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.

[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.

[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.

[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).

[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.

[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.

[Hypestyles]

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

[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.

[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.....

[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).

[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

[Zads07]

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).

Who the heck cares about Brush Park? We aren't discussing that topic on this thread. Please focus on the issue at hand EMU Steve. Ilitch wants to tear down yet another perfectly good building, presumably for parking. Can you ask your God why he wants this?

[bust]

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).

This argument is so wrong it's infuriating.

Brush Park is developing DESPITE the arenas, not because of them.

Brush Park is revitalizing first because a few people with vision saw the potential in the beautiful old houses close to Woodward, downtown, CCS, the DIA, the rest of the cultural district, and Eastern Market. Second because like DotWC said, the Ilitches weren't accumulating properties there for a potential stadium, tearing down the buildings, and/or accelerating their destruction by neglect. Third because the city and feds decided the Brewster Projects were no longer serving their intended purpose. Lots of other people have since caught on, most notably the investors behind City Modern.

I have several times posted here how I am a fan of City Modern. I once said it's the best thing going in Detroit. It presents an enlightened vision how to create a thriving, walkable, mixed use neighborhood. It offers attractive options people like me might want.

The absolute WORST thing about that development is its proximity to the dead zones surrounding the arenas and the streams of outsiders they attract. Too many attendees disrespect the neighborhood. The rest still unintentionally create a negative impact, due to the traffic they create and the banality of the businesses that will open to serve them. If I lived there I'd only attend an event at one of the arenas a few times a year and never go to one of the new crap restaurants, but the parking lots, the parking garages, and impenetrable streams of car traffic would be a cancer to deal with every single day.

Much more of the old neighborhood been destroyed in order to build and serve the arenas than has been created. And everything that has been created has been for the arenas and their crowds, not local residents.

Detroit would have been better off had the arenas been situated much farther from Detroit's most promising real estate, somewhere else.

I have plenty of experience living a few blocks away from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. And I was there many years before it was built. I know what an arena means for local residents. With three arenas nearby and nowhere near the mass transit and powerful vitality of Brooklyn to counteract them, Brush Park's arena problem is much more than three times worse!

But I agree with Zads07, emu steve is changing the topic. Like the leak about the supposed high rise probably never to materialize near Comerica Park was intended to distract from the topic.

Back on point: Is Detroit better or worse off after this handsome historic building is torn down for yet another Ilitch parking lot?

[1953]

It is criminal to tear down an historic, zero-setback, multi-story, mixed-use building on Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit. I wish the Ilitches only ill-will for their decades-long destruction of Detroit's urban fabric.

[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."