A LETTER FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE
MON · OCT 26 · 2026
It's Halloween week, we're saying goodbye to a 70-year-old roast beef spot and a brewery in an old church, and Dan Gilbert wants to hand the RenCen to a nonprofit.
AROUND
Sign of the Beefcarver closed its last location, on Woodward in Royal Oak, on Sunday after about 70 years. The owners blamed rising food costs, the COVID shutdown and "onerous government policies," and people waited up to two hours last week for one more plate. The people aren't buying the reasons they gave.
Councilmember Renata Miller asked the city's building department to look into five bars and restaurants on Kercheval near Van Dyke, including Two Birds, Barkside and the not-yet-open Grandma Bob's. The inspectors found them in compliance with their licenses and zoning (a few had expired paperwork they're now fixing), and her chief of staff says "we're not pursuing anything." The people are with the bars on this one.
Atwater in the Park, the brewery in the old church at Lakepointe and Kercheval in Grosse Pointe Park, poured its last beers Friday after more than a decade. Tilray Brands didn't re-sign the lease in September. The people hope something good moves into that church.
Food & Wine put the "Long Drive Home" from Michigan & Trumbull on its list of the best pizzas in America for 2026, and it's the only Detroit pie out of 27. It's vodka sauce, sausage and banana peppers, over on Holden near New Center. Click here for more details. The people agree with Food & Wine.
DTE is asking a federal appeals court to toss the $100 million Clean Air Act fine over its Zug Island coke plant. Its lawyers argue that the $20 million for air quality fixes in River Rouge, Ecorse and 48217 went too far by covering "thousands of non-parties," and oral arguments are December 17 in Cincinnati. The people are not on DTE's side.
The old Center Street garage in downtown Royal Oak should be fully torn down in November, and the city is just starting to figure out what goes on the 1.5 acres at Center and Third. The people have plenty of ideas, including one vote for a 500-foot bronze oak tree.
UP
Dan Gilbert pledged about $1 billion last Monday to a new nonprofit that would redevelop, own and run the Renaissance Center plus 35 acres of mostly parking lots along the East Riverfront. The whole plan is $2.2 billion with 18 acres of public space, Gilbert doesn't get his money back or take any profits, and Mayor Mary Sheffield called it the largest investment ever pledged in Detroit. Click here for more details. The people are mostly excited, with a few questions about public money.
Westland Center is on the market for $18 million. The listing for the 62 acres at 35000 Warren says the mall is 45 percent occupied (the city puts it closer to a third), and the owner is open to a joint venture to redevelop it. Click here for more details. The people want it torn down and turned into a little downtown.
Royal Oak is rebuilding 11 Mile between Woodward and Stephenson, starting in April 2027 and finishing in 2028. It'll be one lane each way with a center turn lane, a 10-foot path on the north side, more than 180 new trees and crossing islands with flashing beacons in six spots. Click here for more details. The people seem into it.
ON
THRU SUN 1 Early in-person voting for the November 3 election runs through Sunday. Your early voting site is probably not your usual polling place, so look yours up here before you go.
WED 28 The Pistons host the Hornets Wednesday at 7 at Little Caesars Arena, and Friday's game in Brooklyn is an NBA Cup game (NBA Cup already???). Click here for the schedule.
SAT 31 Halloween in the D is back, with trunk-or-treats at police precincts (most run 4 to 7) and fire stations (5 to 7), plus haunted houses, carnival games and face painting at the rec centers. Click here for more details.
SUN 1 The Lions host the Vikings Sunday at 1 at Ford Field, on FOX. Click here for the schedule.
WENT ON
This past Saturday was 28 years since the J.L. Hudson's building came down. On October 24, 1998, about 20,000 people watched the implosion of what had been the tallest department store in the world and the site sat as an underground garage until Bedrock broke ground on Hudson's Detroit in 2017.
See you Thursday.
DETROIT.CO
Everything here links to where we found it: local reporting, city records and what neighbors are posting. Corrections welcome.