Book Cadillac will be razed

[Ivory Tower]

No, I don't know this for a fact.

But I smell something wrong.

A. I heard this before when the Statler was being cleaned out, they said it was being restored.

B. "Investers " come into the Cadillac and start to clean, cough cough, strip it out.

C. Then pull out of the so called deal due to the lack of finances.

Why wouldn't they know this before hand ????

Last but not least.

I've heard that Ilitch is trying to buy up property so he can insure that certain "eyesores" will be razed.

What a cover it would be to keep the historians off thier tracks, untill the ball hits it and is too late.

Is it just me being paranoid or dose something smell in Denmark, excuse me, Detroit ??

Any opinions on this ?

[bobliocatt]

Hopefully, its just you, but I don't see anything good in its future without the city giving massive incentives to a developer to restore it. Unfortunately, the building is just too big and the Detroit's market isn't there yet, to make this a successful project for someone without city help.

[Allan]

Opinions?...of course!

As far as the Book Cadillac goes, the contractors pulled out because the company changed leadership, and the new leader wanted to get out of some of the real estate development. The city is in talks with Ferchill Group of Cleveland to renovate it into a Westin. Word on the street is that the deal is completed and the papers are signed...that came from Kwame Kilpatrick's mouth as he was walking out of Borders one evening.

The Statler is another story. The Statler was cleaned out, and bids went out to various companies for redevelopment. Two came back with plans to turn it into apartments. However, the city wanted it demolished, so they manipulated the numbers to make the renovation look unfeasible for the companies financially. The compaines lost interest, and the building sat vacant for another year and a half. Then last month the historic district commission voted to demolish the building, much to the relief of the city. The same renovation costs were presented, ensuring that the renovation would look impossible to the members of the HDC. So when the vote came, they voted to demolish it.

And how could we forget good old Mike Ilitch? In the eyes of suburbanites, he has done nothing but good for the city. In fact, he's been buying up land and buildings in the fox town area for years. However, because it is in a historic district, he can't demolish the buildings. So he just neglects them for years, first letting the roofs fail, allowing water to penetrate the struture, quickly deteriorating it. Then, as the buildings sit, he removes the windows, allowing the condition to get worse. Eventually, the building becomes a safety hazard, and he is granted the demolition permits, despite the historic status of the building.

Also, Ilitch is doing everything he can to buy up all the old theaters downtown, because they are just competition for Olympia Entertainment. That's why he bought the United Artists Theater and the theater that's behind the Fine Arts Building. He's just eliminating the competition. Do we all need a reminder of what he did to my favorite downtown theater, and one of my favorite buildings?

Then

Lobby

Auditorium

Now

The Lobby

The Auditorium

Few details remain in tact

This is the only one of the maidens that have not been destroyed...at least not yet

Ilitch has made no attempts to stop the damage that is occuring. The theater was still salvagable when he got hold of it in the 1990s. It would not have been that difficult to restore. Now, well, it hasn't got any hope left. One of the most beautiful theaters in the city has been lost forever.

[wolverine]

I hate Illitch! He has done far more bad than good. Sure, the Fox was great, but look at all those historic buildings he tore down, or will! Just another day in Illitchtown. I swear, if he had it his way, the whole city would be parking lots. The guy is pretty much killing Detroit's skyline, building by building. He just lets them sit for awhile longer on death row.

As far as the Book-Cadillac, I highly doubt it will be razed. Renovations are continuing despite the fire, and although there is no developer, I'm sure there will be one in the future. There is just no reason to tear it down, and it is obvious that even the most rushed renovations won't finish it before the Superbowl. As far as the Statler, it is sad to see it go. I'd rather see a hulking ruin than a gravel parking lot.

[bobliocatt]

What a beautiful theater, its unfortunate that it has been allowed to decay to its present condtion.

I remember that story about a SSP forumer claiming to been told by the mayor that the B-C was a done deal. I'm just not sold on it. I have a weird feeling that Kwame could have just been saying that to get him out of his face.

My main concern is why is it taking so long to finish this deal (B-C)? How many months has it been since they started negoitations? Is it going to be a mixed use building or is it just going to be a hotel? If its just a hotel, I'm not sure Detroit can support a hotel that large right now. Hopefully, I'm wrong, because I really would like to see it restored.

[Allan]

The Book Cadillac would be 400 hotel rooms and 80 condos if I remember correctly. It does worry me that it is taking too long to get done, but I just can't see it getting demolished. Somehow it will get saved.

[bobliocatt]

As far as the Book-Cadillac, I highly doubt it will be razed. Renovations are continuing despite the fire, and although there is no developer, I'm sure there will be one in the future. There is just no reason to tear it down, and it is obvious that even the most rushed renovations won't finish it before the Superbowl. As far as the Statler, it is sad to see it go. I'd rather see a hulking ruin than a gravel parking lot.

What renovations are they doing? are they just gutting it out or getting rid of asbestos? I ask because even if you are going to demolish a building you have to remove these things before you can, because they are dangerous for the enviroment.

[Allan]

They are cleaning out all the hazardous materials. This includes getting rid of the asbestos and all the debris all over the place. The building will be pretty much gutted by the time they are done, or at least that's what I've been led to believe.

[Brickcity]

I really doubt the Book Cadillac will be razed it would make Kwame Kilpatrick look very bad.

[Wendell FOX]

I thought Hilton and then Marriott (or was it the other way around) wanted to redevelop the Book-Cadillac into a hotel by the time of Detroit's Super Bowl in the future.

[bobliocatt]

Those developers abandoned those plans.

[monsoon]

[wolverine]

Totally agree with you on that.

[G W North]

Unbelievable. There are already so many holes in Detroit's urban fabric, it looks like Swiss cheese. From Vacant lots that held individual homes, to entire vacant blocks, to lots where large commercial buildings have been torn down to make way for parking lots. This is the last thing that city needs.

[Allan]

As of right now, I give a Book-Cadillac a 50-50 chance of survival. The hotel won't be coming down without a big fight though...it'll be a while before the demolition would happen anyway, since the city has no money.