Historic Bell Building renovation

[Chuck_MI]

May 9, 2010 Detroit Free Press update:
http://freep.com/article/20100509/NE...e-for-homeless
This article says the number of proposed apartments is now 155.
Also that a museum is sought to take possession of the Yellow Pages sign.

[detmsp]

I don't understand this... it's for homeless people, but rent is $650/month?

[Pcm]

Man, I should take up panhandling.

[cman710]

Yes, at first glance, $650 per month seems odd. I can think of several possibilites regarding how this might work, though:

[[1) The apartments could be part of a program to get homeless people back on their feet. Thus, the apartments could be provided along with job training/searching, so that the residents would eventually be expected to pay for the apartment. I could see a situation where NSO waives rent at first but then requires payments based on an individual's ability to pay.

[[2) Perhaps the apartment rents will be funded by some kind of government funding.

NSO is a well-established group, so I am sure they have some kind of plan for how the finances will work. [[They already have a homeless services center elsewhere, so they have well-established programs for helping the homeless.) If you would like to check out their website, click here.

[CLAUDE G]

I think Section 8 housing provides up to about $650 per monthto cover rent.

BTW, I did read somewhere that the Yellow Pages sign is coming down. I hope they decide to take it down in 1 piece and donate it to the Detroit Historical Society or put it up somewhere else instead of destroying it taking it down.

[Zacha341]

Hmmn, not sure what's going on but Sheila Clay the CEO of NSO announced on the news a week or so ago that NSO was having part of it's funding cut... I think the whole "Helping Hands" division is gone down in the Cass Corridor but the Tumaini homeless center is still going around the corner on third.... maybe Section 8 will be picking up the tab for these units.... Is NSO administrative department slated to move in there too...? They are in the Michigan building now....

Yes, at first glance, $650 per month seems odd. I can think of several possibilites regarding how this might work, though:

[[1) The apartments could be part of a program to get homeless people back on their feet. Thus, the apartments could be provided along with job training/searching, so that the residents would eventually be expected to pay for the apartment. I could see a situation where NSO waives rent at first but then requires payments based on an individual's ability to pay.

[[2) Perhaps the apartment rents will be funded by some kind of government funding.

NSO is a well-established group, so I am sure they have some kind of plan for how the finances will work. [[They already have a homeless services center elsewhere, so they have well-established programs for helping the homeless.) If you would like to check out their website, click here.

[Chuck_MI]

Is NSO administrative department slated to move in there too...? They are in the Michigan building now....

Yes. Read the linked article. It explains the future plans.

[Rocko]

This development by Focus:HOPE is just a few blocks west on Oakman from the Bell Building renovation.

http://www.freep.com/article/2010063...raining-access

[kathy2trips]

Yeah, let the government can handle it:

HUD data show the city doesn't yet have an approved plan to spend at least $88 million in housing grants.
From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100621/...#ixzz0sbZHHtAq

Why not give tax breaks to corporate sponsors for low-income housing? You won't have all that red tape locally, and federally, and companies can give back.

[Zacha341]

I hear that, but criticism of SEIU or ACORN will brand you a right-winger or tea-bagger [[and I 'are' neither) no matter what in some circles so I just keep quiet... LOL! There's a certain loyalty certain unions have one to another, often you have to go along to get along if you have connections to one, even peripherally. That's how things get done... well sorta.

In the above article it mentions that the SEIU Member Action Service Center [[a.k.a. ACORN) is going to "invest $3 million [[of TAX PAYER MONEY - my entry) to create a shared organization in Redford Township to provide administrative services for the SEIU and other local labor organizations."

"Administrative services"? Why oh why do decent, honest unions want to jump into bed with crooks like ACORN and their evil spawn, the SEIU. Doesn't Michigan have better things to do with tax money other than make Wade Rathke rich?

[Zacha341]

Yeah, this has been in the works for some time. NSO's current corporate offices and older adult services are downtown in the Michigan building on Bagley [[the entire 12th floor) this is not good day for them... SIEU has a suite in that building too -- another half floor I think. I wonder who will replace NSO as a tenant?

The nonprofit Neighborhood Service Organization plans a $50 million mixed-use renovation of the historic Bell Building. It will become its headquarters and a homeless shelter. It won a state brownfield tax credit worth $7.1 million to create six jobs. It will also have 200 apartments.

http://www.deakplanningdesign.com/?page_id=104

[Zaiko]

Yellow Pages building renovation project is coming together. It's the place right off the Lodge, in Detroit near Highland Park.

Read story and hear audio here.
http://www.michigannow.org/2010/12/1...roit-landmark/

This story could air tomorrow morning on local public radio. If not, then next week.

[marcwigle]

The nonprofit Neighborhood Service Organization plans a $50 million mixed-use renovation of the historic Bell Building. It will become its headquarters and a homeless shelter. It won a state brownfield tax credit worth $7.1 million to create six jobs. It will also have 200 apartments.

http://www.deakplanningdesign.com/?page_id=104

Did I miss something??!! Six jobs, 200 apartments and office space for $50 mil??!! How much office space will there be and are they planning to rent it out [[In this market??!!) or will they be using it all for their own purposes? Methinks that once it's complete we'll be hearing "boondoggle" and "Bell Building" in the same sentence... I hope not but...

[stinkytofu]

Appears this is actually happening...got an email invite today to the groundbreaking set for Tuesday, April 19th...great to see...

"Neighborhood Service Organization invites you to join us for the groundbreaking of the historic Michigan Bell Building as it is transformed into the NSO Bell Building.

Our new development symbolizes a new beginning for the homeless individuals who will occupy the 155 one-bedroom apartments being developed as permanent housing. As a supportive housing model, we also will relocate a number of NSO services, including mental health counseling, addiction treatment, crisis intervention, suicide prevention, problem gambling treatment and a state-of-the-art training facility.

At the groundbreaking, you will have the opportunity to hear from the project's leaders, see plans for the renovation and meet members of the local business, governmental and residential community who are all working together to transform this historic landmark and the neighborhood."

[stromberg2]

I really hope they keep the awesome sign up, though I heard they won't.

Stromberg2

[MikeM]

Stromberg...any relation to the switchboard maker Stromberg-Carlson?

[BrushStart]

Great news.

[detroitbob66]

HMMMM....I wonder if the NSO in the Cass Corridor will move out there to Oakman. I know that Mr. Illitch would like to see that happen!

[downtown_racine]

What a big and cool sign, good looking building as well. How long has it been empty ?

[brizee]

I work at a company that used to own that building. The neighborhood is pretty hit. But this and some other long term initiatives the higher ups have been previewing, they're really planning a turnaround, and I wish them the best.

[Whitehouse]

What a big and cool sign, good looking building as well. How long has it been empty ?

Dunno, but looking at the streetview pictures it might be empty, it wasn't very vandalized. I think it's still guarded.

[Bham1982]

From an urban plannning perspective, does anyone feel conflicted about these types of investments?

On the one hand, the building is beautiful, the involved parties are honorable, and the mission is noble. Who could argue with a renovated, active, vibrant building?

But from an urban planning angle, the main problem in Detroit is too much supply and not enough demand. When you increase the housing supply [[especially with below-market housing) you will naturally take folks from currently occupied housing. So it becomes a game of "musical chairs" [[or "musical houses", I guess).

A good example is in Northeast Highland Park. There are a number of blocks with infill housing built during the last 10 years. I assume that the new homeowners were drawn from inner city neighborhoods, so the new housing hurt the existing areas. Then, to top it all off, much of the infill sits abandoned and rotting.

Per the overall downsizing initiative, can an argument be made that the Bell Building shouldn't be saved [[it certainly falls within a "downsized" area) and that such an investment should be concentrated in a "saveable" area?

[stromberg2]

Mikem, no, I got the nickname from a James Bond villain, Karl Stromberg, from The Spy Who Loved Me. Pretty cheesy, eh? Haha!

Stromberg2

[Rocko]

The building has been added to the National Register of Historic Places and well be renovated in a way that preserves the building's exterior. It is too bad that the huge Yellopages sign, a longtime landmark in that part of the city, will be coming down. It's great to give it to a museum, but really, where till a 3-4 story sign of that size go? Maybe if the Detroit Historical Museum ever adds an addition they can make the sign one wall of the building. There is no doubt in my mind that it should be preserved....but there aren't too many places they'd be able to display it, let alone store it.

Glad to see this project moving forward. Hopefully it'll help out the area and encourage some other development in this part of the city.

[leady106]

How about relocating the sign on the CPA building near the train station. It has a blank wall facing inbound traffic on the Fisher [[I-75).