1648 West Fort work

[Rocko]

Drove by the warehouse at 1648 W. Fort Street the other day and noticed crews had knocked out the old windows and cinder blocks on the two upper floors and were installing new window frames. This comes about after a week after I saw a crew out power washing the front of the structure along the sidewalk. This warehouse is directly across the street from the Salvation Army warehouse, and next to the former Hudson's warehouse, to the west of 10th Street.

Does anyone know who owns this building or what they might be doing? Good to see some investment in another one of these old warehouses.

[Retroit]

Why didn't you ask the crews, Rocko? I would think they might be more informed than a bunch of people on the internet.

[DetroitZack]

Does anyone have a picture of this warehouse? I'm not sure which one it is. I'll have to check it out next time I'm out that way.

[Rocko]

Drove by and took a photo of this warehouse this morning, now I need to find the cable to connect the camera to the computer! They were working in the building again today, and either a DTE or AT&T bucket truck was working on the wires from the utility pole out back to the side of the building.... good sign!

[Rocko]

From the morning of 9-4-2009:

Attachment 2961

Attachment 2962

The old Hudsons warehouse is in the background here.

[DetroitZack]

Thanks for the pics, Rocko. I wonder what's going on.

[buildingsofdetroit]

From the morning of 9-4-2009:

Attachment 2961

Attachment 2962

The old Hudsons warehouse is in the background here.

Huh. I didn't know that was an old Hudson's warehouse. Neat. Hudson's must have had them all over downtown.

[Meddle]

What's the sign say down there towards the end of the second building? Is it part of the building or a street sign?

[313WX]

Huh. I didn't know that was an old Hudson's warehouse. Neat. Hudson's must have had them all over downtown.

Yep, and the old Greyhound headquarters down the street [[by the Ambassador Bridge) used to be a warehouse for Crowleys back in the 80s.

[Savoyard]

Sure would like to know what's going on with this building, but it looks encouraging. This has always been a favorite of mine, because if you look closely [[while driving by), above the main doorway, between the second and third floors, it says "Detroit Showcase Company". [[Can't really see it in the photos). I've got a small showcase with a brass tag that states this. The writing on the building is very faded, but if you drive by, it's quite obvious.

I believe the sign at the end of the second building says something about the sidewalk being closed and use the other side of the street. Yeah, right. Not a good idea to cross Fort in front of the USPS, though many people do.


Google doesn't have much to say about Detroit Showcase Company, though. If anyone has info, I'd appreciate it.

[Rocko]

I never knew the old Greyhound bus building was once a Crowley's Warehouse. That building itself is another cool old industrial structure, I love the Greyhound name and dog on the Fort Street side. Are the Greyhound letters some kind of tile?

As to the sign in front of 1648, it's just one of those "Injure or Kill a worker" signs that MDOT has to put up before construction projects. When I was taking those photos, I was almost sideswiped by a Salvation Army truck. If there would have been impact, I'd have asked for you all to please donate a penny or two in the red kettle to Rocko's car repair fund! If anyone finds out what's going on with 1648, please, I'm curious.

[313WX]

I never knew the old Greyhound bus building was once a Crowley's Warehouse. That building itself is another cool old industrial structure, I love the Greyhound name and dog on the Fort Street side. Are the Greyhound letters some kind of tile?

Yeah, the facade has to be going on at least 30-40 years old and it still holds up well with time. Greyhound uses the exact same logo today, minus the "Lines". Seeing it up close on google, it looks like tile or brick to me. One wouldn't think that building [[seeing it for the first time) has been partially or completely abandoned for 25 years. It would be a shame to lose it. I hear the building's in danger of being demolished or sold to another party [[and the new owners will likely paint over the facade).

[DLife]

Is that new asphalt on Fort St without lines or just an optical illusion with the picture?

[Rocko]

Optical Illusion on the photo - that's just the shadow from the Salvation Army Warehouse which was right behind me. They actually have been repainting the crosswalks on Fort in recent weeks, but the road stripes need to be redone, too!!

As for that about the Detroit Showcase Company, I never noticed that inscription over the entry. If I find anything out about them, I'll let you know.

[Rocko]

Well, my wish was granted:

Optical Illusion on the photo - that's just the shadow from the Salvation Army Warehouse which was right behind me. They actually have been repainting the crosswalks on Fort in recent weeks, but the road stripes need to be redone, too!!

I drove Fort for the first time this week today and all the stripes from the Rouge Drawbridge to Griswold have been repainted... both the white lane markers and the double yellow/turning lines. Now I know where I'm going!

Noted the ongoing progress at 1648 this afternoon as well. Window glass is being installed on those upper two floors where the wooden framing is in the photos. They probably have a third of the glass installed thus far. In the photos, the darker brick portion had a second level which is cinder blocked in where the windows once were, I noticed today that they are working on removing the cinder blocks and putting in wood framing to install windows there, as well. Good to see!

[gnome]

Rocko, thanx for following this through and keeping everyone informed. It's easy to let threads drift the Ye Olde Thread Cemetery...

[Andrew in Windsor]

Greyhound/warehouse is owned by the Bridge Co. I believe.

[Gistok]

Rocko, thanx for following this through and keeping everyone informed. It's easy to let threads drift the Ye Olde Thread Cemetery...

Yes as Gnome said... you Rock Buster!!

Now if there was a theatre nearby I could regale the conversation with insipid small talk about theatres.... [[how far is 18th Street? ... site of the former Hollywood Theatre... ).

[cman710]

Yes as Gnome said... you Rock Buster!!

Now if there was a theatre nearby I could regale the conversation with insipid small talk about theatres.... [[how far is 18th Street? ... site of the former Hollywood Theatre... ).

Yes, Gistok, I'm sure you would have been happy to tell us about a "might Wurlitzer" organ, had there been one on the site. Rocko, thanks for keeping us updated.

[Rocko]

Thanks for the comments, all. Work continues on this warehouse. They are finishing installation of the windows on the top two floors and are now installing frames on the next few floors below, knocking out cinder blocks as they go.

I'd take more progress photos except I'm already close to my 3mb size limit for this site...

[Rocko]

From Model D Media.....1648/1652 is being turned into lofts!



Coat Factory Lofts on Fort St. getting ready for tenants




Another adaptive reuse of a former factory by Dionysia Properties is ready to hit the market. The Coat Factory Lofts, located at 1652 W. Fort St. across the street from the main Post Office, is currently taking deposits for rentals, with move-in slated in the next month.

The 62 units range in size from 600 to 1,200 square feet and in rent from $550 to $1,000. They feature exposed brick walls, wood floors, new kitchens and bathrooms, and high ceilings. "It's got great cityscape viewing, absolutely beautiful," says project manager Eric Novack. "The second floor units also face the river as well."

For more information or to set up a walk-through, visit LoftPlace.com or call 313-223-1500.

Read about another recent Dionysia project, the Grand Lofts in Southwest Detroit, here.

Source: Eric Novack, Dionysia Properties
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

http://www.modeldmedia.com/devnews/c...ory021610.aspx

[56packman]

I don't think that the building next door was a Hudson's warehouse, the building kitty corner from that building, 1915 W.Fort was built in 1912 as a Hudson's warehouse. I worked there for 12 years, on and off, and there is ample evidence [[blueprints, for one) that 1915 was Hudson's. They assembled all of the floats for the Thanksgiving day parade there, the lower addition on the east sode of the building was built in 1959 to accomodate the parade.
The new owners took it over in late 2003, did a bunch of work and it has sat since then.

[Toolbox]

From Model D Media.....1648/1652 is being turned into lofts!



Coat Factory Lofts on Fort St. getting ready for tenants




Another adaptive reuse of a former factory by Dionysia Properties is ready to hit the market.

Another half assed project brought to you by Dennis K.

[casscorridor]

What is the difference/relationship between Dionysia Properties and Boydell Development Group?

I knew this project was Boydell because I saw an add in the paper for Loftplace.com's new lofts at The Coat Facory in the Metrotimes. And they own the building I work in, which also have lofts.

[detroitbob]

I thought the large warehouse closest to 12th Street was the Ernst Kern Co. warehouse...
also the Hollywood Theatre was farther out Fort St. at Ferdinand near Junction Ave. not at 18th Street.