  Hooligan Member Username: Hooligan Post Number: 1 Registered: 01-2008 |
http://multimedia.detnews.com/ pix/photogalleries/newsgallery /02052008renovationftshelby/ | ||
Wschnitt Member Username: Wschnitt Post Number: 58 Registered: 07-2007 |
I love pictures like these. I wish there were more and more of the B-C. | ||
Bobj Member Username: Bobj Post Number: 3735 Registered: 11-2003 |
I cannot wait for the FS and the BC to open! | ||
Busterwmu Member Username: Busterwmu Post Number: 424 Registered: 09-2004 |
Cool. Can't wait. It would be nice to see a similar update on the progress of the Book Caddy. | ||
Jrvass Member Username: Jrvass Post Number: 441 Registered: 01-2007 |
I remember as a child going to the Fort-Shelby for the fireworks on the river. My Dad rented a suite at the top of the hotel. The fireworks went off at eye level. My aunt Mary and her 7 kids, Dad, Mom, and us 3 kids (and my cousin) all went down in 2 station wagons. The parents enjoyed adult beverages in 1 room while 11 kids went nuts bouncing on the beds, throwing popcorn, a bathtub full of ice & pop. After the fireworks, my Mom & aunt Mary packed up the leftover food & pop in the suitcases we brought. Got in line behind my father, with all 11 kids (from tall to small) in line. We get to the front desk and he is paying the bill. We all said in unison "Thank you, Daddy!". Some old man reading a newspaper in the lobby looks up, sees 2 middle-aged women and 11 kids! We thought his eyes would have popped out!  | ||
Lombaowski Member Username: Lombaowski Post Number: 85 Registered: 11-2004 |
Nice to hear. | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 2744 Registered: 10-2003 |
Here's the Detroit News article from today's front page that goes with that photo gallery: Restoring a Detroit treasure: Artists labor to re-create Pick-Fort Shelby's grandeur: $82 million renovation of landmark, built in 1917, to save many original details "Now that tons of debris and rubble have been carted away, the quest is on to resurrect the historic details of downtown's landmark Pick-Fort Shelby Hotel. As part of an $82 million attempt to restore the original look and feel of the 1917 building, specialized artisans are working to save crumbling architectural elements almost four decades after the last disco-era attempt at revival. "A lot of this stuff is a lost art on how you do it," said Leo Phillips, one of the developers behind the hotel project. "So it's not just about finding the right person. It's also finding out if it won't cost us a fortune. Because you know, it's all about getting the project done on our budget." Last week, a New York artist began trying to re-create the elaborate ceiling in the hotel's Crystal Ballroom, relying on the few fragile tiles that remain. Phillips and his partners in the project are trying to save the hotel's ancient telephone switchboard, a keepsake piece of technology that will only be decorative in this era of the mobile phone. Phillips has even invested his own money in trying to save a massive marble shoe stand, turning to one of the last remaining marble craft shops in the area. Beyond the simple but daunting question of whether all of this can even be done are two others: Will the project stay on time and -- more importantly -- on budget? If the historic details can't be saved they will have to be re-created, at a possibly even greater cost, since financing for the project depends on making the new hotel historically accurate. ..." Full article at: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb cs.dll/article?AID=/20080205/M ETRO/802050320 | ||
Detroitstar Member Username: Detroitstar Post Number: 922 Registered: 01-2006 |
The video with the marble shoe shine stand and the telephone panel was very exciting! Hopefully this leads to the renaissance of the west edge of downtown. Sure would be nice to see some more foot traffic in the area. | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 1025 Registered: 03-2006 |
Detroitstar, I couldnt agree more. That side of downtown needs big help, this is a great start. | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 253 Registered: 11-2007 |
That's what we were hoping for at the Book, restoring, or at least recreating, the plaster ceilings. The shoe shine stand and switchboard will look great as well. Grandeur, Yes! | ||
Civilprotectionunit4346 Member Username: Civilprotectionunit4346 Post Number: 626 Registered: 06-2007 |
So this is supposed to open this yr? The restoration progress looks good. Are they using the whole building for hotel useage or are they going to turn part of it into apt's? | ||
El_jimbo Member Username: El_jimbo Post Number: 563 Registered: 12-2006 |
I thought the BC was opening in 2008 and the FS was opening in 2009? |
