Detroit Clears way for Redevelopment of Book-Cadillac & Fort-Shelby Hotels

[Allan]

The top several floors are condos. Those are far from complete. The first resident just moved in the other day. Lots of finishing touches need to be put on the other units before they are ready for occupancy, so don't expect lots of lights on up there for a while.

Don't expect to see every light on in the hotel portion either - the hotel is far from fully occupied. The hotel is not yet complete. Most of it is, but there are lots of finishing touches that need to be put on it. They only had a few dozen guests on opening night (Wednesday). Occupancy will climb, but expect about 30-40% of the rooms to be full any any given night.

[Jim856796]

The Book-Cadillac may have reopened, but what about the Fort Shelby? It should open in two months.

[detroitfan]

You're in luck the News recently toured the Fort Shelby, looking at the pics two months is really pushing it. http://multimedia.detnews.com/ pix/photogalleries/newsgallery /10142008_fortshelby/

[tombarnes]

Fort Shelby Reopened Monday, December 15th

At long last, the Fort Shelby has repoened its doors as the Doubletree Suites Fort Shelby Hotel. The article below has a link to several sets of pictures and video. It appears that certain elements of the original detail were restored while others were recreated with a free hand- most notably the canvas ceiling in the ballroom. I've noticed on a few other sites that readers have complained that this was not an accurate "restoration" of the hotel. Of course it isn't. I'm overjoyed to see that the Fort Shelby and the Book-Cadillac have both been rescued from the jaws of oblivion. In a larger sense, these two buildings represent what is possible for downtown Detroit. If only a few others had been allowed to survive the Super Bowl.....

The Detroit News

Note: The photo links in the story above are very slow.

[statedude3]

I have been to Finn & Porters twice since the opening, and I must say that this entire complex is first class all the way! This has gone largely forgotten because of the big Book-Cadillac renovation, but it really shouldn't. I have had the opportunity to dine in, get coffee to go, and visit people staying at the hotel...Detroit would be wise to find a way to improve the immediate blocks around the hotel, because it has the potential to be a downtown destination. A+ in my book.

[RustTown]

We'll if you've been checking out the DetroitYes forums anytime within the last month (and the Free Press, today, apparently), you've heard that there will soon be a "way to improve the immediate blocks around the hotel." Apparently for George Jackson, "improving" the area around the hotel means demolishing the Lafayette Building. lol!

I swear, if they keep up this crap, there will be no reason for downtown hotels because there won't be anything left to visit.

[Allan]

Yeah, I've spent considerable time over the past week trying to track down information regarding the Lafayette Building...photos, plans, etc. I think I'm finally starting to get somewhere.

The urban planning strategies that failed other cities over the past 5 decades are still alive and healthy in Detroit. What didn't work in other cities simply must work here, apparently.

If the city is going to demolish something, they can demolish all the abandoned, burned out houses. The one block of Robinwood between Woodward & John R literally has 50+ abandoned houses just sitting there. Only a handful of houses on that street are still occupied (5 that I counted, but maybe as many as 10...out of almost 60 homes). I know of a few others in my old neighborhood in southwest Detroit that could use the help of a backhoe also....

[Jim856796]

About the resored Fort Shelby Hotel, the original 1916 building houses the 200 guest rooms and the 1927addition has the 63 apartments?

[ZachariahDaMan]

Fort Shelby, along with the Argonaut Building in New Center are the winners of the 2010 Governor's Awards for Historic Preservation.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100504/BUSINESS06/100504055/2-Detroit-projects-win-preservation-awards