The renovation and reopening of the more famous Book Cadillac Hotel has gotten more pub, and maybe rightly so, given the Book's historic past. But across town, another of Detroit's aging gems came back to life when the Fort Shelby Hotel reopened recently as part of the Doubletree chain.
It took a couple of years of major refurbishing, and regulars to the neighborhood will testify to the remarkable exterior work that was done to enhance the building that had sat vacant since the 1980s. The result is a much-needed (Detroit hopes) hotel located on W. Lafayette Boulevard, across Lafayette from WDIV and across Third Street from the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News. The hotel is within walking distance of Joe Louis Arena and Cobo Hall, not to mention a People Mover station.
Completion of the Doubletree Guest Suites Fort Shelby project is yet another major step in Detroit's rebirth, although slightly removed from the districts where the bulk of the work has been done - at Foxtown, in and around Campus Martius, and at the riverfront. To see some of the attention find its way down Fort Street (only a short walk from MGM's newly revamped casino) is encouraging.
Old-timers might remember that the original Fort Shelby Hotel, which closed during the '80s when many buildings throughout the city did, once housed the original Anchor Bar, which once played to host to many of Detroit's sports heroes. The bar has since moved about a block-and-a-half up Fort Street.
The Doubletree Fort Shelby opened in mid-December, and watching the day-by-day reconstruction turn a pile of crumbling bricks and broken windows into an again-attractive building with new street-level restaurants was miraculous. The top few floors of the building are reserved for the Fort Shelby Towers, residential condominiums that target affluent Detroiters looking to return from the suburbs to Detroit's newly rejuvenated urban scene. On Lafayette, pedestrians and workers in the area now have a couple of new dining options available to them. The upscale Finn & Porter restaurant and the Bearclaw Coffee Co. are welcome additions.
For visitors to Detroit, the Fort Shelby offers convenience because of its location, primarily its proximity to the People Mover. With the "Fort/Cass Station" just a block away, attractions on the other side of downtown are just moments away. The People Mover stretches to the Foxtown area, which includes Comerica Park, Ford Field and the Fox Theater; the Riverfront, which includes the GM Ren Cen and the RiverWalk, and Greektown Casino.
Filling the hotel with visitors - just as filling the Fort Shelby Towers with residents - won't be easy, and few would argue otherwise. Detroit certainly has bigger issues to tackle, issues that make renovating an old hotel seem like child's play. But it's another step in the right direction.
The Doubletree Guest Suites Fort Shelby is located at 525 W. Lafayette Blvd. in Detroit. You can contact the hotel at 313-963-5600.
