Fire damages former Danube Inn in Milan
A photo from the Milan fire taken at about 6 a.m. Thursday.
Jill Johnson Tewsley | AnnArbor.com
Note: This story has been updated to reflect new information.
Area firefighters spent much of the night on the scene of a blaze in downtown Milan that's caused significant damage to the former Danube Inn.
Milan Fire Department officials have not been available to answer questions on the fire.
However, Mayor Kym Muckler said the building was destroyed.
"The building's a total loss," she said.
The fire has been extinguished for some time, but firefighters - including responders from Pittsfield Township, Ypsilanti and other communities - continued through midmorning to spray water on areas of the building to prevent it from reigniting and continue other work amid the building debris.
The fire destroyed a piece of Milan's history, Muckler said.
The building at 24 W. Main St. is the former Stimpson Hotel, which was built in 1901. It was renamed the Danube Inn in 1971, according to a timeline of Milan history, and was among the downtown restaurants.
"It was a stage stop then a fancy inn for a long time," Muckler said. "We have pictures of what it used to look like, and it was just gorgeous."
More recently, as the Danube Inn, it gained a regional reputation for its German menu, Muckler said.
The restaurant was no longer operating, but upper level apartments were occupied when the fire broke out. A witness said those residents were safely evacuated from the building before the fire spread, and Muckler said a pet cat was rescued.
The building had a taxable value of $110,300, down from $117,300 a year earlier, according to county records. That gives it an estimated market value of $220,600.
The property, owned by Paul Parkinson and Barbara McCoy, was purchased for $140,000 in 2004, according to county records.
The building had been listed for sale in recent years, but buyers were confronted with high rehabilitation costs, Muckler said.
"Nobody wanted to invest the kind of money they needed to invest to bring it to its former glory," Muckler said.
According to Milan's 2009 master plan, the building offered redevelopment opportunities for the city.
"A number of areas within the central business district that offer re-development opportunities include the building that formerly housed The Danube restaurant," according to the plan. "This building which has in the past been operated as a restaurant and a boarding house catering to the likes of Henry Ford, offers a unique opportunity for redevelopment in the heart of the central business district."
The fire saddens Muckler due to the loss of a historical part of downtown, she said.
But it also will provide an opportunity for someone to build a new building on the site, she added.
Meanwhile, Muckler said she was proud of the way firefighters contained the blaze and worked through the night on the fire. City staff and other elected officials have been monitoring the situation, she said.
According to reports in the Milan News-Leader, the cause of the fire is unknown.
Comments
Steven Kovacs
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 10:16 p.m.
I can still savor those Wiener Schnitzels and Kaiser Plates, marvel at Nick Schenk's grease-spotted Ban-Lon shirts (the green one was my favorite), feel the impact of Irene throwing plates in the kitchen, taste the latest bottle of German (or Swiss) beer that Nick would tempt me with every time that we dined at the Danube Inn, and of course hear the politics spun by Nick, my father, Bela, and Tony Schonek . The front of the menu, which featured a priceless photo that my mother had taken in 1960 of my brother, Csaba, and me on top of Gellert Hill, picking flowers (no snickers, please) and overlooking the Duna (Danube) shall now become an antique worthy of "Way Back in Milan."
Mom in Town
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 9:40 p.m.
Wondering about arson? I am thinking that there was a known arsonist living around that location? I'm sure the fire dept. is aware, and the fact that the cause is unknown is making me think maybe?
Lovaduck
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 9:17 p.m.
I remember my parents and me enjoying excellent German food there in the 1970's . How sad!
dading dont delete me bro
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 8:26 p.m.
can someone post an address to the danube inn? i googled it and only come up with w.main, milan.
Paula Gardner
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 10:23 p.m.
Just added the address.
Jason
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 10:17 p.m.
Three people voted this comment up, but totally didn't post the address... The address is in the article. 24 W. Main Street.
dontcountusout
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 5:07 p.m.
MonsterZero should either come to Milan more often or stay away completely. By the way, MZ, please don't come on Friday night for the best fireworks show this side of Epcot. We'll be crowded enough downtown. Everyone else, the show starts at dark. Keep the pets inside or have them visit grandma. It gets pretty loud. Come early for dinner at Fenders, Roy's BBQ, China One, or the Milan Grill on the sidewalk, the Lighthouse or Bakery for sandwiches. BTW, Lighthouse LIVE Saturday's is opening their fifth month of no-cover concerts on Saturday night. Come early. The Stimson is a sad loss, although it's not clear at this time if the structure is totaled or not. All it takes is money, energy and a plan. Milan has plenty of the last two.
obviouscomment
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 9:03 p.m.
"best fireworks show this side of Epcot" A bit of an overstatement I think...and the fair is dirty and ridiculously expensive. It's nice for the locals but I wouldn't waste my time traveling there...and yes, I visit Milan often, so don't accuse me of not knowing what I'm talking about. I'd say if people wanna travel to see rides and fireworks, drive a little farther to Cedar Pointe, for a little more money you can have a much better time.
Saveurpenny
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 6:17 p.m.
Don't forget Original Gravity, just a short walk from downtown. Great microbeers and sandwiches in a family friendly atmosphere. I'm so proud of Milan and all of the businesses that make it special.
my2centsregardless
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 2:08 p.m.
Not sure if MonsterZero lives in Milan or not, but if you actually drive through our downtown or pay attention while you are in Milan, you would now see that the "Ron Paul shrine" is and has been gone for quite sometime and whoever purchased the flower shop a few months back has taken that space over as well and now the building is looking amazing!! Also, yes the Danube is an historic building that unfortunately has been vacant for several years. ( and to answer blahblahblah's ? yes, years ago there was a small kitchen fire while resturant was still operating). And due to it's 100+ years of age needs to be brought to current code standards before any type of business can operate there. My guess is that is why it has remained vacant, since if you look at the building there is NO easy way to make it handicap accessible without utilizing city property due to the height of the entrances on both front and back of the building. As for the rest of the "horrid at best" downtown buildings, again if you pay any attention to Milan or its news, there was one gentleman whom owned a great portion of the buildings, who no longer does due to "poor financial decision making" (to put it nicely) and they are now either foreclosed and waiting for purchase via auction or are already purchased and slated to be renovated to finally make Milan the small town that those of us who live there, and have lived there for many years have grown to love! I can ultimately say thank goodness that no one was injured during this fire, and hope that those who did live there are able to find alternate housing and help from those in Milan who value our fellow residents in need!!
MonsterZero
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 12:42 p.m.
I'm glad nobody was hurt, but this really puts a light on how desolated the Milan downtown area really is. The Danube has been rotting for a number of years amidst most of the downtown area and nothing has ever really be done with it outside of a few baffling repairs. I understand its history in Milan, but it is never going to be used again in a constructive way. I was surprised that it still had inhabitants as it was falling apart before the fire. I imagine the only reason it remained standing was because it was one of the nicer looking buildings in a really shabby downtown that is horrid at best, and a ruin at worst. It's quite a testament that the Danube, despite being abandoned for all intents and purposes for years, is still one of the nicer buildings in Milan. At least it's not like that crappy vacated space that served as a pathetic Ron Paul shrine for years.
blahblahblah
Thu, Jun 2, 2011 : 12:20 p.m.
If my memory serves me correctly, there was a previous fire at this location, a kitchen fire at the restaurant I believe.