Hello from Detroit: Sue Mosey and The Inn
on Ferry Street - An Example of a Great Urban Vision
My abode for my last two days in Detroit was the Inn
on Ferry Street, a beautifully renovated complex of six historic
buildings in the Midtown area of Detroit. It encompasses four mansions
as well as two carriage houses that were each built for prominent
Detroit families. After many years of languishing, these buildings
have been re-functioned into 42 stunning guest rooms.
The Detroit Institute of Art
The East Ferry Avenue Historic District is a historic area in
Midtown Detroit, which is also referred to as Detroit’s Cultural
Centre. Well-preserved elegant mansions from the 1880s and 1890s
line the streets and recall an era when these villas were owned
by some of Detroit’s wealthiest citizens. This historic district
represents one of the largest and least altered collections of Detroit’s
leading architects of the late nineteenth century.
Some of the houses that are part of the Inn on Ferry Street
Midtown, the surrounding area, is also referred to as the “Cultural
Center Historic District” because of its large concentration
of museums, including the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Museum
of African American History, the Detroit Historical Museum, the
Main Branch of the Detroit Public Library, the Detroit Science Centre
and the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit. Wayne State University
is located nearby, and a multitude of restaurants, galleries and
nightlife venues make this area a popular destination.
Sue Mosey, a key player in the revitalization of Midtown Detroit
I had a chance to sit down with Sue Mosey, the driving force behind
the renovation of the six buildings that make up the Inn on Ferry
Street. Sue is an urban planner and the President of the University
Cultural Center Association, a non-profit organization that
has aided in planning and developing nearly $400 million in new
residential projects in Detroit’s Midtown area.
The historic Charles Lang-Freer House on Ferry Street
Sue Mosey is one of Detroit’s most visionary and influential
citizens. With more than 20 years of experience as an urban planner,
Sue has dedicated her entire career to non-profit organizations
that improve her city. She is the president of the University Cultural
Center Association, a nonprofit community development group which
promotes the revitalization and development of Detroit’s Midtown
area. Detroit’s lack of strong city planners and developers
has created a space for non-profit organizations and independent
professionals who have been working hard to improve the city.
Two more houses that are part of the Inn on Ferry Street
Under Sue Mosey’s leadership the Midtown area has attracted
more than $400 million in new residential investments; roughly 2800
housing units have been created or are being planned. Projects include
planning support, real estate development, attraction of retailers
and businesses, beautification and public safety improvement programs,
the organization of local festivals and events and much more. Most
recently Sue is working on getting a two-mile greenway off the ground
to provide Midtown residents with safe recreational opportunities
for walking, jogging and cycling. One of her main goals is to attract
more people and businesses to the Midtown area.
A friendly face at the reception of the Inn on Ferry Street
To provide context for Sue Mosey’s endeavours it is important
to understand a bit of Detroit’s history. During the late
1800s and early 1900s Detroit was often referred to as “the
Paris of the West” because of its stunning architecture and
Gilded Age mansions. From the first half of the 19th century onwards
Detroit had become a centre of shipping, shipbuilding and manufacturing,
resulting in rapid economic growth and considerable wealth among
the city’s business leaders.
The Business Centre
Around the turn of the last century Detroit became a powerhouse
in automotive manufacturing: the Ford Motor Company was founded
in 1904 and other automotive pioneers built extensive factories
in Detroit. The success of Ford’s Model T made car ownership
accessible to the masses and created a large demand for automobiles.
Thousands of African-American former plantation workers migrated
north to participate in the manufacturing boom and the new prosperity
offered to assembly line workers.
Peach bedroom at the Inn on Ferry Street
The economic slowdown following the end of World War I and, from
1929 onwards, the Great Depression put a damper on these economic
aspirations. As jobs dwindled, old racial prejudices resurfaced
and race relations became severely strained during the 1920s. The
1930s were a period of bitter labour strife in Detroit.
During the 1940s the world’s first sunken expressway was constructed
in Detroit, and World War II sparked demand for weapons and spurred
industrial growth. Changing demographics and long-entrenched racism
led to racial tensions between Detroit’s African-American
and White populations which escalated into a full-scale riot in
1943 during which 34 people were killed and 600 injured.
One of the many sitting rooms at the Inn on Ferry Street
During the 1950s and 1960s an extensive network of highways was
constructed in Detroit which made it easier for people to commute
and move into the suburbs. Poor housing conditions, economic factors
and police prejudice against African-Americans led to another devastating
race riot in 1967. This event together with school desegregation
led to white flight, a demographic trend where working and middle-class
white people moved into the suburbs. Large numbers of jobs also
relocated into the outskirts, and as a result, Detroit’s tax
base eroded and its population declined from about 1.8 million in
1950 to around 900,000 today. Large tracts of housing were simply
abandoned as people moved away from the city.
One of the many beautiful bathrooms at the Inn on Ferry Street
The gasoline crisis of the 1970s also impacted the Detroit auto
industry while the city was increasingly afflicted by the heroin
and crack cocaine trade during the 1980s. Many of the abandoned
houses had become crack houses and havens for drug dealers. The
city responded by demolishing countless buildings, leaving behind
large swaths of vacant land, often referred to as “urban prairies”.
Demolitions are still continuing today and some parts of the city
are marred by large numbers of abandoned buildings and empty lots.
A stately four-poster bed
However, from the 1990s and into the 2000s, Detroit started to experience
a significant revival: the Comerica Tower was built in 1993; new
state-of-the-art sports stadiums were constructed for the Detroit
Lions and the Detroit Tigers; three casinos opened inside the city.
In recent years, several large-scale events have also added to the
city’s renaissance: the 2005 MLB All-Star Game, the 2006 Super
Bowl, the 2006 Word Series and WrestleMania in 2007 were all held
in Detroit. In October of 2008, one of the most ambitious architectural
restoration programs was unveiled when the historic Book Cadillac
Hotel was reopened under the Westin flag after a $200 million investment
and 24 years of abandonment.
My cozy bedroom
Many revival initiatives have happened in Detroit over the years,
and in the mid-town area many of them came together directly or
indirectly because of the involvement of Sue Mosey and the University
Cultural Center Association (UCCA). This non-profit organization
is involved in the organization of special events, planning, transportation
and public awareness campaigns. Sue added that since 2000 more than
$2 billion have been invested in the Midtown area. Other areas of
Detroit are also undergoing redevelopment as I witnessed myself
during my walk through the historic
Brush Park neighbourhood. Neighbourhoods like these are an interesting
mix of shuttered buildings, vacant lots, recently restored historic
buildings and brand-new real estate developments.
Grand staircase
Sue Mosey does not want to want to dwell on the past, but looks
forward to the things that remain to be done. Current initiatives
at the University Cultural Center Association include a variety
of beautification and maintenance projects, real estate developments
including mixed lofts and the Midtown Loop Greenway trail, park
redevelopments and streetscape enhancements. The UCCA also handles
marketing for the Midtown area with a brand campaign, cultural events,
a neighbourhood guide and a residential marketing program to promote
living in Midtown Detroit.
Great common areas
The activities of the UCCA also extend to economic development and
the attraction of new businesses and investment into the Midtown
area. To this end the organization offers loan programs, development
funds and grant programs for business and neighbourhood revitalization.
Community events and the creation of a vibrant neighbourhood are
also part of the UCCA’s mandate. Midtown flagship events such
as the Detroit Festival of the Arts showcase art and entertainment
provided by Cultural Center institutions and program. Another popular
event organized by the UCCA is "Noel Night", a holiday-themed
community festival with live performances, crafts, demonstrations
and art sales.
Also part of the Inn on Ferry Street
One of the key issues according to Sue Mosey is to create a better
image of Detroit. Due to its economic and social problems over the
last few decades, Detroit has been tarnished by negative news which
have had a particularly strong effect on people from the surrounding
suburban counties. The recent mayoral scandals added further fuel
to the fire and created a negative perception of the city. Sue Mosey
and the organizations she is involved with are working hard on initiatives
that improve the public perception of the city. One of Sue Mosey’s
goals is to bring the suburbanites back into the city by making
Detroit a great place to live, work and play.
An impressive bedroom under the roof
Important ingredients for this urban revitalization include improved
public transit (a light rail rapid transit line along Woodward Avenue
is currently being discussed). Quality of life issues such as green
spaces and recreational trails, wider sidewalks and attractive streetscaping;
an introduction of more small businesses and retailers into Detroit’s
various neighbourhoods; public art installations and large-scale
projects like the Detroit International Riverfront are all part
of making Detroit a more attractive place to visit and to live in.
Bright yellow bathroom
One of the practical examples of the activities of the University
Center Cultural Association is the renovation of the Inn on Ferry
Street. This complex of six historic buildings that today makes
up the Inn on Ferry Street came under ownership by the Detroit Institute
of Arts in the 1970s when the buildings were mostly used for music
lessons and storage.
The breakfast room at the Inn on Ferry Street
Finally plans were made to restore these unique buildings and to
find a more appropriate use for them. A decision was made to turn
these buildings into a 42-room boutique hotel. But renovating more
than 40 rooms would be a tough economic challenge and required substantial
amounts of money. In excess of $4 million of the project were funded
through loans, and another $4+ million were raised through various
grants. In total, more than twenty-four sources of finances were
tapped into to put together the financing for this large-scale project.
A perfect place to catch a few rays of sunshine
Assistance for this project came from one of Detroit’s most
fervent supporters. Mr. Richard Manoogian, the owner of Masco Corporation,
a Fortune 500 corporation that manufactures and distributes building
and home improvement products, made available deep discounts on
building supplies and interior décor products. The renovations
on the six buildings that were to make up the Inn on Ferry Street
started in 2000 and were finally completed in 2001. The property
opened in November of 2001, just shortly after the 911 terrorist
attacks had caused a severe downturn in the entire tourism industry.
The next three years were very tough, but in 2004 finally occupancy
rose to 74%.
My private bathroom
Today the Inn
on Ferry Street features 42 unique and gorgeously designed guest
rooms, a large breakfast room (breakfast is included free of charge),
a business centre with complimentary meeting space for guests and
great common areas in all the buildings that allow the guests to
socialize and relax.
Strawberry waffles for breakfast
The Inn on Ferry Street provides a great Midtown location with excellent
amenities for leisure and business travellers. In addition to the
business centre, it provides free wireless Internet access, a free
shuttle service covering the Midtown and Downtown areas, valet service
and room service. A big breakfast buffet is available every day
from 6 am to 10 am at no extra charge, and coffees, teas and fresh
fruit are available during the day.
A generous breakfast table
I was staying in a two bedroom suite with a separate sitting room
in the Raymond C. Smith Carriage House that was built in 1892 and
holds seven guest bedrooms. The Scott House is the main building
of the complex since it is the location of the reception area, the
breakfast room and the business centre. It also features 3 guest
bedrooms.
Every room is unique
The Pungs House was built in 1892 for a railway magnate and holds
nine uniquely decorated guest bedrooms while the Owen House dates
back to 1887 and used to belong to the owner of a dry goods firm.
It consists of seven luxurious bedrooms and two large executive
suites. The main floor holds a glamorous parlour with a baby grand
piano and two fireplaces.
Another historically inspired sitting area
The Rohm House finally was constructed in 1888 for the president
of the Detroit Carriage Company. Nine guest bedrooms are located
here and the popular second floor suite offers ultimate luxury with
its Jacuzzi tub, private balcony and Asian influenced décor.
The Inn on Ferry Street offers a great location in Detroit’s
Cultural Center and is a prime example of some of the architectural
rejuvenation that has been happening in various parts of the city.
The Inn on Ferry Street
Given its complicated history, Detroit today is a very fascinating
city. Despite past and current problems, Detroit has many different
vibrant communities, each driven by local urbanists who love their
city and their neighbourhoods. Sue Mosey is one of Detroit’s
foremost leaders of successful community redevelopment and has played
a huge role in creating the new face of Midtown Detroit’s
Cultural Center. And the Inn
on Ferry Street is a prime example of outstanding historic preservation
and state-of-the-art refunctioning of properties that are definitely
worth saving.