What a mess at the District Detroit Project!

**ShadowSoarer** · June-22-21, 04:44 PM

Whoa some residential units might actually get built in the District Detroit. A an entity linked to Stephen Ross is planning to build either a multi-family residential or mixed-use 75 unit development on Charlotte and 3rd Ave. Not sure if that particular area would be considered as part of the District Detroit, but the article does.

We'll see what happens with this Stephen Ross related development because supposedly the UM Innovation Center is to break ground this year, but haven't seen any articles/updates on that.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/bu...it/5309975001/

**Gistok** · June-22-21, 05:01 PM

^ I guess something is better than nothing. That is on the far northwest fringe of District Detroit, a block north and a block west of Masonic Temple.

Wake me when the Ilitches fix up one of their abandoned buildings.

**Dmberko11** · June-22-21, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

^ I guess something is better than nothing. That is on the far northwest fringe of District Detroit, a block north and a block west of Masonic Temple.

Wake me when the Ilitches fix up one of their abandoned buildings.

Isn't the hotel eddystone close to coming online?
I don't know where I read that. If so, that's one example of the Ilitches following through. They're still slum lords in my book. They'll say anything to get a stadium built.

**Gistok** · June-22-21, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by Dmberko11

Isn't the hotel eddystone close to coming online?
I don't know where I read that. If so, that's one example of the Ilitches following through. They're still slum lords in my book. They'll say anything to get a stadium built.

Not sure of the completion date, but the city had to threaten them with losing control of the Eddystone development because they were still dragging their feet back in April 2021. [[Can't get past the paywall)

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/voices...otel-eddystone

**JK313** · June-22-21, 08:33 PM

Yeah it’s supposed to open up this fall. Last I saw Olympia posted a photo of a unit on Twitter that looked nearly finished, so I’m assuming they must be on track surprisingly.

**Henry Whalley** · June-22-21, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by Dmberko11

They're still slum lords in my book.

The filthy rich are reviled in every sacred tradition -- the scriptural passages are too numerous to quote -- notwithstanding the new satanic scams of prosperity religion.

**NSortzi** · June-23-21, 01:03 AM

Originally Posted by JK313

Yeah it’s supposed to open up this fall. Last I saw Olympia posted a photo of a unit on Twitter that looked nearly finished, so I’m assuming they must be on track surprisingly.

Meanwhile work on the Woman’s City Club quietly ground to a halt months ago.

**Dmberko11** · June-23-21, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by NSortzi

Meanwhile work on the Woman’s City Club quietly ground to a halt months ago.

Yeah, that was another one. What about the Detroit life building?

**Dmberko11** · June-23-21, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Not sure of the completion date, but the city had to threaten them with losing control of the Eddystone development because they were still dragging their feet back in April 2021. [[Can't get past the paywall)

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/voices...otel-eddystone

I saw that article too but then some recent news contradicted it. And what user JK313 said. Looks to me like they're getting fairly close to delivery on this....finally!

**Dmberko11** · June-23-21, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by Henry Whalley

The filthy rich are reviled in every sacred tradition -- the scriptural passages are too numerous to quote -- notwithstanding the new satanic scams of prosperity religion.

I don't know what that has to do with anything. The Ilitches have been less than scrupulous. They did it with CoPa and now LCA. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me....

**NSortzi** · June-23-21, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by Dmberko11

Yeah, that was another one. What about the Detroit life building?

Work on the Detroit Life Building stopped years ago. They replaced the cornice and fire escape and that’s it.

**Dmberko11** · June-23-21, 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by NSortzi

Work on the Detroit Life Building stopped years ago. They replaced the cornice and fire escape and that’s it.

Oh geeze. Wow.
I remember them posting pictures on their Instagram account of "construction progress" in the district and seeing that building. What did Detroit do to deserve matty moroun and the Ilitches??
I guess we should be grateful for them fixing up the Fox.

**Gistok** · June-24-21, 12:34 AM

Originally Posted by Dmberko11

I guess we should be grateful for them fixing up the Fox.

Really?? Grateful isn't the word I would use.

The Fox was cleaned up 1/3 of a century ago!! The Ilitches haven't FINISHED another restoration project since then... and have been responsible for "demolition by neglect" for over a dozen buildings... including the Adams and United Artists Theatres.

The Fox was not in bad shape... it was usable and just basically required a clean up, after 60 years of nicotine discolored the ornate plaster. Yes $12 million was spent on it [$42 million was spent on putting the Opera House back into working order by MOT and private donations].

There are only a few things that the Ilitches have done that we should be grateful for, and most of them required government money...

**Satiricalivory** · June-24-21, 12:40 AM

Originally Posted by NSortzi

Work on the Detroit Life Building stopped years ago. They replaced the cornice and fire escape and that’s it.

I don't understand this. Why put money into major work and then just not finish it? They could turn it into apartments and start collecting premium rents, they have every incentive to do so, why the hell hasn't it been done? Do they plan to sell it? What the fuck is wrong with this family? God I wish they'd all drop dead.

**Dmberko11** · June-24-21, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

There are only a few things that the Ilitches have done that we should be grateful for, and most of them required government money...

Ha! That's pretty accurate. I was being extremely gracious to a family with a record of running things into the ground, literally. What did Detroit do to deserve the Ilitches or Matty moroun? Thank God for DG.

Letting the United Artist go to pot really pisses me off. Beautiful building. Someone needs to grow a pair and hold their feet to the fire. They can't keep getting away with it.

**Rock N Rye** · June-25-21, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by Satiricalivory

I don't understand this. Why put money into major work and then just not finish it? They could turn it into apartments and start collecting premium rents, they have every incentive to do so, why the hell hasn't it been done? Do they plan to sell it? What the fuck is wrong with this family? God I wish they'd all drop dead.

The apartments they started in front of the parking garages are even worse. They actually spent money creating new blight.

**royce** · June-25-21, 03:53 PM

Why are many of the bottom sections of the buildings that the Ilitches own, painted red or brown? Some of those building had very nice terra cotta facades.

Also, I'm convinced that one reason residential development on the part of the Ilitches is non-existent is because they don't want people walking to the arena, theater, or ballpark because that means they're not spending money on parking, plain and simple.

**Dmberko11** · June-25-21, 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by royce

Also, I'm convinced that one reason residential development on the part of the Ilitches is non-existent is because they don't want people walking to the arena, theater, or ballpark because that means they're not spending money on parking, plain and simple.

LOL. Someone gets it.

**Gistok** · June-26-21, 01:21 PM

I don't think that the reason there is no residential around the stadia is as simple as reduced parking fees. After all not everyone who lives downtown is a sports fan. If that were to be the case, the Ilitches wouldn't have contributed to the Q-Line... which reduces the number of sports fans that would park in an Ilitch lot.

The Ilitches only seem to do what they know how... sports and parking.

**Hamtragedy** · June-26-21, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by royce

Why are many of the bottom sections of the buildings that the Ilitches own, painted red or brown? Some of those building had very nice terra cotta facades.

THIS

Because painting over limestone or brick, especially old construction, causes the lime based mortar to trap moisture, which causes already neglected brickwork/stonework to deteriorate even faster.

As far as I'm concerned, the Illitches have done this intentionally to speed up deterioration so they can use the excuse that the building is too far gone and will hence require demolition.

As mentioned in a previous comment, I don't know how, [[or even if they have) they can sit in the same with room with Gilbert, who has been here for 15 years, and managed to accomplish exponentially more than the Illitches have accomplished in 40 years of blightlording.

And as Gistok noted, the Fox was usable. It was open and functioning and having shows. The Illitches have rode those coattails for 40 years.

The Cass Corridor is SOUL-LESS. At least in the old days the place would come alive after 10 oclock at night and stay that way until daybreak, and then there would be signs of life during the day. Now, it's a daytime deadzone. And when the fans leave and are done pissing, it's dead at night.

And across Woodward Brush Park is off the chain. And unidentifiable even from three years ago.

The Illitches suck. Horribly. And are handcuffing an entire section of Detroit that should be going absolutely nuts right now. They are to be loathed.

**Henry Whalley** · June-29-21, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by Hamtragedy

...The Cass Corridor is SOUL-LESS. At least in the old days the place would come alive after 10 oclock at night and stay that way until daybreak, and then there would be signs of life during the day.

To which old days are you referring?

**royce** · July-01-21, 10:38 AM

Has any grouplike Preservation Detroit ever picketed the Ilitches to protest their neglect of their properties? I'm sure they are aware of the publics resentment at them neglecting their properties. Maybe a huge protest in front of the Fox or during a Tiger game might shake them up. They wouldn't want that negative publicity. Many average day Joes aren't aware of what we preservationists know about their properties. A protest could expose more people to their neglect. Just curious.

**K-slice** · July-01-21, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by royce

Has any grouplike Preservation Detroit ever picketed the Ilitches to protest their neglect of their properties? I'm sure they are aware of the publics resentment at them neglecting their properties. Maybe a huge protest in front of the Fox or during a Tiger game might shake them up. They wouldn't want that negative publicity. Many average day Joes aren't aware of what we preservationists know about their properties. A protest could expose more people to their neglect. Just curious.

Average Joe's, for the most part, don't give a flying F about preservation. Most would probably approve of their demolition for more parking spots to tailgate before Red Wings and Lions games.

To them the closer Detoit is to their beloved strip malls the better.

**Gistok** · July-01-21, 06:23 PM

No... no official picketing protests are ever likely by Preservation Detroit. But PD is not afraid to make their opinion known in media about the Ilitches.

PD's biggest annual tours are the Historic Downtown Theatre Tours, and they don't want to piss off the Ilitches too bad, or they will refuse entry to the Fox for the theatre tours [the crown jewel on the tour]. However, the tour guides do mention the neglect of the Ilitches in reference to the Adams and United Artists Theatres.

Also the former Executive Director of Preservation Detroit... Francis Grunow, is a major thorn in the side of the Ilitches... due to their propensity to just kick people out of where they live. He attends all of the City Council meetings, and keeps council on notice about the poor track record of the Ilitches. He does way more than a protest could do.

P.S. No downtown theatre tours are planned for 2021. The venues are still mostly offline. These tours generate a lot of income for PD... maximum 180 attendees over 6 tours, at about $50 per person [includes lunch at the Opera House]. The tour is always on 1 Saturday in August.