Beaubien Party Store

 July, 2004

November, 2012

This is what the building looked like in 1976, and just after its collapse in 2012.

Just Another Hole in the Ground

245 Edmund Place never really stood a chance.

 April, 2005

November, 2012

Line to be drawn over State Savings Bank?

Expect a new property fight in Downtown Detroit.  Andreas Apostolopoulos, the new owner of the Penobscot Building, purchased the neighboring State Savings Bank earlier this month for $700,000 with the intent on demolishing it for parking.

Apostolopoulos claims in an interview with the Detroit Free Press that:

 “Detroit needs parking, If we don’t have parking people won’t come downtown… We tried to bring some tenants downtown and the people are not coming because there is no parking.”

Yes! The one thing Downtown Detroit lacks is parking.

If the building can not be demolished, Apostolopoulos would look into maintaining the facade and incorporating it into the $20 million garage.

Fortunately, any demolition plans would face stiff opposition.  The 112 year old Beaux-Arts style bank is listed on the federal, state, and city registers of historic places.  Therefore, Apostolopoulos would have to demonstrate financial hardship and would have to try to sell the structure for a year before the city could grant permission for demolition. He could also argue that the building is blocking a major project that would benefit the community.

I would expect Preservation Detroit to get involved in this one.

The Price of Progress

Soon after Wayne State University announced that it was converting New Center's Dalglesish Cadillac building into a $93 million biotech research center, the conversation quickly turned to what would be lost amidst the university's largest construction project ever undertaken.

Albert Kahn's 127,000 square foot building, which was built for Walter J. Bemb Buick-Pontiac in 1927, will receive an extensive rehabilitation and a 75,000 square foot addition.

Unfortunately, another Kahn built structure at the site will meet the wrecking ball.  Kahn's 1908 American Electrical Heater Building will be demolished this summer to make way for a parking lot at the development.

The building was renamed American Beauty Electric Irons after the the company's popular product line.  The firm was world renowned for its toasters, irons, curling irons and room heaters.  At one point the company was the largest manufacturer of small electrical appliances in the world.

An online petition has been started in hopes of preventing the demolition.

Work Continues on the New Cobo Center

What's Next?

What will the ultimate fate of the Ford Auditorium site be?  Mayor Bing would like to build a permanent outdoor amphitheater at the location and bulldoze Chene Park for redevelopment.  Obviously, a funding source would have to be secured first and given the current state of the city, that proposition does not seem very likely this decade.

In the meantime, it has been revealed that the Detroit Jazz festival would like to expand their footprint on the riverfront by erecting a temporary stage on the site.  This would be contingent on whether the city can convert the grounds to green space in time.  Some work has already begun.  

Rivertown Loses Another

The once proud and thriving Rivertown district has suffered another loss. The Troester Building was built in 1911.  It was located at the corner of Riopelle and Franklin. It was the home of the Rhinoceros Club.

October, 2003

April, 2012

April, 2012

All That's Left

The former site of Ford Auditorium.

Detroit, a Series of Tubes

You may be familiar with the shiny tubes that traverse Jefferson and Randolph avenues.  You may have even used one of the tubes that link the JLA garage to Joe Louis Arena and Cobo Center. There's even one that links the St. Regis Hotel in Detroit's New Center to Cadillac Place. Yes, Detroit seems to have its fill of human habitrails, but the city is about to get one more.

The Greektown Casino already has one skywalk linking it to a garage, but one just isn't enough.  It seems that the casino's valet service isn't fast enough.  The casino, which didn't have enough money to build out the performance space it was required to when its original license was granted, is going to build a valet parking garage behind Monroe Street. The reason?  The casino wants to cut the time gamblers have to wait to flee the city from 20-30 minutes down to 5-7 minutes.

This reduction in vehicle retrieval time does not, however, come without a cost.  In order to facilitate a speedy escape, Greektown plans to demolish a building containing one of the oldest restaurants in the city.  The Laikon Café was established in the 1920's and the current owners held a 10 year lease on the building.  However, a dispute over that lease forced the restaurant to close, allowing the casino to purchase the vacated property.  In the building's place, the casino will build yet another skywalk across Monroe linking the casino to the new garage.

One of the main selling points for allowing to casino to remain at its temporary location was that it would be integrated with the neighborhood, building synergy.  Instead, with this latest skywalk, Greektown will become a little less greek and foot traffic will be further reduce as customers, along with their winnings, are "tubed" from the casino to their vehicles without ever having set foot upon a city street.

At least the crater that used to be New-Hellas Restaurant has finally been filled it.  Unfortunately, this was only done to create a staging area for the new construction.

The Final Stage

(Photos by A Dubs + Presto)
*Ford Auditorium Today*

Halfway Gone

Old Cass Tech is now halfway to oblivion.

It's Curtains for Ford Auditorium

*More Demolition Coverage*

The Beginning of the End for Ford Auditorium

*More Demolition Coverage*

Cass Tech Destruction

Demolition work continues on the annex of Old Cass Tech. The demolition of the remainder of the school will begin in June, once the current school year has been completed.

HDR Friday: The Last Days of the Lafayette

Does the Castle Building Have Secrets?

There seems to be a bit of controversy surrounding fire and the immediate demolition of the Luben Apartments.

At first, one would assume that this fire was not unlike other house fires in the neighborhood.  Perhaps a squatter started a fire inside to keep warm, fell asleep and a stray ember ignited a floorboard?  There has been talk of two people living in the back of the building for the past few weeks, which is where the blaze appears to have started, so that theory sounds plausible.

However, I heard another rumor on the scene today.  Supposedly, the building was purchased recently with the intention of rehabilitating it but the owner went bankrupt.

The speed and manor in which the building was leveled is what is raising the most questions.  The demolition team was already on the scene before the fire department had even left.  Despite vigorous protests by neighborhood residents, the fire department insisted that the building had to be taken down to protect arson investigators that would return at a later date.

Armed police were on the scene while neighbors shouted at the demolition company.  Dust supression was not used to prevent asbestos and other particles from becoming airborne.  Apparently this job had to be done fast!  Only the front of the building was ordered to be demolished.  The facade was the only architecturally interesting feature of the building. Naturally, being seen as the only justification for saving the building, that was the first section to be toppled.  The rear of the building remains standing and the rubble is still burning.

Was this an unfortunate accident, an insurance claim, or some sort of land clearance?

A Castle no More

Brush Park suffered another loss this evening.  Luben Apartments, my favorite of all of the remaining buildings in the neighborhood that have not been rehabbed,  has been demolished by the city.

A fire, probably caused by squatters, broke out early Sunday morning destroying a large portion of the early 20th century structure.  DFD officials claimed that the building needed to be demolished in order to protect arson investigators that will be looking into the cause of the fire.  *Photos ASAP*

Detroit Funk's Coverage

All that Remains

The Lafayette Building is no more.  Welcome to your new pocket park to be named later.