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City of Detroit sues historic Michigan Theatre building owner for blight violations

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City of Detroit sues historic Michigan Theatre building owner for blight violations


DETROIT (WXYZ) — The owner of the historic Michigan Theatre, the same building where Eminem’s hit movie “8 Mile” was filmed, is facing a lawsuit from the city of Detroit.

In the lawsuit, the city says the building, located at 220 Bagley Street, is falling apart with multiple blight violation including one that they say is a public safety issue.

“I’ve seen rocks fall off this building,“ said Tony Gardner, who lives in the area. “And the way it hits the ground, it could really hurt somebody or kill somebody, technically.”

Falling debris is just one of the many blight violations the city of Detroit cited in the lawsuit that was filed back in May.

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According to the lawsuit, multiple emergency orders were issued before due to the public complaining about rocks falling off the building.

The city’s attorney, Conrad Mallet, says the era of lawlessness in the city of Detroit has come to an end.

“The Michigan Theatre building — 220 Bagley — has 58 blight violations,” he said. “Five of them for unsafe conditions — two that in fact say that we are imminent danger and the danger is sufficient enough that we want the building completely shut down to all public access.”

The building is historic for many reasons. Part of the building used to be a theater before it was converted into a parking garage, where events and films have been made like the movie “8 Mile.”

Today, the building is occupied on the sixth floor by a business and it is still open for events.

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Businessman Dennis Keffalinos is the current owner of the space. The city says Keffalinos has a history of blight violations for the many properties that he owns.

“There is not a Dennis Keffalinos redevelopment project that I can point you too,” Mallet said.

But according to a spokesperson for Keffalinos, the city has it wrong.

“The truth for a lot of the buildings that he (Keffalinos) owns in the city, they were purchased in a neglected state,” Niko Matasmakis said. “And he’s just been putting money into them trying to restore power to these buildings, trying to restore structural integrity to the buildings and really just trying to maintain and preserve historic architecture in the city of Detroit.”

Matasmakis says Keffalios does not deny the public safety issues with the falling debris and they are fixing it but there is nothing else wrong with the building.

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Officials say they still think the building is not in compliance with the city’s ordinance.

“As long as we have available resources, we are going to in fact do everything we can to enforce our ordinances,” Mallet said.





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Detroit, MI

Detroit ‘Sloppy Chops’ restaurateur\u00a0killed: What to know

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Detroit ‘Sloppy Chops’ restaurateur\u00a0killed: What to know


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Mourning continued and no suspects were in custody a week after the fatal shooting of Detroit restaurateur and nightlife figure Mikey “Mike B” Brown at the end of February.

Brown was the beloved figure behind the “Sloppy” brand of restaurants, and remembrances have been rolling in online since his death.

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Here’s what to know:

Shooting outside cocktail bar

“Mike B” Brown, 51, and two others were shot about 4:30 a.m. Feb. 28 in the area of 15789 Schaefer, police previously said.

The two others were found in front of the location, and Brown was found across the street, police said.

Police have asked those with information on the shooting to come forward.

There were no suspects in custody and no further updates in the case as of Monday, March 9, according to a statement from the Detroit Police Department.

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Updates on the conditions of the two other individuals shot were also not provided.

Who was Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?

Brown was a husband, a father of five and a restaurateur.

He opened Sloppy Chops Restaurant, a steakhouse, in 2020 on West McNichols off the Lodge Freeway and later opened a seafood restaurant called Sloppy Crab, which was renamed the Crab Sports Bar, on East Jefferson Avenue near the Renaissance Center. Brown previously had two clubs, as well.

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His downtown dining spot served as an answer to questions on offerings for Black diners in the city’s renaissance. His other “Sloppy” location showcased successful reach beyond downtown and into the city’s neighborhoods. Brown was also a cultural figure in not only the world of dining, but in the nightlife, the Free Press reported.

When are funeral services for Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?

A family hour was set for 9 a.m. March 13 and a funeral was set for 10 a.m. March 13, both at Triumph Church –North Campus at 15600 J.L. Hudson Drive in Southfield.

What’s been the fallout since Mike ‘Mike B’ Brown’s death?

Outside of the community hurt, there’s also been calls for a crackdown on establishments that stay open into early morning hours in residential areas, ClickOnDetroit reports.

How to report tips on Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown’s shooting

Those with information tied to the triple shooting can contact the Detroit Police Department’s homicide unit at 313-596-2260 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-Speak-Up or DetroitRewards.tv.

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Detroit Lions need backup QB as Kyle Allen to sign with Bills

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Detroit Lions need backup QB as Kyle Allen to sign with Bills


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The Detroit Lions will need to find a new backup quarterback. Kyle Allen, the 30-year-old ninth-year veteran, will reportedly sign with the Buffalo Bills for two years and $4.1 millions, according to ESPN, reuniting him with his former coordinator Joe Brady.

Allen, who came to the Motor City a year ago after inking a one-year deal, appeared in just three games and attempted two passes this past season as starter Jared Goff logged 98.5% of the team’s offensive snaps at quarterback.

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Allen’s greatest contribution came in the preseason, when he forced the organization to give up on its experiment with Hendon Hooker.

In the competition for the No. 2 job, Allen outperformed Hooker and made the former 2023 third-round pick expendable by bringing his stunted development into sharp relief. While Hooker struggled to move the offense when he was in command, Allen thrived in his four auditions, spearheading one productive drive after another for the Lions. He completed 79.5% of his attempts, throwing for 401 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions. All the while, he exhibited a good understanding of the Lions’ timing-based passing game, giving management the confidence he could – if needed – relieve Goff in a pinch.

“I feel very comfortable with him,” Campbell said last August.

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But as it turned out, the Lions were never forced to call upon Allen. Goff, who hasn’t missed a start since Week 17 of the 2021 season, remained reliably present.

The Lions hope Goff’s iron-man streak will continue.

But if it for some reason ends, Allen is no longer there to replace him.

Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him @RainerSabin on X.



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Detroit water main break snarls travel on East Jefferson Monday morning

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Detroit water main break snarls travel on East Jefferson Monday morning


Vehicles travel through water collected near water main break in Detroit. 

A water main break in Detroit is causing headaches for drivers and sending water into the streets of one of the city’s east side neighborhoods.

The break involves a 42-inch pipeline at East Jefferson and Burns Drive.

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The breakage happened on Sunday, leaving only one lane open for each direction of travel.

Local perspective:

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A day after the breakage, water was still gathering on the road of Jefferson Avenue.

Video captured of the scene Monday morning showed vehicles driving through ponds of water. Construction equipment were on site along with traffic cones.

The backstory:

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This isn’t the only major disruption to water services in the region.

This weekend, a catastrophic breakage at 14 Mile near Drake impacted several Oakland County communities and thousands of residents.

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Novi and Walled Lake were among those hardest hit by the breakage, which included dramatic scenes of waves of water washing down the road, submerging vehicles.

The Source: FOX 2’s Charlie Langton and previous reporting were cited for this story. 

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