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

Collapse?

There is a mystery on Woodward right now. A few weeks back the one story building next door to the Broderick Tower on Woodward was reduced to rubble. The question remains did it collapse or was it demolished?

Here are a few shots of the building from September, 2004 when part of roof caved in.

Lafayette Towers

Lafayette Towers, originally uploaded by A Dubs.

Cadillac Centre Project Next To Tank?

The New York-based developers of the $150-million Cadillac Centre have failed to meet certain pre-development milestones according to the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. The Northern Group Inc. was to have submitted a site review, title clearance and environmental review of the site to DEGC by July 7. In light of that failure, Northern Group. asked permission to offer a modified plan for the site near Campus Martius. That request was rejected by the quasi-public arm of the city.

This does not mean that the project is dead, the project could be renegotiated, but that is highly unlikely. The project was announced in January, just prior to the release of the text messages that brought down former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Skeptics, at the time, proclaimed that the Cadillac Centre was just another one of the Mayor's pie in the sky projects that would never come to fruition. It appears as though those skeptics may have been right.

@Water Lofts Fail

Detroit developer Dwight Belyue's proposed 480-unit luxury condominium project, @Water Lofts, has been canceled. Detroit Economic Development Corp. has pulled the plug on a $119 million housing development. Belyuet was unable to meet deadlines in his agreement with the city.

Dave Bing's Watermark project continues to advertise and market its units at this time, but it remains to be seen whether or not that development will come to fruition.

The Troll Under The Bridge

Matty Moroun has grabbed parts of two City of Detroit Parks near the Ambassador Bridge and he’s banned photography from what remains of the publicly-owned park.

Joel On The Road has the scoop!

and his follow-up.

Posting about the Softball Game

*UPDATE* WDIV announced on the 11pm news on Thursday that the Mayor said Matty has no right to have fences at Riverside Park.

Catching Up With Ike

Catching Up With Ike, originally uploaded by A Dubs.

Ford Auditorium to be Demolished Next Month?

In tonight's farewell speech former Mayor Kilpatrick announced that the city has finalized plans on a new riverfront amphitheater in Hart Plaza and that the Ford Auditorium will be demolished next month.

*Demolition Progress*

*Ford Auditorium Today*

Belle Isle Aquarium

Belle Isle Aquarium, originally uploaded by A Dubs.

Kahrtooned

Kahrtooned

McCrazy

Sharon McPhail has asked Gov. Jennifer Granholm about the possibility of pardoning Kwame Kilpatrick in the criminal case against him in exchange for Kilpatrick agreeing to testify at the removal hearing she will conduct.

First of all the Mayor hasn't yet been convicted of a crime, so how can the Governor offer a pardon? Secondly, what makes Sharon McPhail think that the Mayor's testimony is valuable enough to wave 10-12 felonies.

He is being provided an opportunity to defend himself in his own words, if he doesn't want to do that, he doesn't have to. He isn't being compelled to testify. He wouldn't be doing anyone a favor in giving testimony but himself.

Besides, after McPhail accused the Governor of trying to railroad the mayor, i don't think she'll be receptive to anything from the mayor's mouthpiece short of resignation.

Something Stinks!

An administrative hearing for a fired Detroit Fire Department employee Douglas Bayer, who recently sued the city alleging he was retaliated against for information he had about the rumored party at the Manoogian Mansion, was abruptly halted today after his lawyer refused to stop recording the proceeding.

Douglas was allegedly fired for taking heart monitoring cables equipment from an ambulance without authorization. He claims that he returned the cables to the hospital that owned them.

*Excerpts from various media sources*

-An appeal hearing for a fired Detroit Fire Department emergency medical technician was abruptly terminated Wednesday morning after city officials objected to attempts by the former EMT worker's lawyer to tape record the hearing.

-Yatooma said he was tape-recording the hearing because its administrator, Deputy Fire Commissioner Seth Doyle, continuously told a stenographer to go on and off the record when Yatooma addressed the three-member panel.

-Detroit Fire Commissioner Tyrone Scott refused the media access to the hearing saying their presence would be a “disturbance.” (THE FIRST REPORT WAS THAT THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE ROOM WAS FULL)

-Scott then rejected a plea from a lawyer for the Detroit Free Press to open the hearing to the media. Brian Wassom, a lawyer for the Free Press who showed up at fire headquarters, was also prohibited by Scott from making an argument on the record.

-Wassom argued that closing the hearing violated the state open meetings act.

A portion of the Fire Department’s General Rule regarding trial boards says: “Also remember your conduct and involvement is on public display; i.e., the newspaper reporters and authorized observers may be present.”

-Action News contacted city of Detroit spokesperson Denise Tolliver asking why the press could not attend the hearing. Tolliver said they were not allowed to cover it and hung up.

-Before the hearing ended, a union representative for Bayer said he stepped down from the three-member appeals panel "under duress" at the request of city officials.

Bayer chose Wisam Zeineh, the president of his union. But Wednesday morning, city officials said Zeineh should be removed from the panel because he could be a potential witness.

Zeineh said he stepped down under pressure after officials reminded him he is still a city employee.

Today, Bayer’s former partner Fawn Colombatto said she was suspended without pay three weeks ago for being a co-conspirator in taking the equipment.

Something stinks! The Fire Department seems to be making it easier for the city to make another cash pay-out.

Mayoral Wanderlust

What's being overlooked in this latest controversy over the mayors travel is the amount money he has wasted on one-way flights, car rentals, hotel rooms, and gas as Mayor Kilpatrick tools around the country on his quest for solitude.

One can only imagine how much additional money Kilpatrick is soaking the city for by flying out to events and driving home, or has he been flying Suave Air? Steve Wilson should be doing his quarterly audit of the Mayor's credit card statements.

Christine Beatty also traveled to Atlanta this summer on her job search. There should be an investigation to see if the mayor and her were in town at the same time.

Let the Hearings Begin

Governor Granholm has made it official she WILL be holding a hearing on Mayor Kilpatrick's removal on September 3 in Detroit.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Notice_244694_7.pdf

The Edsel and Eleanor Ford House

Giving Back to the Community

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s legal defense fund will return $4,500 to two contributors. In one case $1,500 is being returned to Livonia-based Advanced Air Services. The Reason? Company President Ross Bates had been told the money would go to a youth group, not Kilpatrick, whom he does not support. have any other funds been misappropriated?

The remaining $3,000 is being returned to S.A. Restaurants Inc. . S.A. Restaurants is the location of the Penthouse Club in Detroit. In 2001 the location housed another strip club called City Heat. One of its operators, the son of a reputed organized crime figure, was gunned down in the middle of 8 Mile Road.

On another note,the defense fund's IRS filing noted that Donald Davis, president of First Independence National Bank, donated $50,000. He claims that he has only donated $25,000 and has no further involvement in the fund. Kilpatrick wants First Independence to be an investment manager for his proposed stimulus bond sale. Davis also stands to make $4.5 million over 5 years by leasing computer software to the city through another company he runs if a separate contract is approved.

Is this an example of shoddy bookkeeping by the defense fund or are they trying to shield $25,000 worth of contributions from other sources? Will all of this sloppy accounting draw the attention of the IRS? We can only hope.

Is the Well Running Dry?

Today's Detroit Free Press is reporting that almost all of the $185,600 raised since Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s legal defense fund was formed in April has been spent.

Click here to see the filings with the IRS. It contains the list of contributers as well expenditures.

Postponed

The 100th running the Gold Cup has been postponed until 2009 due to high winds. During the first elimination heat for the Unlimited Hydroplane Class, Mike Allen in the flipped his boat. No further completion took place.

Homer, Michigan

I made a visit to Homer Michigan this past spring to attend a book signing. Homer's High School baseball team set a national record for consecutive wins at 75. This one stoplight town is near Marshall.

State Establishes Web Page to Host Documents on Removal Proceedings

http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-23442_50699---,00.html

Kilpatrick Clan Involved in Belle Isle Land Grab

Mayor Kilpatrick's aunt State Rep. Marsha Cheeks and his cousin Patricia Peoples are spearheading a plan to privatize a swath land on Belle Isle's north shore to build a Maritime Academy.

This charter school would be a residential high school open to past-risk students across the state. Under the plan, land from the Detroit Boat Club to Inselruhe Rd. would be used for a multi-acre complex of classrooms, dormitories, gymnasium, pool and other facilities. A parking lot would be created in the interior of the island for hundreds of cars, paving over additional green space.

The plan calls for the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority to help finance construction by issuing bonds for the school. The foundation already has received a $160,000 grant from the state to help develop the complex, which would open in 2010.

The cookie the mayor's family is giving us is a restored Boat House that would be used as marina and restaurant as an additional source of money for the school. As an added bonus, the school's gymnasium, swimming pool and other facilities could be open to the public during the summer and the dormitories might be used as rooms for visitors during the Grand Prix or other events.

We have already lost 10 acres of green space to the Grand Prix paddock. How much more development can the Belle Isle take? Would this project open Belle Isle to more development in the future? Should public parkland be given to a private entity? If you oppose this development please let the Detroit City Council know your feelings. Also, contact the Friends of Belle Isle and lend your support.

THE FRIENDS OF BELLE ISLE
8109 East Jefferson
Detroit, MI 48214
Phone: (313) 331-7760 Fax: (313) 331-1500
lighthouselori49@hotmail.com
cbrent@comcast.net

The Mayor of Booville

Watermark Treading Water *UPDATE*

Dave Bing's $60 million condominium project recently received a $700,000 loan from the city's Economic Development Corporation. The development is struggling due to the downturn in the housing market. Lenders have imposed a 65% pre-sale requirement on the 112 unit project before releasing construction funds. To date Watermark has only sold 22 units, with another 12 units in the pipeline.

*UPDATE*

Plans have been revised by Dave Bing for his Watermark condominium project. In the new plan a row of homes facing Atwater have been eliminated because they failed attract any buyers. The number of penthouse units have been increased in the nine story tower and the number of town houses have been decreased in number, but increased in size.

The new Watermark will contain 98 units instead of 112. It is hoped that these changes will help the development meet the sales benchmark established by the banks. Bing must pre-sell two-thirds of the units before the banks will release construction money.

Detroit - Red Bull Air Race 2008

Peter Besenyei

Nigel Lamb

The Maddness of King Kwame

First Mayor Kilpatrick claimed that the City Council violated the city charter by asking Governor Granholm to remove him from office without first submitting the resolution to him for his approval or veto. Then, he went on to veto the resolution after council's attorney William Goodman had already delivered the request to the Governor. Now, in his latest act of lunacy, the mayor has vetoed the city council's earmark of $250,000 to pay for lawyer fees to oust him.

The council should have no problem overriding this veto as it did when the mayor attempted to scuttle the resolution sent forth to the Governor. However, this yet another example of the Mayor's desperate strategy to remain in office: delay, deny, lie, litigate, repeat!

While Kilpatrick continues to exhibit his arrogance and lack of concern for the citizens of Detroit, the city is subjected to further ridicule in this farcical melodrama. The end of this maddness cannot come soon enough.

Detroit Light Rail Project Has Major Backers

A plan by billionaires Dan Gilbert and Roger Penske to construct a privately funded $103 million light rail loop on Woodward Avenue is being supported by Sen. Majority Leader Mike Bishop and House Speaker Andy Dillon. This could signal bipartisan support from the Legislature, eliminating a potential hurdle for a wider transportation network in metro Detroit.

During a pannel discussion on Mackinac Island today, the House and Senate leaders acknowledged publicly for the first time that Gilbert and Penske were involved in the project. Previously, details had been kept secret about the proposal, especially the identities of its backers.

The Woodward Transit Catalyst Project would be a street-level loop 3.4 miles long along Woodward that would run between Hart Plaza and Grand Boulevard. It would include about a dozen stops at high-traffic areas that include major businesses, theaters, ballparks, museums and hospitals. The line would potentially be the first stage of a larger, regional transit system.

Rooftops

Rooftops, originally uploaded by A Dubs.

Middle Schoolers Smarter Than Monica Conyers?

A Ticking Time Bomb?

Remember when Prosecutor Kim Worthy said that her investigation into Text Message Scandal was ongoing? Well, if the rumors are true, the other shoe is about to drop. John K. Bennett at Detroit Uncovered is suggesting that as many as 20 city employees could be charged in the very near future. Members of the police department as well as a number of city lawyers may soon receive a new perspective on our legal system.

On another note, questions have risen about Monica Conyers recent behavior. Aside for her random outbursts, she was insistent upon the city council reviewing all of the text messages prior to giving any consent to their release. She has also done a 180 in regards to the Mayor and she now appears to be squarely in his corner. Monica was the only council person to attend the recent Pancakes and Politics breakfast and was one of the first guest on the Mayor's new "Real Talk" television show. Ken Cockrel Jr. alluded to her change of heart publicly and has even suggested that the media investigate. Was there something in those test messages that Monica dosen't want the public to know?

It's starting to smell like Monica Conyers might have some skeletons in her closet. Mildred Gaddis has alluded to something tasty involving Monica on her show. So far she has held back. However, on Tuesday morning Mildred mentioned that those wondering what is behind Mrs. Conyers recent behavior could find out in the coming weeks.

Is it a coincidence that these two developments seem to coincide? Is Monica caught up in the current scandal, or has she been digging a separate grave for herself? Only time will tell.

The Kwame 3

*Note the Diva coffee mug*