Downtown Secretary of State Center Closes

DetroitDad · March-20-10, 11:32 PM

Detroit Mom and I went to get our licenses renewed Friday, and faced a closed Secretary of State, with a sign on the door saying that it had closed, and to visit their location in Southwest Detroit, near [[I think) the Ambassador Bridge.

Another perk of living Downtown scratched of the list, and another thing that makes Michigan that much less desirable for those who want an urban environment.

**English** · March-20-10, 11:36 PM

Well, there's always downtown Royal Oak, I suppose?

Agreed that this is a bummer.

**HazenPingree** · March-21-10, 12:37 AM

There is still the Secretary of State in New Center.

I've always found it to be pretty efficient.

DetroitDad · March-21-10, 12:44 AM

Originally Posted by HazenPingree

There is still the Secretary of State in New Center.

I've always found it to be pretty efficient.

Yeah, I've been questioning my move to the CBD as of late. Midtown and New Center seem to offer a lot more than Downtown.

**Russix** · March-21-10, 12:44 AM

Major fail.

**Russix** · March-21-10, 12:47 AM

Originally Posted by HazenPingree

There is still the Secretary of State in New Center.

I've always found it to be pretty efficient.

Have you been to the Downtown one? It makes New Center look like a cattlepen. I use to go to New Center till I found the Downtown one, never looked back.

**detr0itkid** · March-21-10, 05:14 AM

the one on washington? I got my new license and rgistration there thursday.

**JohnnyFreddy** · March-21-10, 06:56 AM

I went there about a month ago.
Very overcrowded [[nothing new)
A very impatient man sitting next to me started picking on
another man, who was a return customer, already did his waiting,
told to come back up to the counter.
This impatient man started riding this return customer about what
a punk he was to take cuts, and how come his momma didn't raise
a real man. He got other equally stupid customers all riled up, and pretty
soon half the people were loudly debating whether this return customer
should be able to even be there any more.
The office worker is shouting out her reasons for her decision, then the
security guard finally pipes in for everybody to settle down and be quiet.
The impatient customer then turns to the nearest sympathizer and
disgustedly murmurs, "Man, in jail, we would'a punk'd that fake ass
cop fo'sho!!" and "Look at them small ass hands!!!" [[everybody's laughing)
and finally,"That motherf#@ker don't even carry no gun, sheeeit!!!!!"
Meanwhile, the hapless return customer hurriedly slips out the door, unnoticed.
I got up, and left.
Too many people [[nothing new).

Think maybe any of that was cause for closure?
....just saying.

Bearinabox · March-21-10, 07:12 AM

Originally Posted by JohnnyFreddy

I went there about a month ago.
Very overcrowded [[nothing new)
A very impatient man sitting next to me started picking on
another man, who was a return customer, already did his waiting,
told to come back up to the counter.
This impatient man started riding this return customer about what
a punk he was to take cuts, and how come his momma didn't raise
a real man. He got other equally stupid customers all riled up, and pretty
soon half the people were loudly debating whether this return customer
should be able to even be there any more.
The office worker is shouting out her reasons for her decision, then the
security guard finally pipes in for everybody to settle down and be quiet.
The impatient customer then turns to the nearest sympathizer and
disgustedly murmurs, "Man, in jail, we would'a punk'd that fake ass
cop fo'sho!!" and "Look at them small ass hands!!!" [[everybody's laughing)
and finally,"That motherf#@ker don't even carry no gun, sheeeit!!!!!"
Meanwhile, the hapless return customer hurriedly slips out the door, unnoticed.
I got up, and left.
Too many people [[nothing new).

Think maybe any of that was cause for closure?
....just saying.

Every one of those folks presumably had business with the Secretary of State. Closing that branch would only push them to a different one and compound the overcrowding problem.

Stosh · March-21-10, 07:30 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitDad

Yeah, I've been questioning my move to the CBD as of late. Midtown and New Center seem to offer a lot more than Downtown.

Keep that trend up and you'll be in Royal Oak before long.

**RO_Resident** · March-21-10, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by English

Well, there's always downtown Royal Oak, I suppose?

Agreed that this is a bummer.

The Royal Oak SOS office is at the corner of Woodward and 13 Mile, a fair distance from downtown.

This branch's days are numbered, as Beaumont is planning on expanding into the area currently occupied by the Northwood Shopping Center.

**kraig** · March-21-10, 10:49 AM

Here's the latest info from the SOS. If you think we've got it bad, imagine having to drive all the way from Mt. Clemens to Shelby Township. That's about a 15 to 20 mile drive.

I can imagine that a big problem with being downtown is the higher cost of leasing. The Marquette Building, owned by everyone's favorite shady landlord, Ted Gatzaros, charges a lot per square foot. The SOS was the only one that was able to last that long in that space.

Hopefully, a good, reasonably priced location with adequate parking can be found in the downtown area.

Branch Office Alerts

Please select the Branch Name for more information.

Branch NameBranch AlertDETROIT DOWNTOWN Closed. Consolidated with Detroit Vernor [[Sw Detroit Plus). FARMINGTON HILLS Closed. Consolidated with Southfield [[South Oakland County Plus). LIVONIA AREA SUPER!CENTER Computers down MT CLEMENS DOWNTOWN Closed. Consolidated with Shelby Twp [[Central Macomb County Plus).

**jcole** · March-21-10, 10:52 AM

Isn't one of the reasons that they are closing offices is that a lot of the things they handle can now be processed by mail or online?

**Supersport** · March-21-10, 02:17 PM

Talked to a worker from that branch at the North American International Auto Show this year, was told then that it would be closing. The branch in Mexicantown will become a Super Center, like the one in New Center, with extended hours and Saturday hours. Though I have no complaints about the branch downtown, as it was always fast, the one in New Center was always just as quick. Plus, I would hardly call this abandoning the urban environment, when there are two Super Centers within a couple miles of one another. Both of which are walkable, though perhaps a 30-45 minute trek.

DetroitDad · March-21-10, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by Supersport

Talked to a worker from that branch at the North American International Auto Show this year, was told then that it would be closing. The branch in Mexicantown will become a Super Center, like the one in New Center, with extended hours and Saturday hours. Though I have no complaints about the branch downtown, as it was always fast, the one in New Center was always just as quick. Plus, I would hardly call this abandoning the urban environment, when there are two Super Centers within a couple miles of one another. Both of which are walkable, though perhaps a 30-45 minute trek.

True, but the reason one would want to live in the Central Business District is because it is supposed to be the center of government, business, employment, and commerce transactions. It seems more and more like the only benefit is so that your next to a stadium, or maybe live in a tall building.

**Jman** · March-21-10, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitDad

True, but the reason one would want to live in the Central Business District is because it is supposed to be the center of government, business, employment, and commerce transactions. It seems more and more like the only benefit is so that your next to a stadium, or maybe live in a tall building.

The center of government as far as secretary of state goes would be Lansing.

ferntruth · March-21-10, 03:12 PM

More poaching by LBP, I bet..

DC48080 · March-21-10, 03:19 PM

Why do some people get so upset because one Sec. of State branch closed? Afterall, how many times in a year do most people visit an SoS office? Maybe once a year in order to renew license plates? And then even that can be done online or by mail.

But I guess it gives some folks one more thing to complain about online and to somehow spin into a slight against Detroit.

ferntruth · March-21-10, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by DC48080

Why do some people get so upset because one Sec. of State branch closed? Afterall, how many times in a year do most people visit an SoS office? Maybe once a year in order to renew license plates? And then even that can be done online or by mail.

But I guess it gives some folks one more thing to complain about online and to somehow spin into a slight against Detroit.

Has anyone spun this into anti-Detroit? If anything, it's anti-Michigan or anti-SOS.
The city has little [[if any) say in what SOS offices stay and which ones close.

EastSider · March-21-10, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by kraig

Here's the latest info from the SOS. If you think we've got it bad, imagine having to drive all the way from Mt. Clemens to Shelby Township. That's about a 15 to 20 mile drive.

It's 10 miles between the old location and the Shelby office, but there's already a super location at 16 & Gratiot for Mt. Clemens people. Why SOS insisted on announcing the "consolidation" the way they did, I'll never understand. They should have just said, "This tiny place is closed; go south 2 miles."