The-New-Tony-Detroit
11-17-2006, 04:02 PM
Real estate
Bidders offer up proposals for G.A.R. Building
November 17, 2006
BY JOHN GALLAGHER
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER
There may be life for the G.A.R. Building, after all.
Six bidders submitted proposals to the City of Detroit this week to buy and renovate the historic but vacant structure at Cass and Grand River.
Olympia Development, a subsidiary of the pizza and sports empire run by Mike and Marian Ilitch, proposed moving its offices into the building, with a restaurant on the first floor.
Detroit-based developers David and Tom Carleton, who are brothers, proposed moving the editing studios of their video company, Mindfield Pictures, into the building. Mindfield makes commercials and other video work for Toyota, Compuware and others.
All the proposals call for a mix of retail and commercial space. All include some tribute to honor the Grand Army of the Republic, the veterans of the Union army for whom the castle-like hall was built in 1900.
"I think it would be a shame to take that building and not realize what it was historically," David Carleton said.
The purchase price of the building is $220,000. The team selected by the city would have to spend at least $1 million to renovate it.
City planners will study the proposals. By the end of November or early December, planners will submit their recommendation to Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick for a decision.
The City Council would have to approve a final sale.
Contact JOHN GALLAGHER at 313-222-5173 or gallagher@freepress.com.
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My money is on this: Why would Ilitch want the property if he knew he had to renovate it? Perhaps the new arena next door is going to be announced very soon to augment the restored GAR - and the Ilitch monopoly continues!
Bidders offer up proposals for G.A.R. Building
November 17, 2006
BY JOHN GALLAGHER
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER
There may be life for the G.A.R. Building, after all.
Six bidders submitted proposals to the City of Detroit this week to buy and renovate the historic but vacant structure at Cass and Grand River.
Olympia Development, a subsidiary of the pizza and sports empire run by Mike and Marian Ilitch, proposed moving its offices into the building, with a restaurant on the first floor.
Detroit-based developers David and Tom Carleton, who are brothers, proposed moving the editing studios of their video company, Mindfield Pictures, into the building. Mindfield makes commercials and other video work for Toyota, Compuware and others.
All the proposals call for a mix of retail and commercial space. All include some tribute to honor the Grand Army of the Republic, the veterans of the Union army for whom the castle-like hall was built in 1900.
"I think it would be a shame to take that building and not realize what it was historically," David Carleton said.
The purchase price of the building is $220,000. The team selected by the city would have to spend at least $1 million to renovate it.
City planners will study the proposals. By the end of November or early December, planners will submit their recommendation to Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick for a decision.
The City Council would have to approve a final sale.
Contact JOHN GALLAGHER at 313-222-5173 or gallagher@freepress.com.
_________________________________________________________________
My money is on this: Why would Ilitch want the property if he knew he had to renovate it? Perhaps the new arena next door is going to be announced very soon to augment the restored GAR - and the Ilitch monopoly continues!
