One of the Ilitch-owned apartment buildings at 443 Henry. (Google maps
One of the Ilitch-owned apartment buildings at 443 Henry St. (Google Maps)
The message is clear: The Ilitch organization needs to give a damn.
Three apartment buildings in the Little Caesars Arena area owned by the family empire have received nearly two dozen blight tickets in less than two years for violations that include rodent infestation, failure to inspect for lead paint and dangerous living conditions, Louis Aguilar of The Detroit News reports:
One of the buildings, which are all on the same block of Henry Street, was shut months ago after the roof partially collapsed. . . .
The apartments on the 400 block of Henry Street have become a symbol to critics that the Ilitch organization is intent on pushing out long-time residents of the once-faded neighborhood and destroying much of the historical character of the area by tearing down multiple buildings. The four-story apartments with a total of 98 units are among a dwindling number of rental properties near the arena that are affordable to low-income residents. Residents pay $300 to $400 a month and don't have leases.
"I had to throw out my couch a couple months ago because it had too many bugs," said Grady Bishop, 57. He's rented a Henry Street apartment for five years, which means he lived in the building before it was sold to an entity linked to the Ilitches in October 2016. "The old owner used to spray the place for bugs and keep the place up. Now the upkeep — there ain't really no regular upkeep."
