Paddy Lynch, a funeral director by trade, has always been fascinated by historic properties. So, when the opportunity to buy a storied landmark and cultural institution for nearly 100 years, it was a dream come true. The Schvitz comes with a gloriously notorious reputation as a bathhouse frequented by Prohibition-era “Purple Gang” mobsters. Open to members and guests since 1930, The Schvitz is Detroit’s original urban health club and the only historic bath house left in the city. This is a story about revival, die-hard perseverance and a passion for historic preservation.