  Harmonie Member Username: Harmonie Post Number: 713 Registered: 08-2004 |
I've heard from VERY good sources that The Habitat Company out of Chicago, which also owns/runs Lafayette Towers, The Pavillion and Riverfront Towers, will be taking control of Trolley Plaza apartments any day now. I think this will be good, at least in the short run, because looking at their other buildings they're much better at keeping things up than the current owner. Also, in light of all the Quicken talk this is quite a steal. It would not take much at all to bring Trolley back to the luxury spot it was in the 80's and just in time to sell to all the new Quicken employees across the street. The only downside would be the inevitable price increases and condo renovation that would force out the lots of the current residents. Some who have been there since the early 80's | ||
Detroitstar Member Username: Detroitstar Post Number: 689 Registered: 01-2006 |
The Habitat Company gets nothing but thumbs up from me! I've been at Lafayette Towers for a year now and I love it. From my very first phone call they were very professional. I hope they can improve Trolly Plaza, as I was not impressed with my visit to a good friend there recently. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 5759 Registered: 10-2003 |
This is great news. Habitat will a much better manager than those running the tower, now. | ||
Kid_dynamite Member Username: Kid_dynamite Post Number: 93 Registered: 06-2007 |
Just curious, what are the Trolley Plaza apartments like? Are they a halfway decent as a place to reside, or are they kind of crappy and non-maintained? | ||
Ramcharger Member Username: Ramcharger Post Number: 347 Registered: 05-2006 |
I wonder if they’ll be changing the name. The Washington Blvd. trolley has been gone for years and every year fewer people even know why it is named Trolley Plaza. | ||
Urbanize Member Username: Urbanize Post Number: 1493 Registered: 02-2007 |
What Should they change it to, Book Apartments or Plaza? They have Book everything else along the route. (Message edited by Urbanize on July 06, 2007) | ||
Downtown_remix Member Username: Downtown_remix Post Number: 394 Registered: 03-2007 |
HELLO IM A LEASING CONSULTANT HERE AT TROLLEY PLAZA. We are quite excited that new owners wil take over Trolley and allocate the proper funds to maintain it better. The apartments at Trolley plaza are quite nice, both one and 2 bedrooms come with a private balcony. Theres a pool on top of the parking structure, a 24hr fitness center with sauna and 24hr laundry room. Our only downfall is not having the proper monies from the current owners to update the lobby and modernize some of the amenities, such as the jacuzzi. This building has huge potential and even with our issues, we are still pulling professional tenents who love the building. Habitat is the perfect shot in the arm to prepare Trolley for its future neighbor, a revamped Book Cadillac hotel and quicken loan headquarter. (fingers crossed). | ||
Detroitstar Member Username: Detroitstar Post Number: 692 Registered: 01-2006 |
Remix, what is your occupancy rate? Just curious about various things as I consider my upcoming lease situation. I'm satisfied with Habitat over here at Lafayette Towers but I would consider moving to the TP under the new ownership. | ||
Mbr Member Username: Mbr Post Number: 215 Registered: 03-2005 |
The Trolley Plaza has a lot of potential. | ||
Jb3 Member Username: Jb3 Post Number: 112 Registered: 06-2007 |
Downtown-Remix, Mbr- what potential do you two see? Sounds pretty cool as is. Love to hear what you think would make it better! | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 5762 Registered: 10-2003 |
How about some safer elevators for a start? There really isn't much you can do short of a recladding to make the exterior appear much less like a commie block on steroids, so I imagine most all improvements will be interior. | ||
Downtown_remix Member Username: Downtown_remix Post Number: 395 Registered: 03-2007 |
1981 trolley plaza was a show place. Many original residents still stay here, telling me about "the good ol days at trolley", the joyous doorman wearing a burgandy top hat and fancy vest would wait for her to open her trunk and unload her groceries and a team of up to 4 security guards per shift would patrol the building inside an even outside. the current mini-mart was a fancy deli back then too, catering to the huge population of local political figures, lawyers, doctors and television personalities. trolley was built very fortified, keeping the huge population of street hustlers, homeless an hookers seemingly far away, but as Detroits decline got more aggressive, so did the demographic of the residence. Many fled to Southfield, Oak park and other bordering suburbs, leaving Trolley struggling to fill up the place. The owners didnt have alot of interest in renovating the building over the years so Trolley lost its glamourous allure for more modest digs. New ownership means a new appreciation for the buildings structure, its killer location close to Comerica Park, the new MGM GRAND CASINO and not to mention really nice apartments, 90% with private balconies, 1152 square foot 2 bedrooom/2 bath apts and 1500 square foot penthouses. A couple million in renovation,and a owner in tune with downtowns new fire and a refreshed Trolley Market will put TRolley back on top. | ||
Downtown_remix Member Username: Downtown_remix Post Number: 396 Registered: 03-2007 |
ok 3-4 million.lol | ||
Downtown_remix Member Username: Downtown_remix Post Number: 398 Registered: 03-2007 |
funny the official announcement that Habitat was buying and not just coming as new management for Trolley was 1st leaked here. | ||
Jb3 Member Username: Jb3 Post Number: 117 Registered: 06-2007 |
quote: '...unload her groceries...' Thats what i'm talkin bout. Thanks D-R. It's nice to hear that there are such high hopes of making D-living exciting again (granted you are the leasing agent).  quote: "How about some safer elevators for a start? " D-R? Can TP look forward to new elevators? quote: "...trolley was built very fortified..." interesting description. Can we think of anything else in the city that was designed to turn it's back on the street? Now compare with Chi-town. | ||
Downtown_remix Member Username: Downtown_remix Post Number: 399 Registered: 03-2007 |
yes a guy from the new company took a tour today of the entire building and asked "if you got a blank check, what would you do 1st? we talked about 1st a totally revamped modern lobby and upgrades to other common areas and three new elevators (one new freight elevator just opened) There are also 2 empty storefronts within the trolley parking structure.Quite a few people have inquired about leasing those spaces as of recently. | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 1490 Registered: 12-2005 |
How will this affect Thermally warm choclate-based desert topping "eye in the sky" photography? | ||
Jb3 Member Username: Jb3 Post Number: 120 Registered: 06-2007 |
relevant question. I'm sure it won't. whatever it is. | ||
3rdworldcity Member Username: 3rdworldcity Post Number: 770 Registered: 01-2005 |
I remember watching TP as it was built. The developer was Forest City - Dillon out of Cleveland. The City "forced" them to build TP as residential in order to be permitted to build Millender Center. Both were built at the same time, using innovative construction techniques then in vogue. The apartments were prefabbed and hoisted by crane to the floor under construction. That place went up a floor a week. Forest City was a big national developer and pioneered the construction technique while rehabbing old buildings in Harlem as I recall. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 4755 Registered: 08-2004 |
With new owners the building should get a new name. The trolleys no longer run down Washington Blvd. | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 1274 Registered: 10-2006 |
"The trolleys no longer run down Washington Blvd." Ironically, there aren't really any plazas on Washington Blvd. either. | ||
Urbanize Member Username: Urbanize Post Number: 1547 Registered: 02-2007 |
Charlotte, I know you're trying to make an ironic case, but when they Plaza, they mean the building itself. | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 1275 Registered: 10-2006 |
PLAZA: "a public square or open space in a city or town." Well regardless they were misinformed when they named it, and I vote that they change the name, LOL. | ||
Urbanize Member Username: Urbanize Post Number: 1549 Registered: 02-2007 |
It may have gotten the nae from the Plaza and Trolley that used to run along Washington Blvd right across from the Building. http://maps.google.com/ | ||
Jb3 Member Username: Jb3 Post Number: 124 Registered: 06-2007 |
Urbanize, you have to print that map to a pdf or a jpeg and then upload no larger than 500x500 pixels. just an FYI. Thanks for the effort though! | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 1277 Registered: 10-2006 |
The red monkey bars plaza? yeah those are gone too. | ||
Jb3 Member Username: Jb3 Post Number: 125 Registered: 06-2007 |
Yeah! That pissed me off. Those things were oddly comforting, from a pedestrian point of view. I felt slightly protected from the massiveness of the buildings all around (not that that area has any of the really big buildings). | ||
Schoolcraft Member Username: Schoolcraft Post Number: 113 Registered: 07-2005 |
Yay, more free places for the Senator Levin and the Congressman Levin etc and family to stay free and utilize with our tax dollars. Habitat=Levins cousin. Funny how they are not a publicly-traded company.....hmmm...Can I see those 10qs and the 10K?Oh, But if they were republicans...eegads..this would be front page evil-Illitch type headline. | ||
Jb3 Member Username: Jb3 Post Number: 131 Registered: 06-2007 |
I don't think many of us made that connection. Even if we did, i think we were probably more excited for the residents of TP in that they would be reassured in their commitment and investment to live downtown. barring a partisan debate here, ilitch notoriously tears down buildings to make way for whatever he perceives (or sells us on) is good for detroit. This building is not being torn down, so i think we probably don't have much to complain about. ???a sen. staying for free in a privately owned apartment bldg.=tax payer money??? could you elaborate on that one? | ||
Downtown_remix Member Username: Downtown_remix Post Number: 400 Registered: 03-2007 |
hmmm how ironic Habitat is taking over Aug 1st. The same day Quicken makes their official announcement probably choosing the property right next to trolley plaza. |
