Potential Problem for Capitol Park Building Neighbor

**leland_palmer** · February-26-10, 08:00 PM

I foresee structural problems for the Romanesque Revival building next to the Capitol Park Building in the near future. I noticed this last weekend. For some reason there is a PVC pipe coming out of the side of the CPB flooding water on the roof of this building. It looks like something that would come out of the evaporator of an A/C unit. It is a few floors above the top of the frame but you can see where the water is initially pooling next to the hut in the uper right hand corner of the photo.

Holy ice dam batman!!!

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**gnome** · February-26-10, 08:55 PM

I believe Dennis Kelfenoriouspopolis or whatever owns that building. I would not be surprised the flooding is an intentional act of sabotage to be able to tear it down. Insurance scam is possible also.

http://dionysiaproperties.com/?id=properties

112 State Street

**Det_ard** · February-26-10, 08:56 PM

Urban ice climbing conceptual art project to call attention to Detroit's commercial real estate problems.

**BVos** · February-26-10, 10:12 PM

That was a building that was previously painted and then Dionysia had it sand blasted off a few years ago. The act of sand blasting brick is never a good idea, but the guys who did the job really hacked up that brick. I walked by it in the morning after they were cleaning up. The soft interior of the face brick was rough and exposed. The bricks won't make it more than 10 years with normal weather, way less than that with icicles draping over them.

**Gsgeorge** · February-26-10, 10:50 PM

Saw this the other day as well. The Capitol Park Building also appears to be shedding some bricks at the roofline. The years of vacancy have certainly taken a toll on the block around Capitol Park.

**davewindsor** · February-26-10, 10:51 PM

How exactly is the PVC pipe sticking out the side related to the ice damn? The ice dam looks like it's caused by a clogged downspout either from something that fell into evestrough or the downspout not draining at the bottom end. I'm sure one of his guys noticed it, but there's nothing the owner can do to unclog the downspout if it's from the top of the building until the ice melts. I don't see structural problems in the future. It'll probably be rectified once its safe to get up there. This is not a building owned by the city like the Lafayette. I'm sure he has some interest in preserving this building for future use.

**leland_palmer** · February-26-10, 11:33 PM

Originally Posted by davewindsor

How exactly is the PVC pipe sticking out the side related to the ice damn? The ice dam looks like it's caused by a clogged downspout either from something that fell into evestrough or the downspout not draining at the bottom end. I'm sure one of his guys noticed it, but there's nothing the owner can do to unclog the downspout if it's from the top of the building until the ice melts. I don't see structural problems in the future. It'll probably be rectified once its safe to get up there. This is not a building owned by the city like the Lafayette. I'm sure he has some interest in preserving this building for future use.

It just though it was odd that one building was draining water onto the roof of another. The placement of the pipe seems odd to me It was a good story and a half above the other roof from what I remember. The pipe might be a new addition. I don't see it in a previous photo of mine. I will try to get a photo next weekend when I am at the Book.

Also the alley and a good portion of Shelby was solid ice from the drainage.

**leland_palmer** · February-26-10, 11:44 PM

Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

Saw this the other day as well. The Capitol Park Building also appears to be shedding some bricks at the roofline. The years of vacancy have certainly taken a toll on the block around Capitol Park.

Here is your damaged brick...
Attachment 5288

The circle is where I THINK I remember seeing the PVC it is not in this shot from last March.
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**Diehard** · February-27-10, 01:43 AM

Damnit. I've had some great experiences in that building. It was solid then, and it'd be a shame to see it go.

**Enduro** · February-27-10, 01:59 AM

Likewise, I lived in it for a few years. The top floor was a mess but the rest was sound.

**Gsgeorge** · February-27-10, 02:01 PM

It doesn't look like anything that can't be fixed. With the recent purchase of this building, you'd think the owners would get on it once Spring comes around. Waiting any longer might seal the fate of this building [[anything is fixable, but, like the Lafayette Building, the costs may become too high for this area).

**esp1986** · February-27-10, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

It doesn't look like anything that can't be fixed. With the recent purchase of this building, you'd think the owners would get on it once Spring comes around. Waiting any longer might seal the fate of this building [[anything is fixable, but, like the Lafayette Building, the costs may become too high for this area).

With the state land bank getting in on the act, with a pretty monumental fix-up of Capitol Park, it wouldn't surprise me to see the area generate some interest one the rehab of buildings like the Farwell are done... but as usual, time will tell...

**rjlj** · February-27-10, 02:33 PM

Dionysia also sand blasted and destroyed the brick that was previously painted on the building located on the corner of Grand River and Griswold. Funny that the title of the .jgp is "Blue-Bldg," it was once painted blue I believe.

http://dionysiaproperties.com/images.../Blue-Bldg.jpg

**mwilbert** · February-27-10, 02:44 PM

It was blue; it used to be Zemco Textiles. My father had to move out of that building after being there for a long time, because they were going to convert the whole thing to condos. I don't think that actually happened. He then moved to the Book Tower, which didn't work out too well.

**Gsgeorge** · February-27-10, 03:38 PM

The buildings look way better now.

**RickBeall** · February-28-10, 12:20 PM

It's come true! We had the Ice House. We now have the Ice Skyscraper. ... Just being flip.

It's a shame that sandblasting the brick weakens it. I wonder if they could put some sort of clear sealant on it? Both buildings certainly look much better after being sand blasted. I love the color of that old reddish orange brick.

**leland_palmer** · March-07-10, 09:35 PM

Attachment 5417
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Here is the previously mentioned PVC. Does this look normal to you? To me it looks like water is being drained from inside the building.

Attachment 5416
I'm not sure what this pipe is doing.