"Terrible Ilitches" Facebook Page

[Lowell]

I was pointed to a FB page that critical of the Ilitch organization's development promises vs. fulfillments and lack of development of blighted properties. Fair or not fair? I'll let you be the judge but some pretty stinging indictments are made.

https://www.facebook.com/TERRIBLEILITCHES/



Header Image

[Scottathew]

I read some of the criticisms, I think they're very fair. The Ilitches have greatly contributed to some of the negative aspects of Detroit, such as the lowering of density in very key areas.

They get sweetheart deals to create arenas, but then fail to do anything with the surrounding land that would help the area.

[Zads07]

99 percent of the posts that I see are not only fair criticisms, but call out Olympia on failed promises using factual articles of when things were promised.

If you're looking to find out what was promised and when, this is a great resource.

[Seven&wyo]

I used to work for the company. Scum fucks all of them

[stinkytofu]

Yeah - I'm not a member of the page, but check it frequently. They seem to be fair in that they simply state facts. With the stalled construction projects [[LC HQ and buildings right next to LCA), Tigers revenue issues and perhaps[[?) outstanding LCA costs I wonder if there are some cash flow issues for the org.

By the way, good interview with the individual that runs the page.

http://www.deadlinedetroit.com/artic...es_on_facebook

[MrChrome]

I do quite a bit of walking downtown for exercise and to blow off steam. A path that I sometimes take is Woodward from Hart Plaza up to LCA. As I make the transition from Gilbertville to Illitchville, I start to get angry. All of the empty lots and all of the broken promises really start to add up. And these people are playing with house money!

Gilbertville has people walking around, even on the weekends now. Illitchville is only populated on game days. I went with a group of friends to Sports and Social inside of LCA on an off night. We were the only ones in there and the manager came over and asked us why we were there!

I follow the Facebook page and I'm thankful for whoever runs it. I wish there was more we could do!

[hybridy]

Ilitch Gems of the Day:

Ilitches trying to build large new office property in Farmington Hills

Ilitch affiliate requesting site and landscape plan approval
850 would work in new building, according to plans
35.5 acres currently used as soccer fields

Ilitch entities own 52 empty properties around MotorCity Casino

• 72 properties are owned by Ilitch-linked entities around MotorCity Casino Hotel. Fewer than a quarter of the properties are occupied. The properties that are active are all related to the casino, hotel or parking for the complex.
• Of those 72 properties, 44 are empty lots, ranging from a block of grassy parcels on Trumbull near the Corktown neighborhood, to several blocks of vacant industrial sites scattered around Grand River from the edge of downtown to edge of the Woodbridge neighborhood.
• There are eight empty buildings, including two warehouses that each take up a square block, as well as several blocks of vacant storefronts on Grand River. Several of the empty buildings include multiple storefronts.

[Chicago48]

Ilitch Gems of the Day:

Ilitches trying to build large new office property in Farmington Hills


Ilitch entities own 52 empty properties around MotorCity Casino

In order for developers to come into the city, there has to be a projected INCREASE in population and workers. Other businesses besides hotels & tourist sites have to move into the city. I don't see that happening. It seems [[from an outsider) that most of the sports fans are coming from outside the city [[suburbs) and they're leaving afterwards to go back home. Whereas other cities, the sports fans hang around and go to the bars, museums, restaurants. So you need something to attract that fan money, make them hang around longer. If they see blight and empty lots, then they're not going to walk up to Woodward Ave to see if there's somewhere to eat or drink. They're going back to the suburbs [[or Windsor) where they know the spots. A lot of money has to be pumped into that Arena area. you can't just depend on WSU.

[Honky Tonk]

In order for developers to come into the city, there has to be a projected INCREASE in population and workers. Other businesses besides hotels & tourist sites have to move into the city. I don't see that happening. It seems [[from an outsider) that most of the sports fans are coming from outside the city [[suburbs) and they're leaving afterwards to go back home. Whereas other cities, the sports fans hang around and go to the bars, museums, restaurants. So you need something to attract that fan money, make them hang around longer. If they see blight and empty lots, then they're not going to walk up to Woodward Ave to see if there's somewhere to eat or drink. They're going back to the suburbs [[or Windsor) where they know the spots. A lot of money has to be pumped into that Arena area. you can't just depend on WSU.

Factor in having a few drinks then walking around Detroit trying to find your car, and a 12 mile trek back home. Most people would rather drink near their own neighborhoods.

[Zacha341]

^^^ Or drink at home with big screen tv!!

[mikeg19]

Maybe they're moving all of the Little Caesars employees there because Olympia needs to demolish their new Woodward HQ due to failing windows..

[Danny]

I told you all that the 'Ill-leetches' are not real estate investors. Just business folks that make pizza pizza's while watching the Detroit Tiger's lose every game.

So much for the 'Hot and Ready' Olympia Entertainment. Watching their prime development opportunity rot and crumble like one of Dennis Kellifinos Former Michigan Theatre Building.

[Danny]

I used to work for the company. Scum fucks all of them

I agree with you. They are greatest slumlords in Detroit History next to Dennis Kellifinos and Marty Maroun.

[middetres]

And Ilitch Lightning struck the Gold Dollar building last night. Jack White offered to buy and rehab the building, but the Ilitches refused.

Since they've deservedly been under the microscope lately regarding demolishing any of their neglected properties, expect more of this vintage Detroit 1980s-style insurance fraud to continue.

[Honky Tonk]

And Ilitch Lightning struck the Gold Dollar building last night. Jack White offered to buy and rehab the building, but the Ilitches refused.

Since they've deservedly been under the microscope lately regarding demolishing any of their neglected properties, expect more of this vintage Detroit 1980s-style insurance fraud to continue.

You can expect more of this in the future. They're losing their ass on the LC Coliseum. [[not to mention the taxpayers) The blight rail / road closure CF isn't working out. "Fans" don't want to deal with it.

[bartocktoo]

And Ilitch Lightning struck the Gold Dollar building last night. Jack White offered to buy and rehab the building, but the Ilitches refused.

Since they've deservedly been under the microscope lately regarding demolishing any of their neglected properties, expect more of this vintage Detroit 1980s-style insurance fraud to continue.

And I don't think it will happen that way because there is so much more public awareness due to social media like the Facebook site and places like this. I like to think the Illitch arrogance lagged behind the ability of the Internet to expose it, which may turn out to be a good thing.

Gold Dollar - I'm guessing within a mile radius there has not been a serious fire in five years - and it has been sitting vacant for maybe a decade, or more now? I'm getting old. Cass and Second from downtown to Wayne State has been relatively safe and crime-free for a very long time. This fire at this place at this time makes no sense.

[Johnnny5]

I'm not fan of the Ilitch regime, but the idea that this fire was started for an insurance payout doesn't make much sense. Other than liability, why would this structure be insured at all? And even if it was the paltry payout on what is basically a worthless teardown would never justify taking the risk of setting it on fire.

[Gistok]

This will continue to get worse for the Ilitches.... they own all those empty lots and vacant buildings around the Fox/Comerica Park 25 years ago... they did the same thing around MotorCity about 15 years ago [[after a move to a riverfront site was not gonna happen)... and now they are doing the same thing to the Arena district. They own a sea of empty buildings and empty lots.

As free available space for developing becomes scarcer and scarcer in downtown and midtown, someone in power is going to have to light the fire under their asses and tell they to stop holding up the development of the city. The excuses are getting repetititive and tiresome. The Ilitches have NOT sold a single parcel that they have ever purchased downtown.

[DetroitSoldier]

I'm not fan of the Ilitch regime, but the idea that this fire was started for an insurance payout doesn't make much sense. Other than liability, why would this structure be insured at all? And even if it was the paltry payout on what is basically a worthless teardown would never justify taking the risk of setting it on fire.

I agree with this. In addition, why would they want the press that goes along with losing a well known building. Surely they would know that it would draw them into a spotlight that has already not been looking favorable on them as of late. There is no way I see this as anything done intentionally for a payout.

[hybridy]

As free available space for developing becomes scarcer and scarcer in downtown and midtown, someone in power is going to have to light the fire under their asses and tell they to stop holding up the development of the city.

detroit's cbd is already a hellish moonscape of parking decks and surface lots. i can't imagine the ilitch surface lot empire will ever be built out in my lifetime.

[bust]

Ow, that graphic shows it almost as well as a stroll there in person.

The real estate prospectors and parking overlords are villains. But the government officials who give them a pass -- and too often, heaps of cash -- are worse for failing to serve the people. And who through planning decision after demolition approval after failure to keep slumlords in check have been destroying Detroit's vitality in decades of thousands of abuses, large and small. Throw in local media for almost without exception failing to report on the situation objectively and for carelessly parroting the BS Ilitch PR wants us to believe.

[Meddle]

There is no way I see this as anything done intentionally for a payout.

But maybe to thwart any attempt to save it?

Remember, the Ill Itches don't think like humans do.

[gnome]

I agree with this. In addition, why would they want the press that goes along with losing a well known building. Surely they would know that it would draw them into a spotlight that has already not been looking favorable on them as of late. There is no way I see this as anything done intentionally for a payout.

Whether the Ilitch family of companies had someone light the match is beside the point. The Ilitch family has owned that property since 2001 or 03 and have allowed it to be demolished by neglect.

That has been their main method of expanding their Macedonian Parking empire.

Buy a property, let it rot, plead with the city that it is unsafe and then wipe it away. By buying and holding they have driven down property values thereby making other properties cheaper and more available.

Many times you hear, at least they are doing something with the blight; but that blight is mainly caused by themselves. You hear, folks don’t want to walk past empty storefronts, but the Ilitch family owns those empty storefronts.

Oh, yeah, they use your tax dollars to demo the blight they created.

[bigboat]

The Ilitch clan should be absolutely ashamed of what they have not done and absolutely contrary to what they promised as far as development of District Detroit. The Ilitch clan are now the parking lot, broken promises and dilapidated building kings of Detroit.

[Gistok]

The Ilitch clan should be absolutely ashamed of what they have not done and absolutely contrary to what they promised as far as development of District Detroit. The Ilitch clan are now the parking lot, broken promises and dilapidated building kings of Detroit.

... or as we like to call them here... 'the Macedonian Parking Cartel'....