The Penoscot Building used to be Detroit's tallest building in the heart of downtown. It was also one of the classier ones.
Now it feels worn and lethargic and in need of a major facelift.
Kirk Pinho of Crain's Detroit Business reports:
The lack of upkeep hasn't been without consequences.
The Penobscot, 645 Griswold St., has lost two major tenants and has been socked with no less than 161 tickets totaling over $92,000 in blight violations this year alone, with the city threatening a nuisance abatement lawsuit if the Toronto-based ownership group, Triple Properties Inc., doesn't fix the neglected portions of the building...
Jessica Parker, the Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department chief enforcement officer, said the city has been "engaging the owner" and that Triple has been working on some of the repairs, including fixing elevators, cleaning and removing debris from unoccupied floors and "locking down" vacant spaces.
Some of the blight violations earlier this year were for things like not having a certificate of compliance, interior debris, and unsafe and unsanitary conditions.
