  Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 1916 Registered: 10-2006 |
If you call up the Detroit News, won't they give you it for a reasonably small cost? http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb cs.dll/article?AID=/20071013/U PDATE/710130413 | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 1917 Registered: 10-2006 |
Worth a shot at least. I should think that the News would do it if they can get their photo credited in a magazine. | ||
Andyguard73 Member Username: Andyguard73 Post Number: 253 Registered: 03-2006 |
Speaking of photos, does anyone have any updated pics of the work? The soonest I'll be able to head downtown and take some myself is December. | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 852 Registered: 03-2006 |
I took a tour of the Book Cadillac last night, Thurs. It was about 1 1/2 hours long and really professionally done. The tour was given by Marous Bros. They stated the progress is on schedule and close to on budget, withen 3%. They plan on wrapping up construction on July 31, and the hotel to be opened in Oct 2008. The tour started next door at the offices were we saw some pics and a mocked up hotel room. Then we took the outside elevator to the roof, the view was great. Then it was into the top penthouse which is 3 stories, they actually demo'd the top 3 stories and rebuilt it. The owner payed 1.2 mill for that space, and they jokingly mentioned it cost 2 mill to rebuild. We walked down the stairs viewing in detail about 7 different floors. The biggest challenge was to build around all the beams when constructing the hotel rooms. Also the original hotel rooms were small and 2 rooms were converted into 1. We toured a club on the mid level and also got to see the Grand ballroom and the Italian Gardens. They are supposed to be 80% of the original detail when finished. The Italian Gardens required extensive work due to the Sheraton putting in a 2nd level in the room years ago. One level was dedicated to heating, cooling, air handling, electric and plumbing. We also got a tour of the new 3 story structure which still is in the framing stage. It will include a "modern" ball room, a kitchen, work out areas and a pool. The tour ended with the lobby and first floor. They are going to have a Starbucks, 3 bars, two Restaurants and first floor retail on the street. I have about 100 pics, just have to figure out which ones to post. | ||
Downtown_remix Member Username: Downtown_remix Post Number: 539 Registered: 03-2007 |
The dead has arisin | ||
Tetsua Member Username: Tetsua Post Number: 1360 Registered: 01-2004 |
quote: Go to Flickr, and post them all. | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 1928 Registered: 10-2006 |
"The owner payed 1.2 mill for that space, and they jokingly mentioned it cost 2 mill to rebuild." That is why there had to other incentives (from market demands alone) for the developer to go through with remodeling this project. | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 854 Registered: 03-2006 |
Charlottepaul this is true. One of the first things stated by Marous bros was if it was not for all the incentives the project could never happen. The top three stories were in such bad shape it was cheaper to demo and rebuild then to fix. As suggested by tetsua I will be posting my pics on Flickr, they will be ready in about 1 hour | ||
Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie Post Number: 1189 Registered: 11-2003 |
Looking forward to the fotos, Kenp! | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 3351 Registered: 10-2003 |
Come on, its been an hour!  | ||
Atl_runner Member Username: Atl_runner Post Number: 1980 Registered: 10-2003 |
almost two hours.. | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 856 Registered: 03-2006 |
sorry for the delay, I have never used flickr before.\ Maybe this will work http://www.flickr.com/photos/k enp1/ | ||
Raptor56 Member Username: Raptor56 Post Number: 144 Registered: 05-2007 |
any idea who the penthouse millionaire is? | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 857 Registered: 03-2006 |
The guy is from Atlanta, he plans on using it part time. Sure must be nice to be rich | ||
Raptor56 Member Username: Raptor56 Post Number: 145 Registered: 05-2007 |
great pics! What building is that nextdoor with the tree growing out of the wall? | ||
Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie Post Number: 1190 Registered: 11-2003 |
The building with the tree might be the Lafayette Building, though I didn't look at the photo. One of the pics shows a corner of the Grand Ballroom with balconies. The two visible in the pic appear to be closed off; hopefully this won't be done to all of the balconies. | ||
Toog05 Member Username: Toog05 Post Number: 154 Registered: 03-2006 |
Thanks for the pics, nice photo tour! | ||
Eric_c Member Username: Eric_c Post Number: 1084 Registered: 11-2003 |
I noticed the closed-off balconies too, but all along one wall. | ||
Rocket_city Member Username: Rocket_city Post Number: 452 Registered: 04-2006 |
Wow, thanks for sharing your pictures, Ken! | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 1931 Registered: 10-2006 |
"What building is that nextdoor with the tree growing out of the wall?" No, I don't think that it is. I think that that is the Farwell building. The Farwell is the building in the center of this photo with the trees growing from it: http://www.flickr.com/photo_zo om.gne?id=1830659412&size=l I am pretty sure that this is not the Lafayette: http://www.flickr.com/photos/k enp1/1830500958/ Either that, or the building is in way worse shape than I thought. | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 858 Registered: 03-2006 |
 here is a better pic of the tree. The pic is the back of a building on Shelby, it was taken on Washington | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 859 Registered: 03-2006 |
Also I over heard somebody being upset that all the balconies in the ballroom were going to be closed. Thats just what I heard | ||
Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie Post Number: 1191 Registered: 11-2003 |
I certainly hope the balconies won't ALL be closed off. Wouldn't the historic tax credits require them to be open? It's not like keeping them open requires any sort of expensive ornamentation to be restored. | ||
Dalangdon Member Username: Dalangdon Post Number: 147 Registered: 03-2006 |
It might be that current fire codes don't allow for the openings on the balconies. In that case, it would override any historical considerations. Thanks for all the great pics. Did they mention if the lobby ceiling is going to be restored? | ||
Timeless Member Username: Timeless Post Number: 8 Registered: 09-2007 |
Awesome pictures. When is the Griswold expected to be finished? Did they mention what the retail/restaurants might be in either facility? | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 5638 Registered: 08-2004 |
Dalangdon, they probably could have gotten away with glass doors onto the balcony... maybe. I too am wondering about that lobby ceiling. It would be a pity if it was just pounded to rubble after surviving against all odds for all these decades. | ||
Greatlakes Member Username: Greatlakes Post Number: 60 Registered: 07-2007 |
New Video: http://www.crainsdetroit.com/v ideo/brightside_8.html | ||
Kslice Member Username: Kslice Post Number: 200 Registered: 04-2007 |
Good video. | ||
Eric Member Username: Eric Post Number: 974 Registered: 11-2004 |
The Book got some national attention today Historic hotels get a second chance to serve guests ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- Elaine Hernando planned to stay in one of the Atlanta's big-box hotels, but when she saw The Ellis, she canceled her reservation and booked a room at the renovated historic hotel instead. On the outside, the 15-floor hotel retains its stately 1913 architecture, complete with a traditional open-air balcony on the second floor that was a must for elegant Southern hotels in the era before air conditioning. Inside, however, the hotel rooms boast 21st century comforts, including plush beds, flat-screen TVs and even a place to play music from iPods. "I really like boutique hotels -- we travel a lot for work," said Hernando, a 30-year-old sales representative from Los Angeles, California. "I loved being there -- the windows have a really great view; the iPod dock, that was cool." Across the country, hoteliers are seeking to breathe new life into older properties. Detroit's Book-Cadillac Hotel -- built in 1924 -- is being restored to open late next year as the 455-room Westin Book Cadillac Detroit. In its glory years, the hotel hosted Presidents John F. Kennedy and Harry S. Truman, but it stood vacant for more than two decades before the renovations began http://www.cnn.com/2007/TRAVEL /10/31/trend.historic.hotels.a p/index.html | ||
Erikd Member Username: Erikd Post Number: 932 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: Charlottepaul, What is that statement supposed to mean? |
