Wednesday, March 24, 2010

The Battle for Hearts and Minds has Begun

It has been pointed out that avid Dyspathy.com reader and DUI lawyer, Daniel Hajji has posted his "grossly non-compliant and inappropriate" motion on the homepage of his law firm's website.  This is the equivalent of a kindergartner taping has "finger painting" to mommy's refrigerator in a desperate search for approval.

As the battle heats up between Woodward's Friend and SuperMichiganLawyer, writers from across the region have begun to take notice.  Bill Shea at Crain's Detroit and Aaron Foley of MLive.com have both weighed in.  It will be interesting to see what tomorrow will bring.

Ambassador Bridge owner sues officials

Lawsuit claims U.S., Canada are stalling efforts to build 2nd span over Detroit River

Mark Hicks / The Detroit News

Detroit -- The owner of the Ambassador Bridge has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Coast Guard as well as Canadian and American government officials, saying they are stalling efforts to build a second span over the Detroit River.


According to the suit filed Monday in U.S. District Court by the Detroit International Bridge Co., owned by Manuel "Matty" Moroun, and the Canadian Transit Co., a proposed competing bridge plan, the Detroit River International Crossing, violates a long-standing law passed by U.S. and Canadian governments settling ownership and maintenance of the Ambassador Bridge.


That included "the right to construct a new span to replace an older span that requires substantial maintenance to extend its useful life," the suit read.


"We feel that the U.S. and Canadian governments are constrained from interfering with the operations of the Ambassador Bridge based on acts passed by Congress and the Canadian parliament," said Phil Frame, bridge company spokesman....

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Reputation Doctor Releases Another Missive on Our Felonious Ex-Mayor

As you know, former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is required by law to pay restitution to the City of Detroit based on 30% of his current income, benefits and gifts received. Sadly, we are back in court tomorrow to put an end to the prosecutor's goal to increase his restitution payments based on rumors and innuendo and not facts. We feel confident the facts will speak for themselves tomorrow.

It is ironic these court issue continues to be top news stories in Detroit as the new Mayor gives his State of the City address. Kwame Kilpatrick is the former Mayor and not the current Mayor. External to his court problems, former Mayor Kilpatrick's accomplishments for the City of Detroit speak for themselves, including new hotels, new private and public sector jobs, a new Riverfront, national and local special events in a then vibrant downtown Detroit, new parks and recreation centers, new casinos bringing valuable revenue to the City, cleaner streets and much more!

Why is former Mayor Kilpatrick a scapegoat for all?

I certainly hope that Mike Paul buys his client a new shirt for tomorrow's hearing just to avoid any confusion.

World's Worst DUI Lawyer Threatens Detroit's Favorite Blogger

Apparently, second chair counsel for a certain felonious ex-mayor has had his feeling hurt and doesn't understand satire.  He emailed Woodward's Friend a cease and desist letter this past weekend. That lawyer's only claim to fame is writing a notorious appeal on behalf of his client to halt his probation violation hearing. The filing was deemed "grossly noncompliant and inappropriate" by Judge Karen Fort Hood. His cease and desist letter was poorly written as well.

Please show your support at dyspathy.com

Sunday, March 14, 2010

This Olde Building

In honor of the demise of the Lafayette Building, Faded Detroit brings you the Olde Building. The former Grand Trunk office building came down in 2004 to provide more parking for the Dime Building. This was followed by the the demolition of People’s Outfitting Company (Detroit Commerce Building) in 2007 and the Lafayette Building in 2010.


Monday, March 08, 2010

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning

The Lafayette Building has fallen.  The remains of the structure were brought down Saturday night.  All that remains are bits and pieces of its steel skeleton and a pile of debris.



Thursday, February 04, 2010

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Winter at the William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor

The extension to the former Tricentennial State Park and Harbor is now open.




North Woodward Garden Block Development (Updated)

Restoration and redevelopment are speeding along on the west side of Woodward between Mack and Warren. The C. Howard Crane designed Garden Theater (1912) will be returned to is original use as a theater and the Blue Moon Building will be renovated to house a restaurant. Gone are several blighted buildings on the block. A new, three-story building containing retail and commercial space as well as a 300-space parking garage will rise to take their place.

Monday, January 25, 2010

The Caille Brothers Building

In 1888 the Caille Brothers invented and patented coin-slot devices which resulted in establishment of penny arcades. The brothers moved from Saginaw to Detroit in 1895 and worked out of this factory to establish their slot machine empire. 500 people worked there and it was the largest plant in the world for manufacture of coin controlled machines. Later they expanded their product line to include other items such as marine motors, scales, and the conveyor belts used in grocery stores. The Caille Brothers Company maintained branch offices in New York, Chicago and Paris. The Building has been transformed into phase two of the Lofts at New Amsterdam.


Sunday, January 24, 2010

71 Garfield

Garfield Manor at 71 Garfield has been converted into combined housing and studio space for artists. It will contain 20 residential units and 20 studios.  The complex is green.  Geothermal, solar and wind and water retention systems will reduce net energy consumption and the waste stream to near zero.


*Note* Please ignore the color differences in the brick. I'm not sure how much the difference is from clean up or from my exposure.

Gone

For a change, a few nondescript buildings got knocked down in Brush Park this winter.


Saturday, January 23, 2010

Whitewash

Rather than doing any substantial work on Film Exchange Building, the owner decided to dump a few hundred gallons of white paint on the building and call it a day.


Friday, January 22, 2010

Monday, January 18, 2010

Huntington Hotel Fire Aftermath

Fire destroyed this five-story building in Midtown on New Year's Eve. Three people died in the blaze which was caused by a drunken man who used a lit piece of paper to light a cigarette.



Buildings of Detroit has some footage of the fire.

Demolition Day



Demolition Day, originally uploaded by A Dubs.

Well Played Mr. Moroun! Well Played!

Land sale may complicate plans for bridge

JOHN GALLAGHER
Detroit Free Press

Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel (Matty) Moroun has acquired a big parcel of land in southwest Detroit in a move that could complicate plans to build a rival bridge project there.

Moroun’s Central Transport has purchased the former Yellow Freight truck terminal at 7701 W. Jefferson, Moroun spokesman Phil Frame said today....

The approach ramps for the planned Detroit River International Crossing bridge project between Windsor and Detroit would cross one corner of the parcel. DRIC is a joint project by the governments of Michigan, Ontario, the United States and Canada to build a new publicly owned bridge from Detroit’s Delray district to Windsor....

Mr. Moroun's latest acquisition.