What is going on at Red Wings arena site?

**mikeg19** · February-23-18, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by Zads07

Curbed Detroit put together a small sample of street view pictures of demolition's by Ilitch in the Cass Corridor and Foxtown.

https://detroit.curbed.com/2018/2/23...e-parking-lots

You beat me to it.

Looking at the before and after........My God. Sometimes you forget unless you see it, but man oh man were there some decent buildings that we lost for a fricking parking lot. It's unreal.

**Bham1982** · February-23-18, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

Guys, why haven't you learned that Bham knows all and obviously everything he says is to be taken seriously and without reproach? Therefore, it's better to just ignore him because we are futile to his omniscient power.

Whatever works, I guess.

If you choose to ignore actual home sales data, and just blame the messenger, go with it. Ignorance is bliss.

**mikeg19** · March-12-18, 08:20 AM

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...osed/32849035/

Per Detroit News, it appears that part of the options being evaluated for the JLA site do include removing excess ramps/streets and the "tubes" near JLA to deconstruct the overabundance of infrastructure. Glad to see they are taking into consideration this issue.

**Zads07** · March-31-18, 09:26 AM

More issues between Olympia and Harry's Bar.

This is no surprise seeing this happen again, since it already happened once before.

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/..._content=wdiv4

**royce** · April-01-18, 02:19 AM

Harry seems like a nice guy and is calling the police when Olympia/Illitches put up barriers illegally to block access to his bar. I say Harry is a nice guy because if I was him, I’d smash up those barriers and throw their broken pieces in front of one of the entrances to LCA. Make Olympia clean it up. And if they did it again, I would do the same thing.

**EGrant** · April-02-18, 09:35 AM

All the more reason to grab a beer and a burger at Harry's and not the overpriced, salty garbage at Kid Rock's bar or whatever else they have at the arena.

**Zads07** · May-16-18, 04:54 PM

https://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...use/607699002/

Appears the house next to the big garage on Cass could be coming down soon. Sad really, it's quite a beautiful home from an era long gone and with the right money could've been fixed up into apartments or a restaurant or even a small office.

I would like to know a few things: 1. Why is this happening now and not prior to the arena construction? 2. Why is this happening to just this building and not the many others that could be condemned? 3. Is Ilitch behind it so he can profit off the land? 4. Why doesn't this happen to Ilitch-owned buildings?

**bibs** · May-16-18, 09:46 PM

1.) I think it is happening now because construction is complete. LCA and the city probably are trying to clean up the area.
2.) The last thing a slumlord wants to have is expenditures when there is no cash flow. The condemnation might force the owner to sell. Also, I think the other properties are Ilitch owned and they have a working relationship with the city. This owner is a speculator and hold out. 3.) You might be right. 4.) Ilitch family has done alot for the city and they get breaks that the small guy can't get. Also if you are d$ck you get screwed.

**emu steve** · May-17-18, 03:21 AM

Ilitches don't own the land and house.

They are trying to buy the cleared land OR land and house and apparently have been for some time. That is in the article.

The owner is trying to maximize the selling price which might be to permit the property to remain derelict as long as legally possible.

The re-development question: Is this land key to starting another project?

If the city wanted to put the screws [[or maybe just be fair) they should raise the assessed value to say 1/2 of the asking price. The owner can't have it both ways say it is worth 5M on the market and have an assessed value reflective of a distressed property.

**emu steve** · May-17-18, 03:56 AM

Originally Posted by Zads07

https://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...use/607699002/

Appears the house next to the big garage on Cass could be coming down soon. Sad really, it's quite a beautiful home from an era long gone and with the right money could've been fixed up into apartments or a restaurant or even a small office.

Your logic is a head scratcher:

1). Someone has bought this property in 2002 and held onto it hoping to hit the 'lottery' with it, not as a fixer up house.

2). If the present owners wanted to do something to the house to save it they have only had 16 years to do so. The electrical fire happened years ago. They have shown no interest in rehabbing the house.

3). The owner and Olympia have been unable to agree on a deal. Doubt anyone else would bid serious bucks on it.

4). The present owners could spend hundred thousand to fix the property up and have a 'nice house' but wouldn't they rather sell it for millions to Olympia. Say it is worth 500 - 750K fixed up vs. say 3- 4M as development land for Olympia, what would the owner likely choose? I'm guessing they want 3M, 4M or even, good luck, 5M.

**southen** · May-17-18, 08:30 AM

Isn't it frustrating when people sit on properties like this to the detriment of the neighborhood? I wonder how many blight tickets Olympia has received for all of their properties in the area...

**emu steve** · May-17-18, 08:46 AM

Getting back to Zads' comments.

I think the city has probably exhausted their patience and forbearance on this property assuming that the owner[[s) would do something with the property.

Yet, the owner has done nothing including sell it.

For those who don't remember this case, and it happened, a case in the 1970s when a hold out Atlantic City landowner refuses to sell.

It was ugly. The two parties to this bigger saga, other than the lady, were Bob Guccione and Donald Trump. [[hint: Storm Daniels was not the first time Donald Trump and porn were used in the same sentence).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vera_Coking

P.S. I've seen this same saga happen in other cities.

**bust** · May-17-18, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by emu steve

Getting back to Zads' comments.

I think the city has probably exhausted their patience and forbearance on this property assuming that the owner[[s) would do something with the property.

Yet, the owner has done nothing including sell it.

Emu Steve, has there ever in the history of Detroit been a property owner who has sat on so many properties and let them rot as Olympia? And architecturally important ones in key areas on top of that. When it comes to the Ilitches the city's patience and forbearance seems endless. Like Southen, I wonder how many blight tickets Olympia has received. I doubt many. Why the double standard? They city's and yours. ALL property owners need to be held accountable for their neglect.

**emu steve** · May-17-18, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by bust

Emu Steve, your comment would be just as apprropriate were it in response to Southen's. Has there ever in the history of Detroit been a property owner who has sat on so many properties and let them rot as Olympia? And architecturally important ones in key areas on top of that. Except when it comes to the Ilitches a terrible double standard applies. Like Southen, I wonder how many blight tickets they've received. I doubt many.

In all due regard, I am sometimes asked to stay on topic [[don't mix a Gilbert and an Ilitch action).

The topic is property owned by someone, not Ilitches/Olympia for 16 years which has gone into disrepair due to a fire and nothing has been done by the owners or the city.

**bust** · May-17-18, 10:14 AM

The list of vacant properties the Ilitches / Olympia own that lay rotting exceeds many dozen. They've owned many if not most of them for more than 16 years and have done little or nothing to protect them, let alone to bring them back online. Their strategy seems to be demolition by neglect. Or worse, simple demolition. How many dozen have they already leveled for surface parking? Many were historically and/or architecturally significant.

Loveland even has an area designated the "Ilitch Surface Parking District". Check out the property ownership there:

https://makeloveland.com/dfc/neighborhoods/975#b=none

Sorry, but it's incredibly hypocritical for the same person who incessantly praises the Ilitch family to be critical of the very same negligence they are guilty of, much worse.

PS: You quoted my post as I was in the middle of editing it, but I'll leave it.

**emu steve** · May-17-18, 10:21 AM

I still say the two relevant topics according to the Freep article:

1). What has, is or will happen to the house/parcel pending action by the the city.

2). [[this is mine): What would the parcel be used for if Olympia acquires it, and b). are there any plans 'on hold' pending the hoped for purchase of that parcel?

**gumby** · May-17-18, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by emu steve

I still say the two relevant topics according to the Freep article:

1). What has, is or will happen to the house/parcel pending action by the the city.

2). [[this is mine): What would the parcel be used for if Olympia acquires it, and b). are there any plans 'on hold' pending the hoped for purchase of that parcel?

I'll add a relevant topic.

3.)emu steve is a hypocrite when it comes to the Ilitchs.

**Zads07** · May-17-18, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by emu steve

In all due regard, I am sometimes asked to stay on topic [[don't mix a Gilbert and an Ilitch action).

The topic is property owned by someone, not Ilitches/Olympia for 16 years which has gone into disrepair due to a fire and nothing has been done by the owners or the city.

HYPOCRITE. You've been caught red-handed.

My questions are very simple and you showed your double-standard EMU Steve.

If this house is not rehab-worthy, then the house in Brush Park that Nicole Curtis rehabbed was not rehab-worthy either.....oh wait, it's renovated. Anything can be done with money and time.

Olympia has, to my knowledge, owned dozens and dozens of properties and they sit vacant. No blight tickets. Why are you so eager to come down on this particular owner but not your precious Ilitch family? Please explain.

**ABetterDetroit** · May-17-18, 01:46 PM

Just be honest with us for a change emu steve.

Your thousands of posts on the subject show that you lack any objectivity on anything Ilitch related.

In your eyes the billionaires that owns your beloved Tigers and Redwings could never bring harm into this world without a very good reason that is beyond their control so they should never be criticized for anything ever.

**emu steve** · May-17-18, 02:42 PM

Come on guys. Be realistic. You guys are being blinded by your passions.

This house is owned by a private owner. NOT the Ilitches. They are PERFECTLY FREE to invest 100 - 200K if THEY wish.

THEY [[the owners) have NO intention. They have had 16 years and done nothing.

They are looking to get up to 5M from Olympia and let them [[Olympia) tear it down.

Does anyone who didn't fail 8th grade math, think the Olympia would pay 5M for a dilapidated house which could be rehabbed a great expense and be worth 1M.

Guys, I could have figured this out in 6th grade.

These owners could very well advertise for investors and try turning it into another renovation BUT they aren't GETTING RICH. They might make a few hundred grand but not 3 or 4M, like they are trying to get.

P.S. the house/land that Nicole Curtis rehabbed was worth how much - 300 - 400K???? This house/land, supposedly, is worth 10 times as much.

Some renovations, e.g., Nicole Curtis, make PERFECT sense. Others, do not. This one does not. Why should the present owners pass up say 3 - 4M payout????

If posters here don't know the difference between 400K and 4M their opinions don't carry much weight.

**Zads07** · May-17-18, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by emu steve

Come on guys. Be realistic. You guys are being zealots.

This house is owned by a private owner. NOT the Ilitches. They are PERFECTLY FREE to invest 100 - 200K if THEY wish.

THEY [[the owners) have NO intention. They have had 16 years and done nothing.

The owners are playing land rush lottery. Buy up land which might become valuable in the next 10 or 20 years and sit on it without any intention to improve it.

How does Ilitch get into this???

You literally said the property has gone into disrepair. Sound familiar? A lot of Ilitch-owned properties are in disrepair, after they bought them.

Second, you call out the owners for not doing anything and that's why the city is acting. This is literally what Ilitch has been doing for decades. Why are you not calling them out for doing the exact same thing?

**emu steve** · May-17-18, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by Zads07

You literally said the property has gone into disrepair. Sound familiar? A lot of Ilitch-owned properties are in disrepair, after they bought them.

Second, you call out the owners for not doing anything and that's why the city is acting. This is literally what Ilitch has been doing for decades. Why are you not calling them out for doing the exact same thing?

Because we are talking about this property, you raised it NOT ME [[you posted the article) and the issues related to it.

**Bigdd** · May-17-18, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by bust

The list of vacant properties the Ilitches / Olympia own that lay rotting exceeds many dozen.
Loveland even has an area designated the "Ilitch Surface Parking District".

AND,... Detroit requires parking lots to be fenced in with wrought iron. Well,.. at least if you're last name isn't Illich. If it is Illich,.. you can just toss a chain-link job around it and save a ton of money.

MUCH more expensive to acquire properties and turn them into parking lots and hold them for decades when you're not an Illich.

**southen** · May-17-18, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by emu steve

Because we are talking about this property, you raised it NOT ME [[you posted the article) and the issues related to it.

Weird how you have no problem with an evolving topic in the Amazon thread but here when people call you out you want to stick to the script. If you hadn't spent a few years defending every sleazy thing Olympia did in the name of development nobody would have a thing to say to you regarding this, but alas, what is good for Ilitch is only good for Ilitch. Everyone else has to play by a different set of rules.

**ABetterDetroit** · May-17-18, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by emu steve

Come on guys. Be realistic. You guys are being blinded by your passions.

Come on yourself emu steve. “Be realistic”??? “Passions”?

That is pretty much the point of this intervention. You not being realistic about your passion.

There is no chance that it is a coincidence that your fanaticism for the family is exactly like a sports team fanatic.

Somehow the line that exist between entertainment and real life was erased.