Arson suspected in fire that destroyed vacant $2.5M house next to Little Caesars Arena

JC Reindl, Detroit Free Press
·2 min read
1

Investigators suspect arson in a fire this summer that destroyed a vacant and run-down house next to Little Caesars Arena that was listed for sale for $2.5 million.

Detroit Fire Chief of Communications James Harris said Friday that the fire department's investigation has concluded and no precise cause of the fire was discovered.

"There’s no suspects, we don’t know the cause, it’s suspected arson but we are not 100%, and we don’t have a suspect in custody," Harris said.

Workers dump debris shoveled from a parking lot while cleaning up after the two-story wood house, at 2712 Cass Ave. in Detroit, whose owner is one of the last arena district "holdouts" who has not sold their property to the Ilitch family organization, caught fire early Monday morning destroying the building.
Workers dump debris shoveled from a parking lot while cleaning up after the two-story wood house, at 2712 Cass Ave. in Detroit, whose owner is one of the last arena district "holdouts" who has not sold their property to the Ilitch family organization, caught fire early Monday morning destroying the building.

The Aug. 8 fire started shortly before 4 a.m. and consumed a two-story wood house, at 2712 Cass Ave., that was built in the late 1800s. The house's owner was one of the last arena district "holdouts" who had not sold their property to the Ilitch family organization, which developed the arena in the 2010s.

The house had a $5 million price tag when the new Red Wings and Pistons arena opened in 2017, although the asking price had fallen to $2.5 million at the time of the fire.

The real estate broker for the property at the time of the fire could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon.

More:Man wrongfully convicted in Pontiac murder case should be freed, prosecutor review finds

More:Man charged in Kalamazoo Planned Parenthood Fire

Smoke continues at the remains after an early Monday morning fire destroyed the two-story wood house, at 2712 Cass Ave. in Detroit, whose owner is one of the last arena district "holdouts" who has not sold their property to the Ilitch family organization on Monday, August 8. 2022.
Smoke continues at the remains after an early Monday morning fire destroyed the two-story wood house, at 2712 Cass Ave. in Detroit, whose owner is one of the last arena district "holdouts" who has not sold their property to the Ilitch family organization on Monday, August 8. 2022.

Land records show the house had sold for $25,000 in June 2002 to a family partnership composed at the time of six individuals. That sale occurred years before the rumors — ultimately proven true — that the sports venue to replace Joe Louis Arena (and ultimately the Palace of Auburn Hills) would be built in the area.

The Ilitch organization went on to pay nearly $50 million for various privately owned land parcels within the future arena district footprint, a 2014 Free Press investigation found.

The house on Cass was previously damaged in a 2013 electrical fire and was once occupied by a caretaker.

Contact JC Reindl: 313-378-5460 or jcreindl@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @jcreindl. 

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Arson suspected in fire that destroyed vacant $2.5M house next to LCA