Statler Hotel Demolition Progress

[Allan]

Do I think it will be demolished?

Absolutely. Look at the massive holes in the floors of the Fine Arts Building! Look at Ilitch's tack record. He's cleaned off one building (the Fox) and rebuilt another (Hockeytown Cafe). What else has he done for Detroit lately?

Nothing can compensate for the loss of the building. I've always liked the look of the building, and think it would make nice lofts if it were completely rebuilt, but Ilitch obviously don't give a crap about the city. He is a businessman, plain and simple. He "helps" us by giving us new parking lots to satisfy the "demand" for parking spaces.

This is only the begining. Detroit's history will continue to be flushed down the toilet unless more people wake up and realize what's happening.

[Michi]

He sure sucks as an economist, huh? Supply and demand never looked so bad.

[dnast]

I really like that building. It's small, yeah, but really has potential. It looks very doable from a financial standpoint. Come on, doesn't he have to do something good every once in a while to keep his "preservationist" title?

[Allan]

He's scared to take risks. Heaven forbid he invest some of the profits from his Detroit businesses back into the city!

He won't even pay to demolish his own buildings! Instead he waits for the city to do it for him! The city probably won't even send him a bill....

[mn_body_detroit_hrt]

Two things:

One...what a great building, I love the polychromatic stone and great arch details...really full of character.

Two: Does Illich ever comment on the his slum lordliness? What is his official stand on the fact that he has a billion and one buildings in Detroit

[Allan]

Ilitch never says anything about being a slumlord. He just has the Olympia spokesman give a statement about how they are evaluating all the possibilities for their properties. People approach him about renovations fairly often, particularly about the Madison-Lenox. In fact, architect Robert Ziegelman avtually designed the latest renovation proposal for the Madison-Lenox, but Ilitch wouldn't sell. You can read a good editorial of his here: http://www.detnews.com/2005/editorial/0506/07/A06-204662.htm

I know for a fact that Ilitch has had people go through the Detroit Building on Park Avenue, but nothing ever comes of it. The building is not in bad shape either, so I don't know what gives. I'd love to live in that building. Sign me up for a 9th floor apartment right now! And the lack of parking is not an excuse either, since there is an Olympia lot across the street!

Ilitch has had people go in and catalog the damage to the United Artists Theater after it was destroyed by scavengers in 1999, shortly after he purchased it. Why? I have no idea, because Ilitch has no intentions of restoring the theater. If he did there wouldn't be a hole in the roof. Most of the plasterwork was restored in the early 1990s. All restoration work stopped in 1994. If he intended to restore the theater, he could've at least spent the money for a new roof. It would've been a heck of a lot cheaper than trying to re-restore the plasterwork.

Ilitch will not sell his property. A lot of it is an ego thing. He owns vast amounts of land in downtown Detroit.

There are virtually no repercussions for Ilitch. The city will come and demolish his buildings for him though. It's always nice to know that Michigan taxpayer dollars are going towards demolishing priceless historic architecture for a slumlord who has done nothing to maintain his properties. Ilitch can and should pay for the demolitions, but he won't. He just leeches off the city. The amount of money he has put into the city is miniscule at best. The Ilitch empire was created mostly with handouts from the city of Detroit.

[WBG4]

Is there any way we can sue for the property or something?

[Allan]

In some cases you can sue to take the property into your receivership, but I'm not sure what the conditions on that are. You probably have to have a certain amount invested in the property or something. For instance, the bar manager at the Broderick sued Mike Higgins so that he could take the building from Mike. Mike had 30 days to act (there is maybe another week left), & then the building goes to the bar manager. I'm not even sure how that deal is worked out, since I haven't gotten a clear explanation yet. I'm no lawyer, but there is unfortunately not much we can do. If there was, the preservation groups would've tried it already.

[Allan]

I am working on a list of properties the Ilitches own. Some belong to the Tigers; others belong to Olympia Development. Of course they could easily transfer ownership of the Tigers lots to Olympia whenever they feel like it, since the Ilitches own both. There are quite a few lots owned by various individuals in the area, but the Ilitches could most likely buy them out whenever they feel like it.

2305 Woodward - Fox Surface Parking

28 W Montcalm - Fox Parking Deck

2323 Park - Fox Parking Lot A

119 W Fisher - Fox Parking Lot A

421 W Fisher - Olympia Development

2301 Woodward - Hockeytown Cafe

2301 Cass - Olympia Development

2211 Woodward - Fox Theater Building

67 W Montcalm - Fox Theater Rear Lot

127 W Montcalm - Olympia Development

143 W Montcalm - Olympia Development

231 W Montcalm - Olympia Development

229 W Montcalm - Olympia Development

66 W Columbia - Fox Theater Vacant Lant

2210 Park - Detroit Building/Olympia Development

2211 Cass - Ancient Egyptian/Olympia Development

2203 Cass - Ancient Egyptian Parking/Olympia Development

437 W Columbia - Olympia Development

465 W Columbia - Olympia Development

2154 W Grand River - Olympia Development

2171 Cass - Olympia Development

117 W Columbia - Olympia Development

101 W Columbia - Olympia Development

81 W Columbia - Blenheim Apartments/Olympia Development

2123 Woodward - Fox Surface Parking

100 W Elizabeth - Olympia Development

216 W Elizabeth - Olympia Development

401 W Elizabeth - Olympia Development

237 W Elizabeth - Olympia Development

150 Bagley - United Artists Building/Olympia Development

285 W Adams - Olympia Development

147 W Fisher - Detroit Tigers

161 W Fisher - Detroit Tigers

211 W Fisher - Detroit Tigers

405 W Fisher - Detroit Tigers

146 W Montcalm - Detroit Tigers

2335 Cass - Detroit Tigers

201 W Montcalm - Detroit Tigers

100 W Columbia - Detroit Tigers

2130 Cass - Detroit Tigers

168 W Columbia - Detroit Tigers

2100 W Grand River - Detroit Tigers

501 Park - Detroit Tigers (former Tuller Hotel)

100 E Adams - Olympia Development

327 John R - Olympia Development

200 Madison - Olympia Development

242 Madison - Olympia Development (Former Madison-Lenox)

244 Madison - Olympia Development (Former Madison-Lenox)

246 Madison - Olympia Development (Former Madison-Lenox)

300 E Adams - Elmwood Grill, LLC/Elwood Bar

333 Madison - Gem Century, LLC/Gem Theater

Interestingly, Hotel Vermont, that is supposedly owned by the Ilitches shows up as follows:

138 W Columbia - Hotel Vermont - LUVINA JENNINGS/138 W COLUMBIA ST DETROIT MI 48201-3450

Also, 3 properties show up as being owned by the stadium authority, yet the taxes are paid by some lady who lives in Warren.

200 W Columbia - Stadium Authority FREDA ALIBRI

171 W Columbia - Stadium Authority FREDA ALIBRI

142 W Elizabeth - Stadium Authority FREDA ALIBRI

[SNWEB]

Check out the for sale sign on the United Artists, its been there for years.

If you call the number they won't even know what your talking about... must be put up there to make the city happy.

[Allan]

If they were really interested in selling they'd put a decent sized sign up in a visible location.

[Zissou]

Seeing how long that list is has really put me in a foul mood. I knew he had lots of property but that list is soooo damn long.

[mn_body_detroit_hrt]

I am shocked, that list isn

[Michi]

There are ways that the mayor and city council can come together and act on neglected properties and take legal action to acquire them for interested developers. There IS a difference in definition between DEVELOPER and SLUMLORD. Illitch is a SLUMLORD not a DEVELOPER.

That list IS way too long a paints a grim picture on the city. To mention, another issue of shame is placed upon the other deadbeat owners of downtown buildings who mercilessly sit on top of their buildings and do absolutely nothing, with no interest, and no compassion for what their role in the city is. If Illitch's neighbors of his properties would get on the ball, there is potential that this would economically force him into doing something PROACTIVE to his real estate. All we ever see is neglect for demolition and surface parking. It's such a glamourous empire that is shaping our downtown.

[Zissou]

Once Freman is elected Ill take that list and email the mayors offices. Maybe Ill get a response. IMO there is no reason for the city to be kisses Mike Illitches ass to the point where they overlook all these abandoned structures.

[mn_body_detroit_hrt]

hmmm...so how to infiltrate the Ilitch holdings??? The city wont do anything, I am sure they are being "paid" to turn a blind eye, I just have to wonder what he is really thinking...how does one come into contact with Mr. Slum? Anyone?

[Allan]

Ilitch owns about 85% of the land bounded by the Fisher Freeway, Woodward Avenue, W Adams Street, & Grand River Avenue.

In other words, most of this area.

[Zissou]

After looking at that picture one thought comes to mind. We need more parking downtown.

[Allan]

That photo was also taken on a Thursday, during the middle of the workday. I still see plenty of open spots. But we still need more parking.

[Michi]

That photo is representative of Illitch's future vision for the rest of his owned land. He must be stopped. D'OH!

Here's an article that I failed to write first. I mean, it's practically taken from the neurons of my very brain:

Detroit needs to cash in on its assets by saving historical buildings like the Madison-Lenox

By Robert L. Ziegelman

http://www.detnews.com/2005/editorial/0506/07/A06-204662.htm

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[mn_body_detroit_hrt]

great article.

[gmm1]

...By the way it is being destroyed, it doesn't appear that any materials with value are intended on being preserved.  ...

As I walked by the site on my way to work this morning I noticed that there were small pieces of stonework from the facade resting on pallets at the corner of Bagley and Park. This is the first time I've seen them saving anything. I wonder where thise items are headed.

[mn_body_detroit_hrt]

As I walked by the site on my way to work this morning I noticed that there were small pieces of stonework from the facade resting on pallets at the corner of Bagley and Park.  This is the first time I've seen them saving anything.  I wonder where thise items are headed.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

YIPPY! Thats great. I couldnt belive that they would sit and tear it down stone by stone and not save some....good deal.

[dstatler]

Hi Everyone... This is my first posting!

I'm distantly related to Ellsworth Statler and it really pains me to see this demolition going on.

Allan (and others), I truely appreciate the wonderful photos. Do you mind if I download copies? I'm building websites (which I may or may never publish) for each of the Statler Hotels, and these photos would be wonderful records for future generations to see what became of this famous hotel. I will definately keep the copyright info on the photos.

Keep the photos coming please!!

Thanks again!!

David Statler

[Allan]

Welcome to the forum, David!

Shoot me an email when you get a chance. I would be more than willing to share the photos I've taken of the hotel over the past year or so, most of which have not been seen on this forum.

am000179871 (at) ltu.edu