of the deceased for the city's failure to enforce its laws and regulations. Part of the reason they let it go was that they thought an arts community like the "ghost ship" was a cool thing to have for the life of that struggling city [[which it probaly was), and that the sort of catch-as-can construction and flouting of building codes, etc. was part of the low-cost artistic "scene" and was essentially harmless.

Sure, but it has nothing to do with my post and the series of comments being made.

Well, that's not fully accurate. I accept that families of the deceased were victims, as well. I thought it was clear we were talking about those who actually died.

**Enduro** · February-22-17, 12:08 PM

The cynic in me wonders if Oddz is right and they've found their new jail site. Is this a brownfield BTW?

**Richard** · February-22-17, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by Urban Pheasant

We are all left scrambling to find out some truth and have been given until Friday to move out our lively hood. They say on Friday that they will lock the building and we will not be granted access to our studios. Some of us have hundreds of thousands of dollars tied up in equipment that we cannot remove because the elevator is broken. This situation is messed up and we need a better resolution than being kicked out right NOW. Best of luck to my fellow Russell Tennants. This to shall pass in one way or another.

I mean no disrespect and feel your plight but with 100s of thousands of dollars in equipment and rents of $1200 an month it would seem as cheap as buildings are in the city is it not more feasible to have a co-op and buy a building?

It kinda blows the starving artist needs a cheap place to be able to express their creativity aspect,which would probably garner a bit more support,it sounds like the objective lines have been blurred.

**Richard** · February-22-17, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by Enduro

The cynic in me wonders if Oddz is right and they've found their new jail site. Is this a brownfield BTW?

Pretty much every industrial site in the city and even some neighborhoods are considered brownfield.

**Enduro** · February-22-17, 01:04 PM

When I hear of a place like this closing I feel for the actual small business/artists utilizing this space because it's an affordable place to run their machinery or do their large scale projects but I also know that people are just straight up living in there and that makes me sad that we've knocked down so many of the historic long stay hotels in the city. I know it's not a sexy redevelopment project and it takes a lot of the whimsy out of living in a building on the up and up but there's clearly a need for reasonable rooms close to downtown. The millennial generation isn't as hung up on material possessions and I could see them being okay with having a space that shares a bathroom or even kitchen.