Hotel tear-down in Hazel Park

**Huggybear** · May-02-10, 06:41 PM

If you've been up I-75 and and stuck in traffic near 9 Mile, you'll be able to see that the former La Quinta/Days Inn/etc. [[eight or so floors) is being torn down.

And if you really slow down, you can see the sign explaining that it is being replaced with a CVS.

So what happened there?

**Hermod** · May-02-10, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by Huggybear

If you've been up I-75 and and stuck in traffic near 9 Mile, you'll be able to see that the former La Quinta/Days Inn/etc. [[eight or so floors) is being torn down.

And if you really slow down, you can see the sign explaining that it is being replaced with a CVS.

So what happened there?

Best guess, clientele deteriorated as expense account type moved further north on their Detroit visits. Finally went from budget hotel to hot sheet house to mix of drug parties and hookers. Either the owner got tired of it or the chain pulled his franchise. CVS looking for cheap property made the owner an offer he couldn't refuse. Why CVS needs so many locations is beyond me, but they are very profitable doing what they do.

**Zacha341** · May-02-10, 07:12 PM

"Hot sheet house"!!! Yeck! LOL! Yeah there was a Walgreens not far away that just went under then I saw the CVS sign go up. Then the bull dozers came.

Originally Posted by Hermod

Best guess, clientele deteriorated as expense account type moved further north on their Detroit visits. Finally went from budget hotel to hot sheet house to mix of drug parties and hookers. Either the owner got tired of it or the chain pulled his franchise. CVS looking for cheap property made the owner an offer he couldn't refuse. Why CVS needs so many locations is beyond me, but they are very profitable doing what they do.

**softailrider** · May-02-10, 07:39 PM

Last owner was that guy from One Management over on the East side of Detroit. I can't think of his name right now. Some foreign guy, Jerry or something .When I heard he bought it I knew that was going to be the end of that place. Whatever property he has doesn't end up looking real pretty.

**softailrider** · May-02-10, 07:42 PM

I hit reply too quick. I'm sure he mortgaged that place and grabbed the money. He never ran it as a hotel or any other business after he bought it.

**cmubryan** · May-02-10, 08:32 PM

I believe it was built as a Holiday Inn 40+ years ago. Eventually popularity declined and became a Comfort Inn [[I believe) or some ChoiceÂ® Hotel, then La Casa [[independent hotel), then it was closed for a short period and reopened as the Days Hotel. From what I understand, it was doing okay but was suddenly shut down as the owner foreclosed some time last year.

It's a shame, it looks like it had the potential to be a decent hotel once upon a time. Not its going to be replaced with a typical CVS [[one of the many hundreds that dot the area).

**DLife** · May-02-10, 09:43 PM

The previous guy running the hotel couldn't keep up with payments to the owner and CVS offered a nice deal. The city than put a zoning law stating no more drugstores could be built in that area. The owner sued and the city of Hazel Park eventually settled for having a Tim Hortons built as part of CVS project or they will get 100,000 if the Tim Hortons doesn't get built. Hazel Park already has a CVS on 9 mile 5 blocks East and one on John R between 9 and 10 mile Rd. Both locations will likely close when the new store is built.

**detroitsgwenivere** · May-02-10, 10:12 PM

My friends from Ferndale, HP, and south of 8 mile used to throw afterparties there regularly, some of which were completely out of hand. The centralized location was perfect, it sat across from a McD's and was walking distance from a couple of the bars we frequented. The views were great for the price too. But the place was usually pretty deserted during the week, and I'm sure the police were tired of dealing with drunken teen parties, elevator fistfights, pirate hookers, and the occasional overdose.

Once upon a time, when my ex-boyfriend's mom managed the McD's, she saw someone jump to their death from one of the top balconies of that place.

**Zacha341** · May-02-10, 10:54 PM

Yikes! Jumped or pushed

... that place was wild!!

Originally Posted by detroitsgwenivere

...Once upon a time, when my ex-boyfriend's mom managed the McD's, she saw someone jump to their death from one of the top balconies of that place.

**FlyingJ** · May-03-10, 01:58 AM

Yeah, it was a Holiday Inn. I always thought a sniper would someday get up there & light up I-75...i never thought that some numbnuts would take out the overpass instead!

**lizaanne** · May-03-10, 08:56 AM

I live in the area - it is a long time coming, and I can't wait to see that horrible eyesore go!!! Hookers, drugs, suicides - we don't need that garbage. So here is what I've heard - the CVS on 9 Mile will move to this new location along with a Tim Horton's. A fitness club of some sort will move into the CVS location. No leads on when this is going to happen, the folks who work at the CVS don't even have any idea.

I'll have a party when it's finally gone - what a pit.

**rb336** · May-03-10, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by detroitsgwenivere

I'm sure the police were tired of dealing with drunken teen parties, elevator fistfights, pirate hookers...

Pirate hookers? is there a big market out there for hookers with peg legs or hooks for hands?

**Ed Golick** · May-03-10, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by rb336

Pirate hookers? is there a big market out there for hookers with peg legs or hooks for hands?

Arrr! There ain't no booty like pirate booty!

**detroitsgwenivere** · May-03-10, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

Pirate hookers? is there a big market out there for hookers with peg legs or hooks for hands?

Take a few laps up or down John R just south of 8 mile during the day and you'll see what I mean. But watch out for their daddys, the police have a way of letting them out the same day.

**Zacha341** · May-03-10, 09:25 PM

Yeck! What a "clockwork orange" moment that would have been! Yeah, great that it's being torn down!!!!!

Originally Posted by FlyingJ

Yeah, it was a Holiday Inn. I always thought a sniper would someday get up there & light up I-75...i never thought that some numbnuts would take out the overpass instead!

**Zacha341** · May-03-10, 09:26 PM

Argh, do they bathe? LOL!

Originally Posted by rb336

Pirate hookers? is there a big market out there for hookers with peg legs or hooks for hands?

Stosh · May-03-10, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Argh, do they bathe? LOL!

Aye. In the big ceement ponds on the 10th floor

**smogboy** · May-03-10, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by lizaanne

A fitness club of some sort will move into the CVS location.

Anyone think this fitness club will compete with that new monstrosity at 696 & Woodward, the LA Fitness facility that looks more like a small stadium?

**Hermod** · May-04-10, 04:56 AM

Originally Posted by smogboy

Anyone think this fitness club will compete with that new monstrosity at 696 & Woodward, the LA Fitness facility that looks more like a small stadium?

LA Fitness gyms always look big and fancy, but they never have enough machines for the size of their membership. After a while, people that want to work out go somewhere more friendly and accessible where they don't have to line up to use a machine.

.

**factoryrat** · May-06-10, 05:30 PM

The city Council & company have a tear it down mentality,when considering buildings and homes.
I would have loved to see this building turned into loft spaces.

Stosh · May-06-10, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by factoryrat

The city Council & company have a tear it down mentality,when considering buildings and homes.
I would have loved to see this building turned into loft spaces.

That is true. But that hotel wasn't the greatest building on earth either, and no architectural gem. Besides, the council doesn't own it, so basically it's up to the owner to get whatever ROI he can. In this case, he chose to demo.

9mile&seneca · May-07-10, 04:53 AM

Speaking of buildings being turned into health clubs, a classmate of mine in second grade's father worked for Reynolds Aluminum. He took a few of us boys into their offices in Southfield. It was a cool looking building, and inside were all sorts of things involved with NASA, including a state of the art[[1966) treadmill made with light weight aluminum. The building later became a health club.

**One Shot** · May-07-10, 10:16 AM

According to my mom who grew up in HP that is the location of the original high school. She was lucky to leave there and attend at the new building which is the current high school.

Stosh · May-13-10, 10:32 PM

Caption this please....

**detroitsgwenivere** · May-13-10, 11:12 PM

" A harrowing experience for Detroiters today when a jumbo jet was flown into a local Hazel Park hotel in what can only be described as a terrorist attack..."