Woodward/Charlotte Car Dealership owned by Ilitch facing demolition

[Zads07]

"The utilities are being cut, water has been cut already. The building is not in a historic district so it could easily be demolished. The building was occupied when the ilitches bought in 2013 however all the businesses have been forced out since they bought it."

We should just start a thread about the building's Ilitch owns that are abandoned or that they don't do anything with and plan on demolishing.

https://www.facebook.com/mark.hall.1...16854945046043

[southen]

There is no reason this beautiful building can't be a part of "District Detroit." The complete lack of vision is astounding. If it comes down it is certain to become another landscaped parking lot.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

There is no reason this beautiful building can't be a part of "District Detroit." The complete lack of vision is astounding. If it comes down it is certain to become another landscaped parking lot.

. Yes, the lack of vision is nothing short of mind boggling.

[bust]

The car dealership dates from 1910 and was originally the United States Motors Building. The DPL has several great photos of it here:

https://digitalcollections.detroitpu...%20Building%29

A protest is planned in front of it Saturday at 2:00:

Stop Demolishing Detroit's History for Surface Parking!
https://www.facebook.com/events/335608636940272/

Southen, I agree. There are countless ways the building could add vitality to the supposed "District". For example, it could be a great place to showcase some of Detroit's automobile manufacturing history. But the Ilitches only care about money, and the easiest way to get it. Don't even count on the landscaping.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

Quite a handsome and historic building so of course they want to tear it down.

[Meddle]

Maybe it's just me, but I see indoor parking that some would pay premium rates for.

[emu steve]

Maybe it's just me, but I see indoor parking that some would pay premium rates for.

The bigger question, I think, is the entire block.

Doesn't a Veterans' organization own the adjacent building and grassy area adjacent fronting Temple?

The corollary is IF the Veterans' organization still owns the rest of that block why does the Ilitch organization want anything to do with the building being discussed here?

[313rd]

Veteran's sold the building and lot to Olympia.

[emu steve]

Veteran's sold the building and lot to Olympia.

Thanks. I had read that Olympia did not need the building and lot for the LCA.

Based on that I didn't know if they 'bought it anyway.'

BTW, I'm still dumbfounded nothing is happening across the street where there is vacant land.

[Bham1982]

Maybe it's just me, but I see indoor parking that some would pay premium rates for.

I think you'll soon be getting your "premium rate parking", but in the form of yet another surface lot. Just look at the amazing revitalization initiated by our latest sports arena...

[emu steve]

I think you'll soon be getting your "premium rate parking", but in the form of yet another surface lot. Just look at the amazing revitalization initiated by our latest sports arena...

It's happening across Woodward. Just ask SammyS. When they broke ground for LCA, Brush Park was a bunch of brush and weeds.

No one can say that the Ilitches sat on that land and did nothing [[as they don't own it).

[Gistok]

It's happening across Woodward. Just ask SammyS. When they broke ground for LCA, Brush Park was a bunch of brush and weeds.

No one can say that the Ilitches sat on that land and did nothing [[as they don't own it).

What does that land have to do with this topic?

There used to be a church that burned down across the street. And behind that was the slowly crumbling Brush Park.

[emu steve]

What does that land have to do with this topic?

There used to be a church that burned down across the street. And behind that was the slowly crumbling Brush Park.

This is what I was replying to, and I copied the quote:

"Originally Posted by Bham1982I think you'll soon be getting your "premium rate parking", but in the form of yet another surface lot. Just look at the amazing revitalization initiated by our latest sports arena...

**********
I've always maintained: If NO LCA, Then no Brush Park development. [[simple if-then-else statement).

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

It's happening across Woodward. Just ask SammyS. When they broke ground for LCA, Brush Park was a bunch of brush and weeds.

No one can say that the Ilitches sat on that land and did nothing [[as they don't own it).

. Yes it’s true that there is a lot of activity in Brush Park. And it’s because the “Ill Itches” DON’T own the land.

[Detroitdave]

IF this is true, the Iltiches are truly showing their true intentions and how they really feel about the history of the city that they claim to love and care about.
If they really intend on demoing the building only for a parking lot they shouldn't be allowed any more sweetheart deals.
The city needs to start playing much tougher with them.
They are just in the deal for themselves and their bottom line and could give a shit about the rich history and architecture of detroit, which has become much clearer now ,They would bulldoze the FOX if they thought they could get away with it for more parking.

[Smirnoff]

IF this is true, the Iltiches are truly showing their true intentions and how they really feel about the history of the city that they claim to love and care about.

Just remember; they tore down Tiger Stadium & the agreement was they would not.....

[Hypestyles]

what about converting to housing- lofts, etc., and retail?

[JonWylie]

Just remember; they tore down Tiger Stadium & the agreement was they would not.....

To be fair, it’s way more useful now than an old stadium would have been there

[ABetterDetroit]

Renderings just came out.

It means something is going to get demolished.

[Jason]

Renderings just came out.

It means something is going to get demolished.

My thoughts exactly.

[JonWylie]

Renderings just came out.

It means something is going to get demolished.

What renderings?

[Lowell]

Demonstration vs. Demolition of Historic Ansonia and Atlanta Apts. and U.S. Motors auto dealership building at 2959 Woodward Announced.

Here a great article by John Gallagher of the Freep along with notice of the demonstration against demolition of this building along with Ansonia and Atlanta apartments at Cass and Henry.

IT'S TIME TO STOP RAZING BUILDINGS FOR LCA PARKING

"Olympia Development seeking more surface lots around new sports arena

"Downtown Detroit needs many things. More surface parking lots are not among them.

"But the Ilitch family's Olympia Development wants to demolish more buildings near Little Caesars Arena to create more surface parking.

"This goes for vacant residential buildings on Cass near Interstate-75 that are the focus of a preservation fight just now, as well as other structures in the area that appear to be threatened with demolition.

"On Saturday, a 2 p.m. demonstration is planned to protest potential demolition of several structures on the northern edge of the Ilitches' District Detroit footprint, including the old U.S. Motors auto dealership building at 2959 Woodward."

[CrashDummy]

Demonstration vs. Demolition of Historic Ansonia and Atlanta Apts. and U.S. Motors auto dealership building at 2959 Woodward Announced.

Here a great article by John Gallagher of the Freep along with notice of the demonstration against demolition of this building along with Ansonia and Atlanta apartments at Cass and Henry.

IT'S TIME TO STOP RAZING BUILDINGS FOR LCA PARKING

I wouldn't say it's a great article, but it's fine for what it is, which is a bridge piece between Joe Guillen's article about parking lot landscaping and the demonstration planned for Saturday at the dealership site. Gallagher does some great work, however that Guillen article was a total mess. For a four page article with front page headline for the Sunday paper, it really didn't do anything but invoke more questions than it did answers. I guess the main point I got out of it was that the city code as written was terribly written and confusing, which was one of the points, but not the main point of the article I'm sure. But, I may have more feedback on that article at a later time, on a different thread.

As far as the US Motors dealership on Woodward, I have few doubts about the plans to tear it down, and I truly hope they don't, but I am skeptical about the planned motivation to turn it into a surface parking lot. It's kind of a lazy assertion. And I fear this backlash/demonstration will suffer from a similar lack of focus and clear message. As the title of Gallagher's article states "IT'S TIME TO STOP RAZING BUILDINGS FOR LCA PARKING". Is it OK to raze buildings to put up other buildings? I have a feeling is that it's not. What if it's somebody else doing the demolishing, like Bedrock or The Platform? Is that OK? Maybe. I'm not sure. Does it depend on the circumstance? Is it fair to put the Atlanta and Ansonia in the same category as the dealership building? Different location, type of building, and motivation, in my opinion. Or is it enough that they're both owned by Ilitch? I think without a clear, consistent message, these protests will end up just being noise and will simply be tuned out.

Anyway, it seems like this shouldn't have been a surprise, and maybe it wasn't for some people. Here is a development map that's been around a couple of years, but has been surprisingly accurate up until this point. In fact, I was shocked that the building next to the Eddystone that recently started construction popped up in another thread and looked exactly like the block on the map. Take it for what it's worth, but the US Motors dealership is in the upper right corner, block 1. Can't really tell what it's supposed to be, it's just a square block the same size as what's there now.

[Gistok]

I've posted this before... but it bears repeating....

The very attractive and in good condition 2030 Grand River Ave.... a block from the Royal Order of the Moose Building and also a block away from the GAR Building. The Ilitch's bought it... on one of Detroit's main streets within the precincts of downtown... and today it is a parking lot... without any landscaping.... Another potential development on a main thoroughfare... [[like the plans for the Woodward fronted building)... squandered...

[Gsgeorge]

2030 Grand River Ave

This is one of their greatest sins, along with the Madison-Lenox