Detroit has 15 abandoned buildings waiting for new life
Numerous architecturally significant buildings in Detroit went unoccupied at the turn of the century. In fact, there were so many that it seemed unlikely that any considerable number would ever be revived.
Of course, that is altering. Yes, Detroit has had a number of buildings demolished and planned redevelopments fall through. But in recent years, ambitious projects have advanced and buildings have been renovated more frequently. Just a few years ago, some of these seemed incredibly unlikely.
But the town still has a lot of abandoned structures waiting for new life. Here are the ones that we think need to be developed the most.
We have made an effort to follow through on plans that have either not been made public or about which we have doubts. The fact that many of these structures are owned by the Ilitches, a family that also owns Little Caesars Pizza, the Detroit Red Wings, and Tigers, and the recently constructed Little Caesars Arena, won’t likely surprise readers.
Cooley Senior High
Thomas M. Cooley High School, a magnificent example of Mediterranean Revival architecture, was created by the renowned Donaldson & Meier of Detroit. It was founded in 1928 and operated successfully as a school for many years before the district decided to close it in 2010.
One organization, the Cooley Reuse Project, has been making futile attempts to renovate the structure for years. It is less likely that the school will be saved because a fire destroyed the centerpiece auditorium in 2017.
AMC’s main office
This complex, which was initially constructed in 1927 for the appliance manufacturer Kelvinator Corporation, eventually grew to 1.46 million square feet. The building, which was later purchased by Chrysler, changed its name as a result of the company’s merger with the American Motors Corporation. When Chrysler filed for bankruptcy in 2007, it sold the structure for $2.3 million.
In 2016, the AMC building came close to being demolished. Then, in 2018, there were rumblings that the city might purchase it from the county and find a developer. But nothing has been reported since.
Lee Square
According to Historic Detroit, it transitioned from being a towering symbol of wealth to a towering symbol of Detroit’s decline.
As a “residential hotel” for Detroit’s elite, this extravagant Art Deco structure opened for business in 1927. It almost immediately struggled to make ends meet and closed in 1997. Since then, it has been the victim of vandalism, with 24 terra cotta lions being stolen and the copper roof being stripped.
It has also long been the focus of redevelopment rumors (and abandoned plans). The structure was sold by the city of Detroit to developers in 2019 with a $50 million proposal to convert it into 180 apartments, many of which would be available to renters with low incomes. We’re still waiting and watching because of the amount of work needed.
Building CPA
This attractive triangular building, which is in a prime real estate location across from Michigan Central Station, has been vacant for more than 20 years despite being in that location. The building was purchased by New York-based Sequoia Property Partners for $900,000 in 2014, but nothing has been done with it since. Although we’re still waiting for someone to develop it, it escaped demolition in 2016.
Inn at Fort Wayne
Built-in 1926 as the Hotel Fort Wayne, it was renamed the American Hotel in the 1960s under new ownership. The 300-room hotel shut its doors in the 1990s and hasn’t been used since.
As part of its unfinished, multi-neighborhood District Detroit project, the Ilitches’ family business Olympia Development of Michigan, which owns the property, announced that it would restore and transform the structure into 163 apartments. There hasn’t been any apparent activity on the property aside from boarding up the windows.
Apartments at Alhambra
The six-story Romanesque building, constructed in the late 1800s, spent the majority of its time housing upscale apartments. The structure declined along with the Cass Corridor, going from being an apartment complex for low-income renters to a motel and finally closing in 2006.
The Ilitches, who purchased the Alhambra in 2009 and announced plans to convert it into 46 apartments as part of District Detroit, also own the Alhambra. There hasn’t been any progress since it missed a deadline for development in 2018.
Inn at Eddystone
The Hotel Eddystone, one of three Italian Renaissance hotels constructed by Lew Tuller, was created by renowned Detroit architect Louis Kamper and inaugurated in 1924. The Eddystone, which struggled to stay afloat like many other structures on this list, was forced to close in the late 1990s.
As a result of an agreement whereby Olympia agreed to demolish its neighbor, the Park Avenue Hotel, the building was purchased by the Ilitches and spared from destruction. Its transformation into a 96-unit apartment building was announced by the company, but deadlines were missed. It and the city came to an agreement to pursue a $40.9 million development, but we are still dubious.
Moose Lodge of the Loyal Order
The same-named fraternal organization commissioned the construction of this Neoclassical structure in 1922. It has been abandoned for many years despite numerous attempts to revitalize it over the years, including one from 1994 that called for turning it into a nightclub.
The Ilitches acquired the lodge in 2007 for $1.5 million, making it yet another structure that they own. Although the company teased the public with potential redevelopment plans in 2017 and performed some cosmetic work on the facade in 2013, nothing has materialized.
Artistic Theatre
It’s surprising that this over-100-year-old theater, which C. Howard Crane’s design hasn’t been renovated given its prominent location on Woodward close to Brush Park. Its intriguing and shady past may be a contributing factor.
The most recent sale was made to Birmingham pharmacist Hany Boutros in 2016 for $1.3 million. The building has been used sparingly for the past twenty years, and no obvious work has been done. He never made his plans public.
Park Avenue Structure
The 1920s saw the opening of this office complex on the outskirts of Grand Circus Park, but it has been abandoned for a long time. It started to degrade so badly in 2018 that pieces were falling onto the sidewalk.
Later that year, Rino Soave paid $4.9 million to purchase it. The building will be transformed into up to 100 apartments at a cost of $10 million to $15 million, according to the developer’s significant plans. But since then, the building has not received much attention.
Universal Studios Theatre
Another “movie palace” in Detroit was built by C. Howard Crane, debuted in 1928. Incredibly accurate interior details are provided by Historic Detroit: “The UA featured a grand, circular lobby, complete with mirrors and enormous Indian maidens on the walls that looked down on audiences. The United Artists’ theater was like a cathedral of cinema, with Gothic plaster decorations and intriguing brass light fixtures, and it was said to have perfect acoustics.
After years of deterioration, it shut down in 1975. When the Iliches acquired the structure in 1997, they already had plans to demolish it. Emmett Moten’s Bagley Development, which is owned by Olympia, was given the development rights to redevelop the building for $56 million, but at a price.
Old Wayne County Building
In 1902, the 44,625-square-foot, 18-courtroom Wayne County Building opened as a lavish example of Beaux Arts architecture. The interior is decorated with mahogany, oak, birch, maple, and sycamore, according to Historic Detroit. A variety of marbles, including Sienna, English vein, white Italian, Alps green, Verona, red or yellow Numidian, and others, are used to line the halls. The columns in the entire structure are made of imitation marble and feature, among other things, Sienna and Numidian designs.
Despite the county leaving in 2010, the structure is still in good condition. Contrary to others on this list, the structure has undergone restorations over time, most recently in 2018. A group of New York investors owns it, and since buying the building, they have been trying to find a tenant.
Navy Armory in Brodhead
As evidenced by this former armory just east of Belle Isle, which served as a base for Navy and Marine Corps training, Detroit has long been a significant shipping hub. Joe Louis fought his first fight there in 1932. The Art Deco structure had a sizable indoor drill floor when it first opened in 1930.
The structure was abandoned in 2004, and scrappers severely damaged it. The city, which owns the structure, has been looking for a developer for years without success. If the right buyer materialized, it would undoubtedly be an exciting opportunity.
Mirror Ballroom
The Vanity Ballroom, a magnificent example of Art Deco architecture with an Aztec theme, was a legendary location on Detroit’s east side where jazz legends like Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald as well as punk rock pioneers the Stooges and MC5 performed.
It was the “last intact ballroom of Detroit’s great dance halls” when it closed in 1988. Since the building was without a roof for many years, preservation of the venue will be challenging but not impossible. The building has been secured, and Jefferson East, Inc. has started raising money for its restoration, which it expects to cost about $12 million.
