  E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 1533 Registered: 11-2004 |
They're lining up the building eaters behind the Fox Theater. They also have been taking the glass out of the white parking garage on Clifford and Elizabeth the last few days. It looks like they will have those five buildings down within the next week or two. BTW, taxpayers are subsidizing this. In a time when budget deficits are soaring and firefighters are dying trying to put out fires in dangerous abandoned hulks in the neighborhoods, Michigan and the city's DDA think it's best to spend $2.5 million in tax-payer money to knock down buildings downtown (some of which are perfectly fine) for one of the richest billionaires in the world. To top it off, the Ilitch family gets to keep the land and charge you $20 to park in a lot you paid to create. But don't worry, it looks like Beal's workers will have it all done in time for opening day. Detroit authority to pay for demolition of Ilitch company buildings http://www.crainsdetroit.com/a rticle/20081211/FREE/812119975 | ||
Jt1 Member Username: Jt1 Post Number: 5799 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: My money says that there is an accident during demo or after and the facade becomes unsalvageable. Anyone that thinks this will go without a 'hitch' is one hell of an optomist. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4391 Registered: 02-2005 |
F**k this. This is not progress. | ||
Jt1 Member Username: Jt1 Post Number: 5800 Registered: 10-2003 |
It IS progress .... Detroit style. | ||
Lodgedodger Member Username: Lodgedodger Post Number: 1541 Registered: 05-2008 |
What about the former Women's Center? Anyone know the fate of this building? There are new windows in place, but that might not mean a thing. There's some lovely Pewabic tile in that building. | ||
Bcscott Member Username: Bcscott Post Number: 130 Registered: 05-2008 |
I agree with Mackinaw, didn't they put a roof on the Fine Arts Building recently? Now it's going to be razed? | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 6176 Registered: 08-2004 |
quote: Apparently this dimwit's memory span doesn't go back as far as the Madison-Lenox. | ||
Ddaydave Member Username: Ddaydave Post Number: 364 Registered: 04-2005 |
it looks like were paying to make room for the new hockey stadium | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 1534 Registered: 11-2004 |
These buildings don't stand in the way of the new hockey arena. Three of them are on the west side of Cass, which would not be in the footprint of a new arena. The other two are too far south. You might be able to make an argument for the parking garage, but that's doubtful. | ||
Leannam1989 Member Username: Leannam1989 Post Number: 197 Registered: 06-2008 |
Even if he's looking to build a new arena, I see no reason to demolish the Fine Arts Building. | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 1264 Registered: 05-2006 |
I'd always been a defender of Mike Illitch because of his Pro-Detroit additude long before other's started investing and re-habing downtown buildings. After his faith in buying, restoring and moving Little Ceasers headquarter's to the Fox, I thought he was all about Detroit's best interests. After continuously defending him on this board(and taking a beating!), I am starting to think he is much like any other capitalist... Take all the public money you can to help your private business ventues, tax payers be damned. | ||
Russix Member Username: Russix Post Number: 189 Registered: 11-2006 |
FUCTOWN! | ||
Goat Member Username: Goat Post Number: 2801 Registered: 10-2003 |
It insn't just "Detroit style". In Windsor there is nothing left in downtown from teh 19th century. Fucking progress? I could whip these people with a cane and just be gleeful about it! I hate this whole fucking region on both sides of the border! It is totally dysfunctional to the point of ruin. Politician ego's come first, second come the hand jobs for friends and the taxpayer who takes a gamble, fixes up a shitty house, pays their taxes get fucked sideway with a broom stick! Really, this place should just be nuked and started over. Fuck the people, fuck the mindset, fuck the politicians, fuck the weather, fuck the police, fuck the criminals, fuck me, fuck you, fuck everything! By the way, it isn't just this demo or Ilitch (I could care less about him as he is about to see his maker within a year or two)it is everything combined. I am exhausted, don't care, just burn the fucking whole place down. | ||
Roq Member Username: Roq Post Number: 12 Registered: 02-2009 |
"I am exhausted, don't care, just burn the fucking whole place down." Amen brother. Starting from scratch would be easier. | ||
Gsgeorge Member Username: Gsgeorge Post Number: 733 Registered: 08-2006 |
WHAT!?!??! They're demolishing 2030 W Grand River!?!?? That building is amazing!! It could make great ground-floor retail space & offices/apartments up top! These people are INSANE!!! OUR CITY IS DISAPPEARING BEFORE OUR VERY EYES. | ||
Gsgeorge Member Username: Gsgeorge Post Number: 734 Registered: 08-2006 |
PS - Is the Chin Tiki/ Moose Lodge part of this? | ||
Gsgeorge Member Username: Gsgeorge Post Number: 735 Registered: 08-2006 |
How does one contact the Downtown Development Authority? The AAA building on Bagley should come down before any of these, especially 145 Elizabeth & 2030 W Grand River. | ||
Novine Member Username: Novine Post Number: 1148 Registered: 07-2007 |
For any Illitch apologists out there, can I ask, how many buildings does Mike get to tear down or get DEGC to tear down for him before you finally stop giving him a free pass? Despite the urban legend that pretends that no one else was investing in Detroit before he arrived on the scene, the reality is that in the past 20 years, there's been plenty of people who have managed to invest and develop in Detroit without destroying as much as they created (except for DEGC). Isn't there ever a point where even the apologists say "Enough is enough!"? | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 6177 Registered: 08-2004 |
Gsgeorge, no Chin Tiki and Moose Lodge are NOT part of this demo. And I agree with you 100% about 2030 Grand River... appalling. The Fine Arts facade is being kept... whatever that means. Because the Ilitch's never bothered to put a new roof over the building when they first purchased it in the early 1990's, the interior support (wooden instead of steel) has begun collapsing the interior of the building. So they're saving the facade... but that alone doesn't mean anything unless there are plans to put up a new building behind the fancy facade. And that hasn't been announced. It appears that the Adams Theatre auditorium is coming down as well (behind the Fine Arts Building). That's too bad, even though it was the least fancy of the downtown movie palaces. Now I know some of you think I'm an appologist for the AAA Building. But if the end of the line of the appeals process is here (that hasn't been determined "yet") then I say rip it down. | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 1273 Registered: 05-2006 |
For any Illitch apologists out there, can I ask, how many buildings does Mike get to tear down or get DEGC to tear down for him before you finally stop giving him a free pass? ______________________________ ____________________ Just read my last post. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 4181 Registered: 10-2003 |
We already had a thread on this when the article was discussed before. | ||
Novine Member Username: Novine Post Number: 1149 Registered: 07-2007 |
Detroitej72, I wasn't directing that at you specifically. There's been others that have argued here that we should let Illitch do what he wants. | ||
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors Post Number: 1105 Registered: 11-2005 |
I know I am going to be called niave but I believe in Power in numbers I say there needs to be a new organization formed to fight corporate welfare within the city to make it a more fair and just place to live... The more people who are mobilized in opposition to Matty and Ilitch and others like them the more we can recaim things right fully. This org should work with groups like Preservation Wayne to Save our History. I am at the end of my rope and unless we work together towards a common goal there is no justice to the outrage we all feel. | ||
Mccarus Member Username: Mccarus Post Number: 16 Registered: 10-2006 |
Radio report on this subject that aired on WDET http://www.michigannow.org/lis ten.php?storyID=258 | ||
Staticstate Member Username: Staticstate Post Number: 24 Registered: 07-2008 |
2030 W Grand River looks like a great building, what's the problem with it? | ||
Sparty06 Member Username: Sparty06 Post Number: 194 Registered: 03-2007 |
What is the actual logic for the city paying to tear down buildings because their millionaire owner doesn't take care of them? I'm serious, I really want to know. Are there laws that fine these owners and remove ownership from people who allow their buildings to fall apart? (Message edited by sparty06 on February 26, 2009) | ||
Aluminum Member Username: Aluminum Post Number: 23 Registered: 01-2008 |
I was on forgotten Detroit to look at some pictures. If the Adams/Fine Arts are coming down, too bad some of the interior details like the wooden stair case and decorative metal railings could not be salvaged. Yeah, yeah, probably too dangerous. | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 1658 Registered: 07-2004 |
What's the problem with 2030 Grand River is that you don't own it, Illitch does, and he wants to tear it down to make room for a surface parking lot instead of rehabbing a perfectly sound building. I'm not disagreeing with you, Staticstate. I too think this is some f#@#$d up s%#t. BTW, ever notice that Illitch never attempts to build parking structures on these surface parking lots. The lots across from the Fox and immdediately to the south of the Fox could park many more cars than those surface parking lots if they converted them to parking structures. I know. It's cheaper to own surface parking lots than to maintain parking decks. | ||
Leannam1989 Member Username: Leannam1989 Post Number: 198 Registered: 06-2008 |
What kind of tax credits does Michigan offer? Just curious. If you want to restore a historic building, here in Missouri there are Federal and State tax credits, but Illinois offers only the Federal (they're considering state historic tax credits). I understand the frustration. In St. Louis there were a few buildings (Ambassador and Century come to mind) http://www.builtstlouis.net/am bassador01.html http://www.builtstlouis.net/ce ntury00.html Downtown which were torn down recently (Ambassador 1996 and Century building 2004). I think the first loft development Downtown opened in 2001 and there have been like a dozen more rehabs opened or started since then (most lofts/apartments, as well as 3 hotels). Granted, some projects stalled because of the economy. But it seems like somebody was itching to get hold of all that parking space. The Century building was demolished for a parking garage. Sometimes governmental stupidity as far as development is just astounding. Although there's a new economic college certificate course being offered for local mayors and city leaders to give them a better understanding of economic development. http://stlouis.bizjournals.com /stlouis/stories/2009/02/23/da ily37.html | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 914 Registered: 08-2008 |
No fooling - there seems to be a bunch of people who see through the Illitch facade/image. The Illitch's were practically given the Fox Theatre, contrary to popular opinion, and they've been given most everything they've asked for and a whole lot that they haven't asked for, ever since. I had little problem with them obtaining the Fox because it seemed Forbes couldn't handle it, financially that is. And downtown was desperate for a spark - a saviour. Since those days, the Illitch's have run roughshod over everyone. They are NOT preservationists. They are NOT concerned with the general good of Detroit. They are NOT concerned with, or helpful of small businesses. They are greedy beyond belief. |
