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Hard Rock Hotel

rbdetsport

By rbdetsport
in Detroit

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Allan Metropolis

Allan

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Here is the lobby of the Whitney Building, as seen in the 1980s.

whitney.jpg

The Whitney Building is was designed by Chicago-based Graham, Burnham, & Co. David Charles Whitney commissioned the project, and named the building after his father. Construction began around the same time as the Statler construction across the street, and a competition developed between the contractors of the Statler and the Whitney to see who could top out their building first. The Whitney's contractors, Lanquist & Illsley Co. of Chicago, beat the Statler crew by two floors.

The building was very prestegious. There was a waiting list to get an office in the building. The tenants were mostly doctors and dentists at first. In the 1950s and 1960s, the building began to have difficulty attracting tenants. In 1965 the Whitney family sold the building to an investment trust in New York. The building was sold again in 1974, this time to the Cliffton Management Corporation in Montreal. They restored the white marble lobby. Joe and Debbie Grella of New York purchased the building in 1985 and immediately began extensive cleaning and rehabilition on the public areas of the building, specifically the lobby & atrium. They shifted the tenant composition from medical uses to more arts-oriented tenants. Art galleries were in the atrium, and a pianist played at lunchtime in the lobby. They boosted the occupancy from 40% to 67%, but it wasn't enough to break even. And while the public spaces were rehabilitated, the offices were suffering. Elevators would stop working between floors, and public restrooms were often without custodial service. They sold the building within five years because of health and financial problems. It was auctioned off and sold to Mid-America Realty Investors.

In the late 1990s plans were underway to convert the Whitney into a 294 room Doubletree Hotel. A group of investors led by Bill Brooks, former General Motors vice president of corporate affairs, planned to spend $39 million on the conversion, but was unable to come up with the financing for the project. The building was leased to MGM Grand Casino in 1999 for their use as a hiring and training center for its new casino. However, by late 2000 the building would be vacant. It was sold to Becker Ventures of Troy, who intended to renovate the building into a Hard Rock Hotel. The plans fell through, and the building has been vacant since then.

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rbdetsport Burg

rbdetsport

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Here is the lobby of the Whitney Building, as seen in the 1980s.

whitney.jpg

The Whitney Building is was designed by Chicago-based Graham, Burnham, & Co.  David Charles Whitney commissioned the project, and named the building after his father.  Construction began around the same time as the Statler construction across the street, and a competition developed between the contractors of the Statler and the Whitney to see who could top out their building first.  The Whitney's contractors, Lanquist & Illsley Co. of Chicago, beat the Statler crew by two floors. 

The building was very prestegious.  There was a waiting list to get an office in the building.  The tenants were mostly doctors and dentists at first.  In the 1950s and 1960s, the building began to have difficulty attracting tenants.  In 1965 the Whitney family sold the building to an investment trust in New York.  The building was sold again in 1974, this time to the Cliffton Management Corporation in Montreal.  They restored the white marble lobby.  Joe and Debbie Grella of New York purchased the building in 1985 and immediately began extensive cleaning and rehabilition on the public areas of the building, specifically the lobby & atrium.  They shifted the tenant composition from medical uses to more arts-oriented tenants.  Art galleries were in the atrium, and a pianist played at lunchtime in the lobby.  They boosted the occupancy from 40% to 67%, but it wasn't enough to break even.  And while the public spaces were rehabilitated, the offices were suffering.  Elevators would stop working between floors, and public restrooms were often without custodial service.  They sold the building within five years because of health and financial problems.  It was auctioned off and sold to Mid-America Realty Investors. 

In the late 1990s plans were underway to convert the Whitney into a 294 room Doubletree Hotel.  A group of investors led by Bill Brooks, former General Motors vice president of corporate affairs, planned to spend $39 million on the conversion, but was unable to come up with the financing for the project.  The building was leased to MGM Grand Casino in 1999 for their use as a hiring and training center for its new casino.  However, by late 2000 the building would be vacant.  It was sold to Becker Ventures of Troy, who intended to renovate the building into a Hard Rock Hotel.  The plans fell through, and the building has been vacant since then.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks Allan for the info and the picture.

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Allan Metropolis

Allan

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Why didn't MGM do something with it? I mean they have the money.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

MGM just needed it for their training center. After they were done training the employees they didn't have much use for the building.
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Allan Metropolis

Allan

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Seems like that always happens in the D.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep. That's just what happens when you try to develop something in what the banks would deem a "risky" area. Often times the banks won't lend as much because the market is considered to be untested, and the business venture is considered too risky.
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Allan Metropolis

Allan

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Yea big risk when the superbowl is coming.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It has nothing to do with the Super Bowl. The banks grant loans based on how economically successful they think a project is going to be. The Super Bowl will have very little economic impact on the city in the long term.
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rbdetsport Burg

rbdetsport

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not to mention rb, what would they do after the superbowl?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Its a win or lose situation. If the superbowl and the all-star games are awesome and are successful, there will be more things attracted to the city. If the city doesn't do well with the line-up of events, it will be in the same situation it is in right now.

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Allan Metropolis

Allan

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Is there any plans for a new hotel in the CBD of Detroit?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Book Cadillac & Casino hotels...if they ever happen. Detroit does not really need any more hotel rooms downtown. If downtown were a destination, then ok, but people do not come to Detroit from out of state to see downtown unless it is auto show time.
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rbdetsport Burg

rbdetsport

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Book Cadillac & Casino hotels...if they ever happen.  Detroit does not really need any more hotel rooms downtown.  If downtown were a destination, then ok, but people do not come to Detroit from out of state to see downtown unless it is auto show time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was surprised that the Mayor said something about the Book Cadillac in his State of the City Address.

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Allan Metropolis

Allan

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I was surprised that the Mayor said something about the Book Cadillac in his State of the City Address.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not. People wonder what on earth is the deal with that building, because in the past KK has always said "two more weeks". Six months later he still says that it's going to begin in two weeks. Haha.
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rbdetsport Burg

rbdetsport

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I'm not.  People wonder what on earth is the deal with that building, because in the past KK has always said "two more weeks".  Six months later he still says that it's going to begin in two weeks.  Haha.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He said something big was going to come out in the next month. HAHA!!!!!

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Downtowner Burg

Downtowner

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I think you all we need more hotels for sure because you all have the 2005 Baseball All-Star Game going on which i'm currently trying to get tickets for .But yea I think thats going to be a huge event in detroit this year I think it will really help Comerica Park I think its a really nice ballpark but i'm not a tigers fan.

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rbdetsport Burg

rbdetsport

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I think you all we need  more hotels for sure because you all have the 2005 Baseball All-Star Game going on which i'm currently trying to get tickets for .But yea I think thats going to be a huge event in detroit this year I think it will really help Comerica Park I think its a really nice ballpark but i'm not a tigers fan.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

WOW! Detroit is really going to get a lot of people to come Downtown in the next year.

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kgourlay Unincorporated Area

kgourlay

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So many people collect stuff from Hard Rock Cafe.  The food isn't even all that good, at least for the price you pay!  With that said, I did eat at the one in Detroit once just so that I could say that I've been there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The prices at the cafe here in Detroit aren't that bad at all. True, the food isn't that special, but you pay for the atmosphere, just like at most restaurants. Regardless of the quality, Hard Rock is a highly known name, and it is great to have one here in Detroit (finally).

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