Historic Apartments at Cass and Henry to be Demolished by Olympia/Ilitch

[Lowell]

"Demolition permits have been filed for three early 20th century apartment buildings and a 70-year-old house, including two buildings rumored in recent weeks to be facing the wrecking ball from Detroit-based Olympia Development of Michigan.

"The permits to demolish the Hotel Ansonia at 2447 Cass Ave. and the Atlanta Apartments at 2467 Cass Ave., both located at the Fisher Service Drive, were issued Friday, according to city records. A demolition permit was also issued Friday for the vacant apartment building at 427 Henry St. west of Cass.

"The Hotel Ansonia was built in 1914 and has almost 17,000 square feet at 2447 Cass Ave. And a house at 664 Charlotte St. between Second and Third avenues is also slated to come down, according to documents filed with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality."
From Crain's

The article say "filed" for the Ansonia and Atlantic and for 2447 Cass which says "issued". So perhaps the other two can be saved?

Too bad, they have some character in their designs. Here are some pics I took three or four years aback.
The Ansonia and Atlanta, looking north on Cass with American Hotel on horizon, allegedly being restored.

The Ansonia Hotel

The Atlanta Apartments

Looking South from Cass Ave.

[Bham1982]

This is what the city signed up for when it agreed to subsidize the pizza arena.

If you want to destroy a neighborhood's urbanity, a giant sports venue is a good start.

[WALD0123]

Perhaps this has been done before but I would really like to see a tally of buildings demolished by the Illitches. Compare that with the ones that have been saved [[even giving them credit for the planned ones) and the new construction. Thank you for the Fox and Comerica, etc. but at what cost?

[southen]

I received this message from Councilwoman Sheffield this afternoon after writing her:

Today, City Council voted for the Historic Designation Advisory Board to do a study on the buildings. Demolitions will not be able to take place while the study is being conducted. Thank you for sharing your concern and perspective.

[Lowell]

I received this message from Councilwoman Sheffield this afternoon after writing her:

Today, City Council voted for the Historic Designation Advisory Board to do a study on the buildings. Demolitions will not be able to take place while the study is being conducted. Thank you for sharing your concern and perspective.

That's good to hear.

When I returned to Detroit following my Peace Corps service and wanderings in the Middle East and Europe I took a position managing an "apartment" building on Henry and an another directly behind on Ledyard, living in the one on Henry. I use the quotes because both were formerly 19th mansions carved up into tiny flea bag units. 457 Ledyard still stands. Henry Street and the Atlanta, and Ansonia were bustling with shops, restaurants [anyone remember the Majestic?] and bars, bars, bars. The typical residents were elderly white people who couldn't afford to live anywhere else. A lot of muggings happened and it became a center of STRESS activity. Slowly but surely it declined, building after building becoming abandoned or burning down until it became the barren setting it is now.

[softailrider]

Both those apartment buildings were a going concern until they were sold to illitch. While they weren't like the Taj Mahal, who ever owned them previously did sort of keep them up. I don't think either of those buildings sat vacant for any length of time.

[CrashDummy]

There are some interesting photos of the Ansonia in this link. I especially like the one of the rear of the building. Seems like it could be worth saving, if only for it's colorful history. Does anybody have any info on the Atlanta?
http://detroit-ish.com/photos/hotel-Ansonia/

[Zads07]

Perhaps this has been done before but I would really like to see a tally of buildings demolished by the Illitches. Compare that with the ones that have been saved [[even giving them credit for the planned ones) and the new construction. Thank you for the Fox and Comerica, etc. but at what cost?

I can start:
Madison-Lenox - illegal [[for Super Bowl XL parking)
Park Avenue Hotel [[fought and won for District Detroit)
Temple Hotel [[District Detroit)
Wil-Mar Garage [[District Detroit)
Comet Bar [[District Detroit)
Cole Apartments [[District Detroit)
Chin Tiki ?
Adams Theatre [[kept facade)
Hotel Wolverine [[Comerica Park, not in footprint, demolished for parking lot)
Detroit College of Law [[Comerica Park footprint)
YWCA [[Comerica Park footprint)
YMCA [[Comerica Park footprint)
Elizabeth Building [[Comerica Park footprint?)
Tiger Stadium [[technically not their demolition but because they left it, putting it on here)
Vermont Hotel [[For possible future Wings arena, now a parking lot)
Parking lot desert behind the Fox [[majority of their demolitions for Red Wings arena, now being built across I75, link to 4 of them)

Link to some of the demolitions in the Cass Corridor related to the District Detroit

Saved/Vacant:
Fox Theatre [[Renovated, early 90s)
Wagner Baking Co. [[Renovated into Motor City Casino, heavily altered)
Hughes and Hatcher [[now Hockeytown Cafe, heavily altered)
Eddystone Hotel [[Slated for renovation, not by Olympia)
United Artists Theatre Building [[Slated for renovation, not by Olympia)
Alhambra Apartments [[Slated for renovation, not by Olympia)
Hotel Fort Wayne [[Slated for renovation, not by Olympia)
Loyal Order of the Moose [[vacant)
Detroit Life Building [[vacant)

New
Little Caesars Arena
4 parking garages [[2 at CoPa, 2 more at District Detroit)
Little Caesars HQ
Hotel
Apartments that wrap the 2 pg's in District


Good link from Crain's on Ilitch legacy.

[emu steve]

This is what the city signed up for when it agreed to subsidize the pizza arena.

If you want to destroy a neighborhood's urbanity, a giant sports venue is a good start.

I'm surprised no comments on Bham's very insightful post.

This project was designed to forever change, not preserve, the character of the area. Although not called an 'urban renewal' project it probably shares a lot with past urban renewal projects.

For example, it was designed to rid Detroit of the last remnants of the Cass Corridor. I don't think there was any doubts that the Ilitches wanted to rid the immediate arena area [[and beyond) of its Cass Corridor character.

Or to use an example: The Temple Hotel was leveled for a DTE substation. When huge structures like LCA are built there is a need for parking decks, substations, and other 'infrastructure.'

NO doubt building Comerica Park, Ford Field, Little Caesars Arena was very disruptive to an urban area which has structures, some of value, some of little value or eye sores.

Same with building highways, etc.

How can one build an urban highway today and not disrupt what is in the way?

[mikeg19]

They state in the article that engineers/developers could not find a suitable use for the buildings when they were evaluated. I'd call bullshit on that. I'd love to see these sent out for a RFP. The two right off Cass by 75 would be perfect for apartments.

[emu steve]

If there is a hearing on these structures, I'm curious what the Ilitch organization plans to do with the property. Will they be asked?

Is it possible to declare an area 'historic' after designating it for redevelopment?

[ekleezy]

Hate to see the buildings go, but hopefully they get replaced with more dense residential rather than a parking lot or structure.

[CassTechGrad]

When I was going to Cass Tech in 1963-66 those apartments weren’t there. The PlaMor Recreation bowling alley was on that site at 447 Henry.
We would sometimes be taken to PlaMor Lanes to go blowing instead of going to our normal gym class at Cass. Happy memories of times gone by.

[emu steve]

Hate to see the buildings go, but hopefully they get replaced with more dense residential rather than a parking lot or structure.

My view exactly.

The Ilitch org controls maybe all of the land along Cass [[west side) from the freeway to Temple.

That area would be ideal for dense residential not unlike what Gilbert is doing in Brush Park.

Some may think I'm wrong, but if fail jail site doesn't work out for a soccer stadium, I still maintain Cass/Ledyard/Henry could be a Plan B.

Some say: Too close to the arena... But Comerica and Ford Field are as close...

[Bham1982]

When I was going to Cass Tech in 1963-66 those apartments weren’t there.

Unless we're talking about different apartments, these buildings had to be standing in the 60's.

These are clearly early 20th century, pre-Depression era apartment houses.

[Bham1982]

Hate to see the buildings go, but hopefully they get replaced with more dense residential rather than a parking lot or structure.

There is nothing they could build there that would be more urban than what currently stands.

These apartments have zero parking spaces. They're basically like NYC apartments transported into Detroit. Even if you replaced with housing, it would be some giant parking garage with a bit of housing arrangement.

[emu steve]

There is nothing they could build there that would be more urban than what currently stands.

These apartments have zero parking spaces. They're basically like NYC apartments transported into Detroit. Even if you replaced with housing, it would be some giant parking garage with a bit of housing arrangement.

Understand.

My guess would be that the Ilitches could use both blocks [[freeway to Ledyard) and resident parking could be tucked in behind off of 2nd [[between Henry and Ledyard).

Quite frankly, I see the block between Ledyard and Henry as having much bigger residential potential because it is a full city block.

The block between Henry and the freeway would be difficult to develop.

Who knows maybe plans to develop all three blocks [[Cass from the freeway to Temple) into multi-family housing, hundreds of units...

IF [[big IF) it would be consistent with the plans to bolster housing along Temple between Cass and Park with the plans for the Hotel American and the Alhambra Apts.

[ekleezy]

There is nothing they could build there that would be more urban than what currently stands.

These apartments have zero parking spaces. They're basically like NYC apartments transported into Detroit. Even if you replaced with housing, it would be some giant parking garage with a bit of housing arrangement.

I'm not really familiar with the requirements for parking with residential development. Is it required that any new housing provides parking for all the residents? I would think that parking would often be up to the residents to find. Especially in a growing urban area like "The District". I hope residents in the greater downtown area will be able to realistically live without cars soon.

[Shai_Hulud]

They state in the article that engineers/developers could not find a suitable use for the buildings when they were evaluated. I'd call bullshit on that. I'd love to see these sent out for a RFP. The two right off Cass by 75 would be perfect for apartments.

I mean, what possible use could you find for two apartment buildings?

These aren't the most impressive buildings ever, but they're urban, and they fit the scale of the area. Unless there are immediate plans to build higher they should not be demolished. The new BWWs can go on one of the surface lots.

[Gistok]

I posted this on the other site... but if they [[Ilitch's) wanted to put up high density housing... there's plenty of Ilitch owned empty lots for them to build on just 2 blocks away... on the other side of the freeway.. without the need to tear down these century old buildings... outlined in red.

[bust]

My view exactly.

The Ilitch org controls maybe all of the land along Cass [[west side) from the freeway to Temple.

...

Some may think I'm wrong, but if fail jail site doesn't work out for a soccer stadium, I still maintain Cass/Ledyard/Henry could be a Plan B.

As I said on another thread:

The second to last thing that area needs is another stadium.
The last thing it needs is more surface parking.

I have no doubt it is the Ilitches hope above all other hopes they can manage to strongarm another stadium there.

[southen]

Steve is up to his normal mental gymnastics to defend the Ilitch family... this project was designed to rid the last remnants of the Cass Corridor from Detroit? Really?

We need to stop acting like these are single family homes they are demolishing for higher density residential. These buildings are at a perfect scale for the area and offer the density you would want in the area, much like what they are doing in Brush Park. There is no need to tear these buildings down to match the generic new housing going up right next to the arena.

[Zads07]

If there is a hearing on these structures, I'm curious what the Ilitch organization plans to do with the property. Will they be asked?

Is it possible to declare an area 'historic' after designating it for redevelopment?

EMU Steve, it has already been reported they want to turn it into surface parking.

[emu steve]

EMU Steve, it has already been reported they want to turn it into surface parking.

Who is the prophet?

[emu steve]

As I said on another thread:

The second to last thing that area needs is another stadium.
The last thing it needs is more surface parking.

I have no doubt it is the Ilitches hope above all other hopes they can manage to strongarm another stadium there.

I assume we agree to disagree.

A soccer stadium is a high priority for Detroit at either the fail jail site or ideally within the sports and entertainment district.

This site [[here) isn't Plan A, but it could be Plan B.

Riverfront is also appropriate site.

No one, except for some posters here, don't want it in some obscure location.

Sports facilities aren't like a warehouse where it can be dumped in some undesirable location. They ought to be near parking, eateries, etc.

Gilbert and Gores aren't going to spend 200 - 250M to put a state of the art stadium in a rundown area.