Capitol Park

**dover627** · April-08-10, 09:44 AM

Interesting article on Capitol Park. I've seen a couple of similar articles lately about how that may be the next "hot spot" for development and would be curious to see what people think about the viability of that.

Of course, the Book Cadillac is a great catalyst, but that area seems to lack the momentum needed to create the sense of place needed. I think it would be great to see the area develop, but just not sure how to make it work...

http://www.metromodemedia.com/featur...lpark0158.aspx

EastSider · April-08-10, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by dover627

I think it would be great to see the area develop, but just not sure how to make it work...

Step one, clear out the bums, drug dealers and other assorted criminal underclass.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · April-08-10, 02:00 PM

Given the location and scale of the area, plus the existence of the park itself in the center, it certainly seems like it SHOULD be a prime area for redevelopment. It sure would be if it were in any other major city.

**esp1986** · April-08-10, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by DetroiterOnTheWestCoast

Given the location and scale of the area, plus the existence of the park itself in the center, it certainly seems like it SHOULD be a prime area for redevelopment. It sure would be if it were in any other major city.

There is a plan in the works... a few months back, the Farwell Building was sold to the state land bank... one of a few properties they now own in Capitol Park. But Mr. Higgins, being the no-good property owner that he is just sat on the property, and with it being at the center of the area, made it an important one for the redevelopment, he took the state land bank for a ride to the tune of $3.3 million. There are a ton of vacant plots in that area as well as a number of buildings that may be beyond repair, with significant exterior damage. John Ferchill, owner of the nearby Book-Cadillac Hotel, has expressed an interest in the area a few times now, and admitted a few months back that he, too, was interested in the Farwell.

Seeing as the state is taking the lead with this area, I wouldn't be suprised to see a bunch of developers flock to this area, with all of the vacant plots, even a developer who doesn't have the deep pockets and historical preservation know-how of Ferchill could put up a new small scale development of 3 to 5 stories.

**kathy2trips** · April-08-10, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by EastSider

Step one, clear out the bums, drug dealers and other assorted criminal underclass.

Amen to that! Take a page from their own playbook. Annoy them, prominently display NRA stickers in windows, watch them on CCTV, make their lifestyle impossible to maintain. A strong organization of residents and business owners is key. This sleeping on the sidewalks cr@p has got to go.

Bearinabox · April-08-10, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by kathy2trips

Amen to that! Take a page from their own playbook. Annoy them, prominently display NRA stickers in windows, watch them on CCTV, make their lifestyle impossible to maintain. A strong organization of residents and business owners is key. This sleeping on the sidewalks cr@p has got to go.

I don't know what homeless people are like in the boondocks of Houston, but in Detroit they don't usually display NRA stickers in windows or watch people on CCTV. Just sayin'.

**Diehard** · April-08-10, 03:27 PM

With Cafe D'Mongo's and [[when it's open) the Urban Bean, it's got a start. D'Mongo's is packed on Fridays and Saturdays with the young, hip types that you need to bring an area like that back. Renovating and reopening the Farwell would be huge.
The bums and crazy people are a problem, but it's not nearly as bad as it was 10-15 years ago.

**esp1986** · April-08-10, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by Diehard

With Cafe D'Mongo's and [[when it's open) the Urban Bean, it's got a start. D'Mongo's is packed on Fridays and Saturdays with the young, hip types that you need to bring an area like that back. Renovating and reopening the Farwell would be huge.
The bums and crazy people are a problem, but it's not nearly as bad as it was 10-15 years ago.

I remember from a few years back when Higgins signed Beal to renovate the Farwell, that they said it would have 60 residential loft units... so this building alone being renovated could be huge...

**wolverine** · April-08-10, 06:17 PM

They could make panhandling and loitering illegal in that area. We'll it's a park right? The good thing is laws against loitering are flexible when being enforced depending on what is deemed "acceptable use of a park"