1648 West Fort work

**56packman** · February-18-10, 10:07 AM

Detroitbob--when you say "the large warehouse closest to 12th street" do you mean 1648 W.Fort? there used to be a large warehouse [[almost) on the northeast corner of Fort and 12th, it had a painted sign advertising "Harmo tire co.", that building caught fire on the upper two floors about eight years ago and was demolished afterwards. I know for a fact that the building on the SW corner, 1915 W.Fort was built as a Hudson's warehouse, and was used by them until the 1980's. Gale research owned it after Hudson's, and Dick Kughn bought it from Gale in the late 80s.

gravitymachine · February-18-10, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by casscorridor

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

i think boydell is the umbrella name of the corporation, owned by kellafinos, all other entities are subsidiaries.

**Gsgeorge** · February-18-10, 12:49 PM

The Coat Factory Lofts [[aka Fort Street Lofts) were not listed on the loftplace.com website, but some digging got me to the "temporary" page -- you can view some photos from inside.

http://www.loftplace.com/01/fortstreet/

**Savoyard** · February-18-10, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

The Coat Factory Lofts [[aka Fort Street Lofts) were not listed on the loftplace.com website, but some digging got me to the "temporary" page -- you can view some photos from inside.

http://www.loftplace.com/01/fortstreet/

Wow. Those photos confirm what I suspected. I drive by this place almost every day. The windows went in very quickly awhile back. Then I noticed all work stopped. The whole thing looks cheap and shoddy. Like they slapped up some drywall and sanded the floors [[very poorly I might add - one photo clearly showing circular sanding marks on the floor). Also I don't see any parking, unless it's in the rear. Don't mean to sound negative, but good luck with this.

**Homer** · February-18-10, 08:29 PM

If Dennis K. is involved you will have more problems than swirls in your floor. Expect calls for maintenance to go unanswered, cheapest material, shoddy workmanship, etc................ As Savoy sez, good luck.

**jsmyers** · February-18-10, 08:52 PM

I lived in one of their residential properties for a month in 2006. One of their main commercial guys [[Eric Novak) used to live upstairs from me in a place in the North Cass Corridor. [[IMO Boydell--or whatever their called--is lucky to have him.)

While they aren't going to win any preservation awards or attract high-end tenets, the company serves an important niche in the city. Other property owners will sit on a building and hope that someday they can sell if for more than they bought it for. This group brings buildings to life, and they reinvest much of the proceeds into bringing more buildings to life.

Detroit would be in a worse position without the Russell Industrial Center and the countless cheap residential buildings they manage. You get what you pay for. With one of their places, you get a lot of space, but otherwise it is cheap.

Read what Jane Jacobs says about the need for old buildings. It is not about architectural character, but rather about a cheaper place to experiment and innovate. There is enough room in Detroit for the Book Caddy and the Coat Factory Lofts.

**gumby** · February-19-10, 08:03 AM

Better fixed up half-assed then torn down.

Toolbox · February-19-10, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by jsmyers

I lived in one of their residential properties for a month in 2006. One of their main commercial guys [[Eric Novak) used to live upstairs from me in a place in the North Cass Corridor. [[IMO Boydell--or whatever their called--is lucky to have him.)

While they aren't going to win any preservation awards or attract high-end tenets, the company serves an important niche in the city. Other property owners will sit on a building and hope that someday they can sell if for more than they bought it for. This group brings buildings to life, and they reinvest much of the proceeds into bringing more buildings to life.

Detroit would be in a worse position without the Russell Industrial Center and the countless cheap residential buildings they manage. You get what you pay for. With one of their places, you get a lot of space, but otherwise it is cheap.

Read what Jane Jacobs says about the need for old buildings. It is not about architectural character, but rather about a cheaper place to experiment and innovate. There is enough room in Detroit for the Book Caddy and the Coat Factory Lofts.

I see he is just busting his balls doing something with the old Lafayette Clinic building.

I was in The Carey the other day and there are no hand rails on the stairs and lots of loose treads and broken landings.

How about the issue at The Millwakee Lofts a few years ago when everyone had to move out because ther was no C of O for the building?

He is a slum lord plain and simple.

**kathy2trips** · March-14-10, 04:51 AM

Originally Posted by Toolbox

.....He is a slum lord plain and simple.

One of many leeches in this city. When is the city gonna slap huge fines on these maggots, compounded daily for these unsecured, obviously not-to-code bastions of neglect and indifference? Heaven knows, we could use the money.

**Gsgeorge** · March-14-10, 08:50 AM

You guys would rather have these places abandoned just because of a couple of broken faucets & they're a little slow on their paperwork? They must manage over 500 different units between their several lofts. That's a lot of spaces & people that would not be around otherwise. The young artist types are willing to put up with a lot for some supercheap rent & a big space in an old building.

**Huggybear** · March-14-10, 09:40 AM

Hudson's downtown did 10,000 sales a day in the 1950s, a volume that is probably equal to that of a Somerset. Many of those were delivered - and in that context, the warehouse that is now part of Ford Field seems hideously undersized. Have you ever seen the Warren facility?

Originally Posted by buildingsofdetroit

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

**wolverine** · March-14-10, 10:11 AM

Awesome building

**Pcm** · March-15-10, 04:37 PM

Are we talking about the same building referenced in this Craigslist ad?

"
Looking for staff for gallery.ASAP

Laura Deljanin is pleased to announce, the kick off of the 2010 season for Art, Fashion and Fun at the Fort Street Gallery. The calendar for this new year will fill this venue, with well-rounded year. The space has been reserved for, Art, Fashion, Live Music Performance, Theatre, Film as well as lectures and corporate and private events. The room offers a panoramic view of the Detroit Downtown skyline to the left, Windsor straight ahead, and the Ambassador Bridge to the right. â€œThis building is a historical building, the old warehouse of Hudsonâ€™s. My passion for Metro Detroitâ€™s architecture has been a crusade for me, to draw attention to huge diamonds in the rough. These are buildings that are waiting to show their glory. And a 15 minute drive from nearly any location.â€ says Laura. â€œIn a day and age when natural disasters are destroying history, its certainly time to celebrate what beauty we have to offer in this state.â€

We are hiring, art sales, curator position and fashion cordinator.
please call
248 379 9997
or send resume
Thank you."

http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/med/1644222727.html

**Rocko** · March-15-10, 10:27 PM

1648 is the L shaped building with a black roof on the north side of Fort titled as "Reed Sportswear Manufacturing" on Google Maps.

Immediately to the west of this, the trapezoidal shaped building with the white roof is the one I thought was the old Hudson's warehouse. I know at least the lower floors of this building are still in use of this building....not sure by who. Not sure of the address.

The building that is becoming the Fort Street Gallery is on the south side of Fort just west of Rosa Parks, the address is something like 1903 W. Fort. It is T-shaped with an addition on the east side. I noticed they've closed all the windows that have been opened for the past year...but I wonder if the entire window framing element that was on the top floor facing west that was all demolished by some impact has been repaired. Nice to have the whole joint open to the elements...I have to say.

Still nice to see the ongoing occupation of these old warehouses on W. Fort, whatever the use may be.

Toolbox · March-16-10, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

You guys would rather have these places abandoned just because of a couple of broken faucets & they're a little slow on their paperwork? They must manage over 500 different units between their several lofts. That's a lot of spaces & people that would not be around otherwise. The young artist types are willing to put up with a lot for some supercheap rent & a big space in an old building.

How about if one of the young artist types was your child and they fell on the broken stairs that have no handrails in the Carey building. Would your thinking change if your child was now a quadrapalegic?

There is a difference between a property that could use some TLC and one that is downright dangerous and unsafe to be in.

**Rocko** · April-17-10, 11:14 PM

I think the official address of this building/lofts is now 1652 W. Fort Street. I believe at least some of the units are occupied based on the window decorations and curtains visible from Fort. Be nice if they'd do a little clean up work on the exterior though.

Anyone know what's going on with the old warehouse at Lafayette and 14th? I see new windows are going in on the upper floors....another loft project?