Parking lot next to Roosevelt hotel

[mcsdetroitfriend]

mmmm Slows Burgers are amazing, chances are Phillip helped fund this so I can't wait to taste the new burgers at this place!

[staticstate]

can you snow plow a parking lot surface like that? you'd think you'd rip it up pretty easily.

[mcsdetroitfriend]

Community Parking lot according to Slows FB page

[JJD]

There is a link to another example of permeable pavers being used in Detroit in another thread [[development at 2nd and prentis). They used them behind the Motor City Brewery to create a green alley. This alley looks awesome, and the wiki site for the green garage even shows the before and after pictures of the alley after a heavy rainfall. Big difference. Plus IMHO, these pavers look so much better than an asphalt parking lot.

[Rocko]

I drove by on Michigan Avenue this afternoon expecting to see cars parked in the parking lot. Instead, I saw a boom truck parked there and the boom raised with two guys working up near the roof on the north side of the Roosevelt Hotel. When I looked closer, it appeared as though some new windows had been installed on the second story on that north side. Was I seeing things? Granted, this was from some distance, but hopefully something will come of it!

[ggcanfield]

That would be this:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...-inchervention
photos of project in progress with crane:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...rvention/posts

[mcsdetroitfriend]

I drove by on Michigan Avenue this afternoon expecting to see cars parked in the parking lot. Instead, I saw a boom truck parked there and the boom raised with two guys working up near the roof on the north side of the Roosevelt Hotel. When I looked closer, it appeared as though some new windows had been installed on the second story on that north side. Was I seeing things? Granted, this was from some distance, but hopefully something will come of it!

I drove by there on the 4th, wasn't too comfortable parking however...there was a mini-van with its door half open, tires popped, and hood not quite closed....granted it was parked on the curb, not the parking lot.

THOUGH

Apparently according to one of the guys in charge of the Imagination Station, the Roosevelt was bought at auction last week. Soon, when funds are accrued, a neon sign with Doves and the words "No Vacancies" will be hung from the side of the hotel as well as more new windows.

Attachment 7726
Attachment 7727 [[this one from Facebook)

[buildingsofdetroit]

It's part of an installation by the Hygienic Dress League. Read more here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...on/posts/37184

Raised $5K for the project.

The Roosevelt was bought at auction by Dennis Kefallinos for more than $30,000 a few weeks ago.

[Dan]

"The Roosevelt was bought at auction by Dennis Kefallinos for more than $30,000 a few weeks ago."

Ugh.

[mcsdetroitfriend]

at least this guy has a good success rate with the buildings he owns

[Rocko]

I was really hoping Southwest Housing Solutions had picked up the Roosevelt....oh well.

[Pcm]

at least this guy has a good success rate with the buildings he owns

I don't know how true that is...

There are a lot of buildings in his portfolio that are completely unsecured and falling apart. There are a lot that are occupied, too, even though he doesn't have the best reputation as a landlord around town. I lived in one of his buildings for a year and a half.

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

The America hotel across from the Temple bar is a good example. Until about a year ago, the place was sealed shut and scrapper-free. Just take a look at it now.

[Neilr]

at least this guy has a good success rate with the buildings he owns

Hmm... Take a look at Shapero Hall on the western edge of Lafayette Park.

[SWMAP]

He bought the beautiful old YMCA on Clark St when the YMCA Board bailed on SW Detroit. Pewabic tile pool and all. It is derelect and empty now. Boarded up and for sale, as well. He made a lot of promises that he didn't keep.

[mcsdetroitfriend]

Damn
See I don't understand why these guys need to pick up all these buildings. I understand the point of wanting to have the land for future use, but why let the building fall apart.

Protect your investments, or if you don't want the place get rid of it instead of leaving an eye-sore and making you look like an asshole that doesn't care

[Pcm]

November 05, 2010 3:02 PM
Corktown’s Roosevelt Hotel sold to Boydell Development Co.

By Gary Anglebrandt

The shuttered Roosevelt Hotel in Corktown has been sold to Dennis Kefallinos, owner of a variety of properties in Detroit.
Kefallinos is the owner loft apartment buildings and businesses in the city, including Niki’s Pizza and Loco Bar & Grill in Greektown, and the River Park Lofts and Lafayette Lofts.
Chris Mihailovich, a property manager for Kefallinos' Detroit-based Boydell Development Co., confirmed the sale but would not disclose the price or say what the plans are for the property.
According to the Wayne County Register of Deeds, the property was foreclosed on Sept. 17.
The hotel was reportedly sold by Wayne County at auction on Oct. 25 for $37,500, said Jeff DeBruyn, president of the Corktown Residents’ Council. DeBruyn is also one of the people leading the nonprofit Imagination Station community art project right next door to the hotel. The nonprofit sought to purchase the Roosevelt at the auction as part of its growing project.
The Imagination Station consists of two neighboring houses the nonprofit picked up from the county for $500 each. The nonprofit recently acquired the rights to buy five empty lots to the south, as well.
Kefallinos is credited with saving properties in Detroit that otherwise would have remained empty, including the Russell Industrial Center, which he owns. The center is associated with The Russell Center for Creative Arts, a nonprofit.
He’s also the owner of Bouzouki’s, a strip club in Greektown.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...development-co

[Debbiedo]

I am reluctant to celebrate any sort of parking lot development, seeing as downtown is already a massive patchwork of parking lots. I question Slow's need for additional parking, as business does not appear to suffer in the slightest from the current parking situation. The place is always packed. However, there are rumors of a new restaurant coming soon to the former Mercury Coffee location, so that will likely add to the demand. Lots of people seem to think parking is the solution to successful development, but it's my opinion that Slow's has done fine without extra parking. C'est la vie...

The former Mercury Coffee location is set to reopen in March as a gourmet hamburger resturant; the Mercury Burger Bar, I meet the new owners, Dave and Dennis at Slow's. The Mercury Burger Bar sounds great. Gourmet hamburgers sound so yummy. There’s a real nitch for that type of restaurant. There’s nothing like that in the area. The owners say that they will be serving breakfast too. Is Corktown is becoming the new restaurant row.

[preserve]

Heh, the White Castle is right down the road????

[mcsdetroitfriend]

Heh, the White Castle is right down the road????

I hope I sense sarcasm...gourmet burgers vs. white castle? Although White Castle did used to be even closer back in the 1960's it was right next to the Roosevelt Warehouse!