District Detroit Development Plans Summary

[Richard]

So what it means is the funds are allocated and put on hold,not made available for other projects that could have been started and completed in that time frame,if it goes 2-3-4-5 years it becomes pale in comparison the amount of money the taxpayers lose in that time frame due to other projects that will not come to fruition.

Many predicted it and now it has become a reality.

The question now is when are people going to join forces and stop things like this from happening.

Forget about emotions,hopes,dreams and prayers,it’s business and in business results count and everything else is bull **** .

Demand hard and fast timelines or a release of the funds otherwise you are just throttling your own advancement.

[Danny]

Getting back on track... one of the things about District Detroit 2.0 is that there is no discussion about the many boarded up and decaying old buildings in the plans. They talk about a lot of new builds... but what about the Blenheim Apartments behind Little Caesar's new HQ? Or how about the Henry Street apartment row of buildings... that were originally destined for demolition, but was denied by the city? Or of course the Fine Arts facade on GCP west that has been held up by steel girders for 14 years? Or all the smallish apartment buildings around the Masonic Temple.

All that is being developed as part of District Detroit 2.0 is the Detroit Life Building on Park Ave., a building that has been a work in progress for 20 years!! And the Royal Order of the Moose lodge building on Cass is finally getting repurposed.

Also, should the conversion of the Fox Theatre Building into a hotel be considered for part of the "public monies" that is being asked for towards the district? It doesn't seem that it should be included, since it really is not improving the area so much as a great condition building finding a new use.

The 'Illeetches' are not as worse as Dennis Kelifinos. But they are having a hard time rehabbing most Downtown ' Gilberttown' Detroit buildings. It last after 30 years of waiting and 50 years of being ' Parthenon-like ruins' The United Artist Building is being turned to fancy non-affordable apts. Along with the Hotel Eddystone Building that the courts forced them to rehabbed to else! But the 'Illeetches' has a long way to go if they want to create a better skyline and entertainment hub. As for right now Olympia 'Pizza Pizza' Development needs to be in the real estate business venture like Dan Gilbert.

[stasu1213]

The 'Illeetches' are not as worse as Dennis Kelifinos. But they are having a hard time rehabbing most Downtown ' Gilberttown' Detroit buildings. It last after 30 years of waiting and 50 years of being ' Parthenon-like ruins' The United Artist Building is being turned to fancy non-affordable apts. Along with the Hotel Eddystone Building that the courts forced them to rehabbed to else! But the 'Illeetches' has a long way to go if they want to create a better skyline and entertainment hub. As for right now Olympia 'Pizza Pizza' Development needs to be in the real estate business venture like Dan Gilbert.

Before Gilbert almost single handedly revitalized downtown Detroit there was Kelifinos whom revitalized buildings were botched jobs. He purchased historical buildings, hired inexperienced contractors or just anyone off corners to develop these buildings, then filled them with pop up shops. The development property that he owned next to the Dequindre Cut was a disaster with workers tossing debris including glass unto the Dequindre Cut itself.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

The renovation of the United Artists Building was recently mentioned. How is that progressing? I haven’t seen any updates lately but I know it was supposed to be ready for occupancy in “late 2023.”

Is it on track for that?

[stasu1213]

The renovation of the United Artists Building was recently mentioned. How is that progressing? I haven’t seen any updates lately but I know it was supposed to be ready for occupancy in “late 2023.”

Is it on track for that?

It was supposed to be ready for occupancy in 2012. Hah

[ShadowSoarer]

The renovation of the United Artists Building was recently mentioned. How is that progressing? I haven’t seen any updates lately but I know it was supposed to be ready for occupancy in “late 2023.”

Is it on track for that?

This is an update from this morning. Have huge doubt that this will be done by end of 2023.

[stromberg2]

Did they already tear down the theater?

Stromberg2

[Gistok]

This is an update from this morning. Have huge doubt that this will be done by end of 2023.

The theatre was razed earlier this year.

The first 5 floors of the tower had fancy stone and terra cotta work that was removed back in the 1960s. Here was the United Artists Theatre's last hurrah... the 1959 movie world premier of Otto Preminger's ANATOMY OF A MURDER, and we get a quick glimpse of one of the stone arches of the facade, so the old facade lasted past 1959 when this premier was shown...



Also of interest in this video is that they show a clip of the outer lobby of the United Artists Theatre, the only surviving part of the theatre. Nearby the PAO RESTAURANT in the Briggs Houze [former Oriental Theatre lobby] on West Adams... is similar to what is planned [in the future] for the surviving UA outer lobby... conversion into a restaurant, or similar reuse.

Also in this film clip, we see the David Whitney Building with scaffolding on it, because in 1959 it was stripped of ornamentation, only to be re-added a few years ago.

Here is a view of the first 5 floors of the UA Building when it still had its' neoclassic veneer... which will not be re-added.

[Gistok]

The outer lobby of the former Detroit United Artists Theatre survived the elements, since it was within the office building, and was not gutted. However, some of the plasterwork was damaged by scavengers in the past.

This part of the building will be closed off initially, until a reuse has been determined, hopefully as a restaurant.

[Vitalis]

Poster design by Saul Bass. Bass, famed graphic artist, did the film titles and posters for Otto Preminger and Alfred Hitchcock, most notably. Also, not to be forgotten, the main titles and posters for "Spartacus," with its famed "Roman coin" motif. Check out Saul Bass, it will be well worth your time. Lest we forget.

[canuck]

Poster design by Saul Bass. Bass, famed graphic artist, did the film titles and posters for Otto Preminger and Alfred Hitchcock, most notably. Also, not to be forgotten, the main titles and posters for "Spartacus," with its famed "Roman coin" motif. Check out Saul Bass, it will be well worth your time. Lest we forget.

Good point!

Bass did a lot of good work, much like Milton Glaser did in NYC.

[Jimaz]

...

A memorable graphic, after all these years.

[Gistok]

I just came across a few images of the surviving lobby of the United Artists former theatre, images from Detroiturbex.com website.

Although the auditorium and Rotunda Foyer have been razed due to being in such poor condition, the lobby and outer storm lobby of the theatre survive, because they were protected from the elements due to being within the office building.

From what we were told when the "150 Bagley" apartments plan was implemented, the theatre would be torn down, but the lobby space would be saved for future use.

Here are some images of the lobby space as they existed before the theatre was torn down.

First image is the UA Lobby from the entrance facing the former Rotunda Lobby [which was in horrible condition]. This space has 3 Art Deco style Indian Maiden busts on either side. These were also found on the theatre walls. Of the 6, only 1 is totally intact.

Also on either side of the lobby are 4 large mirrors with canopies above them that matched the procenium arch above the former theatre stage.

The good thing about this space is that most of the plasterwork on 3 of the 4 walls is intact... and restoration specialists could easily recreate missing plasterwork with molds made of surviving ornamental plasterwork. Conrad Schmidt Studios is a national company that does this kind of restoration work.

This space is now sealed off, but it would make for a fantastic restaurant at some point in the future.

[Gistok]

Also, there is another space between the former theatre entrance and the Lobby. That is the Storm or Outer Lobby. This is a smaller space, and has mirrors on one side, and actual windows on the other side that look into the Lobby. This space also has 8 ornate fan vaults that are smaller, but identical to the 6 fan vaults that once graced the side walls and ceiling of the theatre auditorium.

I had never seen this space before, but between the Outer Lobby, and the Lobby, all of the major decorative features of the former theatre survive, but on a smaller scale. Very nice. This would really make for a very elegant and fancy restaurant space at some point in the future.

Imagine what a first impression this would make as an ornate lobby to a restaurant...

[K-slice]

I wonder how aware the Ilitch's are of their reputation in this town. Are they acutely aware that those who know have such contempt for them and their constant grifting? Do they knowingly put out lie after lie about "The District", or are they really just totally incompetent?

I'd hoped that Ross getting involved would change the game, but it looks like same old, same old, from Detroit's largest parking lot owner and slumlord.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/bu...e/72949461007/

[gratiotfaced]

The delay in office construction makes sense. The delay in residential and hotel construction does not.

I think it's beyond obvious that Olympia has no intention of completing even a fraction of these projects. What happened to the Alhambra, or the Arena Lofts next to LCA? They're not included in the latest plans. Why is the LCA hotel delayed when there's clear demand for downtown hotel rooms?

City Council looks like clowns for believing a second set of promises here.

[sirrealone]

Well, as long as people keep falling all over themselves in appreciation for them renovating the Fox Theatre 36 YEARS AGO, nothing will change.

[stinkytofu]

I wonder how aware the Ilitch's are of their reputation in this town. Are they acutely aware that those who know have such contempt for them and their constant grifting? Do they knowingly put out lie after lie about "The District", or are they really just totally incompetent?

I'd hoped that Ross getting involved would change the game, but it looks like same old, same old, from Detroit's largest parking lot owner and slumlord.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/bu...e/72949461007/

Oh, they definitely know. It's one of the reasons they hide Chris Ilitch from reporters, to limit the PR damage.

[mikeg19]

The delay in office construction makes sense. The delay in residential and hotel construction does not.

I think it's beyond obvious that Olympia has no intention of completing even a fraction of these projects. What happened to the Alhambra, or the Arena Lofts next to LCA? They're not included in the latest plans. Why is the LCA hotel delayed when there's clear demand for downtown hotel rooms?

City Council looks like clowns for believing a second set of promises here.

TO be fair, the newest revision of this plan moved up a residential tower and one of the hotels to be first in line. Putting office space on the back burner makes sense. The timeline, however, does not. Maybe they are trying to line up the hotel and residential with the next time the Pistons make the playoffs............

[Gistok]

I wonder how negotiations are going between the Ilitches and the 2 Wayne County Stadium Authority owned parcels right across from the Fox Theatre? With Ilitch charging $9.6 million for a 1.2 acre parcel for the UMCI parking structure over near Grand River... I bet the county is playing hardball with the Ilitches for the sale price on the 2 Woodward fronting parcels. The Ilitches have likely had free use of those 2 parcels as a parking revenue stream for decades... and now probably want to lowball their value to buy them from the county. It will be interesting to hear how much the Ilitches will have to pay for them?

[southen]

They are now bumping up the UMCI apartment building to be first in the pipeline with an early 2025 start. Hilariously they lose the benefit package if they don't put shovels in the ground before March 2025 so much like the groundbreaking of the UMCI, they will have a big ceremony then move around a little dirt to comply with deadlines.

Prior to the incompetence of not working out a deal for the Woodward lots last year the apartment building they are "bumping up" was supposed to start in 2024, so they are even kicking that can down the road a bit.

Honestly it isn't surprising given this organization and I think it goes to show you that there is only so much Related can do when they have and Ilitch weight tied to their legs.

[401don]

I wonder how negotiations are going between the Ilitches and the 2 Wayne County Stadium Authority owned parcels right across from the Fox Theatre? With Ilitch charging $9.6 million for a 1.2 acre parcel for the UMCI parking structure over near Grand River... I bet the county is playing hardball with the Ilitches for the sale price on the 2 Woodward fronting parcels. The Ilitches have likely had free use of those 2 parcels as a parking revenue stream for decades... and now probably want to lowball their value to buy them from the county. It will be interesting to hear how much the Ilitches will have to pay for them?

I'm also sure in the initial Comerica Park plans Ilitch said we need the Gem theater moved for surface parking for the next 25 years.

[Gistok]

I'm also sure in the initial Comerica Park plans Ilitch said we need the Gem theater moved for surface parking for the next 25 years.

Oh I agree... except the Ilitches wanted it demolished and out of the way. It was a coordination between Chuck Forbes and DEGC head C. Beth Duncombe [Mayor Archer's sister-in-law] that came up with the plan to relocate the Gem/Century to a city owned parcel across from Music Hall [ditto for the Elwood Bar].

[ABetterDetroit]

Well, as long as people keep falling all over themselves in appreciation for them renovating the Fox Theatre 36 YEARS AGO, nothing will change.

And for being wealthy. Lately there seems to be an awful lot of love and ‘they can do no wrong’ worship for the rich these days. Even more so for the wealthy in the lucky sperm club. I don’t get it, what’s so admirable about being born rich and treating people like crap because of it? Odd behavior from folks in a country that went to great lengths to Kick royalty out and back across the Atlantic.

[mikeg19]

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/educat...detroit-center

Looks like the final design has been approved. Good to see there is traction on this.