University Club next to fall?

**Mackinaw** · April-01-10, 12:04 PM

okay, so there's no market for classy young alumni hangout spots in Detroit anymore-- sad but true. But the historically significant structure need not be used for that purpose alone. Why can't he put his liquor store inside of the four walls that already there? Why the waste, and why the lack of protection?

**bailey** · April-01-10, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by Mackinaw

okay, so there's no market for classy young alumni hangout spots in Detroit anymore-- sad but true. But the historically significant structure need not be used for that purpose alone. Why can't he put his liquor store inside of the four walls that already there? Why the waste, and why the lack of protection?

Uh, again. This guy bought it after the YWCA ran it into the ground. Where is the condemnation of the YWCA and their incompetent stewardship of this historically significant structure?

Oh, and for the property rights radicals above, you are simply wrong. There are several steps that can intervene between owning a structure and ripping it down to replace it with a liquor store. Including very often historical review of the importance and character of the structure involved. Courts have consistently held that there are overriding public interests that may intercede, and that such restrictions are valid and lawful.

It is my understanding the building is neither on any historical register nor in a historic district. The only thing this guy needs is a demo permit to take it down. historically significant or not, it likely wouldn't matter. See, Baker, Anita, oldest brick structure in Detroit, Little Harry's. See also: IHOP.

**n7hn** · April-01-10, 01:04 PM

SO........ the big question now is.....who is gonna be so outraged.....to file the application for historical status/protection?

and I agree the YWCA should also be somewhat accountable, even just morally. A couple businesses show at that address so apparently they had some rental income off it as well , shame shame

**EastsideAl** · April-01-10, 01:32 PM

Unfortunately, the YWCA was basically broke at the time they left the University Club building. They moved to that building when their old Albert Kahn designed building was slated for demolition for Comerica Park. At the time they hoped that the move to the more prominent location on Jefferson would boost their membership and the number of people using their facilities. Alas, pretty much the opposite happened, and particularly with the competition from the new and better appointed Boll YMCA on Broadway, they soon found themselves with a shrinking membership and an older building they didn't have the funds to maintain.

**Hermod** · April-18-10, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

they soon found themselves with a shrinking membership and an older building they didn't have the funds to maintain.

The University Club was in the same situation.

**bailey** · April-01-10, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by n7hn

SO........ the big question now is.....who is gonna be so outraged.....to file the application for historical status/protection?

and I agree the YWCA should also be somewhat accountable, even just morally. A couple businesses show at that address so apparently they had some rental income off it as well , shame shame

to your first; i'm betting no one.

To your second, let's not let the Club itself off the hook. If Grand Rapids can keep a university club going since the 20s how can the Detroit area not? Hell, just about every major city in the country has a U club. Is there really not a market for it here, but there is one in Phoenix?

**EastsideAl** · April-01-10, 01:56 PM

The University Club went bankrupt in 1992.

I would guess that Grand Rapids has a greater percentage of its business community in the central city than Detroit does. Almost all other sizable cities do. But with the extreme decentralization of business and offices in Detroit, the core population isn't really there for many of old-style clubs like this. The DAC still operates, and Yondetega obviously, there's still a club in the Ren Cen - any others downtown? Is the Detroit Club still active? The Racquet Club?

**bailey** · April-01-10, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

The University Club went bankrupt in 1992.

I would guess that Grand Rapids has a greater percentage of its business community in the central city than Detroit does. Almost all other sizable cities do. But with the extreme decentralization of business and offices in Detroit, the core population isn't really there for many of old-style clubs like this. The DAC still operates, and Yondetega obviously, there's still a club in the Ren Cen - any others downtown? Is the Detroit Club still active? The Racquet Club?

Ok, so Detroit has fallen so far that it can't support a U club. Fine. I'll concede that. Lord knows that a college education is generally a ticket out of here, so I can see how the U Club might have found it hard to recruit. So here we are again... stuck with a purpose built property that no longer has a purpose. Not only does it not have a purpose, its done the standard 20 year Detroit death spiral from functioning but needing repairs building; to incompetent stewards with grandiose ideas; to being destroyed by scrappers; to the final hue and cry over it's inevitable ignominious end.