Council member wants to save historic Chinatown building
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The back of the Ilitch-owned building set for demolition on Cass Avenue. Photos: Samuel Robinson/Axios
City Council member Gabriela Santiago-Romero is urging Detroit to pause the demolition of an Ilitch-owned building in the heart of the historic Chinatown neighborhood by establishing an interim historic designation "to fully consider the historic significance of 3143 Cass Ave."
Why it matters: Critics of the planned demolition say the building's frontage is a prominent urban characteristic and could contribute to the new construction in District Detroit while paying homage to the area's history.
What they're saying: "Many old and/or historic buildings throughout the Cass Corridor neighborhood have found new life in [the] recent past, including the Peterboro Restaurant (420 Peterboro St.), Iconic Tattoo (3401 Cass Ave.) and 8 Degrees Plato (3409 Cass Ave.)," Santiago-Romero wrote in a letter to the city's building director.
- "Why is 3143 Cass not viewed as an asset and creative opportunity to make District Detroit better?" said resident Francis Grunow, who first wrote to the city last week asking for a historic designation.
Catch up quick: Olympia, the Ilitch family's development company, bought the building in 2004 for $50,000.
- The building immediately north at 3175 Cass Ave., the former home of Chung's Cantonese Cuisine, was recently sold to American Community Developers. The Harper Woods-based company has plans for a $3 million restoration.
- The site next to it, the former home of Gold Dollar Bar, was burned down in 2019 and then demolished. It is now a vacant lot.
What's next: Santiago-Romero told Axios Tuesday that city officials have said there have been properties in similar or worse condition that they've saved in the past.
- "We are hoping to do some more research on the significance of the property and see if there's any potential developers and if there's any resources to save the property," Santiago-Romero said, adding that she's been in contact with Olympia about the building.
