Anyone live at 1300 E Lafaytte

**detroitbob** · May-14-10, 04:43 PM

I have a friend moving back to Detroit from New York city and asked me if about 1300...I have not been in the building in years...any residents out there who wish to share opinions of the building today?

**SaintMe** · May-14-10, 05:03 PM

http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate...te-Towers.html

It only has a 28% rating on this site. Surprised, because I thought this was supposed to be one of Detroit's ubiquitous gems.

**SaintMe** · May-14-10, 05:19 PM

My bad, wrong building.

**detroitbob** · May-14-10, 05:45 PM

Easy mistake..the Towers over on Orleans has seen better days...1300 is a coop building.

**factoryrat** · May-14-10, 06:32 PM

Across the street from those apt's is the Chrysler school, one of my Grandpa's last projects as an architect.

**Patrick** · May-14-10, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by factoryrat

Across the street from those apt's is the Chrysler school, one of my Grandpa's last projects as an architect.

Who was your grandfather? Please tell us more about his projects.

**Django** · May-14-10, 09:46 PM

I worked there for a minute. Nice enough place. I know Carl Levin kept/keeps a place there, I moved his dresser. The staff I worked with were very professional and did there job well. My standards may be of question though.

**factoryrat** · May-15-10, 12:00 AM

Patrick,
My Grandfather was Nathaniel O. Gould, he and my Great Grand Father Aaron H. Gould [[ Aaron H. Gould and son ) did mostly municipal buildings for Wayne County.
The list seems to be ever expanding, but this is what I know at this point in time:
Wayne county Morgue/ all
Wayne county home for the feeble minded/ aka Wayne county training school/ some
Wayne county youth detention/ some or all
Wayne county womans detention / some or all
Eloise mental hospital./ some
Chrysler Elem. school/ some or all.

**stasu1213** · May-15-10, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by detroitbob

I have a friend moving back to Detroit from New York city and asked me if about 1300...I have not been in the building in years...any residents out there who wish to share opinions of the building today?

I know a couple of people who used to live in Lafayette Towers. They both had moved for the reasons of all elevators are not running, questionable characters were allowed to be residents, water was not on at times. They had said the buildings had seen better days under Habitat

**esp1986** · May-15-10, 03:18 PM

Originally Posted by detroitbob

I have a friend moving back to Detroit from New York city and asked me if about 1300...I have not been in the building in years...any residents out there who wish to share opinions of the building today?

1300 is not too bad. Have a friend living there, and is relatively nice. There is always a doorman/lobby attendant. Pretty secure with secure parking too... 5 minute stroll from downtown. I don't know what the prices are like, but the apartments are nice, not trashy.

**48202** · May-16-10, 09:14 AM

I’m familiar with 1300 Lafayette. The lobby, elevators, and hallways were redone a few years ago, and are well maintained. All of the windows were replaced, and are insulated glass. The units have great views if you’re above the trees. There are two outdoor swimming pools, which got some major repairs last year. The building is a co-op - it is owned by the tenants.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1300_La...st_Cooperative

Detroitbob, does your friend want to purchase or to rent?

**Whitehouse** · May-16-10, 10:19 AM

Huh?

Must be this I think.
View from the top must be awesome.

Listen to this.

Luxurious, architecturally significant 1300 was designed by Gunnar Birkerts and built in 1961. It is among the most important architectural landmarks in the city of Detroit.

Rest of it seems nice.

As you enter the luxurious marble lobby, reminiscent of an era of elegance, you are welcomed by a friendly, professional door attendant. This is your entry to gracious living. 1300 features 286 spacious residences with dramatic window views of the city and Detroit River. Select from studios, one, two, three, and four bedroom residences. Private parking is below in a convenient two-story underground garage. 1300 is a complete community with grand common areas, community rooms and an in-building store and deli.

**esp1986** · May-16-10, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by Whitehouse

Huh?

Must be this I think.
View from the top must be awesome.

Listen to this.

Rest of it seems nice.

and you are greeted, "yo, whatup, dawg?"

**48202** · May-16-10, 10:57 AM

Whitehouse, you must have worked pretty hard with Google Earth to get that image of Chrysler Elementary School, across the street from 1300 E. Lafayette. Of course, that's the school that factoryrat was talking about.

**Whitehouse** · May-16-10, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by 48202

Whitehouse, you must have worked pretty hard with Google Earth to get that image of Chrysler Elementary School, across the street from 1300 E. Lafayette. Of course, that's the school that factoryrat was talking about.

You're referring to the first pic I guess. Was the rest correct?

**5speedz34** · May-17-10, 04:41 PM

I knew someone living in there a year ago, her uncle owned it. The lobby is very pretty and aside from the fact that the building architecturally is dated I think it's gorgeous!

**Hamtragedy** · May-17-10, 10:37 PM

They have been making an effort at 1300 E Lafayette to minimize the amount of absentee landlords in the building. As a result, several of these units are coming in at extremely affordable prices. I know of a corner unit on the 14 th floor last year that sold between 50-60K, move in ready. I work in another unit down there and ride the tiny freight elevator every so often. Neighbors are considerate and friendly. Security is fairly tight, and if an incident does occur, a sign is posted in all the elevators to alert everyone of the heightened security.

**5speedz34** · May-18-10, 02:28 AM

I know when I was there the doorman instantly called up to the person I was seeing to make sure I was expected. Overall I think the building is very nice, but that's what you get when the residents actually care about how their "neighborhood" looks.

One downside is that Lafayette's Streetlights aren't the greatest and are pretty hit or miss. Unlike other high-rises in the city you get the beauty of being right next to a park, Greek Town, Dequindre Cut, etc.

**GPCharles** · May-18-10, 07:18 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

I know a couple of people who used to live in Lafayette Towers. They both had moved for the reasons of all elevators are not running, questionable characters were allowed to be residents, water was not on at times. They had said the buildings had seen better days under Habitat

Lafayette Towers [[two buildings) and 1300 Lafayette are two different things.

Lafayette Towers are a pair of apartment buildings on the downtown side of the Dequindre Cut, north side of Lafayette.

1300 Lafayette is a coop on the east side of the Dequindre Cut, south side of Lafayette.

**kryptonite** · May-18-10, 07:33 AM

I know three people that live in 1300 Lafayette. One couple has lived there as long as I have known them, which would have been early 1990's and are happy living there . Another friend moved there about three years ago and has not said anything negative about it.

I think the re-do of the windows was hideous but I also heard that the original windows were terrible and the tenants were supportive of replacing them. Originally it was great a looking Mies Van der Rohe arhcitecture design, but the replacement of glass harmed the appearance of the building in my opinion. But if the tenants wanted the glass replaced then that was their decision.

**kryptonite** · May-18-10, 07:35 AM

Now I recall a fourth person I know who has lived there for several years, maybe 20-some years. I will contact Mikeinmotown, a current resident and see if he can post any information.

**punky1** · May-18-10, 08:46 AM

Sorry, cannot add anything about the current situation there. Does bring back memories from the mid 70s. Had a very good friend who lived up on the 27th floor, city side. Had floor to ceiling, wall to wall window. What a fantastic view. Was a very secure building then. A ride in the elevator with a resident, one usually got quizzed in a nice friendly way by the resident as to who you were and who were you visiting. That being said, my friend came home from work one day and found that her neighbor's apt. had been raided by the DPD. They really tore up the place, even the furniture...looking for drugs. Was a big surprise to find out that the neighbor was a drug dealer.

**mikeinmotown** · May-18-10, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by detroitbob

I have a friend moving back to Detroit from New York city and asked me if about 1300...I have not been in the building in years...any residents out there who wish to share opinions of the building today?

I moved there 2 years ago. I love living there. I bought a 2 bedroom corner unit. Gutted it and it is beautiful. A few of my suburban friends are considering moving there too. The building is in excellent condition. The landscaping is beautiful. I tell everyone it's Detroit's best kept secret. I walk to most places downtown. I feel very safe there. I highly recommend it.

**mikeinmotown** · May-18-10, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by factoryrat

Patrick,
My Grandfather was Nathaniel O. Gould, he and my Great Grand Father Aaron H. Gould [[ Aaron H. Gould and son ) did mostly municipal buildings for Wayne County.
The list seems to be ever expanding, but this is what I know at this point in time:
Wayne county Morgue/ all
Wayne county home for the feeble minded/ aka Wayne county training school/ some
Wayne county youth detention/ some or all
Wayne county womans detention / some or all
Eloise mental hospital./ some
Chrysler Elem. school/ some or all.

You should think about doing a web site on their work. People would love to see it.

**DetBill** · May-18-10, 02:03 PM

I live at 1300 Lafayette also, I had lived there from 1990-1993, then moved across the street for 10 years in the townhouses [[ great area also), moved to Huntington Woods for three years then back to 1300 and just bought a larger corner unit at 1300 . Its a great place to live, I still think its the best bang for the buck in the city. Very safe, great people, good services [[ doorman, package receiving clerk), great workout room, pools, your cars are safe and there are many, many convieniences to walk to. [[ greektown, ball games,riverfront, downtown etc..). The present board is doing a great job of keeping the place up and improving it.. Also, the views are great. Most of my suburban friends are always telling me if the whole city was like this ,we would have no problems. Everybody would live here. I agree.. I strongly recommend it. Some great deals now also.

Incidentally re the window replacement project, I lived the first time there with the old windows, they were terrible, sound wise, heat wise , if you boiled water your whole place fogged up, it was always cold near them with frost on them [[inside) in very cold weather and very loud road noise. Replacing the windows was the best thing they could have done. They are nice tinted double paned windows, quiet and elegant looking from the inside with very nice frames. Only they forgot to put drip moldings on the outside.. No comparison to what you had to put up with before. It was a very wise investment in the building.