Any wealthy lovers of old buildings out there? This Detroit neo-Gothic gem is in trouble

[LuckyTheDog]

The Metropolitan Building's moment of truth is nigh. The DEGC is now accepting bids for the removal of the building's asbestos, issuing an RFP document with the words "demolition project" in the title. The DEGC isn't willing to admit it, but we are: The Metropolitan is on track for demolition because it's an currently an eyesore, and eyesores don't fit in with the new vision for downtown. Cubed published a plea for preservation back in April, when Bedrock's Bruce Schwartz implied the company was interested in renovation. Unfortunately, today's article in the Detroit News reveals that Bedrock has definitely given up on the building. Will a developer step in before it's too late?

More here: http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2013/09/metropolitan-building-inches-closer-to-demolition.php

More photos here: http://historicdetroit.org/building/metropolitan-building/

[Taitertots]

1. It would probably be more profitable to just build an identical building in a more prosperous area

B/C one thing comes to mind when I see that.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. Sorry, nobody can build an historical building and even if they could

the cost would be more than that of restoring the real one.

[AtheistCrusader]

8. With the asbestos and hazardous materials abatement...

Not sure if that's accurate.

[sinkingfeeling]

9. What do you mean? I have a house on the National Registry. I know what

it costs to have just a single piece of trim work reproduced.

[AtheistCrusader]

10. Poster above referred to profitability.

It's not JUST probably more than a million in abatement, but also re-location of the building.

[sinkingfeeling]

11. You can't build an historical building. You might build a replica of one, but

it's not historical. Besides, $1-2 million won't even get you a parking lot.

[AtheistCrusader]

12. Sure, but a replica, properly made, can be better.

Better earthquake or fire survivability. Less toxic materials, etc.

Unless you invest metaphysical qualities in the building, that cannot be replicated no matter how fine the detail...
Personally I do not. A replica can be better than the original, it does not imply inferiority.

In a more valuable area of the city, that building could bring in a return on the investment much faster, even if the initial outlay is much larger.

[sinkingfeeling]

14. Not in my book. Some of us love 'old things'. And you'd have to import

craftsman to do the same quality of work as was common back then. But we can each hold our own opinions. I will continue to work with the National Trust to save old buildings and houses.

[AtheistCrusader]

15. Sure, it's a difference in perspective.

I view a building as an idea. A chance to rebuild it, means a chance to correct flaws in the original idea.

But I understand where you are coming from. And certainly, your point about craftsmanship/detail work. Restoring things like molding is probably easier than finding someone to make it new...

[Demeter]

27. I agree, if the point is to preserve the design

But buildings are not just artistic architecture. They must have a use.

Disneyland can do replicas and knockoffs, and get paid for them.

BUT

In the normal reality, form and function must work together for lasting success.

Unfortunately, most modern architecture has neither form nor function. Modern buildings are ugly, inefficient, and cheap. Hence, nobody minds tearing them down when they get to be an expensive nuisance to maintain or modify.

While we would LOVE to live in the Hollywood glamor we saw on the silver screen, modern economic profiteering doesn't allow it.

[Taitertots]

17. It wouldn't be "Historical" but it would look exactly the same

Even if it did cost more, being in a prosperous area could easily offset the cost. And, if the building has asbestos (probably does) than abatement costs could reach into the tens of millions of dollars.

[LuckyTheDog]

2. More pictures at this link

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2013/09/tour-the-metropolitans-interior-after-34-years-of-vacancy.php

[sinkingfeeling]

3. I wish I had the money.

[Bunnahabhain]

5. I hope this gets saved.

Detroit has/had some fantastic architecture. As a young man I used to date a girl in Dearborn when I was still living in Windsor. I would stay over Saturday night and ride my motorcycle home early Sunday morning. The neighborhoods by the Ambassador Bridge had such beautiful brownstones but mostly gone to seed. Heartbreaking.

Google "Ruins of Detroit" and enjoy some fantastic pics. Some of these places used to be haunts of mine.

[Chan790]

6. Any idea on the price?

It's a beautiful building...but having dealt with asbestos before, there's probably a $1-2M asbestos removal bill on top of the sale price of the building. That's going to be killer, it probably doubles the price.

If you have some connection to all this and are thinking of going the historical preservation route, it'd probably be easier to find someone interested in preservation and architecture to grant funds to cover the cost of asbestos removal and cleanup (conditional on no demolition as a result) rather than trying to buy the building. From there, it becomes a much easier venture to find a tenant or buyer.

[LuckyTheDog]

7. The building is city-owned now...

... so, based on what I have seen the city do in the past, I think the sale price would depend on how likely it is that a developer would get the building back on the tax roles quickly. The Detroit Economic Growth Corp. has been known to strike some interesting deals in cases like this.

[Taverner]

13. Beautiful

We all have to save Detroit

[Politicalboi]

16. Halloween is coming up

Looks like a great place to have a scare fest.

I bet Larry Silverstein can help them with their asbestos problem. He had to clean up the WTC of asbestos, and he did it in less than 2 hours.

[kwassa]

18. Why not all the other beautiful Detroit buildings that have been abandoned?

like the central train station.

[Barack_America]

26. The train station was basically abandoned before it was even finished.

The top floors were supposed to be a hotel, but were never completed. It's the ultimate example of how Detroit grew too quickly for its own good. The train station is no where near centrally located, but surely the growth would reach it. Surely the boom would last forever and fill the sprawling city with never-ending prosperity. Not so much.

[kwassa]

19. some other Detroit buildings

[Spitfire of ATJ]

20. When I see something like this...

I picture the people on scaffolds putting those tiles in on the ceiling one at a time.

Then I picture a full restoration with people on scaffolds cleaning those same tiles one at a time.

[kwassa]

21. Union Station in DC was beautifully restored

It can be done. The problem with Detroit is the crash of the economic support for the city, which is unlikely ever again to see the level of prosperity it once knew.

here is Union Station.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

22. I can picture the DC Villagers strolling through in their multi-$1000 suits.

[kwassa]

23. Everybody takes the trains.

All the MARC commuter trains end up at Union Station. All those government office drones.

Definitely not rich. Most of the restaurants are not high-end, mostly of the convenience variety.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

24. Still, best to see to it they're world comes first.

[Chan790]

28. Except they don't.

Anybody who has lived here for any time knows Union Station is a madhouse 24/7/365 so depending on which direction they're going, the commuter locals going further than Metro range typically use the MARC/Amtrak stations in Silver Spring or New Carrollton or the VRE station in Alexandria. Coming into the city, they de-train at one of those satellite stations and take Metro to their final destination.

Union Station is almost entirely used by tourists or people who need to catch a train that is headed further than Baltimore or Richmond, headed somewhere other than NYC. (You'd go to New Carrollton for the Northeast Corridor lines.) About the only reason most DC hoity-toities set foot in Union Station that I can think of is if they're taking the Acela.

[bif]

25. George Jackson is an asshole!

Just saying.

[Botany]

29. Looking @ the pictures and the pictures at the link they tell me that you could spend ....

... >$25,000,000* on this fixer upper and even then can you guarantee it will
get enough tenets to pay the rent?


* Standing water on the floor in one picture ... black mold no doubt ..... new elevators,
and so much more would be needed to be done. You might be able to tear down and rebuilld
the roof top structure on the ground someplace but even that would cost $$$$$.