Saturday, December 13, 2008

Olympia Development to Bring New Parking Opportunities to Downtown Detroit

The Downtown Development Authority has approved $2.5 million in state-funded grants to demolish several buildings owned by the Ilitch family. The funds are part of a pre-Super Bowl state allocation targeting Detroit’s most dilapidated structures. Unfortunately, four of the buildings shown below appear to be structurally sound. From various reports, the only building that is in danger of collapse is the Fine Arts/Adams Theater Building.

Taxpayers are once again being forced to foot the bill to demolish more of Mike Ilitch's dilapidated properties. Paved parking lots will replace the buildings. The only saving grace is that in an agreement with the Historic District Commission, the facade of the Fine Arts/Adams Theater building will be saved at an estimated cost of $500,000to to Olympia Development. It hasn't been specified whether or not the Adams Theater Auditorium itself will face the wrecking ball or what will go behind the facade.

479-481 West Columbia


Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order of Noble Mythic Shrine 2203-2211 Cass Ave




145 Elizabeth Street



Elizabeth Street Lofts 2030 West Grand River Ave

The Fine Arts/Adams Theater Building

1 comment:

PeterJ said...

Ha ha. New parking opportunities. That's the funniest thing I've heard all day. -Something tells me that the wheels might be starting to roll on the "new Joe" plan, and that this may be the chosen area they want to build on. I sure hope so. Surface parking downtown = Weak downtown.