Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou
Post Number: 83 Registered: 09-2006
| Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 3:17 am: | |
BY JOHN GALLAGHER FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER The Detroit Life Building on Park Avenue was shuttered in 1977. (Free Press file photo) Olympia Development, a subsidiary of Ilitch Holdings, has hired JC Beal Construction Inc. to oversee the redevelopment of Ilitch-owned properties in downtown Detroit. First up will be the 10-story Detroit Life Building, an early 20th-Century office tower at 2210 Park Ave., directly behind the Ilitch-owned Fox Theatre. The Ilitch family, owners of the Little Caesars pizza chain and the Detroit Tigers and Red Wings, hopes to provide office space for companies affiliated with Ilitch Holdings, with retail operations on the ground floor. Designed by architects Arnold & Shreve, the Detroit Life Building opened in 1923. It took its name from the now-defunct Detroit Life Insurance Co. The building closed in 1977. Sounds like good news, but Im curious do all of you long time followers of downtown redevelopment think stories like this are noise or is it the real deal? All the recent development news involving the Illitches excites me but at the same time has me skeptical. (Message edited by mayor_sekou on October 09, 2006) |
Detroitstar Member Username: Detroitstar
Post Number: 202 Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 3:40 am: | |
I really hope this is the real deal. I've always been a fan of JC Beal, and dont think they would put their name to something that is questionable. |
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan
Post Number: 4551 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 5:11 am: | |
This really isn't news. I'm pretty sure when they announced the plans for renovation a few months back on their press blitz that they'd already made reference to JC Beal doing this and other projects. |
Bob Member Username: Bob
Post Number: 1176 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 8:28 am: | |
I also thought they had the big announcement about this months ago. I think they are just trying to capitalize on their recent good press with the Tigers. |
1953 Member Username: 1953
Post Number: 1027 Registered: 12-2004
| Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 9:13 am: | |
This may refer to the hiring of the interior demolition team, which an Illitch told me was delayed because of what appeared to be excessively high bids by a number of demo bidders. Either way, it seems like the real deal, since Illitch Holdings needs more office space. |
Bob Member Username: Bob
Post Number: 1177 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 9:21 am: | |
I will really celebrate when there is an announcement for renovation (not demolition) of the UA Theatre/Building. |
3rdworldcity Member Username: 3rdworldcity
Post Number: 300 Registered: 01-2005
| Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 11:30 am: | |
Bob: I wouldn't go out and buy any Champaigne or noisemakers. |
Bob Member Username: Bob
Post Number: 1180 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 12:10 pm: | |
No you are right. I think the UA is destined to be parking for whatever ends up on the Statler block. |
3rdworldcity Member Username: 3rdworldcity
Post Number: 301 Registered: 01-2005
| Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 12:44 pm: | |
Bob. You're probably correct. Or, vice versa. |
Gistok Member Username: Gistok
Post Number: 2908 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 1:18 pm: | |
3WC, there's a man by the name of Harold Shapiro of Bloomfield Hills who (according to recent public records) ownes 2 pieces of land on the Tuller/UA block (one tiny parcel on Bagley between the UA and the former Tuller footprint, the other larger parcel at the corner of Adams and Clifford). It looks like those 2 parcels have been parking lots since at least the 1930's. Do you know anything about this mysterious Mr. Shapiro? I take it he's not interested to sell his land to the Ilitch folks, otherwise he probably would have done so by now. |
Crew Member Username: Crew
Post Number: 1052 Registered: 02-2004
| Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 1:19 pm: | |
As Yogi Bara once said: good pitching beats good hitting 90% of the time, and vice versa. |
3rdworldcity Member Username: 3rdworldcity
Post Number: 303 Registered: 01-2005
| Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 2:48 pm: | |
Gistok: I have not heard of Mr. Shapiro. I thought Ilitch owned the entire block. If there are other owners in there it's my experience development will be slowed way down. You've raised an interesting question. |
Crew Member Username: Crew
Post Number: 1053 Registered: 02-2004
| Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 2:52 pm: | |
Is this the same Harold Shapiro who was the President of Univ. of Michigan? |
3rdworldcity Member Username: 3rdworldcity
Post Number: 308 Registered: 01-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 2:45 pm: | |
Gistok: Re: Harold Shapiro. I checked w/ a friend, who rents the lot at the corner of Clifford and Middle streets. He rents the lot from a company that owns and manages many lots, and that company leases the lot from the partners of H. Shapiro, who is deceased. That's all he knows about the situation. |
Reetz12 Member Username: Reetz12
Post Number: 85 Registered: 09-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 3:04 pm: | |
This will be prime office space for Olympia Ent, for when the new hockey arena will be right across the block. |