Metropolitan Building

**DetroitZack** · January-25-10, 05:43 PM

I noticed some work being done on the Metropolitan Building today. I remembered hearing that it could be turned into lofts.

**buildingsofdetroit** · January-25-10, 05:52 PM

Coincidentally, I just got off the phone a little while ago with two firms working on this project.
The good news: The facade is being stabilized and lighting added to illuminate its lovely features. Bad news: Still no developer biting on redeveloping it.

**cman710** · January-25-10, 06:17 PM

Thanks for the update!

**Whitehouse** · January-25-10, 06:48 PM

to the untrained eyes of mine this really looks like a building in a rather good shape, on the exterior. What does the inside look like?

**buildingsofdetroit** · January-25-10, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by Whitehouse

to the untrained eyes of mine this really looks like a building in a rather good shape, on the exterior. What does the inside look like?

Mostly gutted following the radiation clean-up in 1997. Photos here: http://buildingsofdetroit.com/conten...uilding-photos

**Gsgeorge** · January-25-10, 09:03 PM

I heard there was quite a problem with the windows -- that water had been allowed to seep into the frames, causing expansion and cracking in the walls. I hope it is not too bad. Great to see some work being done to beautify this incredible building, which I consider a very valuable contribution to our stock of unbeatable architecture. I wonder if they will "clean" the windows of the graffiti [[read: art). It would be a shame to see this building go. Let's hope that the renovation of the Broderick spurs some interest in this building.

**mikeg19** · January-25-10, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by buildingsofdetroit

Mostly gutted following the radiation clean-up in 1997. Photos here: http://buildingsofdetroit.com/conten...uilding-photos

What was the purpose of the radiation clean-up? What type of work was done in this building?

**MDoyle** · January-25-10, 10:03 PM

In the last 3 years parts of the ceramic facade have been falling to the ground. I would guess that the netting over the cornice will be in place to stop it from falling into the alleyway that runs behind the DBC. I think that both the Metro and the Wurlitzer would make excellent loft conversions and would really brighten up that area. Last I heard the owner of the Wurly was asking an exorbitant price with no plans to develop it himslelf.

**buildingsofdetroit** · January-25-10, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by MDoyle

In the last 3 years parts of the ceramic facade have been falling to the ground. I would guess that the netting over the cornice will be in place to stop it from falling into the alleyway that runs behind the DBC. I think that both the Metro and the Wurlitzer would make excellent loft conversions and would really brighten up that area. Last I heard the owner of the Wurly was asking an exorbitant price with no plans to develop it himslelf.

The Wurlizter is likely too far gone to be saved, most architects I've talked to agree. The basement has been flooded for 20 years, and with the freezing tons of water pressing against the foundation, it's literally ripping the building apart.

**MDoyle** · January-25-10, 11:19 PM

Thats too bad about the Wurly. If the owner hadn't been sitting on it for years looking to make a quick big buck it would have been a nice development. I always thought the floorplan would make for a nice loft/apt rehab. If I remember correctly [[I may not) the stairs run up one side of the building much like the Fyfe.

**Gistok** · January-26-10, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

What was the purpose of the radiation clean-up? What type of work was done in this building?

Part of the building was used to make watches that "light up"... with Radium being the illumination source... a toxic waste site that was later remediated.

**kryptonite** · January-26-10, 07:18 AM

Great news and photos of the Metropolitan. Thanks for the info, it's always great news to see some great old downtown building renovated. Particularly the abandoned ones that have so much potential like this one. Keeping fingers crossed!

**davewindsor** · January-26-10, 07:22 AM

Originally Posted by buildingsofdetroit

Coincidentally, I just got off the phone a little while ago with two firms working on this project.
The good news: The facade is being stabilized and lighting added to illuminate its lovely features. Bad news: Still no developer biting on redeveloping it.

That's great. At least,. they're maintaining it.

Any idea if something's going to be happening with the Shankovsky Temple of Music bldg to the left? Have they done anything with the windows yet?

**DetroitScooter** · January-26-10, 09:24 AM

I work in the Hartz Building [[above the DBC) so I can report anything happening to the "Metro" by looking out my window. For the amount of work that they've done, I must conclude that it's either a pro-bono contract or it happens to be the world's slowest construction company, i.e. not much has going on. This new work is a good start, again. Fingers crossed for sure, but it's got a long way to go.

This is the view of the rear 'deck', I believe over some mechanical spaces.

**southen** · January-26-10, 09:31 AM

hopefully something comes of this. the building sits awkwardly though as a wedge in that alley. im trying to picture how they turn the entire thing into lofts without having units that only have alley views. always thought that the wurlitzer would be the one to get rehabbed, but if the foundation is a bad as it is... i guess not.

**Gsgeorge** · January-26-10, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by davewindsor

That's great. At least,. they're maintaining it.

Any idea if something's going to be happening with the Shankovsky Temple of Music bldg to the left? Have they done anything with the windows yet?

The windows are fixed and a new high-end club has opened in the Lobby.

**Rocko** · January-26-10, 01:48 PM

Good to see the investment in the facade at least....exterior lighting should help to brighten up that somewhat scary block at night....I drove down there once not too long ago and none of the streetlights worked! Hopefully this work might kick up a developer's interest. Sad to hear about the Wurlitzer...it fronts Broadway so I also presumed it have a better chance for renovation...

**casscorridor** · January-26-10, 03:07 PM

The Wurlitzer can be saved, like any other building, regardless of condition. What matters is the budget of the renovation. Of course it can be saved, what the architects are probably saying is that it is beyond repair with a budget they think is possible. What if the building was purchased for free, and grants and very very good financing was secured? What if the light-rail makes property values go up big time? I know that is a lot of what ifs, but everyone said the Opera House, across the street, was beyond repair. They said it about the Book Cadillac too. There is always a solution, some are just more expensive than others.

**buildingsofdetroit** · January-26-10, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by casscorridor

The Wurlitzer can be saved, like any other building, regardless of condition. What matters is the budget of the renovation. Of course it can be saved, what the architects are probably saying is that it is beyond repair with a budget they think is possible. What if the building was purchased for free, and grants and very very good financing was secured? What if the light-rail makes property values go up big time? I know that is a lot of what ifs, but everyone said the Opera House, across the street, was beyond repair. They said it about the Book Cadillac too. There is always a solution, some are just more expensive than others.

Yes, of course it COULD be saved. Money solves all ills, right? It is financially not viable. They're saying if it can't be made to work for less-destroyed buildings, it won't work there. And last I heard [[a couple of years ago) Paul Curtis wanted $2 million for the Wurlitzer in its present state. Not gonna happen. Best case scenario? City finds a developer who would renovate it if the building were free; city seizes building for back taxes; city gives it to developer for $1; and the world rejoices. But even at a buck, you need some crazy financing lined up to make these deals work. Look at the Book-Caddy deal.

**esp1986** · January-26-10, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by buildingsofdetroit

Yes, of course it COULD be saved. Money solves all ills, right? It is financially not viable. They're saying if it can't be made to work for less-destroyed buildings, it won't work there. And last I heard [[a couple of years ago) Paul Curtis wanted $2 million for the Wurlitzer in its present state. Not gonna happen. Best case scenario? City finds a developer who would renovate it if the building were free; city seizes building for back taxes; city gives it to developer for $1; and the world rejoices. But even at a buck, you need some crazy financing lined up to make these deals work. Look at the Book-Caddy deal.

And most of the buildings we discuss this type of financing for are far more deteriorated and and less viable than the Book-Cadillac, i.e. Lafayette and Wurlitzer, and with the financial times now, it would take a miracle...

sad thing is that so many people think a historical designation would cure all ills, such as with the Lafayette, but that only covers so much of the costs, and with that building, would have only narrowed the gap... even with such a designation on this building, you would be looking at a similar scenario when it comes to financing... it is sad to see these buildings go, but when all it takes is money, that it where the line is drawn in the sand...

good news on the Metropolitan Building though, hopefully these are preventative measures to keep from reaching the same status as those other two buildings.

**MDoyle** · January-26-10, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by esp1986

And most of the buildings we discuss this type of financing for are far more deteriorated and and less viable than the Book-Cadillac...

More deteriorated than Book Caddy was? Really?

**Huggybear** · January-26-10, 09:36 PM

The life-cycle of threatened buildings always works like this: building fails as a going concern. Private guy buys it out of foreclosure. Limps it along one step ahead of the redemption of property taxes. Building deteriorates. Gets stripped. Owner still wants a mint for it, despite the fact that it is now falling apart and impossibly expensive to repair.

When the owner senses that he is running out of luck, he sells moderately high to the city [[or just lets it go). Now the city - with no money to do anything - is left with a still-deteriorating mess [[Metropolitan). Or it's left with a decade-long title fight for a property [[Book-Cadillac). Or it sells it to the next private guy who limps it along a step ahead of foreclosure. The best outcome often is a well-intentioned guy with no money. And that's not even a very good outcome in the grand scheme of things. Should we all lay odds on the Book Building?

The real problem here is a structural one. A lot of things could help:

[[1) Strengthening blight condemnation;

[[2) Allowing the liening of other property [[statewide) of the owner of an abandoned building;

[[3) Instituting a differential tax on unoccupied property;

[[4) Requiring people who insert themselves into the chain of title of these buildings to post bonds sufficient to bring the building to code if they win clear title; and

[[5) Reinstating eminent domain as it existed in the time of Poletown.

We get really hung up on "the City should..." or "So-and-so is a scumbag absentee landlord" but the real issue is that the system essentially rewards real estate waste and then dumps the remains on the city. This needs to be fixed at the source - not when it's too late and too expensive.

The sad reality is that although sometimes beautiful, the public redevelopment of derelict buildings can suck up hugely disproportionate resources relative to the economic activities these structures would provide on their best day [[in fact, most failed when they were intact and largely to code). And in that sense, it's the same way that wounding someone in a platoon of soldiers is more effective a combat technique than killing him - since now his buddies have to carry him along.

Originally Posted by buildingsofdetroit

Yes, of course it COULD be saved. Money solves all ills, right? It is financially not viable. They're saying if it can't be made to work for less-destroyed buildings, it won't work there. And last I heard [[a couple of years ago) Paul Curtis wanted $2 million for the Wurlitzer in its present state. Not gonna happen. Best case scenario? City finds a developer who would renovate it if the building were free; city seizes building for back taxes; city gives it to developer for $1; and the world rejoices. But even at a buck, you need some crazy financing lined up to make these deals work. Look at the Book-Caddy deal.

**esp1986** · January-26-10, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by MDoyle

More deteriorated than Book Caddy was? Really?

There were no structural damage to the Book-Cadillac, there was with the Lafayette, and the belief is that this is the case with the Wurlitzer too... it is this fact that allowed even the most complex financing package to be lined up for the Book-Cadillac. This was not able to be done with the Lafayette, and now appears to be the case with the Wurlitzer... but yes, the structures themselves were what was deteriorating, with these other two, the Book-Cadillac had no such structural damage, even though the deterioration was significant, the structure was still in pretty good shape, good enough to make financing the project possible.

**rjlj** · January-26-10, 10:49 PM

esp1986,

You are making some bold claims based on what???? You shouldn't believe everything you read in the papers. Have you personally read the engineering reports that stated the Lafayette was structurally unsound? This mysterious report seems to be non-existent.

**HazenPingree** · January-27-10, 12:31 AM

Originally Posted by esp1986

There were no structural damage to the Book-Cadillac, there was with the Lafayette, and the belief is that this is the case with the Wurlitzer too... it is this fact that allowed even the most complex financing package to be lined up for the Book-Cadillac. This was not able to be done with the Lafayette, and now appears to be the case with the Wurlitzer... but yes, the structures themselves were what was deteriorating, with these other two, the Book-Cadillac had no such structural damage, even though the deterioration was significant, the structure was still in pretty good shape, good enough to make financing the project possible.

The condition of the BC may have been superior to that of the Lafayette - we will never know. However, even the most fire damaged structure can be rehabilitated and financed.

Just off of Woodward, 71 Garfield is nearly complete. I walked through 71 Garfield during many stages of the building's rehabilitation and I believe that it was in far worse condition that either the Lafayette or BC - no roof, no windows, few intact floors, but it will be restored [[with a marble lobby no less!) It is possible, but such a project just takes the skillful hand of a development professional.