continued from old thread.

The different areas of the building dont necessarily need to be stacked on top of one another. That lot is so huge they could turn it into multiple towers or vary it up a little bit.

yeah, right after they build the twin towers of the udm law campus

Goood the hear that something from the SB will have positive impact in the neighborhoods


Ground broken for NFL’s Super Bowl gift to Detroit

By Andrew Dietderich
Feb. 02, 2006 5:17 PM

Richard Dauch had one thing to say about his contribution to help build the NFL Youth Education Town on Detroit’s west side.

“You only pass by once, but what you leave behind is what you stood for,” Dauch told Crain’s after he helped break ground on the NFL Youth Education Town-Boys and Girls Club.

Dauch, 63, is the chairman and CEO of American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc.

The $6 million project at the Southfield Freeway and Joy Road is scheduled to be built on 4.8 acres in Detroit’s Gardenview Estates.


Of the money being used to build the center, about $1.5 million is coming from Dauch and his wife, Sandy Dauch.


He joined a list of Detroit and Wayne County officials, along with NFL executives and players, to introduce the center.


Among those on hand were Paul Tagliabue, NFL commissioner; Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick; Roger Penske, chairman of the Detroit Super Bowl XL Host Committee; and Robert Ficano, Wayne County executive. Players from the New Orleans Saints, Oakland Raiders and Detroit Lions were there as well, along with about 100 local children.


This isn’t Dauch’s first charitable venture.


He also is chairing the United Way of Southeastern Michigan’s 2006 Torch Drive. He’s on the board of directors for the Boy Scouts of America, Detroit Area Council, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan.


He’s been a supporter of the Boys and Girls Clubs for more than 30 years, he said.


Youth Education Town is a private-public partnership funded by the National Football League and local sponsors. Building the centers near host cities has been part of the Super Bowl experience since 1993.


The mission of the program is to enhance educational and recreational opportunities for disadvantaged youth.


“We like Detroit, we like the families, we like the community,” Dauch said. “You have to stand for something, and those are our values.”

Penske pledges to stay involved in Detroit

By Anjali Fluker
Feb. 06, 2006 3:07 PM

Detroit area leaders who helped organize and run Super Bowl XL came together Monday morning to wrap up their six-year effort and discuss plans to continue the momentum for growth in Detroit and beyond.

Roger Penske, the chairman of the Super Bowl XL Host Committee, and Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick headlined a news conference at the Renaissance Center ballroom.

Kilpatrick described Penske as the one person who brought together everyone from corporate CEOs to “people that ride the bus and drive the bus.” The regional effort and partnerships led to several improvements to downtown Detroit that began 40 months ago — including 142 construction projects, 36 restaurants, 70 new businesses, 900 lofts and 120 streetscapes and facade improvements.

Kilpatrick said he wanted to keep Penske involved in improving the city and the region.


“I told Roger Penske if he tried to get away, I would find him, tackle him, carry him back to Detroit and put him at the head of something,” the mayor said.


Penske said Kilpatrick need not fear; he plans to stick around.


“I listened to (Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome) Bettis last night, and he said the Bus stops here and he’s getting off,” Penske said. “But the people of Detroit are getting back on that bus, and we’re going to run that bus in this region for many months and many years to come.


“I’ve committed time and effort over six years, and I certainly wouldn’t leave the ship at this point, I can assure you that.”


Kilpatrick also mentioned a collaborative effort between Detroit and Windsor to market the two cities with an emphasis on business and tourism, with catch phrases such as “two-nation vacation” and “two-nation destination.”


Joining Penske and Kilpatrick were Susan Sherer, Host Committee executive director; Larry Alexander, president and CEO of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau; Tom Lewand, Detroit Lions COO and executive vice president and convention-bureau chairman; Jonathan Witz, president of Pontiac-based Jonathan Witz & Associates Inc. and producer of the Motown Winter Blast; Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis; Frank Supovitz, vice president in charge of special events for the National Football League; and Detroit Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings.


Witz spoke about the success of this year’s Winter Blast. He said he hopes the event will become an annual downtown Detroit offering.


“Quality events are so important to a downtown,” Witz said. “When you put thousands and thousands of people in the streets, interacting with these businesses and facades and going in them, that’s the magic of how this process continues and how you're sure to continue the momentum.”


George Jackson Jr., president and CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., attended the event and later pointed to several projects in the works that will help drive continued improvements in Detroit. Jackson said some of those are retail, residential and recreational developments along the east riverfront and in the Brush Park area. It also includes redevelopment of the 14-story Lafayette Building in downtown Detroit into lofts.


http://www.crainsdetroit.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?newsId=7888

That's great that Penske is staying involved. He is a man who will accept nothing but the best and thats the type of person, especially with his pull, that we need spearheading our revitalization.

the bus metaphors really need to stop.

also, ellington 60% residential sold, 70% commerical

Hey guys. This is my first time on a Detroit thread - I'm usually in the European forums.

I just read today about the mayor's comments regarding a mass transit system. I was wondering if you think there's any chance it would extend to Ann Arbor? I often hear us included in "Metro Detroit" but the connection is very limited. People only go to Detroit once in a long while for concerts or important games. If getting to Detroit was made easier I think it'd be very beneficial for both sides.

Absolutely. The area has already been given 100 million to research mass transit dedicated specifically for Detroit-Ann Arbor with a stop at Metro Airport along the way. The Mayor's most recent comments are regarding region wide mass transit in general. No matter what happens though Detroit and Ann Arbor need to be connected. They are the two major population centers in southeast Michigan.

Keep coming back to the Detroit thread though. We could always use more people.

The first line in Detroit will most probably be the Ann Arbor-Detroit connection.

Either that or Woodward.

Well, needless to say, I am dumbfounded at the way Detroit has been perceived by the local media for the last few weeks. It has been a great time for the city and may serve as a catalyst for more development. Hosting the Superbowl is like getting a stamp of approval from the mainstream. Detroit needed that approval to push other projects into the forefront. I know the investors involved in the Book-Cadillac, Broderick Tower and Lafayette developments were hoping to see a positive light shone on the city. I think they got it......

^yeah, KK kept annoyingly saying that this was "detroit's coming out party", and as far as i can tell, it really was.

Also, I was damn sick of KK taking credit for SBXL. hell i even have the original pitch to the NFL on my hardrive (mpeg) and it is most certianly a 50 some year old black male balding and wearing a pair of glasses.

He has a name. :) That is, unless, saying his name is a sin.

I was a big Freman backer and I still think KK has a lot to learn but lets not downplay his role in making all this happen. He played in instrumential part in making this a huge success, along with Penske.

I was a big Freman backer and I still think KK has a lot to learn but lets not downplay his role in making all this happen. He played in instrumential part in making this a huge success, along with Penske.

my complaint is entirely focused on him claiming "he brought detroit the superbowl"

Oh i misunderstood. Thats just Kwame. He loves to talk himself up for any little thing that hes a part of.

Zissou,

btw, your photography is stellar. Especially some of the vantage points you got high(er) up during the SBXL weekend.

Thanks. I cant stand all the parking structures we have downtown but they do provide some very interesting photo opportunities.

Also, I was damn sick of KK taking credit for SBXL. hell i even have the original pitch to the NFL on my hardrive (mpeg) and it is most certianly a 50 some year old black male balding and wearing a pair of glasses.

He has a name. That is, unless, saying his name is a sin.

Uh, we're talking about Reginald VelJohnson right?

Roger Penske is a true leader in our metro region. His call for mass transit today will leave a lasting impression on the naysayers. I will even go so far as to say that he now carries more weight in Oakland County than L. Brooks. One of my favorite comments from today's speech is "it is unacceptable to have buildings vacant on Woodward." He addressed it to the City and the building owners and he's right on the money. Overall, I think this past week changed me a little. I do now see the Detroit that existed in its heyday. I had a long conversation today with a CEO of a major local corporation who was praising the City and is recommending that his son move there in a downtown loft. I have to think that the Superbowl was the thing he needed to see to make him comfortable with that. How many college age kids out there are thinking the same thing? This will be a very different city in a few more years.

The second I graduate im moving downtown. I still get raised eyebrows from my friends but some of them are coming around the more I take them downtown.

Do you know where I can see the press release or what was said by Penske?

I'll be moving to either Midtown, or Downtown in the next month, and my girl from Queens is coming to join me shortly after.

This past week in The D DEFINATELY changed me, and I've always been the biggest ambassador of the D. I think it changed many people in the region as well. This is the first time in my life that I've heard so many people in the region talk with so much pride about the city. The major difference about Detroit from any other city (And I've been to many) is the fact that our citizens are our biggest enemy. You can go to NY, or Chicago and visit a friend in the worst neighborhood you've ever seen, but they'll praise the city until they're blue in the face. I haven't seen that kind of pride here (With the exception of me and my friends) until last week.

By the way, what ... diiiid ... Roger Penske say in regard to mass transit?

Well, that's cool! Are you moving BACK to the area from out of state? I hope you are able to find a place and enjoy the new city. :)

tetsua, please contact Model D Media so they can do a feature story on you moving back into the City of Detroit from out of state. They should have contact info on their web site at www.modeldmedia.com.

Speaking of Model D, I'm surprised no one has posted these projects or news. While smaller ones, they are meaningful:

45 homes under construction in University Commons area

NorthStar Community Development Corp. is currently building 45 homes over a seven-block area surrounded by Puritan, Livernois, the Lodge to the Highland Park border.


NorthStar has been tearing down dilapidated homes in this area to build new, infill housing that will serve as a catalyst for new development and enhance neighborhood identity. The first new homes of the University Village Homes project broke ground in October.


All homes will be leased to residents, who have filled out an application and met qualification standards. Homes will range from 1,400 to 1,600 square feet with either three or four bedrooms. Leasing prices will be between $381 and $801 per month depending on income levels.


To date, three homes have been completed with the first three occupants moving in on the week of Jan. 30. NorthStar plans to have three new homes completed and ready for move in every week until the project is finished.

Source: Helen Seaton, NorthStar Community Development Corp.
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24 condos — some new, some restored — to be built on Ferry and Kirby in Midtown

http://www.nailahllc.com/images/home.jpg

additional 12 units of infill called the Aida Condominium Association on two blocks on E. Ferry and Kirby between St. Antoine and the I-75 Service Drive.


Bateau will be restoring three, four-family flats. These units will be about 1,000 square feet with two bedrooms and 1 1/2 baths and cost about $150,000 each. The 12 new infill units will be constructed as six duplexes in a style reminiscent of the surrounding neighborhood, with brick exteriors with limestone accents. New units will range between 1,000 and 1,600 square feet with an average price of $225,000.


The first new units will be built at 430 E. Ferry, serving as a model for the infill to follow. New buildings, even though they will have dual occupancy, will have separate entrances, garages, and outdoor space.


“We want to close the gap, creating a gateway to the Cultural Center on the Ferry side,” comments Bateau on the main objective of the project.


Infill construction is expected to start in the spring, with a model complete in September. Restorations are planned to be complete in August


For more information visit: www.nailahllc.com

Source: Julio Bateau, developer of Aida Condominium Association; Annmarie Borucki, grant manager for the University Cultural Center Association

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Meeting to finalize plans for Grand River makeover in Grandmont Rosedale

A kickoff meeting will finalize design plans for streetscaping program in the Grandmont Rosedale neighborhood on Feb. 16 at the Detroit Transportation Service Center.


The Michigan Department of Transportation awarded a $569,500 grant to enhance Grand River between Asbury Park and Evergreen, Grandmont Rosedale’s main commercial strip. Improvements will include planting about 180 trees, five new landscaped boulevard islands and six decorative crosswalks made of stamped and colored concrete.


“These additional enhancements, along with the new light poles we got from Detroit Public Lighting and MDOT’s repaving of Grand River, are going to create a whole new look for our commercial district – much more pedestrian friendly and much more attractive,” says Tom Goddeeris, executive director of the Grandmont Rosedale Development Corp.


The community development group is also using money from a Michigan State Housing Development Authority grant to install black cast aluminum neighborhood identification signs along Grand River. The first nine signs were installed in December, and five more will be up by the end of February


The Parsons Transportation Group, an affiliate of Parsons Brinkerhoff, which drafted the traffic control plan for the Super Bowl, has been chosen as the design engineers for the Grand River streetscaping portion of the project.


The seven-lane thoroughfare carries high volumes of traffic both within the city and between Detroit and its northwestern suburbs. By adding landscaped traffic islands, Grand River will become more pedestrian-friendly, helping to reconnect both sides of the strip. The road also will serve as an attractive gateway to Detroit from the northwest.


Construction is scheduled for 2007.

Sources: Tom Goddeeris, executive director of GRDC; Pam Weinstein, special projects manager for GRDC

The Grand River streetscaping is going take that stretch to another level even better that something like this is taking place outside of downtown. One thing Detroit really lacks is a destintation far from the downtown area the new streetscaping hopefully will attract new businesses to the area.

Well, that's cool! Are you moving BACK to the area from out of state? I hope you are able to find a place and enjoy the new city. :)

Are there any new condo highrise devolopments going on in downtown Detroit? I was raised just north of it (now a Chicagoan) and was dissapointed when I revisted it a year ago as I expected it to of been devoloped much more but at only 8 on a Friday it was eerily quiet and felt like when I left it,seemingly pulse-less, which saddened me. I imagine the job cuts for the Big 3 have had a termendous impact on the economy in downtown Detroit. Its got potential it just seemed like when I was growing up the Detroit politics were always drowning the potential.

There are several proposed high-rise along with several mid-rise loft developments under way. One thing to note about the Big 3 is that most of the job cuts are not occurring in the Detroit market but in others across the nation as the companies consolidate and redefine their cost structure. The Wixom plant in Oakland County is being closed in 2008, but for the most part, downtown Detroit has not been impacted by the slowdown. In addition, downtown now has Compuware's headquarters with 4,200 employees, IBM is moving 750 employees into the new Kennedy Square high rise and another suburban company will be announcing their relocation to downtown Detroit very soon. For the most part, this has been an incredibly great few years for the rebirth of downtown Detroit. The east riverfront developments that will be under way by summer's end will be the preeminent destination that the downtown area has needed for 30 years. I imagine five years from now that the entire east riverfront will be redeveloped with residential and retail along with the Riverwalk connecting the Amabassador Bridge to the McArthur Bridge at Belle Isle.

What proposed high rises? Unless im completely missing or overlooking something I cant think of any. And Kennedy Square is considered a high rise? To me thats more of a midrise. And does that suburban company begin with an "R" and end in an "ock Financial?"

You must mean what proposed residential high-rises. If you do, than I have to ask the same thing, myself. But, there are high-rises going up in the city with MGM and Motor City, and Greektown's going to start soon. And as for residential, most everything high-rise is restorations. There won't be too many new residential high-rise construction until most of the rehabs are taken care of. BTW, coming from Chicago will most likely be disappointing if you're looking for anything on the same scale as Chicago in Detroit at the moment.

The casinos didnt even dawn on me. Thats probably what was meant. I bet we will see some high rise residential before all the rehabs are done. There are some very stubborn owners in Detroit who wont do a damn thing to their properties. Meanwhile developers will continue to notice that Detroit is an untapped market primed for some highrise residential.

BTW, coming from Chicago will most likely be disappointing if you're looking for anything on the same scale as Chicago in Detroit at the moment.

I wasn't comparing Detroit to Chicago nor did I expect it to be like Chicago I just expected it to be more devoloped than when I left years ago, the riverwalk sounds like an excellent idea though hopefully it will help redefine the direct area around it. I always thought Detroit should take advantage of the river and this sounds like its a step in the right direction. THANKS FOR THE MICHIGANIAN UPDATE!

SEMCOG: Detroit topped region in new residential development

By Anjali Fluker
Feb. 13, 2006 5:31 PM

The city of Detroit led the region last year in new residential development, based on building-permit data collected by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments.

This was the first time in “a long time” that Detroit topped the region, although the city has been among the leading communities for residential construction in the past few years, according to a SEMCOG news release.

Detroit’s 1,039 housing units permitted for 2005 represent an 11 percent increase over 2004. Detroit has averaged about 1,000 housing units a year since 2003.

“Along with the revitalization of the commercial aspects of downtown Detroit, these numbers show promise for the revitalization of both downtown and neighborhood residential development,” Paul Tait, SEMCOG's executive director, said in a news release. “This is a clear demonstration that even in these tough economic times, housing in Detroit is at least competitive with housing in the suburbs.”


Following Detroit was Macomb Township with 814 new residential units in 2005 and Canton Township with 805. Final numbers are still being collected, and a final residential-construction report is expected to be released in April, the release said.


Data collected from communities throughout the seven-county SEMCOG region is available at www.semcog.org by clicking on “building permits” from the data drop-down menu at the top of the home page.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?newsId=7953

This very good news to think a decade ago that the city was lucky to see 100 new housing starts

Late word today is that Rock Financial will not be coming to the Hudson's site, but that there are two separate 1,500 employee entities coming there. More to come on this.....

I love that a 139 sq. mi. city barely sees more housing permits than a 36 sq. mi. township.

*baby steps, everyone! baby steps...*

Manage, is it probable that Redico will try to capture both of these companies into one development?

Its good news to get the two seperate companys bringing in roughly the same amount of people but does this rule out downtown for Rock Financial completely? Could they move into an existing building or perhaps a new development on Monroe Block or the riverfront? Its good were still getting the 3000 workers down there but 6000 sounds sooo much better.

I'm taking a class in neighborhood decline and revitalization, and have a whole new understanding of housing (building and abandonment) in a metropolitan area.

Basically, in a nutshell, housing building booms in the exurbs (Macomb Twp, Canton Twp) have a direct effect on abandonments in the city of Detroit and now even inner ring suburbs. Sure, this is common sense, but in the class, we're learning of all the factors that play into this.

So, while Detroit is experiencing building permits, there still is a serious problem with building gobs of new housing in a metropolitan system that is NOT growing. Basically for every new house build that becomes occupied, somewhere in the metropolitan area, there is a house becoming abandoned. When that happens the neighborhood declines and more social strife ensues.

I guess what I'm saying is despite Detroit's shining numbers, the way this region operates is still heavily disasterous.

Three thousand employees is still 3,000 employees I'll be as just happy if Redico can ink this deal

Today, 08:45 AM #39
Michi
Michigander

So, while Detroit is experiencing building permits, there still is a serious problem with building gobs of new housing in a metropolitan system that is NOT growing. Basically for every new house build that becomes occupied, somewhere in the metropolitan area, there is a house becoming abandoned. When that happens the neighborhood declines and more social strife ensues.

Even in Troy in my naiborhood the smaller older homes are abandoned because people moving to Lake Orion, Clarksten, Orion, ect... Out there you can buy a house 3 times the size for the same $.

Where will it stop will it keep going and going?

Exactly. There really isn't much in terms of stopping it. It has to come from the state. There aren't many places that are able to stop this kind of movement. Who's to interfere with a developer's ambition to make a dollar or millions when they want to consume Farmer Jack's property? It can go to the courts, but that's not really going to stop it.

There needs to be a collaborative effort between communities of a region and the state. Communities also have a responsibility that they can abide to for developing responsibly through zoning and what they will allow. Most places simply settle on what new sprawl will do for their tax base and have very little standards since most new housing is middle-to-higher income anyway.

I can bet you many (if not some) of the homes in Troy were considered middle-to-upper income housing at one point as well. There's a saying that goes, "today's winners are tomorrow's loosers". And we'll be able to see how that plays out in the next 50 or so years.

I think inner ring burbs have the challenge of reinventing themselves, but at the same time have an asset of small, quality, starter-housing that appeal to young people. As long as the communities are able to stay on top of the competitive game and keep their appeal, they have the potential to sustain into the future.

I worry more about the places like northern Madison Heights/southern Troy and into Troy and beyond that are representative of the origins of auto-oriented sprawl (the street layouts beyond the traditional grid and more towards the cul-de-sac/subdivision). The housing is comparatively "cheap" and you can be witness to that by driving around those areas. The older Southfield is also a testament to this. How do you reinvent these kinds of neighborhoods? You can go the way of Birmingham and build the big-foot homes on small properties by tearing down the old and replacing it with the new, but I can't imagine that is acceptable in many communities.

I think one city that is positioned for a turn-around is Pontiac. Once the County of Oakland accepts the city's differences and uniquenesses to most of the rest of the county, I think it can really take off. It identifies with similar struggles as Detroit and other cities, but it is also much smaller to work with. So, if resources are poured into the community, the direct effect could be felt more intensively. This could also be a way in trying to hold people in to the metropolitan area rather than making Grand Blanc look so desirable.

Michi,

While it would be preferable to be filling all of this new housing with new residents, I MUCH rather Detroit absorb this new glut of housing, than the far fringes.

I'm setting my standards low, but I think it's realistic. Right now, all we can hope for is a redistribution of people back towards the core, and the middle and far ring will suffer, but it will be because of their own doing (poor planning).

The only thing that will save the region is when people are made completely aware that the region is barely growing in population. Most still have the misconception that there areas are booming, when the fact is that most of Metro Detroits "growth" is simply a redistribution of resources and wealth. The region is more like a rubber band than anything else in terms of how the market functions.

But that's not something people care about. If developers build new housing at the urban fringe, then it will be bought up. Those people have to come from somewhere and since the region isn't "importing" residents, they are coming from within. Why NOT pick up a brand new house if you can afford it? It sure beats having to put money into a home that is showing its age, as is other homes on the block. And moreso, there's signs of "those people" starting to show up as well. It's time to move and since the only good schools are north and west, we're not going south, that's for sure. It's a death trap!

A rebirth on the city's riverfront
Condos to be built where silos stood

February 15, 2006

FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

http://cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C4&Date=20060215&Category=BUSINESS04&ArtNo=602150409&Ref=AR&MaxW=600&Border=1
An artist's rendering of Chene West, one of the planned developments on the riverfront. The project is headed by ex-Detroit Piston Dave Bing. Ex-Pittsburgh Steeler Jerome Bettis is involved with a nearby project. (Kraemer Design Group)

Related articles:

• A NEW CHAPTER: Backers say Detroit is poised to boom

Bettis, Bing lead projects

Project: 64 condominiums, parking, retail and restaurants Total cost: $25 million

Developers: Chuck Betters, a Pittsburgh developer, and his partner, just-retired Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis, right.

Who they are: Betters is known in Pittsburgh for turning old steel mills into mixed-use developments. Bettis, of course, just completed his career with the Steelers by winning Super Bowl XL at Ford Field.

Their track record: This is the second riverfront project in Detroit for the Bettis-Betters team. The partners were chosen in 2004 to turn the old Uniroyal site near the MacArthur Bridge to Belle Isle into a mixed-use development.

Project: Approximately 108 condominiums and town houses, a pool, fitness center, parking, retail.

Total cost: $41 million.

Developers: Spingarn LLC, a partnership headed by Dave Bing, right, a Detroit industrialist, auto parts supplier and former Detroit Pistons star who is in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Who else: Bing hopes to recruit several other star athletes with Detroit ties as investors in his project, including Derrick Coleman, Isiah Thomas, Chris Webber and Jalen Rose.
In the latest good news for Detroit's riverfront, athletes-turned-businessmen Jerome Bettis and Dave Bing were chosen Tuesday to build multimillion-dollar residential and retail projects where cement silos stood for decades.

Following waterfront improvements like the city's RiverWalk now under construction, the projects promise to turn Detroit's riverfront from a semi-industrial wasteland into a lively neighborhood where residents can live, dine, shop and enjoy splendid views of the river.

Construction could begin on the Bing and Bettis projects as early as this summer, with occupancy in about two years.

"We're one of only a few cities that has an underutilized riverfront," Bing, an industrialist and former Detroit Pistons star of the late '60s and early '70s, said Tuesday. "And so when the opportunity came about to look at a project, what my team wanted to do is make sure it's going to be first-class and high quality."

The land in question, known as the Chene East and Chene West sites, has been the home of two of the three cement plants that marked the city's skyline for many years. The Detroit Economic Growth Corp., a quasi-public arm of the city, bought out the cement companies over the past couple of years, which freed the sites for redevelopment.

George Jackson, president of the DEGC, called the transformation of the riverfront historic.

"This is an extremely important piece to the renaissance of the city of Detroit," Jackson said. "We're taking historically industrial riverfront and transforming it to residential, recreational and retail."

The Bing-led project, designed by Detroit-based architect Kraemer Design Group, is expected to include 108 condominium and townhouses, a pool and fitness center, retail and parking, at a total cost of $41 million.

The project headed by Bettis and his partner, Pittsburgh developer Chuck Betters, and designed by Detroit-based SDG Design Inc., would cost $25 million and create about 64 condominiums, plus retail and restaurant spaces.

"I'm excited. I can't wait to get started," Betters said Tuesday.

Both projects are expected to take advantage of the recreational possibilities of the RiverWalk, the planned promenade along the river now being built by the nonprofit Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. The RiverWalk will border each of the developments.

Tuesday's announcement comes less than a month after General Motors chose a Chicago-based team of developers to create new housing and retail projects on 13 acres of GM-owned land just east of the Renaissance Center. The GM project will, when finished, rise a few blocks to the west of the silo sites that Bing and Bettis will develop.

The projects announced Tuesday were expected to be followed by at least one more in the near future. Jackson's office is studying proposals from other teams to redevelop the site of the third cement silo. An announcement of that team is expected shortly.

While some of the units in Bing's project will be designed for moderate-income buyers, the majority will be aimed at buyers with higher incomes. "For this city to come back, we're going to have to have a strong middle class," Bing said. "This is going to be an opportunity for people to live downtown in a nice environment, shop downtown and work downtown, and today we don't have enough of that."

The Bettis-Betters team already is working on another riverfront project, a mixed-used redevelopment of the Uniroyal site near the MacArthur Bridge to Belle Isle that was announced in mid-2004. That project has been hampered by disputes over which entity should pay to clean up the contaminated site.

Bing and Bettis are not the only former professional athletes working on Detroit's revival. Former Lions star Robert Porcher is an investor in highly touted restaurants, including Seldom Blues in the Renaissance Center and Detroit's Breakfast House & Grill @ Merchants Row on Woodward. And Bing said he is talking to several current or former stars with a Detroit background to invest in his project, including current and former basketball players Derrick Coleman, Isiah Thomas, Chris Webber and Jalen Rose, and hopes to have commitments from them soon.

Like any proposed development, the Bing and Bettis projects have obstacles to overcome before becoming reality. First is the need to negotiate a development agreement with Jackson's office that would allow the Economic Development Corp., a quasi-public board that holds title to the land, to transfer the sites to the developers.

At the same time, the developers must arrange financing, deal with any site cleanup issues and take care of a host of other details involved with any major project.

If everything goes smoothly, construction could start in the summer. If problems arise, the start of construction might be delayed. But DEGC staffers remain optimistic.

"What we like about this" is that the developers "are very anxious to get in the ground as soon as possible," DEGC staffer Peter Zeiler said Tuesday.

As a safeguard, Jackson's office will not transfer title to the development groups until financing and other details are settled. And even after the land is transferred, the development agreements are expected to include clauses that would let EDC take back the land if the projects do not proceed.

I'm not very thrilled about the design here. TOWNHOUSES???? No. I'm going to be very critical from this point on.

and so here i believe it truly begins with actual residents (not walkway improvements and parks) that detroit can begin to realize its riverfront potential.

Of course i'd love to see 30 story condo towers going up (speaking of, what abouts harbor towns?). But this is a good start, and i guess we'll see what the market dictates over the next 10 years.

This is like the Woodward Place of the Riverfront. It may be small and out of place, but it's the litmus test to see how successful housing in a particular neighborhood will be.

Here's a much better rendering of both Chene East and West
http://www.freep.com/assets/static/pdf/front.pdf

But that's not something people care about. If developers build new housing at the urban fringe, then it will be bought up. Those people have to come from somewhere and since the region isn't "importing" residents, they are coming from within. Why NOT pick up a brand new house if you can afford it? It sure beats having to put money into a home that is showing its age, as is other homes on the block. And moreso, there's signs of "those people" starting to show up as well. It's time to move and since the only good schools are north and west, we're not going south, that's for sure. It's a death trap!

I think you're missing the point I was trying to make, which was I'd much rather see Detroit capture a chunk of this inward migration, than the outward fringe. For so long, the suburbs were eating up the housing uncontested.

BTW, thanks for the better rendering, Urbanlover.

No, I got what you meant and was adding to it, but looking back, I can see it didn't seem like that. Uuups! :)

Yes, the pope, this is where it truly begins and sorry my announcement a few months ago didn't happen as soon as I had wanted. There will be more of this very soon with the remaining parcels in the RFP. This and the recent news that the City has more housing permits pulled than its suburbs is making me feverish over the progress this town has made. The most important thing for me is that the inner neighborhoods (including the east riverfront) are almost all experiencing a major rebirth. The signs are all pointing to more stability down the road throughout the rest of the City as a result.

ManageMich - will some of these upcoming announcement include increased height? I know some of the parcels are further from the river and an increase in height would work.

Limiting the height of these developments has been made a priority because of the views. I do know that the preliminary architectural rendering for the Uniroyal site has a few taller towers proposed, but it's too early to tell on that site right now due to the fact that the environmental will take some time. No developer is going to officially hire an architectural firm with a project of that size until they have a firm environmental plan approved by the MDEQ.

I keep hearing about saving views, and that is great and all south of Jefferson, but there aren't any high-rise proposals for north-of-Jefferson. I tend to think that while saving views may be a great excuse, that maybe the market isn't demanding true high-rise, yet, and/or developers aren't willing to take what they still see as a risk, yet.

There was the one 15 story proposal that was mentioned weeks ago for one of these parcels. Whether or not the city chooses it has yet to be seen. I dont mind taller structures north of Atwater. There wont be enough of them to completely block views of the river so I dont see that as a problem.

Still I like the step back idea allowing higher buildings further away from the river it'll give the area a more neighborhood feel. Also, I'd like to see a highrise area eventually develop along Jefferson I think there'd be less chance of that if they were allow to scatter throughout the area

Yeah definitely along Jefferson, I just what kind of development there could be,
maybe a multistorey mix of office and residential condos, with retail on the first two
floors. It seems retail is always relegated to the first floor, but look at Borders, it
can work.

Looks like Greektown is having trouble securing land

Casino hunts for a hotel property
Greektown trails MGM, MotorCity

BY GRETA GUEST

FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

Greektown Casino is still trying to obtain land for its hotel, raising the possibility that it might be built elsewhere in Greektown.

The casino has been unable to make a deal with the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral to lease its parking lot at Monroe and I-375, where it had hoped to build a 15-story, 400-room hotel, said Aaron Payment, chairman of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, which owns 98% of the casino.

"We have a couple of options. We are not limiting ourselves to one property now," Payment said in an interview Thursday with the Free Press. "We are still shoring up our options and trying to make the best decision economically for Greektown. The hotel is the part that is still up in the air."

That will delay construction and could keep it stuck as Detroit's third-place casino. The competition -- MGM Grand Detroit Casino and MotorCity Casino -- started building permanent casinos and hotels months ago.

The Free Press was unable to reach cathedral officials Thursday.

Payment said the casino has an agreement with the City of Detroit to buy its parking lot at Monroe and St. Antoine for an undisclosed price, but the deal needs City Council approval. Greektown plans to use the lot and demolish a nearby apartment building to erect its own 3,500-space garage there.

The casino also plans to add 25,000 square feet of new gaming space with an addition to stretch over half of Lafayette Boulevard. The plans also call for a spa and 1,200- to 1,500-seat theater.

Payment, 40, who became chairman of the tribe in July 2004 after a contentious battle with incumbent Bernard Bouschor, isn't satisfied with third place and says he will catch up to MGM Grand Detroit and MotorCity casinos.

Greektown Casino started behind and has not been able to catch up. Its revenues trailed the other two Detroit casinos in 2005 by nearly $100 million. Greektown Casino's late opening in November 2000, about a year after the others, gave its competitors a chance to build gambler loyalties. And it lacks an attached parking garage, a necessary amenity in auto-centric southeastern Michigan.

"My hope is we will have 30% or 33.33% of the market. We are moving in that direction. We are adding market share," he said. Greektown's market share is roughly 29%, while MGM's is 36% and MotorCity's is 35%.

Greektown's revenue grew nearly 5% in 2005 to $335.6 million. That compares to MGM Grand Detroit, which saw a 6.3% revenue rise to $460.7 million last year and MotorCity, which saw nearly a 1% decline in revenue to $432.2 million.

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians also owns five Upper Peninsula casinos. The tribe's total revenue was $481 million last year.

Marcell Todd, a planner with the Detroit Planning Commission, said that, while Greektown officials have submitted a rezoning application to the city, it cannot act on it until the casino can prove ownership.

"I think the casino would like to purchase the property outright, whereas before they leased," Todd said. "The property owner is probably like everyone else and holding them hostage on price."

Greektown Casino originally planned to build a $450-million casino and hotel complex on seven acres at Gratiot and I-375. In September, the casino announced it was in negotiations to buy parcels in Greektown for the hotel and parking structures.

Payment said the goal still is to open the permanent casino complex in early 2008 along with MotorCity and MGM Grand Detroit.

MGM Grand Detroit is under construction on its site at the I-75 service drive and the Lodge Freeway, and MotorCity is building its hotel at the Lodge and Grand River.

Contact GRETA GUEST at 313-223-4192 or gguest@freepress.com.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060217/BUSINESS06/602170400/1019

I just hope that they won't have to tear down something else to build the hotel.


The may be able to build on the lot across the street from the Police Headquarters.
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/overhead.jpg

They could do that. Personally I would rather see them build the hotel on part of the land they already have for that enormous garage. It would ensure that the garage would be more pedestrian friendly and higher quality. Plus if they put it on the western end of the lot it would be much much closer to the casino.

I always wished they would have been able to secure the parking lots south of St. Mary's to build the hotel on.

I know it's asking too much of casinos or Detroit developers in general, but couldn't they just get a bit more creative, i.e. a smaller lot for the hotel? It isn't like there isn't enough empty space to build on. It may mean they would have to go a few floors higher with their design, but they were planning on going taller originally, anyway if they would have been up on Gratiot.

Yeah, they can buy Lavdas and the surrounding lots and build it there!;)

Hey, those condos on the waterfront sounds awesome and prestigious! Hope Greektown's hotel and land planning gets started and secured!

Re: riverfront and height. The step-up design is a good idea, but I think highrises can still occur south of Jefferson, and taking into account views. Plus, Harbortown is building two towers (15 and 30 stories) south of Jefferson which is good. Their plan will allow other nearby developments to take into account that there will be two towers near their development site. I think there can be a nice, conservative mix of both.

yeah, preserving views is nice and all, but the market will truly dictate what gets built when and where for what height. Now if only we had LRT up jefferson to get those people to work

Yous guys. I just drove by Centurion Place late last night on my way home. Unbeknownst to me, the structure of the first phase is already built. I was totally shocked to see these big old skeletons of what will soon be a really beautiful infill project in the Ferry Street/St. Antoine area. There's no facade up, just the frame. They are so much bigger than I had imagined by the renderings.

The greatest feeling was seeing something built up to the street with the different designs, mocking the intention to make it look like a real neighborhood, and not crappy suburban, cookie-cutter, blandness like the rest of the neighborhood is building.

I was really excited. I'll try to document the progress to the best of my ability.
http://www.centurionplace.com/images/centplace1.jpg
http://www.modeldmedia.com/galleries/Default/News/Issue%2027/Centurion-Place-rendering-3.jpg

You know what guys? This is ALL I wanna see right now. Developments like this. Absolutely beautiful. I hope the trend continues.

I am so interested in how all of the loft/new housing are going right now, especially that Crystal Ballroom project. How's that process going, by the way?

I was just over there taking pictures. Some lady barked at me for standing on her sidewalk. :ohno:

The project looks nice in the day though.

The environment for photographers seems to be so much more hostile, now.

Do you plan on posting photos of the progress? Is Tony still hosing your photos?

I'll try to post, but it won't be very easy. I still have access to Tony's space, so that's good. Spring break is coming up, so that might help.

Oh, and on my way to the bank today, I noticed that the Medusa silos are being demolished. The last of the east riverfront silos to come down. :)

I miss the big red sign though.

The silos are gone and all three will have development projects announced by mid-spring. The one nearest the Ren Cen was announced recently and the other two will be soon. I have to agree with whomever brought up the issue of suburban density along Jefferson, but as far as those nearest Atwater, they will be dense and urban. GM's project south of Atwater on the side closest to the river will begin by summer. I met with GM recently and they're beside themselves with excitment for the east riverfront projects. They are most notably committed to seeing them through and creating an urban landscape.

The parking garage should be operational with the Asian Village by year's end as well. :crazy: Maybe next summer there will some evidence of a new lifestyle on the immediate east riverfront.

This is interesting, although I'm not sure what's going on with the area around the roof.

430 East Ferry
Nailah LLC is in the process of developing a new residential building reminiscent of the architecture found in the East Ferry Historic District. The building is a dual occupancy residence on two floors. While both units share the same building, separate entrances, garages, and outdoor space will be provided. Both units will have a single car garage, an open full kitchen, a dining room, powder room, spacious living room and individual entry halls, among other amenities. This project will serve as a model for other infill projects already planned further down on Ferry and along Kirby. A total of 24 units are planned for future construction. 430 East Ferry is scheduled for construction in March 2006, and is estimated to be complete by June. Total investment is $400,000.

http://www.detroitmidtown.com/05/image_lib/430EFerry.jpg

If they got rid of the third floor (or at least reduced the size), I'd love it.

Looks like the MGM is a good 3-4 floors above ground near the lodge exit. Does anyone know when/if renderings will be released and where the actual hotel tower is supposed to be? That site is massive!

Yeah, the roof is just too much, but since it will be a rather upscale duplex, I'll give it a pass. :) This is what I like to see, though, something besides singe-family infill in the inner-city. Not that it is rare in the inner-city, but I like to see the pattern carried out.

The hotel tower is supposedly going up at 3rd and Michigan (Bagley exit), the garage at 3rd and the Fisher, and the casino building in between along third, but set back quite a bit.

As for the rendering, I emailed the architect, and though they gave me a height, they would not even reply when I asked about a public rendering. I have no idea why MGM is keeping it so incredibly secret. Maybe it's because they'll build a 90-story tower. :) One can wish.

Maybe it's more like when movie studios don't screen their films for critics. That means they're REALLY bad.

lol, I sure hope that is not the case. BTW, if anyone wants to see a preliminary concept go to Hamilton-Anderson's website. They have the old rendering, and from what I've been able to glean from the articles done on it in the News last year, it will probably look a lot like the preliminary rendering done by Hamilton-Anderson a few years back.

The part of the casino that is the highest elevated is probably the gaming portion of the complex. I'd imagine that the hotel would have an elevator shaft rising first and the parking structure would look like a typical, crappy construction.

GM River east renderings are on this link. Pretty cool

http://www.rossetti.com/reside ntial/river_east.html

http://www.rossetti.com/residential/river_east.html fixed link

Looks nice altho smallish.

It definitely could use a little bit more height but it if gets built the way it is I wont be disappointed. It looks like a solid development that will bring people and retail to the riverfront creating a vibrant district.

If you keep going to next you can see a bunch of other projects a bunch in Detroit, one for St .Clair Shores, and one for Troy, it looks different fatter not as nice but bigger. http://www.rossetti.com/residential/monarch.html

The third and second pic of the river east makes it look alot biiger and nicer and alot mores going on.

^smallish but stylish!

Nice cp pic. Have you been to their site they have pics of construction of the new 2007 coaster, must be big to be starting so soon even Dragster didnt start construction this early.

Any news on the Monroe Block? It's getting too annoying just sitting there like nothing is suppose to happen. Why can't the city put up a big, ugly banner like the Ilitchs have done to their Foxtown Properties?

You mean, actually build a support tower for a banner? That would cost too much for the Ilitch's. ;) Yeah, development news is going pretty slow these days.

I was just thinking the other day about what would look good on the Monroe Block and what height it should ideally be. I came across a new Chicago scraper at 111 South Wacker in the 'rate the talls' section which I thought would look good in that spot. It's a nice modern-looking glass box.... nothing too special but definitely a nice addition. What would u guys like to see on that block? Of course it'd be great if somehow we were to get a new tallest but that's not likely to happen. The Penobscot was tallest for about 50 years I believe until the RenCen overtook it.... I wonder if it'll be over 50 years this time for a new tallest to appear.

Also can anybody tell me why Cadillac Tower has only a few windows near the top on its side facing Campus Martius? If something big on the Monroe Block is built, at least Cadillac won't have many views blocked of the park.

The elevators run that side of the tower. In fact, most thin, historic towers are like this.

Could you post a photo here of 111 South Wacker? From my understanding, the whole point of Campus Martius is for it to be human-scaled. A huge skyscraper is not in the cards for Campus Martius, but there are countless other sites downtown where one could rise and be more appropriate.

If the vacant lot at Monroe is subdivided, I can see a tall building being built up along side Cadillac Tower. Fronting Campus Martius Park, though, should be something more scaled to the other buildings surrounding it.

What I most want to see is something detailed and creative. I want to see shapes, curves, setbacks, balconies, terraces, glass, stone, steel...whatever. Something ultra-modern yet that blends into the surroundings but catches the eye.

Re: the west facade of Cadillac Tower...also recal the tower that use to be in that place. It wasn't as tall as Cadillac Tower, but it was just as ornate. I believe because it burned, it was torn down, and not torn down just to be torn down. In a perfect world, the building that once stood there would be replicated with modern design and material. How awesome would that look! :)

^wasn't that the real estate exchange building or something?

Yep. It looked like a miniature version of Cadillac Tower.

WATERFRONT LIVING: FLOWING IDEAS
Developer plans condos and shops along Detroit River
BY JOHN GALLAGHER
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

March 11, 2006

http://cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C4&Date=20060311&Category=BUSINESS04&ArtNo=603110347&Ref=AR&MaxW=600&Border=1


Plugging an important gap in Detroit's waterfront development, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's administration has selected a $193-million proposal to build 480 condominium units on a site where a cement silo stood for decades.

The project will be known as @water Lofts, pronounced "Atwater" after the street that runs through the parcel.

Local developer Dwight Belyue said his project will include about 43,000 square feet of shopping as well as the condos and parking. He said he expects to begin construction this year and have the first units ready for occupancy by fall 2007.

"The market on the riverfront is still wide open," Belyue said. "We just think it's a great opportunity. We think the market is so great we're going to have a lot of pre-sales, a lot of activity."

The mayor said the project is "another example of the excitement that is currently taking place on our riverfront. As a native Detroiter, Dwight is playing a key role in our efforts to create the Next Detroit."

The selection of Belyue's proposal, disclosed to the Free Press on Friday, caps a series of announcements in recent weeks that, if carried out in full, will see several hundred new residential units along the riverfront in the mile east of the Renaissance Center along with shopping and other amenities.

Combined with construction this year of more of the city's RiverWalk, a waterfront promenade to run from the Ambassador Bridge to Belle Isle, the announcements mark a stunning reversal of years of abandonment and neglect of the riverfront, which for much of the past 150 years was dominated by industrial uses.

"It's really long overdue," Belyue said. "We're one of the few cities to have our riverfront underdeveloped."

Belyue said his condos would be in three buildings in three different phases. Units will average around 1,400 square feet, with prices averaging in the upper-$300,000 range.

Those prices may be beyond the reach of many residents of Detroit, a city with the highest poverty rate among major cities in the nation. But Kilpatrick and his aides have been adamant that the city needs to use riverfront development to bring a middle class back into the city, and to increase property values and the tax base.

Kilpatrick's aides also were attracted by the preliminary design for Belyue's plan, which depicts an urban-style project that they believe will enliven the waterfront district.

"This is exactly what we wanted," said Peter Zeiler, a staff member at the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. involved in the selection.

The process of choosing Belyue's plan began last fall, when Kilpatrick's administration sought proposals to redevelop several parcels of city-owned land on the east riverfront.

Some of the parcels were part of the land seized by the administration of former Mayor Dennis Archer for a casino district that never happened. Three other parcels were sites where cement silos stood for decades.

In February, Kilpatrick's development team selected two teams, one headed by local industrialist and sports hero Dave Bing, the other by Pittsburgh developer Charles Betters and his partner, Detroit native and football star Jerome Bettis. Those teams will build retail and residential projects on two of the parcels, known as Chene East and Chene West.

Belyue's site, known as Atwater South and Atwater North, consists of about 9 acres on either side of Atwater roughly between Riopelle and Rivard.

In addition, General Motors Corp. recently selected a Chicago-based development group to build residential units, retail, and other development on acreage that it owns immediately east of its RenCen world headquarters.

With so many riverfront projects announced in such a short time, some market-watchers have wondered whether there is sufficient demand for all the planned residential units. But Ray Parker, a local investor and real estate consultant who is not involved with Belyue's group, said the recent riverfront projects seem more real than a lot of other plans over the years that went nowhere.

Among other reasons, the city has almost finished demolishing the three cement plants that stood for decades, and the groups selected to build the new projects all have track records of success.

"We've all been burned over the years by things never coming to fruition. But we're seeing progress now. The announcements so far, we all feel pretty optimistic that they're actually going to happen," Parker said Friday.

Belyue's Belmar Development Group, for example, has built residential units in the Brush Park district north of downtown and is active in the city's midtown area.

Belyue's team includes a Seattle investor, Michael Dunne, who has worked with him on several projects in Detroit. Hines Interests, a Houston-based development company that built the One Detroit Center skyscraper in Detroit and manages the Renaissance Center for General Motors, is also expected to be involved in Belyue's team.

Rossetti Associates, a Birmingham-based architectural firm that designed the Compuware Corp. headquarters and the Palace of Auburn Hills, designed Belyue's project.

With three teams now selected for the city-owned riverfront land, Kilpatrick's aides will begin negotiating actual development agreements with the Bing, Betters-Bettis and Belyue teams.

Crews are expected to begin preparing the utilities and doing other preparatory work on some or perhaps all of the sites by this summer.
http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006603110347

Got damn! :banana:

So which one is this again? BTW, they used this same quote in the last article:

"We're one of the few cities to have our riverfront underdeveloped."

It's good to see that he's willing to start construction so soon. Hopefully the presales will be brisk.

The latest riverfront development news is not the last either. Expect a major development to accompany the GM properties at River East soon. The best part about all of this new development on the river is that we will get to see all of the standing industrial properties get turned into a modern use. That will truly sow the fabric of the east riverfront together.
We still haven't forgotten about the Hudson's Block even though Rock Financial is not coming to downtown Detroit but will be relocating somewhere in Wayne County.

This is the western most sites along Atwater

http://cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C4&Date=20060311&Category=BUSINESS04&ArtNo=603110347&Ref=V2&MaxW=600&Border=1



Good to hear that more is coming Manage. Would this major development be more office/retail since River East is residential/retail?

urbanlover, that is exactly what is being discussed right now. There was originally supposed to be a planned office/retail high rise due east of the RenCen that is still in the negotiating phase.
I would also imagine seeing Redico come out with an annoucenment some time this summer or early fall regarding the Hudson's Block. I beleive there option ends in late fall and if you know the management over there, they're not the types to let a major, name-making opportunity slip by. Say what you want about the Kennedy Block, but I think it fits the block well and on a fairly pedestrian level which is the whole point of the Campus Martius area of downtown.

Is the office/retial high rise being discussed part of GM's plans or part of the plans for the city owned land?

ManageMich said "Expect a major development to accompany the GM properties at River East soon" anything that involes River East is GM property.

I remember this rendering being released years ago for the River East office building, but I had figured it to be a long dead project. I'm surprised they're still negotiating on this one.
http://www.pickardchilton.com/proj_river_east_01.html

As I promised, I have some photographic evidence of the progress being made in Detroit...

February 27, 2006MGM Grand Casino
http://downtownmotown.8k.com/detstpattysday/2006_0227Detroit_Feb060001.jpg

http://downtownmotown.8k.com/detstpattysday/2006_0227Detroit_Feb060004.jpg

http://downtownmotown.8k.com/detstpattysday/2006_0227Detroit_Feb060006.jpg

Ransom Gillis House, Brush Park
http://downtownmotown.8k.com/detstpattysday/2006_0227Detroit_Feb060007.jpg

http://downtownmotown.8k.com/detstpattysday/2006_0227Detroit_Feb060010.jpg

http://downtownmotown.8k.com/detstpattysday/2006_0227Detroit_Feb060012.jpg

Centurion Place, Ferry East
http://downtownmotown.8k.com/detstpattysday/2006_0227Detroit_Feb060015.jpg

http://downtownmotown.8k.com/detstpattysday/2006_0227Detroit_Feb060016.jpg

http://downtownmotown.8k.com/detstpattysday/2006_0227Detroit_Feb060017.jpg

http://downtownmotown.8k.com/detstpattysday/2006_0227Detroit_Feb060020.jpg

Detroit Hardware Company facade improvement, New Center.
http://downtownmotown.8k.com/detstpattysday/2006_0227Detroit_Feb060022.jpg

New Amsterdam Lofts
http://downtownmotown.8k.com/detstpattysday/2006_0227Detroit_Feb060025.jpg

Research Lofts, Middle of Nowhere
http://downtownmotown.8k.com/detstpattysday/2006_0227Detroit_Feb060032.jpg

http://downtownmotown.8k.com/detstpattysday/2006_0227Detroit_Feb060029.jpg

Two steps back
http://downtownmotown.8k.com/detstpattysday/2006_0227Detroit_Feb060034.jpg

I like the smaller developments/renovations. But to rain on the parade about the MGM, just think, all of those cranes on that huge site, and we're going to see an anemic 18-story tower, and a 9-story parking garage. lol

Centurion Place is looking nice. I'm must say I'm surprised, though, at how they are being constructed. I thought they were going to build them differently.

I know, me too. I was pretty surprised when I first stumbled upon the construction. It looks a lot more like one development than the renderings make it appear. I have a feeling though, that once it is done, it will look much more like separate buildings like it is intended to. I went by today and one of the sections has a nice, deep, red brick on.

When you drive by the casino site on the Lodge, structural steel rises right up next to the service drive, so it seems like they are going to use every bit of space in that lot.

I'm sure they are going to use every bit of it, and that's not what worries me at all. I never had any doubt in my mind that they were going to fill the site. It's how they've used (or mis-used) this site that nags at me whenever I see a picture of it, or here it mentioned.

Centurion Place is going to be a really nice addition to Ferry St and I can't wait to see the Gillis' turrent restored

I agree w/you Lmichigan about the misuse of the MGM site. I drive by it every night and with all the lights and cranes it looks as though something the size of Burj Dubai should be going up there. Instead, we have this 18f pretty ordinary hotel going up that wouldn't look out of place in Southfield. It's a disgusting waste of space IMO. I don't think it's a bad place for a casino but something more significant should be there.

Speaking of Southfield...

Could they have drawn their inspiration from this?
http://www.downriverdetroit.net/oaklandcounty/30.jpg

Eaux!

We (you guys) have no right to complain about whats being built at the junction of the Lodge and the Fischer. Not only will it pump tax dollars into the city (yes i know mostly from people in the area) but it will be something. At least they are building something.

Sure we have a right. Some of us live here. Maybe replace the word "right" with "interest" or "concern". There's nothing wrong with a citizen taking active criticism for the betterment of the community in which they live. That is all.

In other words, think of when I-75 bulldozed over Paradise Valley and the Hastings Street Black Bottom corridor when it was built. You can't say the people displaced and affected by that (the whipeing out of an entire black cultural enclave) have no right to complain based on the intent that the freeway was going to provide vital transportation.

That kind of attitude, in my mind, is what has killed a lot of Detroit in unnecessary circumstances. The next big event similar to that will be that of the next bridge border crossing location. Just when you thought you had a vibrant, progressive, organic, thriving part of Detroit on the Southwest side, *oops* we want to clear significant chunks of it so ungodly amounts of trucks can pile up and idle adjacent to what could have been an improved quality of living.

I don't live there, and take offense. If no one was talking about it, at all, people would be complaining that no one cares.

Hell, you could throw-up a big-box dollar store/Wal-Mart at the corner of the Fisher and Woodward, and that would pump money into the city economy. That doesn't mean it's the best use for the site, or that the design would fit into the context of an urban, downtown Detroit.

You can't have it both ways.

The whole idea that Detroit should take anything it can get that pumps money into the city's coffers, and not demand anything of business community, is what's hurting the city in the long run, and hurt countless cities across this country, some sunbelt sprawlers included.

^ Agreed. The MGM will be lucrative but does it really need to engulf that entire area? I'm sure they could have placed the entire casino in half that area and used the other half (parts bordering 3rd and Bagley) as retail and restaurants so it woule be integrated into the rest of the neighborhood. It's not too far away for it to completely detach itself from the rest of downtown but that's what it appears it will do. If Detroit has its boom, this area would be important for growth in connecting to other areas past the freeways. It looks like the MGM will be an entity all on its own and that is not quite so good for the city in the big picture. For all the money that is being spent constructing this spectacle one might expect a little more from it. I'd hope people might care about things like that.

I was looking at the Book Tower tonight..... does anyone know if it ever had night lights? It would add so much to the area after dark if it was lit nicely and maybe add to its appeal w/prospective renters.

The Fisher is lit up green for the holiday and I think I prefer it that way. Happy St. Pattys Day!

That's one of the problems with Detroit. The mentality that something is always better than nothing is not necessarily true. Someone could build a giant landfill in that corner of downtown, but is that something we as a community really deserve?

BTW, as far as the second border crossing, they're most likely going to put it in the Delray area. As far as I'm concerned, that area has been dead for a long time. There was no chance for a revitalization once they constructed that waste-treatment plant. (Not to mention nobody wants to live near Zug Island) In fact, I'd bet they could build the entire bridge and approach without tearing down a single occupied house.;)

Most of that area is so badly polluted, that I would almost go as far as to say that it is unresponsible and negligent of the city to let people live there. lol

I hope Quicken decides to not move into the Airport City development and move into downtown Detroit as this article suggests:
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060317/BIZ/603170359/1001

It all depends on who you talk to I guess.....

Whats airport city?

Hey TroyBoy, click here for all you need to know about Airport City:

http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=8957

Oh, so its a vision. I was thinking it was a real deal by metro airport.

You guys might also rememeber the name being Pinnacle Park. I think this might just be a modernization of those plans from a few years ago. Here's a link to that that I found:

http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=3242

(Not to mention nobody wants to live near Zug Island) In fact, I'd bet they could build the entire bridge and approach without tearing down a single occupied house.

There's also the Canadian side to deal with. The Sandwich neighbourhood in Windsor sits in the target zone and is being fiercely protected by politicians as it's one of the oldest communities in all of Ontario.

Greektown Casino changes plans; wants to build hotel atop parking garage

By Robert Ankeny
March 22, 2006 5:11 PM

Greektown Casino L.L.C. plans to build its 20-story, 400-room hotel atop the 13-story parking garage proposed to replace the city’s Foster-Winter garage on Monroe Street.

The casino has made no formal announcement of this plan, but it is included in a city Planning Commission public hearing notice for rezoning of Greektown Casino properties scheduled for April 6.
The proposal replaces an earlier plan, which had the casino constructing its hotel at Monroe and I-375 on property owned by Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Greektown officials said a tentative agreement with the church fell through, causing the casino to shift to the new plan.

The city-owned parking garage and an adjoining apartment building on the service drive are to be demolished and replaced by the casino’s 5,300-space garage topped by the hotel. Greektown’s request for approval of the garage deal is expected to go before the City Council next week.


“The project can be done this way for the same price,” said Roger Martin, media and public-affairs consultant for Greektown Casino L.L.C.


Martin, a principal in Lansing-based Martin Waymire Advocacy Communications, said new construction will cost about $200 million.


This includes the hotel and garage, plus addition of restaurants, shops, a 1,200-seat auditorium and expansion of the gambling space from 75,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet. The existing casino operation cost about $275 million, he said.
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/cgi-bin...pl?newsId=8226

**Last time I checked, 20 + 13 = 33! DUUUUUDE! :)

This sounds like a plan! I just hope that they mask as much of the parking garage as possible. Adding a few floors of retail along Monroe and St. Antoine would help. Also, adding a massive marquee-style entrance (think the Fox Theatre to the power of 10) at the corner of Monroe and St. Antoine that covers up the fact that there are 13 floors of parking before you get to the actual hotel floors. I would have the corner rounded inward and then put a massive version of the torches that are part of their logo over a three story lobby entrance. It would also be neat to have 13 story "columns" that help mask the presence of the parking garage. Maybe have the actual parking garage look like a 13 story parthenon and then have the hotel be entirely clad in glass.

http://www.athenshash.com/Images/Parthenon/Parthenon-reconstruction-1.jpg

it would be nice to see a real embrace of the whole "greek" dealie.

Depending on the site (which I can't seem to picture exactly for some reason), they could actually stack it, but also "tuck" it behind a wall of partial floors with the parking garage only visible from three sides. What those partial floors would be used for, I have no idea. lol And, it probably wouldn't even be feasible.

Perhaps administrative offices for the casino? They could get creative with that.

My fear about the columns though is that it could look really really tacky if not done properly. Plus if we want this thing to be more Detroit and less Vegas subtle greek details should be done that tie in to the city better. In Vegas its easy to get away with the themes but Im not sure it would look good at all in Detroit.

First, as a diclaimer, I'm not saying that I'd like the Greektown tower to look like this, but here is an example of how a hotel has fit, pretty well, a tower on top of a large garage:

Radisson Winnipeg:

http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=112729

I have little doubt that the Greektown tower will look better than this, but this gives you and idea. The building is 29 stories and 272 feet, with 10 or so floors be parking.

Although the building looks like crap it does show how a tower can be put on top of a garage and incorporate it into the design so you dont even notice the garage portion. Id like to see a more modern glass tower for Greektown with a nice flashy decorative top. I think it would be cool if they installed those search lights like many of the buildings had during SB XL. That would definitely draw some attention to your casino over the likes of MGM and Motor City.

Cadillac Tower use to illuminate at night. I think it is a good way to light up buildings and think it would be nice if the casino towers got creative with it.

The hotel in Winnipeg is ideal for transition design between the hotel and garage...it just has to be made to look attractive as a whole. :)

Yeah, the Radisson Winnipeg was built in the last year of the 60's, so it's going to have a more brutalist/utilitarian design, but it goes look like you got the point I was trying to convey. It really does show how you can near seamlessly piece together two structures with different functions.

Here's an example of a very bad combination of a hotel with parking: The Fitzgerald Casino Hotel in downtown Las Vegas (and currently the tallest highrise within the City of Las Vegas). Completed in 1979 at 34 stories and 400 feet (nearly the same size I'd guess this new Greektown Tower to be), this complex does a horrible job:

http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=122233

that's definitely what Greektown is going for!;)

SICK!



(in a good way) ;)

Hmmm, will Forman Mills open a downtown store?

The retailer with 19 stores in seven states looks for store space abandoned by other retailers in forgotten areas without many shopping options, Forman Mills founder Richard Forman said during a ribbon-cutting event at the store on Wednesday night. The store has its official opening today.

"There's something about Detroit ... I don't know what it is. It's been a warm welcome," Forman said. "I want to go in the city, right into the heart of the urban zone."

Philadelphia-based Forman Mills, which plans to open its two other Detroit locations by August, joins a growing chorus of large retailers who are taking a chance on the city. Detroit has recently attracted CVS, Borders, Home Depot and a host of smaller retailers and restaurants after a decades-long decline.

http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060325/BUSINESS06/603250319

It sounds like a good fit for the Detroit market. I've never been, but by the discription, I'm guessing its like a small Burlington Coat Factory. Sounds interesting, and anyone who believes in resurgence of Detroit gets a thumbs up from me.

Im curious...I read on SSP that MGM did not even unveil there renderings of the new casino until after they began construction...is this true?

Also the whole issue with incorporating the parking garage into the structure is easily done yet often ruins visual appeal of the entire building if done without architectual caution so keep your fingers crossed that the architectual team is competent enough to integrate it successfully.

MGM still hasn't released a current rendering. The last one that was shown turned out to be an old design. MGM is remaining tight-lipped about the design of the casino and tower.

I have a theory why mgm still hasnt realeased a rendering... They want to beat out Burj Dubai. Cant give the compation a heads up.

Hope they can try to make the Greektown as attractive as they can, by not making the parking garage look like a CHEESY one, but maybe windows on the outside or something. I do hope renderings come out for the hotel soon. But 33 stories, that will be some much needed heightage for around downtown. I just hope it isn't all cheesy concrete or aluminum on the building, something more unique would be better. Like hopefully it can look something maybe like the current Greektown Casino, same color of brick and material used and blend in the garage with it, that could maybe work. Or better yet, all GLASS, like what was planned in the original design, I think, or some of them. All concrete/aluminum would SUCK HUGE!

I have a theory why mgm still hasnt realeased a rendering... They want to beat out Burj Dubai. Cant give the compation a heads up.

LOL!

Im curious...I read on SSP that MGM did not even unveil there renderings of the new casino until after they began construction...is this true?

Also the whole issue with incorporating the parking garage into the structure is easily done yet often ruins visual appeal of the entire building if done without architectual caution so keep your fingers crossed that the architectual team is competent enough to integrate it successfully.
You're thinking of 2 different casinos. Like LMich said, the MGM still hasn't released renderings (the latest one was a hoax, or disclosed by nerds like us). Greektown is the other casino in discussion...the one that proposes the hotel to be built on top of the garage.

The one major nail-biter I have is that city clownsil will reject anything over a story. Ok, 15-stories.

Actually, in the past, it wasn't the city council that rejected the proposals because of height, but Ford Field and other NIMBY's in Greektown.

Didnt know there were NIMBYs in Detroit.

there's no development to be a nimby about!

Except the Greektown Casino.

NIMBY's are everywhere. Even we are NIMBYs on occasion.;)

Good cuz im going NIMBY hunting tomorrow with dick and Michael Moore.
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/pix/cheney-rifle_cp_9498610.jpg
http://madmikey.mu.nu/archives/Team%20America%20-%20Michael%20Moore.jpg

So what is this rumor on DetroitYES about some massive project happening by 75 and woodward?

^^^ Saw on the news tonight that Cheney's approval rating was at 18%...... lol, how sad


I thought I had heard that the last rendering for the MGM tower wasn't accurate but the current footprint sure looks like it could be. It seems to be on angle like the one in the rendering. I guess the lobby would front Bagley and 3rd and tonight it looked like it might have a pretty high ceiling. I wish I knew what I was actually looking at....

I'm curious to see what Greektown is going to look like too. Does anybody know what cross-streets the hotel tower will be on?

The northwest corner of Monroe and Saint Antoine, or Monroe and the Chrysler Service Drive. Since they haven't released the rendering, yet, it could be at either corner. I imagine, though, that the garage is going to stretch that entire block, and that the hotel tower will be at either end of the garage if not even spread along the entire top of the garage. Who's to say.

Here's the aerial with the parking garage, and apartment building (nearest to the freeway)

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/download.ashx?t=4&s=9&x=3317:3320&y=46892:46890&z=17

Thanks Lmich for the aerial. Looks like that's a pretty sizeable lot. I know some people don't like the idea of having a tall tower in that area but I don't see a problem w/it.... especially being right on the freeway

All I know is that Greektown better cover all their street frontage with retail or business access. No dead walls like the stadiums or other nasty parking garages.

I agree 100% Michi. Although its just a garage it can also be an extension of the district further east. Detroit could corner the market on ethnic areas built into parking structures.

I highly doubt that the hotel tower will go near the freeway. Why would the casino want to make its patrons walk that much further to the gaming hall? I see it on the west end near the rest of Greektowns facilities. I think putting up a modern high rise there wont kill the area, but enhance it. You will appreciate the architecture and history of Greektown's buildings more if you have something to compare and contrast it to.

Just the Urban Planner in my talking here, but how cool would it be if Monroe Street was enhanced across I-375 to include a nice wide overpass and an extension to Joliet Place? Demolish that nasty Woodward Academy Building that is in the way and make Monroe Street a gateway of sorts between Lafayette Park and Greektown/Downtown. I've always dreamed of doing THAT or demolishing the Woodward Academy and building a landmark building in its place. It would act as a "bookend" for Greektown, so as you look in that direction, the builting is perfectly symetrical to the street. It could be a tower or just something architecturally significant.

To further make my point, by bookend, think of how the Stott Tower looks on the west end view of Greektown. :)

I'll shut up now. lol

Just the Urban Planner in my talking here, but how cool would it be if Monroe Street was enhanced across I-375 to include a nice wide overpass and an extension to Joliet Place? Demolish that nasty Woodward Academy Building that is in the way and make Monroe Street a gateway of sorts between Lafayette Park and Greektown/Downtown. I've always dreamed of doing THAT or demolishing the Woodward Academy and building a landmark building in its place. It would act as a "bookend" for Greektown, so as you look in that direction, the builting is perfectly symetrical to the street. It could be a tower or just something architecturally significant.

To further make my point, by bookend, think of how the Stott Tower looks on the west end view of Greektown. :)

I'll shut up now. lol

You think the Woodward Academy is bad? Try the Wayne State Shapiro Pharmacy Building, now that needs to go.

Yah, there's a lot of ugly crap lying around some areas of Detroit. Is the Woodward Academy even a functioning operation. Both buildings mentioned look increadibly aweful!

so you want a columbus I-670 style cap?

I like your bookend idea Michi. That would be a great overpass to cap as would Woodward by the stadium. I'd like to know what importance, if any, that academy bldg has..... this could be a nice little area if it got razed and something significant went in its place. I think some modern version of the Stott would look good there that would compliment whatever the greektown tower comes out like. Two big towers in that neighborhood would definitely give it a different feel not to mention it being great for the skyline. There's a proposed condo tower in Minny called the Nicollet and I'm thinking something similiar to that would look good there or somewhere near greektown--- If I knew how to post links/pics I'd do it. I envy people in other cities like Chicago that are getting all these fancy new condo towers. I'd be happy w/just one and this might be a good place for it.

Maybe the new freeway cap/wide overpass could have a park w/a big torch in the middle you could see coming down the road each way announcing this now vibrant and growing area of downtown

Maybe this should be my last beer....

I agree, that could really make a great entrance to downtown, and it only makes sense to reconnect the CBD as much as it possibly can back to the surrounding neighorhoods like it used to be before the freeways rapped the area. I'd like to see something similar done to at Park Avenue to connect Cass Park back to downtown, as well as key areas along the westside of downtown to connect it back to Corktown. Downtown doesn't have to be (nor should it be) and island. Just imagine all of these gateways/entrances/portals around the downtown.

^^ Yeah, an inviting development like this with a tall hotel tower would, IMO, make a great "gateway", for the city from this area. :)

on second thought, if anything as expensive as a cap is going to be built, i'm voting for the I-75/woodward intersection

I agree with the pope on this one. Woodward is more important at this point but I wouldnt mind seeing all the proposed caps as well as new overpasses into downtown. Its important to make this area as accessible as possible.

Someday, maybe someday, we'll see the freeways completely capped (or even taken up) around downtown. But, by then I'll be long dead.

I would love to see the Fisher Frwy gone. And when you really think about it, it serves no purpose to have it. You could easily remove the section from the terminus of I-96, near MCS, to Eastern Market, and just route I-75 along I-96 and I-94. As it is now, I-75 serves no purpose downtown other than to connect one freeway to another, spare one access point to Grand River Ave.

Why not dual I-96 and I-75 together from Michigan Ave to I-94, and than dual I-94 and I-75 together from I-96 to current I-75. It would give you a good excuse to widen that god-awful stretch of I-94, plus MDOT could "compromise" in doing that by exchanging the land needed to widen the freeway in exchange for green parkland where I-75 is now.

I know its a pipedream, but it gave me an excuse to use Paint just the same.

Before:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/kavok/before.jpg

After:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/kavok/after.jpg

The problem I see getting rid that section 75 is you have no downtown freeway access from the south. My vision was always to eliminate the Lodge there's no reason to have two freeways paralleling Woodward. You'd still have freeway access downtown from the NW burbs with the Southfield and 96. With the Lodge gone, the Davison could also elminated reconnecting Highland Park

Oh, no. Not the Lodge. Though not based on any sort of logic, and all on personal preference get rid of the Chrysler. :)

If all you want is parkland whats the differance if you keep them and just put park over them?

Unfortunately legally you just cant cap I-75 (Fisher Frwy Downtown) with parks, and call it good. Reason being that when a "bridge" becomes a "tunnel", (there is a set length for when an underpass is legally deemed a tunnel, although I don’t know the exact value offhand) trucks with hazardous material or large loads are then required by law to use another route. This is why, for example, such traffic is not allowed on the Lodge south of I-75.

Problem is that unlike the Lodge, I-75 is considered a "through route" by interstate standards. Thus MDOT would have to provide a detour, and from a logistical standpoint, essentially must reroute the interstate. See above post for potential rerouting. Anyway, if you are going to remove the interstate designation on the Fisher Frwy downtown, why not just get rid of the freeway altogether.

As an aside, I-375 could be capped because it is not a "through interstate" with such traffic forced to not take it, like on the Lodge.

So THAT'S why all those signs on the freeways say "Trucks hauling explosives not allowed on I-696"! It's because of the 3 freeway caps. I learned something today. Thanks for the enlightenment, kavok. :)

I wonder what the limits are. And if we were to put some caps on 75 (the north boundary of the CBD) if said trucks could be rerouted up either 96 or the Lodge to 94 and then back onto 75.

Those trucks should stay away from city centers.

Most do, if possible.

Two things:

First, the Woodward Academy is still open. Drive by in the mornings and there are always kids either walking to or playing around the building.

Second, for the sake of us who have commutes, don't remove any freeways =)

Thanks for the info on the Woodward Academy, etlchow and welcome to the discussion!

I wouldn't recommend getting rid of any of the freeways at this point, but would have built them in a different way when they were first constructed. Although, I would be in favor of modernizing some (like a cap over select downtown areas ie. Woodward over 75, Michigan over the Lodge, etc...)

Actually, if I were to advocate removing any freeway, it would be to replace it with an at-grade avenue/boulevard...well, at least most of the ones I want to see removed. I advocate removing the Fisher through the dowtown area, 375, and the Davison.

I see the 375 was having been constructed purely for convience, which, IMO, is not enough to justify ripping neighborhoods in have, or cutting of neighborhoods from one another. 375 is a deep cut, in more ways than one. I'd suggest bringing that one above ground as an avenue.

I'm not sure if this would work as well, but I'd like to see the Fisher from 96 to Eastern Market replaced by a boulevard, or just take it up, and reconfigure Michigan at 96 to help Michigan absorb the traffic (the street is wide enough to handle the load, as are most of Detroit spoke roads), to take you downtown. The Fisher was meant to cut through the eastside, but 94 now does that, so the Fisher through downtown and ending abruptly at Eastern Market/Gratiot is pointless, now.

The Davison experiment is another experiment that now needs to be corrected. Turn it back into a boulevard. Not only is it not needed, but is probably one of the most dangerous freeways in the state.

The final rendering of the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino:

http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/5/69739.jpg

It looks like a cheaper, smaller version of the Mandalay Bay in Vegas.

I really like it, especially for Detroit. Its not the greatest but I still think its very good. The cars are even updated :) of course theres no pleasing some people here, and they'll say it looks like "every other shitty casino architecture". To hell with them...


I wonder if the giant bronze lion is included in this package.

Well, it's tolerable considering MGM (and the City time and time again) has pretty much informed the city time and time again not to expect too much. They've never said it, but it's been pretty clear with the run-around MGM (and the other casinos) have given the city. Like any shrewd Big Business putting up something in a declined city, they are trying to get away with building as cheaply as possible. Remember, the casinos were perfectly fine with their temporary spaces. If it had not been written into the original agreement that they would have to build permanent properties with hotels, they sure as heck wouldn't have.

I think, if taking all of that into account, this design was expected, for better or for worse. :)

Im wondering why there was soo much secrecy surrounding this rendering.

Looks fine, execpt its really really small especially for the size of the consturction zone.
How tall, looks 200 ft?

It's 185' to the main roof, and 216' total (elevator tower). And, yes, for the size of the site (multiple city blocks), it is rather short. And, with only one tower, that will become very apparent.

MGM Grand in Vegas isnt even that much taller (still massive), but yea it at least utilizes its lot.

MGM Grand Vegas is about 300 feet tall, but has four massive wings. I believe that it is still the largest single hotel in the world at something like 4,000 rooms. I actually went to the amusement park behind it when it was still open. Now, they are building high-rise condominiums on part of the land that are nearly complete, but I'm sure you know that.

BTW, Gambling Man of the DetroitYes forums has released some preliminary information on the new design of the Greektown hotel and parking complex. Apparently, the hotel will have most of its amenities on the first few floors of the structure, and then the garage will poke into the hotel for, and then the hotel floors will be above that. It will all be blended as seamlessly as possible. He also said that by the look of things, it looks like 75% glass and 25% stone (limestone). I'm really expecting a great finished product for this one.

I don't really like it much, but at this point I honestly don't care. Just get it built.

Greek town will most likely get my vote for the best of all three then Moter City

The final rendering of the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino:

http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/5/69739.jpg

It looks like a cheaper, smaller version of the Mandalay Bay in Vegas.

MGM Grand Detroit Hotel looks better than Atlantic City's Borgata. The design looks more expensive. I do like the golden glass, let's hope they keep it and add more.

Still hoping for a Detroit Disney.

You are mistaken on one account. Emporis has not taken down the rendering:

http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=167637

I'm not sure exactly where you are looking. Perhaps, you accidentially clicked on the parking structure, which has its own entry as part of the greater complex.

LMichigan,

You're right it is there now. I still like this better than the Borgata. The golden glass looks very attractive. With the landscape it should be very stunning.

At any rate, MGM is going to be surprised. Likely MGM Detroit will pass up Borgata in revenues and become MGM's top profit producer. MGM is underestimating Detroit, they are playing it too conservative.

It will happen all at once in Detroit and they will be amazed.

lol!

I really wish that MGM was more stunning but we're gonna get what we get. Sadly, I guess that's just the reality in Detroit. I'm not sure what to think of the gold glass..... we'll have to wait and see the overall effect once it's built. Looking at the area today, I noticed how the front of the hotel tower should compliment what's already there w/the IRS bldg (I believe that's what the structure is across Bagley at 3rd) Those 2 should look good together..... their vertical elements in the front are much the same. As long as MGM looks classy, I'll pretend to be okay w/the outcome. Btw, the core of the hotel tower finally reached above the 1st floor in the last cpl days.

I'm looking forward to the Greektown casino. I hope to whatever's up there that it'll come out nice. It'll have a much bigger impact on the CBD than the other 2 casinos. I'm over Motor City unless it does something great for the neighborhood which I doubt it will. I have a bad feeling it's going to turn out to be some generic cheap-looking structure that'll be passed over w/out a thought. Would it have been that hard to make an attractive tower that actually seemed like it went w/the existing structure? Something significant maybe? I'm not even keeping my hopes up for this one so I don't care how it comes out. I'll keep my fingers crossed for Greektown.

I haven't heard much about anyone's opinion on the new Erngst&Young bldg at Campus Martius. Personally, I wanted to embrace it but I can't help but hate it. It'll be good for dwntwn but I just hate the fact that that it doesn't tie into ANYTHING around it. Does anyone know when the 'spire' is supposed to be added to it? That might be the only redeeming aspect about it to me.

New Greektown Casino Rendering
http://cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C4&Date=20060407&Category=BUSINESS06&ArtNo=604070327&Ref=V2&MaxW=600&Border=1

Nice! I'm pleasantly suprised. I'm assuming, though, that it's not going to be the full 33-35 stories because it's not entirely sitting on top of the parking structure?

Yah, I didn't think of that. Unless, the part under the tower IS part of the garage, just covered up nicely.

New Greektown Casino Rendering
http://cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C4&Date=20060407&Category=BUSINESS06&ArtNo=604070327&Ref=V2&MaxW=600&Border=1

Now this is WITH the parking garage, correct? It looks pleasantly better than I thought, with all glass. :) Hopefully the city council will approve of it today...

MGM doesn't look too bad, either.

Maybe a little more hope for the Book-Cadillac and FORT SHELBY HOTEL, found on crainsdetroit.com and the FREEP...

Article #1

Wayne County to grant $1 million to Book Cadillac Hotel rehab effort

By Robert Ankeny
April 05, 2006 3:52 PM

The Detroit Downtown Development Authority has worked out a deal with Wayne County for a $1 million grant to help rehabilitate the Book Cadillac Hotel.

Wayne County has agreed to make the grant to reimburse the DDA for improvements made on Washington Boulevard, the street where the hotel is located. The DDA plans to add the money to the funding package for reviving the 80-year-old hotel, which has been closed since 1984.

The DDA board Wednesday authorized its staff to execute a grant agreement with the county corporation counsel to be presented to the Wayne County Commission for final approval.

Under the agreement, Wayne County will fund the grant after Nov. 1, 2006. Terms call for the DDA to show evidence that $1 million has been spent for Washington Boulevard improvements, have a development agreement in place, and have closed with the developer.

Cleveland-based developer Ferchill Group plans a Westin-branded hotel and condominium development to be complete in 2008. It would include 450 hotel rooms and some 50 to 70 condominiums.

Detroit Economic Growth Corp. President George Jackson Jr. told Crain’s last month that final details to move the $176 million project forward are almost in place. The DEGC staffs the DDA.

“We’re pretty much done with the governmental side of things. Banks are basically working out the details. ... There’s 17 layers of financing,” he said.

Brian Holdwick, DEGC vice president for business development, said Wednesday that a closing on the agreement with Ferchill could come by the end of April.




and from the FREEP...



2 downtown projects receive federal loan guarantees

April 4, 2006

FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER
Two downtown Detroit redevelopment projects got a boost Monday as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development approved a total of $36.7 million in federally guaranteed loans.

HUD granted Detroit two Section 108 loan guarantees in the amounts of $18 million and $18.7 million, respectively, to redevelop the 33-floor historic Book Cadillac Hotel and the 22-story Ft. Shelby Hotel.

Both structures, long vacant, are slated for reopening as mixed-use developments that will offer hotel rooms, condominiums, stores and other uses.

"I am pleased to learn that HUD has approved our application" for the projects, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick said in a statement.

"Not only are they instrumental to continuing the revitalization of our downtown but also to our efforts to improve the local economy through the creation of jobs for Detroit residents."

Neither deal will move ahead solely on the basis of HUD approval. But each project can use the guaranteed loans as part of a larger package of private investment money, tax credits and other financial tools.

As previously announced, Cleveland-based Ferchill Group plans to redevelop the Book-Cadillac on Michigan Avenue into a Westin hotel with about 455 hotel rooms, 67 market-rate condominiums, a 31,000-square-foot conference center, and 119,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space.

Meanwhile, MCP LLC plans to convert the Ft. Shelby on Lafayette Boulevard. It's expected to include a 204-room Doubletree Guest Suites hotel, a 38,000-square-foot conference center, 1,200 square feet of retail space and 63 residential units.

Contact JOHN GALLAGHER at 313-222-5173 or gallagher@freepress.com.

7.5 outta 10 based on that rendering :) (which sucks ass, i want a better one)

I'm gonna need more evidence before I give a final oppinion on this one.

Greektown looks very good, but not very greekish.

Very, very nice! I knew they'd come through.

Yes, the tower is sitting on the deck. And, as said earlier, it's sitting more into the deck. which would still give it its 33-35 stories.

Now, this is what I'm talking about. Finally, something creative. I'm glad they went back to their vertical proposal instead of the squat box one last rendered:

http://www.rossetti.com/community/img/Greektown_2.jpg

Im very pleased with it.

Their last render looks taller, is the new one really the "new" one.

I'm not sure I understand.

The most recent rendering (final concept) is the one released today. The one I posted is actually two proposals back.

The one you just posted looks the best and is also the biggest. The one we have now is fine but will they change again?

No, the one I posted is about 2 designs back. The most recent ones is the final.

Yea i know im just not sure if they will change it again, its been changed so many time all rwady and everyone looks really different.

The only chance of it going through some major change is if the City Council votes down the current proposal. I really think the finished product will look very close to the most recent rendering, if not exactly. I think the City Council is just wants to get the shovels in the ground for the last casino expansion. They've already sold the parking garage to be demolished to Greektown Casino, and I'd expect them pass this design, as well.

I guess City Council approved the sale of the garage to Greektown Casino...

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060408/BUSINESS06/604080326

Sorry I've been away so long. Here's a few comments on a few of the projects going on in the city:
-the MGM Grand project will do one thing besides create an attractive structure in the city, and that is that it'll employ about 1,000 additional people in the service sector, something downtown lacks and desperately needs.
-the Motor City will employ about 500 additional and so will Greektown.
-the Masonic Temple has plans to unveil a hotel in the east portion of the facility in the near future to compliment the expanding and improving Cass Corridor area.
-it is rumored that PF Changs will be opening in the south retail portion of the Kennedy Square building along with a national retailer on the north portion.
-there will be an asian themed specialty grocery store opening up in the Asian Village project along the east riverfront as early as this summer.
-the word I'm hearing about Rock Financial is that it's all good and that the project is almost a go. (there is a project planned on the Statler Hilton site that includes a large parking deck, but no names have been disclosed so I'm not sure if this is it)
-The Book-Cadillac package is almost done and construction is most likely going to be recommencing this June.

So, let's start the discussion....

Well, I'll contribute my thoughts...

I think the Masonic Temple thing-a-ma-jig can be found on the Kraemer Design Group website. I was browsing through there today and came across it.

I checked the PF Chang website, under new locations and there is no mention of Detroit.

I am confident in every way regarding the Asian Village concept.

I refuse to lean in any direction when it comes to Rock Financial. As with the Book-Cadillac, developments of this magnitude are not easily publicized and can go either way when it comes to committment.

Is Book Cadillac still planning an April confirmation announcement, managemich? Thanks for the updates. :)

Something going up on the Statler site would be a huge score (Gee ill, what an observation). I was worried that the lot was gonna sit there and rot, like Hudson's.

Hmmm...

- I hope that whatever Rock decides to do on the Statler site that they "hide" the parking garage keeping it off of the Grand Circus Park and Washington frontage, putting it more along Bagley "tucked" behind a building that will wrap around at least two ends of the site. ManageMich, do you have any kind of idea of how they are looking to layout the site? Any massings you've seen? Are they thinking of going tall on one of the corners, or more of a Compuware "block" building?

- The Masonic Temple development sounds exciting. I've always heard that most of the building is actually vacant, and some parts unfinished. BTW, the east tower is the shorter one for anyone that may have a hard time visualizing the complex.

- Asian Village is the new Atwater (what's the official name?) Parking Garage, right? Or is it the River East Garage? There are so many over that way that I get confused.

Michi, I believe they are sticking to the plans in terms of making the Book Caddy announcement in April. Because the financing is now in the hands of the private sector, who has the ability to move much quicker, I would suspect that it'll go quickly now. The last two governmental hurdles including the Section 108 loans and Wayne County grant portion are out of the way now. That represented the last bit of the government package and now the banks will take it in house and analyze it to death to make sure it works. When banks do that, they take into account everything from a financial analysis to market conditions. Let's hope these bank executives know Roger Penske and caught the downtown Detroit bug during the Superbowl because it will matter. I'd say there is a very good chance it'll happen now for the following reasons:
there is an amazing amount of government subsidy, there are condo propertieson floors to divest the risk and there is an extreme amount of commitment from the city.
illmatic774, the Statler site will not sit there much longer, especially with the Ilitchs beating the drums around the country about how Grand Circus Park is the greatest thing going. There is something planned there and Nat. City is in the financing of it.

It seems that 60% of the dollars spent on any new development goes to the parking...

I heard a short news report on NPR station WUOM today stating that the city of Detroit will refurbish the 82 year old Detroit Police Headquarters instead of tearing it down. This is the Albert Kahn designed building right? Does anyone have any details about this?

Jim,

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060413/NEWS01/604130403

I don't think they ever planned on tearing it down. They had only hoped to move to another building, and hopefully sell the current headquarters to a developer.

Thanks ManageMich.

I've always been in most favor of the Police HQ going about new digs this way. Move out, renovate, move back in. I thin that area of downtow coud and should remain a focal point for such city government/services.

LMich, Asian Village is the new parking garage. It is right across Beaubien Street from the Renaissance Center. In fact, there is a skybridge connecting the parking to the Ren Cen. I don't think the structure has a name, but I could be wrong.

The parking structure movement in downtown Detroit is both good and bad. One one hand, we are ridding our downtown of excuses that business and retailers use to not locate there, and on the other, we are creating horrific land use patterns. I have to believe that the coming mass transit line from Ann Arbor to Detroit will only help move some of the surface lots downtown and make all these structures make more sense. I wouldn't worry too much about all the parking decks right now. As long as there is ground floor retail in many of them then we're okay. If anything, downtown and the east riverfront are going to be adding more and more density in the coming years. The plan for the east rvierfront includes very urban density, a lot like Hamtramck or even more so.

Why dont they put parking under ground like in NYC is there a reason they dont besides cost?

Nope. Cost alone is what drives decisions in Detroit.

Exactly. Very few developers (in Detroit or otherwise) are going to put parking underground unless land values force them to do that.

Manage, did you happen to see my first question concerning a possible Rock move to the Statler site?

Not to change the subject, but it appears Detroit planning to restore the existing Albert Kahn designed police headquarters building downtown instead of using the train depot. Does this mean there may be a real plan to do something with the train depot?

Exactly. Very few developers (in Detroit or otherwise) are going to put parking underground unless land values force them to do that.

Just wondering, in Minneapolis, new developments are required to provide a certain number of parking spaces per square foot. A large building thus forces developers to incorporate underground parking. Does Detroit have a similar requirement?

I'm not sure, though I know that the land value is high enough at Campus Martius (center of downtown) that there are underground lots (Kennedy Square, Woodward Block), and also under Grand Circus Park.

BTW, how does having a large building force underground parking? I'm not following the logic. I think it may encourage putting some of it underground, but you could effectively put up a 13-story garage topped by a tower. Or, do you mean that Minneapolis laws say that big buildings must put parking under ground? That's a huge difference.

I'm not sure, though I know that the land value is high enough at Campus Martius (center of downtown) that there are underground lots (Kennedy Square, Woodward Block), and also under Grand Circus Park.

BTW, how does having a large building force underground parking? I'm not following the logic. I think it may encourage putting some of it underground, but you could effectively put up a 13-story garage topped by a tower. Or, do you mean that Minneapolis laws say that big buildings must put parking under ground? That's a huge difference.

No, Minneapolis doesn't require it to be underground as far as I can tell. But there is definitely pressure from the city to put it underground. Usually the winning argument is that the developer can take advantage of ground-floor and skyway-level retail if the parking is all underground. A compromise is to put the parking on intermediate levels (floors 3-8 for example). The proposed 56-story Nicollet condo tower is an example of this. But I've seen that most opt for underground.

I dunno, are there soil issues in Detroit that might affect the costliness of underground parking? If the bedrock is close to the surface, then it might be more cost-effective to have above-ground parking.

No. Again, it is land values and effective mass transit that drive parking underground. But, all Detroit parking garages are now required to have ground-floor retail (at least this is what I've been told), and are now encouraged to fit into their surroundings (historic stylings and such if the area calls for it).

The Statler site has a site plan that I've been told about but don't have any info in terms of who it is. All I know is that there is a parking deck incorporated into the development. The source is extremely reliable and I am going to assume that it is Rock Financial even though I don't know for sure. Looking at the vacant David Whitney and Broderick Tower could make a person in the know sick. These properties are sure to get their dues in the near future. I've been hearing solid discussion regarding both. Both of them are embarrassing and as Roger Penske says, "unacceptable."

What's unacceptable is that we tore down the Statler to build a mega parking structure with a tiny building attached.

LMichigan, thanks for the link on the Police HQ. I stopped getting the Free Press after the JOA and strike (and the somewhat unreliable delivery service). I suppose I could at least check the website.

Forgive my possible ignorance but I thought the Broderick tower was being converted into Lofts. Did that project go into limbo or fall through? Last time I looked at the building, the sign was still there.

I agree with Hudkina, about the Statler. The Statler was one of the best looking hotels in Detroit. I guy I know wrote a book about the Statler and Book Cadillac Hotels (Images of America series).

Broderick is still a go. From my understand they are working on possibilities for a tunnel to Grand Circus at the moment.

The Statler site has a site plan that I've been told about but don't have any info in terms of who it is. All I know is that there is a parking deck incorporated into the development. The source is extremely reliable and I am going to assume that it is Rock Financial even though I don't know for sure. Looking at the vacant David Whitney and Broderick Tower could make a person in the know sick. These properties are sure to get their dues in the near future. I've been hearing solid discussion regarding both. Both of them are embarrassing and as Roger Penske says, "unacceptable."

so wait... are you implying that the parking deck for the development on the Statler site is going in at the site of the Whitney or Broderick bldg?

so wait... are you implying that the parking deck for the development on the Statler site is going in at the site of the Whitney or Broderick bldg?

That would be a real shame if it were the case. For better or worse, I always had envisioned a compuware style setup, with the office/hq being on the Statler block, (bounded by Park, Washington, Bagley, and Clifford) and then the parking ramp being on the block behind (bounded by Bagley, Clifford, Times Sq, and Grand River Ave).

It just seemed logical that way, with the ramp having an entrance on Bagley to provide easy access to the Lodge. Granted I hope for better, but that was what I was expecting. Just dont tear down the Whitney or Broderick. Detroit needs some height.

so wait... are you implying that the parking deck for the development on the Statler site is going in at the site of the Whitney or Broderick bldg?

I think he was talking about two different things. Like he said, all he knows is about the parking deck which will be incorporated, what I believe, in the same development (on the statler site with the project). Then, he was talking about what's going on, in terms of development, with the Whitney and Broderick buildings. Plus, buidling a deck all the way over on the broderick wouldn't be logical, and costly. There is a guy from Kraemer Design Group on DetroitYES, that says the project is moving along nicely (to be developed into lofts).

The parking deck will be built on the Statler site and will be used by both the development that will be occurring there as well as by the David Whitney which is going to be redone with ground floor retail and lofts. The parking for the Broderick Tower will be connected to the building by an underground conenction to the deck below Grand Circus Park. That's the only way that development would happen.

^^^ Regarding that last sentence Managemich.....That's the only way that the Broderick could be rehabbed or were you referring to the terms of the Statler site?

I was just by the Whitney today lookin up at the high 2nd floor ceilings thinking about how spectacular a loft would be there. What a great area to have a place dwntwn between the stadiums and the CBD. Any location that prominent in any other major city would be sooooo coveted..... makes me fucking sick sometimes

Again, that was a little confusing how you wrote it. But this is what I got:

- A development will be built on the Statler site that will include a parking garage that will serve both the new development, and any tenants that may move into the David Whitney whenever it's redeveloped.

Now, what I'm not understanding is what you're talking about concerning the Broderick when you say "be connected to the building by an underground conenction to the deck below Grand Circus Park." That doesn't make any sense to me.

Now, what I'm not understanding is what you're talking about concerning the Broderick when you say "be connected to the building by an underground conenction to the deck below Grand Circus Park." That doesn't make any sense to me.

He means it would just be like the Kales building, with a tunnel connecting the underground parking at GCP and the building. The residents would use the undeground parking to park.

Thanks. Whe he said "connected to the building" I was thinking he meant the new development on the Statler site, because there seems to be some missing punctuation.

Yes, the Statler parking deck will serve both the Statler site as well the David Whitney. The Broderick Tower will be connected to an underground parking deck in the same manner as the Kales. I am not tipping my hand because I'm not sure, but I think Rock Financial may be coming in on the Statler site and bringing some additional loft rehabs with it (David Whitney rehab). If that's the case, I am pleased and can accept the loss of the Statler.

Oh, I hadn't even thought of Rock potentially reusing the David Whitney as well, and it could capture quite a bit of the residents looking to move downtown to be closer to their job, and then some of the general moves to the city center.

That's what those kinds of corporate moves are supposed to do and do do in most other major cities. If the David Whitney gets redone as a result of the Statler being used for Rock Financial, then I'm very happy with the progress downtown has made. We're reaching a critical point in downtown Detroit. I've never seen so many kids hanging out downtown as I have in the last year.

It looks like development (and redevelopment) is may finally be starting to trickle out from Campus Martius, and up to Grand Circus Park. It looks like GCP will be the next big thing. I can't wait to see what this ultimately means for the United Artist Building and site, and the Tuller lot. If Olympia Entertainment/Ilitch Holdings decides to move the Red Wings to Foxtown, we might see the northwestern half of downtown really take off. All of the pieces look to be falling into place, but would fall even faster into place if the area got a lightrail system up and running.

BTW, Manage, as you know, the local papers have been speculating on what's to go at the Tiger Stadium site (as it seems that the many believe it has overstayed its welcome). Which of the rumors seems to be the one you hear more about than the others?

The rumor I hear is that the field will be saved, but the final use is up in the air. I would suspect that it'll end up being a mixed use development with the field framed into it as a monument type development. That's the best thing they could do over there, especially if it's dense and includes some nice retail. The worst thing they could do is let a big box open up and build a huge parking lot surrounding the property. That would destroy what's left of the character of Corktown, unless they built something with parking underneath. There's a chance that the city will get this right and help the neighborhood CDC free up some of those horrible surface lots up and down Michigan Ave whose owners are waiting to hear about the fate of the stadium. I also think the Ilitchs have a say in what goes on over there. I personally hope to see a new arena built west of Woodward behind the Fox thereby allowing the Corktown neighborhood to build density and attract more development along the main thoroughfare.

After reading this I definately believe that Rock would have the most impact if they chose the Statler site. Not only would it provide parking and potential residential base to rehab the David Whitney and Broderick. Grand Circus Park needs the daytime foot traffic and money that office workers bring

I dont have any exact numbers, but just doing some guesstimations in my head, if Quicken Loans does move to the Statler site with parking, it would have to have some height. I mean, when you drive by their current place in Livonia, thats a big building. In trying to imagine that square footage, (plus some expansion) and a parking deck entirely on the Statler site, it would have to be fairly tall. So hopefully if this does come to frutation, it would bring some height along with the jobs and development. But I could be wrong...

What do you see as being fairly tall? I don't expect much more than the height of Compuware at the very most, which is approximately the same height as the former Statler.

The Statler site is smaller and would have parking taking up space. Rock would be moving as many workers as Compuware so the buildings would have similar sqaure footage. I'd expect something in the 20-25 range

I was envisioning something similar to Compuware in terms of office space too. and since the Statler site is no bigger than the Compuware block, when you add parking to the mix you have to be close to at least 25 stories.

You also have to take into account that Rock Financial is growing at a brisk pace. That means that they will probably be building for the future.

Did they ever get the Book Cadillac deal through? Or is that still in Limbo? I have some good memories of that place as a kid, and would love to see it back in full glory.

Back on page 10 is a Free Press article stating where the project is in the redevelopment process.

thank ya. Man, with both the Fort Shelby and Book Cadillac, plus 3 x 400 room casino hotels, thats quite the increase in hotel rooms downtown...

Detroit is the city featured at the pic at the top, dont know what you call it.

post 250 half way to Detroit Development #4