  Birdie Member Username: Birdie Post Number: 33 Registered: 04-2007 |
Recently it looks like there is new construction fencing surrounding the two buildings (Chin Tiki and the building south of it). Does anyone know what is happening with them? I'm pretty sure the owner of the Chin Tiki was working on it and passed away, but it would be great if it reopened! | ||
Mdoyle Member Username: Mdoyle Post Number: 374 Registered: 10-2006 |
ilitch holdings bought the chin tiki in 2007. | ||
Higgs1634 Member Username: Higgs1634 Post Number: 392 Registered: 10-2005 |
prep for demo and adaptive re-use as a parking lot. | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 162 Registered: 03-2008 |
Sadly, they have publicly said it will not reopen. It's to bad, that place is a land mark of old Detroit. It is a legend among tiki enthusiasts. | ||
Rhymeswithrawk Member Username: Rhymeswithrawk Post Number: 1190 Registered: 11-2005 |
^ Yep, Ilitch isn't in the preservation business anymore. Fox Theatre was 20 years ago. These days he just tears 'em down and charges $20 to park. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 7667 Registered: 11-2004 |
Is all of this speculative? I haven't seen or heard anything drop dead conclusive from the Ilitch camp yet in the media as to what they're going to do yet. If all of you that say it's definitely going to be demolished and turned into a parking lot, future hockey stadium or whatever... what are your sources? | ||
Ddaydave Member Username: Ddaydave Post Number: 529 Registered: 04-2005 |
Rhymeswithrawk the sad part is I have talked to a couple of the bar owners on park ave and Ilitch wont let anyone use those parking lots on non-game nights . its sad that you can go somewhere like the park bar, town pump or cliffs bells be surrounded by a sea of parking lots and cant park at any of them. so much for helping they neighbor | ||
Viziondetroit Member Username: Viziondetroit Post Number: 1642 Registered: 11-2003 |
It seems like there won't be any buildings left in the city... we don't need anymore parking lots. We have three casinos with shit loads of parking, people should use them and get some exercise. | ||
Msamslex Member Username: Msamslex Post Number: 50 Registered: 06-2007 |
That's so sad about the Chin Tiki. My parents used to go out for dinner there when I was little back in the 60's. I always got the fresh pineapple juice served in a scooped out pineapple with the little umbrellas! I felt so grown up and don't remember feeling like a kid shouldn't be in there. Same for Chung's on Cass and the Top of the Pontch. | ||
Birdie Member Username: Birdie Post Number: 34 Registered: 04-2007 |
a friend told me the adjacent building to the south (i think it might be an old moose lodge?) is being turned into something, but she may have been speculating. that'd be cool to have another parking lot there. it's so hard to park in the lower cass corridor. (sarcasm) | ||
Mdoyle Member Username: Mdoyle Post Number: 375 Registered: 10-2006 |
The Moose Lodge was owned by the McGowan's, the once owners of St. Andrew's Hall and now Owners of the Crofoot in Pontiac. The building is also now owned by Ilitch Holdings. | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 164 Registered: 03-2008 |
I'm guessing he's doing something with all those lots. Obviously, he's trying to muscle everyone else out. You know the old "keep everything run down until they sell" routine. At least he's not promoting crime like some others do. Who knows, maybe he has something really great in store. When Comerica was being built, he did say his dream was to make Columbia Street a "Avenue of Fun". I'm not sure what that means, but hopefully it's something well, fun. | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 2061 Registered: 05-2005 |
quote: this might be way out of left field, but maybe he' thinking of putting up a hockey arena there? | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 167 Registered: 03-2008 |
That is the word on the street, isn't it? There are other possibilities. The new arena makes the most sense. They've been quietly at work in that area for awhile now. The renovation of two of their buildings in the area might be a possible prelude of what's to come. Could it have also have been a factor in Riverfront Towers conversion into condos? Since we're talking rumors here, I really like the much less likely rumor of the pistons moving there. We had one of the marketing heads come to our high school when I was younger, and he did say that their are two major problems with Joe Louis Arena. The first was it's age. I guess the place needs a major renovation. He mentioned the replacing of the entire scoreboard that was to be (and probably now is) done. The other problem was that Joe Louis Arena loses money as a general entertainment and concert venue. He blamed this on the superior size and state of the art amenities of the competition (mainly The Palace). Some interesting little tidbits there. If there were to be a new arena, it is very possible that it would be more popular among promoters and performers. Especially with the new "yay Detroit" approach everyone is taking these days. A new arena downtown could really force the Palace to not be profitable (at least as a concert venue). They'd either have to renovate or close up shop. Add a new large downtown amphitheater into the mix, and it could very well be a death sentence, with the Pistons either being forced to move or play at a deteriorating stadium. The more I look at it, the more I think it's clear that we are either going to eventually have a very vibrant downtown, or a big dysfunctional sprawling metro with a bunch of halves. The halves being, half of the people will move back to Detroit, and the other half will be to stubborn to. Of course, the argument now is saying that it is us who are to stubborn to be happy with the suburbs, isn't it? I really do wounder how it all will turn out. | ||
Mdoyle Member Username: Mdoyle Post Number: 377 Registered: 10-2006 |
The palace deteriorating? They've sunk millions of dollars into renovations of the Palace over the last few years. Don't hold your breath waiting on the Pistons move. With the parcels Ilitch already owns an arena the size of American Airlines center in Dallas would fit perfectly. Also not a bad looking arena. http://www.johnnyroadtrip.com/ cities/dallas/images/aacenter1 .jpg It would however force the closure of clifford and Columbia. Columbia is already cosed off at woodward and is basically just a driveway for CoPa parking. It could be grandly landscaped as the perfect runway from the front door of CoPa, right passed his Fox Theatre and into the front doors of Little Caesars Arena. | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 395 Registered: 11-2007 |
The Palace is the most successful facility in the country. I don't think they're too concerned at this point. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 7668 Registered: 11-2004 |
Personally I have no problem with them putting the hockey stadium back there. Ideally I'd like to think that maybe they can resurrect the ol' Chin Tiki somehow and make it a part of the hub of entertainment down there. Just maybe back in the day, Mike and Marian kicked it at the Chin Tiki on one of their dates like so many other folks did. And just MAYBE they have fond remembrances of the place and don't have the heart to tear the place down... again, maybe and awfully hopeful on my part here. | ||
Mdoyle Member Username: Mdoyle Post Number: 378 Registered: 10-2006 |
Heres exactly how American airlines Center would fit with the front lining up perfectly with Columbia. No buildings would need to be torn down to facilitate this. Not even the ole CC bar.  | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 1997 Registered: 03-2006 |
Joe Louis is a great place for hockey, it will be a shame when it closes. Go to a game and see how close you are. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 6727 Registered: 08-2004 |
A relative of Blair McGowan said here on this forum that the Moose Lodge is NOT GOING ANYWHERE... That means that Blair likely got it in writing that it will not be torn down, when he sold it to Ilitch... although I don't know how enforceable such a document would be. | ||
Reddog289 Member Username: Reddog289 Post Number: 253 Registered: 08-2007 |
at least my 'baby girl' saw chin tiki and knows now that its not on 8mile. i,m surprised that the wings are not allready down in that area. | ||
Django Member Username: Django Post Number: 205 Registered: 10-2003 |
Does anyone know how to get in touch with the owners of Chin Tiki or Chungs?? Id very much like to talk to them about the Cass. Or anyone down in that area. I know all the regulars. | ||
Ndavies Member Username: Ndavies Post Number: 2978 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: You've got to be kidding. Have you ever been to another NHL caliber rink? The Joe is one of the worst buildings in the league. It needs to be torn down. It was a POS when it was built and it's still a POS. The building is cramped and doesn't have near enough User facilities. There is no reason I should miss most of a period waiting in unbelievably long lines. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 6732 Registered: 08-2004 |
Chitaku, I take it that you weren't around when the Red Wings played at Olympia? Had you ever been there for a hockey game, your feelings for JLA would not be positive. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 7671 Registered: 11-2004 |
With the exception of possibly this year or in the Dead Wings era, one really couldn't get close to the ice level at the JLA because most of those seats were snatched up by the corporate types. Anyone remember how difficult it was to snag a seat in the lower bowl a few years ago? Proximity to the ice is relative. If you've got the cash, darn right you CAN be close to the game. The JLA never really was state of the art even when it was new. It's served its purpose and will have plenty of decent memories for a lot of us, but it has never been great on comfort, amenities, parking or much of anything else. The Palace that opened just nine years after the JLA is heads & shoulders above when it comes to being fan friendly. Compared to other stadiums around the NHL, it is way sub par. Just compare the JLA concourse to any of the other team's- it's dark, cramped and pretty dank. Also ask a woman to find a nearby bathroom that doesn't have a monstrous line to it as well. Thanks for the memories, Joe Louis Arena- and as much as I hate to say it, the Ilitches do need a new facility. And to ties it back to the original thread title, I sincerely hope that the new arena will keep the Chin Tiki around. Renovate it and have it be what the Elwood is next to Comerica Park. It'd be a great place to meet, have a bite and hang out prior to a hockey game. The place is still structurally sound and has a fair amount of the original stuff inside (with the exception of some of the Witco sculptures that were swiped during the 8 Mile movie and the larger tikis which were retrieved by the family). | ||
Rb336 Member Username: Rb336 Post Number: 5912 Registered: 02-2007 |
I like that american airlines center. | ||
Birdie Member Username: Birdie Post Number: 37 Registered: 04-2007 |
"Does anyone know how to get in touch with the owners of Chin Tiki or Chungs?? Id very much like to talk to them about the Cass. Or anyone down in that area. I know all the regulars." Django, on this thread mdoyle said that ilitch holdings bought the chin tiki in 2007. I don't know who owns Chungs. Which regulars are you talking about? | ||
Melody Member Username: Melody Post Number: 190 Registered: 11-2007 |
Didn't the people who own Chin's in Livonia used to own Chin Tiki? You can see some of the Chin Tiki stuff at Chin's in Livonia. I'm so, so, so, so, so, so, so sad I never got to go to the Chin Tiki. I'm also very sad I never got to live in the '60s, but there's nothing I can do about that either. | ||
Pgn421 Member Username: Pgn421 Post Number: 537 Registered: 02-2005 |
i used to work next to Chin Tikis,back in the 70's, used to eat there 3 times a week. exellent food | ||
Downtown_dave Member Username: Downtown_dave Post Number: 237 Registered: 07-2005 |
Chin's Livonia event flyer from last December, FYI: http://www.motorcitytiki.com/ | ||
Reddog289 Member Username: Reddog289 Post Number: 258 Registered: 08-2007 |
gotta take the babygirl to chins, she likes that food, i,d rather eat down the street at the crestwood. | ||
Diehard Member Username: Diehard Post Number: 477 Registered: 03-2005 |
Ilitch wont let anyone use those parking lots on non-game nights. its sad that you can go somewhere like the park bar, town pump or cliffs bells be surrounded by a sea of parking lots and cant park at any of them. so much for helping they neighbor. It really cheesed me off in past years that those lots were open for business, regular price, during the Race for the Cure. Nothing like making a ton of cash from a charity event for breast cancer. The restaurants along the race route offer up water and restrooms to participants, but no way are they gonna park for free. | ||
Shark Member Username: Shark Post Number: 359 Registered: 12-2003 |
Race for the Cure is at Comerica Park this year. May 21 is Breast Cancer awareness night at the Tigers game with proceeds being donated. The Detroit Tiger Wives always participate in Race for the Cure. Olympia Entertainment is a Bronze Sponsor of the event this year. If you'd do some research, you'd see that Ilitch isn't "making a ton of cash from a charity event". Besides, did the city offer free parking? Were the street meters turned off? Were the local lots all free? Did Compuware offer free parking? | ||
Django Member Username: Django Post Number: 234 Registered: 10-2003 |
Birdie, Im sorry, what I should have said was, who USED to own Chin Tikis or Chungs back in the day. The regulars I was talking about is many of the bars and some businesses in the Cass and residents. Does that clear it up? Thank you Melody, thats a start. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 6750 Registered: 08-2004 |
Although I can't speak for Chin-Tiki, the fence around the Moose Lodge was there when Blair McGowan owned the building. The footprint of the basement of the building goes out underneath the sidewalk. I may be wrong, but I believe the fence was there to secure the basement as well as the building. | ||
Andylinn Member Username: Andylinn Post Number: 842 Registered: 04-2006 |
when did McGowan own the building? A new fence has appeared on the Cass side of the structure in the past couple of weeks or so. | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 208 Registered: 03-2008 |
Is there a new building at the intersection of W. Columbia and Cass? I haven't been to that are in awhile. I seem to remember something going on not to long ago. Is something there now, or did they just demolish the old abandoned laundromat? | ||
Dan Member Username: Dan Post Number: 1538 Registered: 10-2003 |
The fence has been there for years, though it was recently reinforced. All should be happy to know there is a new roof on the moose, and some newly installed fans for air circulation. Those are not typical signs of demolition. (Message edited by dan on May 02, 2008) | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 209 Registered: 03-2008 |
Is there a new building at the intersection of W. Columbia and Cass? I haven't been to that are in awhile. I seem to remember something going on not to long ago. Is something there now, or did they just demolish the old abandoned laundromat? | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 6752 Registered: 08-2004 |
Thanks for the good news Dan! Good to know that the Ilitch's have secured the building and have been making improvements. Sean, I believe that is the new CC Bar, IIRC. | ||
Diehard Member Username: Diehard Post Number: 478 Registered: 03-2005 |
Race for the Cure is at Comerica Park this year. May 21 is Breast Cancer awareness night at the Tigers game with proceeds being donated. The Detroit Tiger Wives always participate in Race for the Cure. Olympia Entertainment is a Bronze Sponsor of the event this year. If you'd do some research, you'd see that Ilitch isn't "making a ton of cash from a charity event". Besides, did the city offer free parking? Were the street meters turned off? Were the local lots all free? Did Compuware offer free parking? OK. well, you got me on that. The race starts on Woodward at Comerica Park, and the open space around it is used for tents and sponsors and whatnot, but there's nothing inside the park itself that I know of. Correct me if I'm wrong on that. Does the city offer free parking? I don't know, but it's early on a Saturday and I've always parked at a meter and never got ticketed. Something tells me the Neon parking stormtroopers aren't roaming at the time. Street parking gets taken up really fast though, so the lots are necessary. As far as the Tigers' wives participating, isn't that their own decision and not Ilitch's to make? Maybe I'm asking too much to think that someone could set it up so you could show your race registration and park for free. |
