DTE pulls the plug on Book Tower

[Jasoncw]

Or maybe they're so confident in their plans that they don't care about their current tenants.

I suppose if the entire building was really renovated, the space might be too expensive for the current tenants anyway. I don't really know how this kind of stuff works.

[wolverine]

^ Sadly, that is actually the case in some situations.

[RustTown]

I'm not sure what this has to do with much of anything, but the current owners did also allow the Book Tower website address to expire. It's not really a huge loss as it was pretty sketchy, anyway.

[hudkina]

I'm sure that if a company came along and did a complete renovation and modernization, occupancy would go up. Granted, I'd rather see the tower converted to residential as downtown living is in much higher demand.

[wolverine]

I'm not sure what this has to do with much of anything, but the current owners did also allow the Book Tower website address to expire. It's not really a huge loss as it was pretty sketchy, anyway.

[Jasoncw]

I bet most of the people staying in the building are only there because they want to help the building and downtown too.

[Michi]

I want Ferchill...I WANT FERCHILL!!

I went by the Book last night and it was pitch black except for some lights in a few windows, indicating to me that there is no power cut, just little-to-no power on.

[detwaa84]

I thought the book always had a FEW lights on at night.

Do you think they will move the fire/emergency stairs to the inside (like other conversions) so we can have a more attractive building.

[wolverine]

The fire escape on the outside is actually no longer vaild means of egress from the building. There's an interior stairwell that is intended for emergency use. Correct if I'm wrong, but there's only 1, and that could be a problem if this tower goes residential.

[detwaa84]

The fire escape on the outside is actually no longer vaild means of egress from the building. There's an interior stairwell that is intended for emergency use. Correct if I'm wrong, but there's only 1, and that could be a problem if this tower goes residential.

[Allan]

Wolverine's right. The external fire escape doesn't exactly meet code anymore as a means of egress from a building in this country. No matter the use, the building needs two fire rated means of egress. In the Book, they would likely remove two of the six elevators and put in a second internal egress stair. That's what they did in the Kales Building, and it seemed to work out well. Converting the Book to residential would mean that fewer elevators would be required, and even if the entire building were left as office space, the building could still easily get by with only 4 functioning elevators. Heck, it somehow manages with one right now!

Wolverine, the plans for the Detroit Life Building call for the retention of the existing fire escape as a second means of egress from the building. Did KDG somehow find a loophole in the building code to get away with that? I'm no building code expert, obviously, but I'm curious as to the reasoning behind their decision.

[wolverine]

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that would be a problem because the building is just small -- tall, but small in demension. I hope they remove the extra unnecessary escape though.

[hudkina]

But if they can get rid of it when they clean up the exterior I'd be all for it.

[resourcefulidiot]

idk if you all know but this projet in listed on JCBeal's website with specific plans and timetables

[statedude3]

While eating lunch and watching construction of the BC on Washington Blvd today, I couldnt help but notice the lovely tree growing from the roof of the Book Building. Further observation revealed a handful of boarded up and broken windows. Is this building now abandoned? Is the tower/building going to be addressed at some point soon? I fear for the already struggling retail and businesses that call the book home.

[wolverine]

Hm? I was just up there two weeks ago and all looked fine.

[Jim856796]

If the Book Tower goes to a blackout because of refusal to pay electric bills, this could mean yet another vacant building for Detroit.