Which Dahlmann Property do you think is in HIS backyard?

A Modern Day Disaster


A Modern Day Classic


"Today, Dahlmann prides itself in maintaining and operating its properties with the highest level of quality and attention to detail." (from Dahlmann's Corporate Website)

Ann Arbor News Story about the Depot

Check out the Ann Arbor News Story Lobby starts for depot fix-up,
Merchants begin public campaign aimed at owner.

I would like to thank all the Depot Town merchants I visited today who agreed to post the small depot sign in their window or in their store.

Bill and I took a lot of time before deciding to go public with our disgust over the condition of the Depot. If you go to the website www.ypsilantidepot.com, you will see all the letters that have been written to Dennis Dahlmann, the owner of the Depot, since 2001. There are letters from the DDA, asking him to put windows where there are planks of board, remove the scaffolding from the second story that have been there for 15 years, and do some landscaping. In other words, make the Depot not look abandoned.

There are letters from our DTA President, offering to help in any way we can to improve the building or help to find another purchaser if he wasn’t interested in bringing our namesake up to minimal standards. We never had a response until the last letter in which he praised himself for the properties he has improved in Ann Arbor, Wisconsin and Florida and asking us to contact his attorney if we had any further communication.

Dahlmann hasn’t broken any laws; he just doesn’t respect our community. He watches us improve our properties and our businesses. He watches as visitors to Depot Town park in the public lot, knowing that each one of them see his property but not know that it belongs to a major developer in Ann Arbor. He slipped quietly into Depot Town and is speculating on the backs of small businessmen and women. As we continue to improve ourselves, he benefits.

What pushed Bill and I over the edge was finding out that he has turned down two very good purchase offers. Offers that would have given him a good return on his investment and given us an owner that would have improved the Depot and our neighborhood. Instead the Depot continues to deteriorate through neglect and if it isn’t stopped soon, there won’t be a Depot to resurrect.

Dennis Dahlmann, Ann Arbor’s little Donald Trump, would never allow the Depot to sit along side ‘Dahlmann’s Campus Inn’, ‘Dahlmann’s Bell Tower’ or any other property he owns, yet it has sat neglected in Depot Town for over 6 years. Bill and I ask only one question: Which property do you think is in HIS backyard? The Modern Day Classic Bell Tower or the Modern Day Classic Disaster? We merely plan on shining light on the question.

If you, or anyone you forward this email on to, would like one of the 6 inch signs (a red circle with a red line through “Dahlmann’s Depot”) to put in your window, please contact me and I’d be happy to get one to you. Dahlmann is one of many absentee landlords of abandoned buildings in Ypsilanti that we can give a wake up call to.

Thanks,

Sandee

A Response from Dahlmann

After seven letters and some four and a half years, the Dahlmann's write back.

Mr. Dahlmann says he is taken back by the tone of the last letter by Mr. McKeever. Dalhmann indicates that he has wonderful properties in Ann Arbor like the Bell Tower, Campus Inn, and the seven-story City Center Office Building. He speaks glowingly of their latest project of restoring a dilapidated, rundown old hotel in Madison, Wisconsin.

In his letter, Dennis Dahlmann indicated there is nothing left to save of the Depot, that he has discontinued discussions with his own architects about the Depot, and he has instructed that all further correspondence regarding this matter be sent to his attorney. (Letter Page 1, Page 2)

Letter of Support for the Dahlmann's

This email message from William Wheeler who is the Major Projects Manager at the City of Ann Arbor is very complementary of the Dahlmann's and their attorney. In this letter Mr. Wheeler says, "One thing I know for certain is that no matter how well you build something, you MUST commit the resources to properly maintain it over time or your investment will surely deteriorate. If you keep on top of maintenance you can make a sound building last a long, long time.

This email was provided by Dahlmann as an indicator of the quality of work he does at his other properties in Ann Arbor. (Letter)

Letter 3 of 3 from DTA President

To: Ben Dahlman
Dahlman properties
300 South Thayer
Ann Arbor, Mi. 48104

Dear Sir,

A lot of water has flowed beneath the Cross Street Bridge and you have yet to communicate to us what, if anything, you may have decided to do toward renovating the Depot. We spoke more than a month ago and you indicated to me that you would be discussing possibilities with an architect.

Your silence speaks a lot louder than the words you used when we last communicated with each other on those prospects. I do not plan to contact you further at this time. However, that should not indicate to you that this community will sit back and hope. We are not going to wait while the Depot is demolished by neglect of the owner. I had confidence from our conversation that you and your company were prepared to do something positive. This does not appear to be the case.

We, in Depot Town, are willing and able to assist you and your firm in many ways that could make it a lot easier for you to do business in Ypsilanti. As the saying goes, “the ball is in your court”.

Sincerely,

Gary McKeever,
President
Depot Town Association

Cc: Mayor Cheryl Farmer, City Manager Ed Koryzno, Robert Bruner, Councilman Barry LaRue, Councilman Brian Filipiak

Letter 2 of 3 from the Depot Town Association

To: Ben Dahlman
Dahlman properties
300 South Thayer
Ann Arbor, Mi. 48104

Dear Sir,

Enclosed are a number of correspondence letters that indicate a desire to obtain information from your organization regarding our namesake, the Ypsilanti Depot. As it is readily apparent, there have been attempts to initiate a dialogue so that we might be of some assistance in, what we hoped would be, a much needed restoration of the building.

We are at a loss to understand why anyone would purchase a key piece of property in a thriving community and be so unkind as to let it deteriorate. The depot is the last piece in the puzzle for bringing this district back to where it deserves to be.

You indicated that you would be contacting an architect to obtain some idea as to what might be feasible in restoring the depot. We are anxiously awaiting your response as to what your firm proposes to do.

We and the depot have been waiting over twenty years for someone to be responsive enough to restore the depot and be a part of Depot Town’s renaissance. Your firm has owned the depot for over four years. Given your firm’s reputation, we are expecting something special.

Sincerely,

Gary McKeever,
President

Cc: Mayor Cheryl Farmer, Councilman Barry LaRue, Councilman Brian Falipiak

Letter 1 of 3 from the Depot Town Association

To: Dennis Dahlman
Dahlman properties
300 South Thayer
Ann Arbor, Mi. 48104

Dear Sir,

The Depot Town Association is an active Ypsilanti merchant’s association that was organized in 1976, specifically, to promote the economic revitalization and preserve the unique historical character of the area that is known locally as Depot Town. It has been a long and arduous process and thanks to the efforts of our merchants, property owners, committed citizens and the City of Ypsilanti it has been restored to one of the most vibrant business districts in Washtenaw County.

There was an air of excitement when you purchased the depot more than five years ago. We were thrilled that someone would finally develop our namesake into something that would reflect the pride we take in our area. However, it is sad to see not one sign of improvement has surfaced to date and the depot is in the same sorry condition that has existed since it was purchased from the railroad about twenty years ago.

In an effort to assist in the development of the depot, the Depot Town Downtown Development Authority purchased property, at considerable cost, and developed a parking lot for the purpose of encouraging you to develop the property. The City of Ypsilanti and the Depot Town DDA have sent letters asking what your plans for the property might be. To date they haven’t received the courtesy of a response from you or your company.

Through our efforts and risk taking investment we have increased the value of your property. We are interested why you haven’t begun the process of, at least, upgrading and/or re-development of the depot. Is there any way our association can help or encourage you to begin the restoration of the depot? If you don’t plan to restore it, can we assist you in finding a developer that will support the economic vitality of the Depot Town business District?

A response to this letter will be greatly appreciated so that we may know what you expect to do. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Gary McKeever

Condition of the Depot Property

As the property continues to deteriorate, the DTDDA wrote another letter describing in detail the chronic problems with maintenance. Another invitation was extended to Dahlmann to attend any meeting of the DTDDA to discuss his property and plans. Not too surprisingly, Dahlmann has not attended any DTDDA meetings in the past 4 years. (Letter Page 1, Page 2)

Status of the Depot Property from DTDDA

This letter to Dahlmann tells him about the many news things going on in Depot Town and expresses concern about the lack of maintenance of the Depot. Dahlmann was invited to attend any DTDDA to talk about his plans. (Letter Page 1, Page 2)

Follow-up Letter on Fence

Dahlmann asked for specifics on what kind of fence is required. This is the response from DTDDA Director Jennifer Goulet. (Letter)

Letter to Dahlmann about Fence

The letter is from the Depot Town DDA asking about a fence to help protect pedestrians and pointing out that there are abandoned vehichles stored on the property. (Letter)