HDR Friday: The Last Days of the Lafayette

Baby Steps?

It looks like the last vacant building on 100 block Watson street in Brush Park will be saved.  The Devon building, built in 1905, is slated to be converted into four 1,300 square feet condos.  With the rehabilitation of the concrete building, the restoration of this particular block will be complete.  That's not to say that it couldn't use a few more buildings for infill.  The art deco facade will be saved, but the rear of the building will be demolished and rebuilt with floor to ceiling windows.  This will also make room for new garages to be build along the alley.

Construction is set to begin in the first quarter of 2011.  However, work will not begin until all four units are sold.  The expected price per unit will be $220,000.

The Ford Auditorium Renovation That Wasn't

It was revealed in today's indictments that there was a plan in place back in 2003 for a theater developer to purchase Ford Auditorium from the city and renovate it.

Derrick Miller was the point man for the city on the deal and is said to have like the offer. Following the meetings the developer commissioned artist renderings, developed a renovation proposal and obtained insurance quotes and an assessment on asbestos removal for the renovation.

After a great deal of time and money was spent on the proposal, Miller and the developer met again. At this meeting the developer was told that he needed to hire Bernard Kilpatrick in order to complete the deal with the city. The developer refused and deal collapsed.

New School

The University Prep Science and Math High School looks ready for students.

January 2010

November 2009

June 2009

10th Annual Broderick Tower Restoration Article: Deal pending to turn Broderick Tower into apartments

The Free Press is reporting this afternoon that a deal will close within the next week to finance the conversion of the Broderick Tower into 120 apartments.  The upper floors, with views of Comerica Park, are expected to be some of the most expensive rentals in Downtown Detroit.

For years now Michael Higgins or Fred Beal have declared that renovations are just around the corner so take this news with a grain of salt.

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

HDR Friday

HDR Friday

Detroit 1-8-7 Scene By Scene: Nobody's Home/Unknown Soldier

This week after I noticed a home in the cultural district cut into a sequence that took place in Brush Park, I decide to go through my archives and try to match ABC's shots scene by scene.

William Milliken State Park

2007

William Milliken State Park

2007

John J. Owen House (Incidentally, Fredrick Street is NOT in Brush Park)

2006

263 Edmund, Brush Park

2006

287 Alfred, Brush Park

2005

Brush Park

2007

Patterson Terrace, Brush Park

2004

Atwater Block Brewery

2009

Jacoby's

2005

Franklin Street/Dequindre Cut

2010

Plan B for Globe Trading Company Complex

William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor has received a $25,000 grant from Coca-Cola, the American Parks Foundation and the National Park Foundation. The money will be used to turn the Globe Trading Company building into a 17,000 square-foot play area.

Instead of converting the space into market-rate condominiums and retail space, the building will contain a rock climbing wall, playscape, obstacle course and a state-of-the-art archery range.

It remains to be seen where the additional funds needed to complete this project will come from.

*UPDATE*

It turns out that the plan only calls for a portion of the building to be used for the playscape. A private developer will develope the rest. M-Bike.org has posted a few renderings of the  building developed by the DNRE.