Now that you're a resident, you can't call it that anymore. Only people from other areas of the country call it that.;)

The Lafayette building is to undergo demolition soon as no proposer reuse can be found for the building. The site is to be landscaped with grass and shrubbery once demolition is finished.

Word has it that Quicken is very soon (next week or so) to announce that they'll take 1,000 workers to the Compuware Building to test out a downtown hq move.

I love how a few years ago we were talking about possible 500 ft skyscrapers, and now we're talking about leasing space in the back of the Compuware building.;)

I wonder if Bank of America is still thinking about possibly deciding to begin a study of a move downtown...

..

..

huh?

Any updated pictures of the 75 project floatin around? I hear its open again would love to see how it looks before I take a trip up to MGM

It's very nice, though there is still a lot of construction in the area. The freeway is open to traffic, but the ramps and bridges are still having work done.

Rosa Parks Transit Center? Saw on the news it was near completion... Is the proposed Woodward Ave Light rail supposed to be connected to this? The segment said it would be a hub for Busses people mover and a few other transportation services I wasnt firmiliar with... Can anyone clear this up?

huh?


Yep.

Rosa Parks Transit Center? Saw on the news it was near completion... Is the proposed Woodward Ave Light rail supposed to be connected to this? The segment said it would be a hub for Busses people mover and a few other transportation services I wasnt firmiliar with... Can anyone clear this up?

The Rosa Parks transit center is bounded by Times Square, Park Place, Michigan Ave, and Cass Ave. The People Mover has two stops that serve that area the Michigan/Cass stop and the Times Square stop. People can take the bus downtown and then go to either stop and continue on to other areas of Downtown.

As far as the Woodward streetcar is concerned, one possible plan is to have the train turn down Washington Blvd once it passes Grand Circus Park. By putting a streetcar stop at State St. passengers would only have to walk a short block from the bus terminal to the streetcar stop.

That the FBI is nixing a new building in downtown is not a total surprise, but I am surprised to hear that there is enough room for them in the current McNamara Building after space concerns were the reason given for even considering a new building.

Anyway, a surface lot will be replaced by a higher capacity parking garage, so I guess that's a plus. Meh.



New building for FBI in Detroit nixed (http://www.detnews.com/article/20090711/METRO/907110359/1409/METRO/New-building-for-FBI-in-Detroit-nixed")

Paul Egan / The Detroit News

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Detroit -- The federal government has scrapped plans to build an FBI headquarters in downtown Detroit, a spokesman for the General Services Administration said Friday.

Instead, the government plans to find more space for the FBI at its present home inside the McNamara Building on Michigan Avenue, David Wilkinson said in a telephone interview from Chicago.

"That will be the long-term answer," Wilkinson said.

It's bad news for agents and support staff who were pleased in May 2007 when the GSA announced it had awarded a $100 million contract to build the FBI an eight-story office building, a four-story parking garage and a single-story automotive facility on a 10.9-acre site across from the Greyhound bus station.

In January 2008 the government announced it had canceled the contract, citing the collapse of the credit market and unforeseen site development problems. But the GSA said it was continuing to plan for a new building and look for alternative sites.

Now, Wilkinson said, the FBI will stay in the building it has occupied since the 1970s.

"It's frustrating," said Andrew Arena, special agent in charge of the FBI in Detroit. However, major renovations and expansion at the McNamara Building "may be the most viable option," he said Friday.

"I think this is going to work out for us."

In addition to occupying more floors in the building, the FBI will get its own lobby and dedicated elevator bank, among other interior renovations, Arena said. There are also plans to build a parking structure and automotive facility on a parking lot across the street from the building, he said.

Arena said he felt it was important the FBI remain downtown, and large street setbacks required for security reasons severely limited the potential sites for a new building. The poor economy also made a retrofit, which will be much less costly than building new, more attractive, he said.

About 400 FBI employees work in the building, a number that is up sharply since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The Detroit FBI has added about 50 agents and 30 translators, among other employees, since then, Arena said.

pegan@detnews.com (313) 222-2069

Living around Detroit is less bad than I thought it would be, and is more of a change of scene from Toledo and Columbus than I thought it would be. I'm also enjoying Dearborn's diversity and many gyro shoppes. In fact, if I had to stay in the Midwest, metro Detroit is probably the best place, even better than Chicago because I don't like to deal with the crowds and driving there. That said though, after my 11-12 hour days at Wayne State, I just want to GTFO of Detroit, and am very glad I didn't get a place in the city.

I'm glad they didn't build that FBI campus. It would have been the worst thing possible for that location. They would have been better off putting the campus over near the new Federal Reserve since that area already is "campus-oriented".

They'd cancelled the Howard Street, etc...block quite a few months ago.

The transit center is finally complete:

Rosa Parks Transit Center

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2512/3720848988_b638cc5e53_b.jpg
Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kilpatrickm13/3720848988/sizes/l/)

^I noticed that it was done yesterday when I was wondering around downtown. Looked pretty nice, sorry no pictures though.

It's note just completed, but fully opened for business on Tuesday.

Boy am I glad I chose not to live in Royal Oak. :laugh:

Why? I-75 should be back open by Monday. BTW, do you live in East Dearborn or West Dearborn?

Hrmm.. Not sure. Central? :dunno:

I'm right at the intersection of Ford Road and the Southfield Freeway. Since Detroit is so segregated I had no choice but to live in Dearborn with all the other immigrants from Asia. :ohno:

:lol:

Also I just returned from a trip to Grand Rapids. It was very scenic. Good restaurant and bar scene there too.

Update on Quicken: They are still planning to build, downtown, except instead of being given development rights for the Statler Block and Hudson/Woodward Block, they are now looking at the Monroe Block and Hudson/Woodward Block:



Quicken looks at 2 spots for eventual new downtown building (http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20090720/BIZ/907200393/1361/Quicken-looks-at-2-spots-for-eventual-new-downtown-building)

Louis Aguilar / The Detroit News

Monday, July 20, 2009

The sites where Quicken Loans Inc. may eventually build its downtown Detroit headquarters have been narrowed to a pair of Woodward Avenue locations: The place where the old J.L. Hudson's department store once stood or what's commonly referred to as the Monroe block, a Quicken official said Monday morning.

That's somewhat different from the sites Quicken was offered two years ago to build a new headquarters. The Hudson's site was an option, but the 1.9-acre city-owned parcel on the corner of Woodward and Monroe is new. Gone is the option of building on the former Statler Hotel site on Washington Boulevard across from Grand Circus Park, said Quicken spokeswoman Jennifer Kulczycki.

Details of the city and state tax incentives are still being finalized for the online mortgage company's initial move to the Compuware Corp. headquarters in Campus Martius downtown. That deal will likely be a five-year lease for four floors in Compuware that will bring about 1,700 workers from Livonia to downtown. Tuesday, the board of the Michigan Economic Growth Authority is expected to approve a package of incentives for the Quicken move.

Quicken still intends to build a new building, though no timeline has been given. Based on the two potential sites, the new Quicken building would be located within a block of the Compuware building.

The Monroe Block was last proposed as potential site for a $150 million project called the Cadillac Centre, an office, retail and upscale condo project. That project, which was unveiled last year, died quickly.

laguilar@detnews.com (313) 222-2760

Well, you're other choices would have been Canton, Troy, or Hamtrack. Though, if you're of Indian descent, I think I remember seeing quite a few Indians in Birmingham, so once you've completed your residency, maybe you'll move there...:lol:

I was bored today and decided to go across the border. :yes:

Boy was that a mistake. Waited 1 hour to cross. Then the border guard gave me lots of attitude, as if I was so desperate to travel to their country. :laugh: Since so much of my time had been squandered I drove around a bit, and went to their mall to see if they had Marks & Spencers or any of the other good English stores that I remember, which used to be around in Canada. Upon entering the mall, I immediately felt like I was taken back like 20 years or so. Everything there was so backwards and primitive. :ohno:

Maybe I'll go back for the strip clubs, but otherwise I see no need to return to Windsor anytime soon.

What's an example of backwards and primitive?

Would that be Devonshire Mall? It's the only mall in Windsor. Doesn't really look backwards and primitive, except for the part of the mall which houses The Bay. Yeah, Canadian retail SUCKS compared to what it was back then.

Sorry about that wait time and guard at the border, man. I guess that just goes to show, even Canadian border guards can be a$$holes sometimes. It was probably some dislocated guy from Toronto who got hired there because he lost his job as a city worker or something since the city workers went on strike.

I usually just get a bit of seriousness when going the other way, though no real attitude.

Don't worry about Paddington, the "rust belt" can do nothing right.;)

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i104/gehrijac/DN-capitolpark-3501.jpg

Capitol Park improvements to begin now that Rosa Parks Terminal operational

http://www.modeldmedia.com/developmentnews/capitol20109.aspx

and the relocation of the statue and remains of Gov. Stevens T. Mason to a more prominent spot.

Do they mean a more prominent spot in the park, or a more prominent spot, in general? I hope it's the former.

I'm sure they mean within the park.

It's just being moved from State St to Griswold St.

I was bored today and decided to go across the border. :yes:

Boy was that a mistake. Waited 1 hour to cross. Then the border guard gave me lots of attitude, as if I was so desperate to travel to their country. :laugh: Since so much of my time had been squandered I drove around a bit, and went to their mall to see if they had Marks & Spencers or any of the other good English stores that I remember, which used to be around in Canada. Upon entering the mall, I immediately felt like I was taken back like 20 years or so. Everything there was so backwards and primitive. :ohno:

Maybe I'll go back for the strip clubs, but otherwise I see no need to return to Windsor anytime soon.

^ All you ever do is bitch and moan. Maybe you should stop looking for English stores and pay a visit to a pharmacy?

$1.36 billion to create technology epicenter in Michigan
Up to 40,000 jobs possible, with 6,800 in next 18 months

http://www.freep.com/article/20090806/BUSINESS01/908060456/1210/BUSINESS

By the numbers
• $1.36 billion: What Michigan companies and universities could collect from $2.4 billion in federal grants to spur development and manufacture batteries and other components for electric vehicles in the United States.

• $299 million: Largest single grant to Johnson Controls Inc., which will supply batteries for Ford Motor Co.

• 6,800: Jobs that may be created in Michigan within 18 months as a result of the grants.

• 40,000: Michigan jobs that could result from the initiative by 2020.

• 244,000: Manufacturing jobs Michigan has lost since 2005

My latest blog post re:Detroit:

Detroit: Urban Laboratory and the New American Frontier
http://theurbanophile.blogspot.com/2009/08/detroit-urban-laboratory-and-new.html

Obviously more about the city than the region.

Photos from my first trip to Detroit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ablerock/sets/72157622019337802/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3443/3814014595_cf19d2b313.jpg

GM Volt battery plant in Brownstown Township will create jobs

Production of battery packs for General Motors Co. electric vehicles will begin at a new facility here in the fourth quarter of 2010.

More than 100 advanced technology jobs will be created, packaging the battery cells that will power the Chevrolet Volt and other electric vehicles in GM's lineup.


http://detnews.com/article/20090813/AUTO01/908130435/1148/GM-Volt-battery-plant-in-Brownstown-Township-will-create-jobs

Nice pictures, ablerock. Do you care to share your thoughts on your first visit to Detroit?

Very big news for Detroit retail!

•Store will be first in city of Detroit
•It will anchor Shoppes at Gateway Park at fairgrounds
•Site to be ready by May, developer says

http://www.freep.com/article/20090814/BUSINESS06/90814029/1019/Meijer-signs-deal-for-Detroit-store

:banana:

The Freep officially confirmed today that demolition of the Lafayette Building is to begin next week.

Man, I better get my ass up there for photos. So sad. All these beautiful pieces of Detroit being lost makes me want to cry. Tiger Stadium was hard enough to watch. If I'm I'm not mistaken, they weren't able to save that section of the stadium around home plate, correct?

It's always two steps back and one forward as far as I'm concerned about preservation in Detroit. It was also announced a few days ago that Ferchill, who redeveloped the Book-Cadillac, will turn the Book Tower into apartments. So, downtown will be losing the Lafayette but getting another Book.

The Freep officially confirmed today that demolition of the Lafayette Building is to begin next week.

This is VERY disappointing! When next week? Monday or later in the week? I myself would like to get some pictures before the end.

Nice pictures, ablerock. Do you care to share your thoughts on your first visit to Detroit?

Absolutely loved it.

Absolutely loved it.

Do go into detail.

Chadoh, who knows? In Detroit, "next week" could literally be Monday or months from now. lol Though, to be more serious, when it comes to downtown demolition, demolition companies crews are curiously and conveniently punctual.

Good bye, Lafayette. :ohno:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2165/1678578906_341f86bc02.jpg
theurbanryan (http://www.flickr.com/photos/panoryanama/1678578906/)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1232/676905148_47ad9dc6c3.jpg
statlerhotel (http://www.flickr.com/photos/statlerhotel/676905148/)

This is going to leave quite a whole in the streetscape and low-level skyline.

This is going to leave quite a whole in the streetscape and low-level skyline.

You mean a hole right? :laugh:

Looks outdated and abandoned to me. I probably won't miss it and I doubt 99% of Detroit's population will care about it. I think people who don't live in Detroit and don't go there very much except to post pictures of blighted buildings on the internet will be more upset about this than those who either live in the city or go to work there every day. That's the difference between life and fantasy.

How does it look outdated? And obviously it's abandoned...;)

While it might not look so great after many years of neglect, you'd be surprised how great it would look after a thorough and complete renovation. Have you seen the Book-Cadillac? That was in a horrible condition before, but now look at it.

The problem is that once it's gone, there's no bringing it back. There's really no reason why this building should be demolished.

You took the troll's bait, again. I was ignoring the dude. This:

I think people who don't live in Detroit and don't go there very much except to post pictures of blighted buildings on the internet will be more upset about this than those who either live in the city or go to work there every day.

Isn't someone looking for any real discussion. It's pretty blatant shit-stirring mockery.

You mean a hole right? :laugh:

Looks outdated and abandoned to me. I probably won't miss it and I doubt 99% of Detroit's population will care about it. I think people who don't live in Detroit and don't go there very much except to post pictures of blighted buildings on the internet will be more upset about this than those who either live in the city or go to work there every day. That's the difference between life and fantasy.

Why are you such an ass? It's clearly a typo, but yet you had to point it out in some vain attempt to look superior. I think it's safe to say that you are the biggest prick in the entire Midwest forum! Congrats!

Him correcting my typo wasn't the issue. Quite frankly, I don't give a damn what he thinks of me; I don't know him, personally, so I really couldn't care less.

The priggish drivel, after that, and his whole attitude since he's been here, is the problem.

The latest Downtown Detroit casualty of neglect, vacancy, and abandonment. R.I.P. Lafayette Building, once they FEEL like having it come down. :) As much as I am a fan of the city of Detroit, I still get very discouraged and disappointed when this happens, it's already happened to Hudson's, Statler, Madison-Lenox, and City Hall. I'm sure we all know about those.

It's outside of downtown that really badly needs work, not downtown.

That "two steps back, one step forward" saying LMichigan, could not have been said any better about Detroit's attempt at historic preservation.

It's outside of downtown that really badly needs work, not downtown.


I agree 100% I would much rather see abandoned or burned out houses and buildings in the neighborhoods demolished instead of the Lafayette. :(

Hey, give us the Lafayette; we'll take it! :)

Army to create jobs in Warren expansion

http://freep.com/article/20090821/COL06/908210384/1002/BUSINESS/Army-to-create-jobs-in-Warren-expansion-

Maj. Gen. Scott West, commander of the sprawling Army campus extending from the northeast corner of 11 Mile and Mound roads in Warren, said this week that the Army expects to boost employment in the region from 6,500 today to 9,800 by 2015. Most of the jobs will be filled by civilians with advanced degrees.


Ground was broken Monday on the site for a $45-million Department of Defense Ground Systems Power and Energy Laboratory that is to employ 100 people and allow academics and private industry researchers to work alongside government experts on future hybrid-electric, fuel cell and other energy technologies.

Good news.

It's good to see the region becoming a bigger and bigger player in the alternative energy sector.

http://www.freep.com/article/20090827/BUSINESS06/90827045/1318/Film-facility-kicks-off-construction

Despite the delays, Lifton said today that his plans for large employment and a major facility remain on track. He said the first phase of construction would include four sound stages, pre- and post-production facilities, and a trade school, the Lifton Institute for Media Skills.

Standing alone, Hummer to land in SE Michigan

Hummer, as part of a Chinese company, plans to invest up to $9.4 million in a new headquarters located either in Detroit or Auburn Hills, state records showed Tuesday.

He declined to say where the facility might be located. A final decision is expected by Oct. 31, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corp.


The headquarters is expected to house staff working on design, engineering finance, purchasing, sales, service and marketing.


The project is expected to create 300 direct jobs and about 640 indirect jobs. The average weekly wage of the Hummer jobs is expected to be $2,605, state records said.

http://freep.com/article/20090922/BUSINESS01/90922039/1318/

GM to invest millions in Flint

General Motors Co. announced plans Monday to invest more than $21 million in the Flint Assembly Plant to add production capability for the 2011 Chevrolet light-duty, crew cab pickups.

http://freep.com/article/20090922/BUSINESS01/909220329/1002/BUSINESS/GM-to-invest-millions-in-Flint

CCS center proves Detroit can rebuild

A little after 10 a.m. today, some of Detroit's heaviest hitters are expected to celebrate the opening of the College for Creative Studies' new center in the remodeled hulk of the old General Motors Argonaut Building.

Expect speeches, smiles and applause for philanthropists Bob Thompson and Al Taubman, whose $15 million gift to the $145 million project got his name on the building. The A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education marks another step in the revitalization of Detroit's New Center; renovation of an architectural icon; opening of a public charter school for grades six through 12; and a deepening commitment of the college to a community that needs all the help it can get.

http://detnews.com/article/20090922/OPINION03/909220325/1001/CCS-center-proves-Detroit-can-rebuild

I looked into some new apartments in Ferndale and they quoted $1400 a month for a 1 bedroom, $220,000 if you want to buy. :doh:

There's a lot of shitty housing here to be had for $10,000, but if you're looking for good housing it's expensive in both the city and the suburbs. It's especially a real premium to live just North of Detroit close to I-75. One guy at work from Florida said living in Royal Oak was more expensive than Miami Beach.

I looked into some new apartments in Ferndale and they quoted $1400 a month for a 1 bedroom, $220,000 if you want to buy. :doh:

There's a lot of shitty housing here to be had for $10,000, but if you're looking for good housing it's expensive in both the city and the suburbs. It's especially a real premium to live just North of Detroit close to I-75. One guy at work from Florida said living in Royal Oak was more expensive than Miami Beach.

The new rowhomes on Woodward just north of I-75 look pretty nice, but are also extremely cheap. If downtown Detroit ever turns the corner, these homes will double or triple in value.

The new rowhomes on Woodward just north of I-75 look pretty nice, but are also extremely cheap. If downtown Detroit ever turns the corner, these homes will double or triple in value.

Are you talking about Midtown, just North of the stadium? Adjacent to those homes are lots that look bombed out, like a scene out of Baghdad. They only look good from the main road. It looks like there would be a lot of crimes/break ins at that location. They're also not particularly cheap from what I recall.

Are you talking about Midtown, just North of the stadium? Adjacent to those homes are lots that look bombed out, like a scene out of Baghdad. They only look good from the main road. It looks like there would be a lot of crimes/break ins at that location. They're also not particularly cheap from what I recall.

I'm referring to the newish townhomes development right across the interstate from downtown. I looked up the price and some of them are going for just over $100,000 for a 3 bedroom 2 bath near the heart of downtown. Same thing in this relative location in Chicago would probably go for upwards of a million dollars.

I was on a recent business trip to Detroit and got a chance to explore the city a bit for the first time. To be honest, Detroit left me in a complete state of shock and anger. I want to learn so much about how such an important city was ever allowed to diminish to the shell that's left today, and more importantly, where and how we can begin to pick up the pieces and turn this city around. How can so many wealthy people live in suburban Detroit, and still leave their metropolitan center to rot in the condition that it was in. I came back from the trip with more questions than I had answers.

I saw a lot of promise along Woodward Avenue north of downtown though, and have a feeling that this area stands a good chance of turning around and serving as a model of how the rest of the city can begin the redevelopment process along its important corridors.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p250/robert817/cats/racist.gif

Are you talking about Midtown, just North of the stadium? Adjacent to those homes are lots that look bombed out, like a scene out of Baghdad. They only look good from the main road. It looks like there would be a lot of crimes/break ins at that location. They're also not particularly cheap from what I recall.

How can a lot look bombed out? Especially when the streets and sidewalks are brand new and the grass is cut. Behind those townhouses are more townhouses and behind those are old victorian mansions that have been mostly renovated. I don't see how that neighborhood can have a high level of crime. I'm not exactly sure how you are able to connect empty lots with crime...

The area across from them (which I'm sure is what he meant by "adjacent") is a terrible-looking disgrace, period. Not everything he (or others) says needs a response. I just went to the thread on the riots where he made a silly comment that should have been ignored. What you do is help derail threads where other people would have likely ignored him.

Supplier to bring $21M, 200 jobs to Detroit (http://www.freep.com/article/20091014/BUSINESS01/91014053/1320/Supplier-to-bring--21M--200-jobs-to-Detroit)

By Naomi R. Patton and Jewel Gopwani
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

Oct. 14, 2009

A six-year lease, and a $21-million investment, is expected to give a new lease on life to an idled auto supplier plant in southwest Detroit.

ArvinMeritor, the Troy-based auto supplier, is planning to lease a large portion of its plant on West Fort Street to the Toledo-based Ohio Modular Manufacturing Company, LLC, bringing with it 200 jobs.

Representatives from both companies appeared before the Detroit City Council’s Planning and Economic Development Committee to discuss the deal.

Tom Cousino, OMMC plant manager, said the company planned to invest $21 million in the plant, and adding nearly 100 jobs to the 109 existing jobs from workers previously laid off by ArvinMeritor. There are also 109 employees at the plant.

“We’re very excited about coming here,” Cousino said.

Melinda Jensen, Business Development director for the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., said the deal would be completed with the extension of ArvinMeritor’s Renaissance Zone tax exemption set to expire in December 2011.

If the council approves the zone extension, the exemption would expire in 2017.

ArvinMeritor, which produced chassis parts at the Fort Street plant for the Jeep Grand Cherokee, made at Chrysler’s Jefferson North Plant, will transfer some of those Chrysler contracts to OMMC.

Jerry Rush, ArvinMeritor’s senior director of government and community relations, said the deal illustrates the importance of tax credits to keeping and recruiting businesses to the state.

“This is an attraction of a new business in Michigan,” Rush said.

What areas of Detroit are seeing (or have recently seen) the most gentrification? I noticed Woodward Ave had some nice activity going on.

Midtown is pretty much the only area that has been truly gentrifying. Southwest Detroit is seeing a lot of growth due to an influx of Hispanic immigrants, and the neighborhoods surrounding Hamtramck have been seeing an influx of Southeast Asian immigrants. The city is still in too much disarray for full-scale gentrification, and that's especially true for neighborhoods outside of the Greater Downtown area.

Starting in the late 90's things were going relatively strong. That basically ended in 2007/2008. Hopefully as the city government straightens out and the economy turns around we'll see an even greater amount of activity. Hopefully the new light rail and streetcar lines will spur a ton of new sustainable development along the Woodward corridor.

Downtown has seen some gentrification over the last 10-15 years, but there's still a ways to go yet.

Speaking of Woodward, any news on the proposed light rail project?

I was on a recent business trip to Detroit and got a chance to explore the city a bit for the first time. To be honest, Detroit left me in a complete state of shock and anger. I want to learn so much about how such an important city was ever allowed to diminish to the shell that's left today, and more importantly, where and how we can begin to pick up the pieces and turn this city around. How can so many wealthy people live in suburban Detroit, and still leave their metropolitan center to rot in the condition that it was in. I came back from the trip with more questions than I had answers.

I've always TRULY wondered that, too, araman0. But there is no REAL simple answer for Detroit's economic decline, because there are so many things that contributed to its downfall. But reading stories and these threads has given me a better understanding.

But it's always great to see people like you taking interest in Detroit and its storied history.

About the Book Tower's renovation plans. It would be better if all of the building (the original building and tower) were converted into residential use. Also, the exterior facade needs to be cleaned up, both fire escapes need to be removed, and a few elevators would be removed for a second stairwell (currently it has only one).

View from my work place:

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/8977/detroitu.jpg

Weren't you afraid you'd get raped while taking that picture?;)

Not really. It's Detroit, not San Francisco.

Not really. It's Detroit, not San Francisco. I suppose that's a dig at SF's gay population? Classy, and real funny.

Whoa, major wins for DTW today:

http://www.detnews.com/article/20091020/BIZ/910200409/Delta-to-launch-direct-flights-from-Metro-to-Hong-Kong--Seoul

Delta Air Lines Inc. announced today it will launch direct, nonstop trans-Pacific flights from Detroit in June to Seoul, the South Korean capital, and to Hong Kong, the Chinese trading port and former British protectorate.

Each flight will operate five times weekly aboard Boeing 777-200 aircraft accommodating just under 300 passengers. Delta, the world's largest airline, also will expand current service to Shanghai, the Chinese automotive capital, from five times weekly to seven.

These wins come at the expense of Atlanta, if I'm not mistaken which has lost flights to East Asia recently. But it's not surprising because DTW is better positioned to fly to Asia for customers in the Eastern 1/3 of the U.S.

The goal has been to make Detroit the Asian hub for the Eastern U.S. and Atlanta the European hub for the Eastern U.S.

Book Building and Tower to get green-friendly residences, retail

A Clinton Township investment group says it signed a contract with the owners of the empty Book Tower and Building to turn the historic downtown structure into 260 green-friendly residences and retail.

Key Investment Group says it intends to begin working on renovating the Washington Boulevard space in June. It could take up to three years to overhaul the early 20th century building into an energy-efficient structure, while retaining historical details. The building has been empty since January.

"We have a firm contract signed with the owners," said RoseMarie Dobek, CFO of Key Investment Group.


http://detnews.com/article/20091029/BIZ/910290353/Book-Building-and-Tower-to-be-converted-into-green-friendly-residences--retail

great news, but im a bit skeptical

BIG win for Detroit. That is such a great building, and it will be nice to see it be in use again, while also bringing more residents to downtown.

One thing: Detroit does not have many, if any, environmentally-friendly buildings. The Book Tower may become the first with this residential conversion, but I don't know if Detroit has or will construct any green buildings from scratch.

There's a few examples throughout the city...;)

but I don't know if Detroit has or will construct any green buildings from scratch.

That's a really silly and illogical thing to say. Green building isn't confined to some region of the country. Albeit, Detroit could be more green, but like any city, it'll become more green when there is simply more construction to begin with. Competition usually spurs green building, as developers use it to differentiate their project from others, and there is not much of that, right now, obviously. On the city government-end of things, they could certainly make it more attractive to green build, no doubt, but Deroit does actually have a green task force (http://www.mlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/08/ken_cockrel_jr_ken_cockrel.html) on its city council chaired by the city's former mayor.

You know, some would really do better of actually studying things before they make foolish and rash sweeping judgements and predictions. It wasn't enough to simply say that Detroit hasn't been as environmentally friendly as it should be, you found it necessary and acceptable to predict something that doesn't even make any logical sense (i.e. that Detroit wouldn't ever likely be green, either).

Anyone here actually live in Detroit, or do they just like telling other people to go live in Detroit? :dunno:

I live right across from the city and probably spend more time there than anyone else here.

One thing: Detroit does not have many, if any, environmentally-friendly buildings. The Book Tower may become the first with this residential conversion, but I don't know if Detroit has or will construct any green buildings from scratch.

http://www.drc-usgbc.org/

http://modeldmedia.com/developmentnews/powergreen102709.aspx

Woodbridge container housing project gets big green lights: City Council OK and predevelopment funds

"A visionary project that will turn 93 reused shipping containers into housing units has achieved some important milestones.

The project, called Exceptional Green Living, will be located at the southeast corner of Rosa Parks and Warren in Woodbridge. The much buzzed about development is moving ahead, having just received unanimous approval to proceed from Detroit City Council and secured initial predevelopment funding."

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i104/gehrijac/DN-container-350.jpg

Anyone here actually live in Detroit, or do they just like telling other people to go live in Detroit? :dunno:

I live right across from the city and probably spend more time there than anyone else here.

Lived in the city for 5 years, only left for a job i couldn't find locally. I'm coming back asap.

I live in Madison, but have probably spent more time in Detroit over the past few months than I have in Madison. They are all business trips, so not much of a chance to explore the city unfortunately.

Right now I'm in my hotel in Detroit.

What hotel?

http://www.drc-usgbc.org/
"A visionary project that will turn 93 reused shipping containers into housing units has achieved some important milestones.

Awesome project. Really jealous.

Another take on the Book Tower renovation by Model D Media:



Book Building and Tower to be brought back to life (http://www.modeldmedia.com/devnews/book110309.aspx)

Kelli B. Kavanaugh / Model D

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

The Key Investment Group, comprised of developers that have worked on Campus Martius, Compuware and the Ford Rouge Plant, has announced the first of its six planned mixed-use developments in the city of Detroit -- the renovation of the Book Building and Tower on Washington Blvd. in Downtown.

The team hopes to close on the purchase of the buildings in November and begin construction in June 2010, says chief financial officer RoseMarie Dobek. There will be 260 rental residences, a common residential area and three floors of retail that will be accessible by the Rosa Parks Transit Center and the Detroit People Mover Times Square Station. The entire project will be built with strict attention to sustainability -- think living roof, energy-efficient windows and geothermal heating and cooling -- with LEED Gold being the development's goal.

Dobek says that Key spent three years researching potential developments and the Detroit housing market. For tenants, they are targeting the 80,000 downtown employees by offering rentals at a rate less than the suburbs -- along with the chance to potentially ditch a car payment. "There is a lack of affordable housing (in Detroit)," she says. "There is an excess of low-income and high-end."

Key Investment's other five projects are still confidential. Dobek says they will be announced in December along with details of the plans financing, although she says "no city funds, no pension funds, no HUD and no gap" monies are being utilized. There will be four more developments downtown and one on the east side; one will be a LEED- and Green Seal-certified hotel. In total, Key will be investing $320 million into Detroit in the next 3-1/2 years and be bringing 970 new residences online.

I am so glad they didn't go the expensive condo route. The downtown residential population needs to be grown from the groundfloor up instead of the other way around which has been the way developers have constructed the market, downtown.

I am excited to find out what the other 5 projects are.

I wonder which building will house the hotel? Could it be the David Whitney Building? Who owns that, LMich?

Hudkina, last I was able to find, Becker Ventures (http://www.becker-ventures.com/) was the owner of the David Whitney Building. It seems that they were originally in Troy, but now work out of Grosse Pointe. I'm not even sure exactly what they do, but I'm pretty sure they are investors.

You know, considering that the David Whitney was always tossed around as a possible hotel project, you may be on to something.

Are there any Trader Joe's type places in SW Wayne county? All the ones seem very far from where I live.

Are there any Trader Joe's type places in SW Wayne county? All the ones seem very far from where I live.

trader joes-royal oak
westborn market-royal oak
holiday market-royal oak
Nino Salvaggio's-troy clinton twp st clair shrs
whole foods-troy w bloomfield

yea you're pretty screwed-meijer it is

There's also Trentwood Farms in Southgate at the corner of Allen and Goddard. Granted, the Meijer in Allen Park is a decent store. Trader Joe's is overpriced anyway.

BTW, the original Westborn is on Michigan Ave in West Dearborn. They have other stores in Berkley (i.e. Royal Oak) and Livonia. Have you been to Westborn, Paddington?

No, I don't think so. I tend to stay away from Mom & Pop shops unless I have reason to go in one. There also seems to be a lot of awkward racial tension here in Dearborn. :poke:

Was that Meijer in Allen Park built on some filled over garbage dump? It's the only hill of any kind for miles and miles. :laugh:

Main reason I like Trader Joe's is cuz they got good ol' Rice Dream:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51iwEm7Eg2L._SL500_AA280_PIbundle-27,TopRight,0,0_AA280_SH20_.jpg

They also have decent processed foods that are easy to cook, like burritos and dumplings.

Another take on the Book renovation; a blog post by Dan Duggan of Crain's with some additional, albeit pretty worthless, information:



A new Book or an old chapter (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/section/c?template=profile&uid=148805&plckPersonaPage=BlogViewPost&plckUserId=148805&plckPostId=Blog%3a148805Post%3ac5734790-c3c5-4432-b431-710e6f2b2114&plckController=PersonaBlog&plckScript=personaScript&plckElementId=personaDest)

Posted 11/6/2009 4:02 PM EST on crainsdetroit.com

They're under a shroud of secrecy, you can believe them or not, but plans are heading toward an end-of-the-month closing on the Book Tower in Detroit. Buying the building is a new group called Key Investments. CFO for the group, RoseMarie Dobek, said she understands that there is some skepticism over her group and their bold plans -- to purchase and/or build six buildings in Detroit and rent them to middle-income city dwellers.

In a phone conversation, she told me that people can doubt all they want, the plans are a passion.

"We know skepticism," she said. "People will think we're crazy. Insane. Saying why would you do this. There are a lot of questions.

"But it's a passion we have. We have a detailed plan that is in place. We have the confidence in ourselves and know its up to us to perform."
But at the same time, it's easy to see where skepticism would grow.

The terms of the financing for these deals is not disclosed. The members of the team have not been disclosed. Dobek is the CFO, and even the principal players over her pay grade haven't been disclosed.

"I know the information isn't as detailed as what you'd expect," she said. "But we have been working on this for three years. And as soon as we gain site control, there will be an invitation for everyone to see a full presentation: who our team members are, what their experience is, what buildings will be, what the rates are, the amenities, everything."

Here's what we do know:

- Dobek spent 15 years in mortgage finance, most recently at Well Fargo bank in metro Detroit. She has seen most of the construction loans handled by the bank during her tenure.

- People on her team have worked on local construction projects in a management capacity.

- The goal is to pursue LEED certification on all the projects -- and she plans to do it the real way with low VOC paints and green roofs; not through throwing a few bike racks out front and putting a few dimmer switches in the rooms.

- Projects will all be rental, with rates in the range of $800 to $2,100.

- The total project cost for all of the buildings combined is $320 million; individual project costs are not released.

- Financing is not coming from a bank or a public body, but rather from a private investment source.

- The one project disclosed so far is the Book Tower.

Up until now, the plan for that building had been for John Ferchill of the Book Cadillac fame to develop the building then buy out owner Akno Enterprises.

I spoke to Ferchill today and he told me that he received a call from the owner of the building, informing him that someone else plans to put down the money and buy the building.

"They called, said they had a buyer," Ferchill said. "What can I do? Tell them they're crazy?"

Ferchill said he and his team haven't heard of Key Investment, but at the same time, he wishes them luck.

"If they have a way to do that project, tell me how I can help," he said. "I'll be there in five minutes if there is anything I can do to help."

Ferchill said the last thing he wants to do is fight with someone over developing a building.

"I'm not in a position to develop all of Detroit," he said. "I'm stupid, but I'm not that stupid."

Ferchill said the Book Tower would be sold for $12 million. Dobek said it will be more than that, but could not disclose the sale price.

There have been some insane developments proposed in recent history, so like I said, it's easy to see where skepticism comes from. I remember sitting in Kwame Kilpatrick's office when he came in with the Northern Group to announce a major mixed-use building in Campus Martius. A year later, the plan was reduced to a parking garage, and soon after it evaporated.

Time will tell on this one. Stay tuned for more.

I would say Westborn is a step up from a "Mom & Pop" shop, considering they have three relatively large stores. It's not a national chain, but it provides much of the same services as one. Check it out. If you don't like it, check out Trentwood Farms in Southgate. If you don't like that, then drive your spoiled ass up to Royal Oak...;)

Also, yes Fairlane Green was developed on top of an old Ford landfill. In fact, I think that development has gotten some accolades because of its environmental reuse.


Main reason I like Trader Joe's is cuz they got good ol' Rice Dream:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51iwEm7Eg2L._SL500_AA280_PIbundle-27,TopRight,0,0_AA280_SH20_.jpg

I hope you realize you can get that at just about any local Kroger, and I wouldn't doubt it's cheaper...;)

BTW, have you been to the Meijer in Allen Park? Where have you been doing your grocery shopping?

One new revelation is that at least one of the projects could be a completely new construction, as opposed to all rehabs.

BTW, if I could get an apartment in the Book Tower for $800 (or less), I would do it in a heartbeat.;)

Went to downtown Royal Oaks tonight. Very nice place!

On a different note, does anybody know of any good books that highlight the rise, fall, and future of Detroit?

I haven't been to Westborn. I've been to the Meijer in Allen Park a few times. I mostly go to the Kroger on Michigan Ave or Ford Rd.

http://media.godashboard.com/madeindetroit/WSUMS.jpg

How close is the Woodward Ave light rail to becoming reality?

SOMETHING needs to act as a median along Woodward Avenue. It's amazing how wide that street is with nothing currently along the center to break up the street.

The streetcar line is basically funded. The problem is that the city wants to use the private money that is earmarked for the streetcar as the local matching money for the light rail line. I think they are currently working on getting the federal funds.

Well, that, and as I read in a Freep blog editorial, yesterday, Bing is yet to sign onto a regional authority fearing the city won't be treated as fairly in a new region as he thinks it should. The formation of a regional authority, would infinitely increase the metro's chances of competing for funding from the upcoming national six-year transportation bill.

I really hope this Woodward project becomes a reality very soon! Is it supposed to have direct access to the People Mover? (will you be able to step off one and walk a short distance to the other?)

That wouldn't be direct access, but I don't see how it wouldn't have access to the new system, seing as how the line will originate/terminate inside the People Mover loop.

Assuming that it uses Washington Blvd to travel from Grand Circus Park to Cobo Center, there could be at least three stations that are a block or less from a People Mover stop.

A stop at Grand Circus Park would be adjacent to the Grand Circus Park Station, a stop at Grand River Ave would be adjacent to the Times Square Station, and a stop at Michigan Ave would be adjacent to the Michigan Station. Even a stop at Cobo would only be about a block or two from the Financial District Station.

If it is extended as far as the Renaissance Center, it would likely be adjacent to the Renaissance Center Station and Millender Station as well. In fact, it would be smart if they built an escalator from the stop outside the Ren Cen up to that enclosed tunnel that connects the Ren Cen to the Millender Center. That way people wouldn't have to cross Jefferson Ave at streetlevel.

EDIT: Oops, my bad. It does appear that there are three different alternatives concerning how they are trying to work out the downtown hub:

Downtown Alternatives (http://www.woodwardlightrail.com/f/CBD-Alt_Comb_Rev_08-02-25_070.pdf)

I personally think two would be the most comprehensive, but it may overlap the PM, in which case three would be enough. I just can't ever see the RenCen being a hub on the system given the location, even despite all of the built in ridership it has. Riders could always taken the PM to Rosa Parks TC.

Not sure if this was reported or not yet, but the other day I was listening to AM radio in Toledo and there was an announcement about Ontario or Windsor approving something for them to start designing the new border crossing. I caught the end of it so I didnt hear to many details. Anyone know where they would put this new bridge to Canada?

Mud,

Check out the Detroit River International Crossing (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu.GWKx5LooABbr5XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEzZ2gzbHM2BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkA0Y4NjBfMTA2/SIG=11qthibef/EXP=1260354838/**http%3a//www.partnershipborderstudy.com/) website. It's chocked full of information and maps and such.

Forgive my ignorance on the Woodward light rail line. I realize that $125m is coming from private funds...but are these straight up donations, purely philanthropical? Do the donors get repaid by tax increments? Do they own a lot of property along the route and stand to benefit from it?

The word is -- though at the moment its just guess work since they've been so private about releasing any kind of information -- is that the companies will essentially get the advertise on the trains and at the stations. If this is correct, the "donations" are essentially ad dollars. Oh, and a few of the businesses contributing are headquartered along the route. I couldn't really care less about either of these things, though, as long as the public regional authority eventually takes over the operation of the system as has always been planned.

Well to be fair, no amount of advertising along the streetcar line would be valued at $125 million. This is clearly a philanthropic venture among Detroit's business leaders. None of these people will ever see a direct return on their investment. It's definitely a "gift" to the city.;)

Besides, I think the point is that they won't earn money from ad revenue, but would rather have the various stations themed around their particular local interest. For example, it wouldn't be called the Campus Martius station; it would be called the Compuware station. It wouldn't be called the Midtown station; it would be called the Detroit Medical Center station.

thanks and good luck, sounds exciting!

Besides, I think the point is that they won't earn money from ad revenue, but would rather have the various stations themed around their particular local interest. For example, it wouldn't be called the Campus Martius station; it would be called the Compuware station. It wouldn't be called the Midtown station; it would be called the Detroit Medical Center station.

That was really my point, but perhaps describing it as an advertisement transaction wasn't the best description of the setup. Though, when you "theme" a station, that is pretty basic advertising. The point is that this is more than some philanthropic outpouring; businesses don't ever do (or rarely ever) anything good without there being at least some inkling that they'll get some kind of return, whether it is direct or indirect, and especially when it's something as expensive and complicated as a transit line.

Of course they're going to benefit from this, but it's not like they're doing this for the money. None of these investors will ever see their money back, let alone any sort of return on their investment. I honestly don't care that a station will be called the Compuware Station if it means the city will finally have a streetcar system...

I'm with you on that last point. They could call one of the stations "Little Caesars® Presents Pizza! Pizza! Station" for all I care, and plaster it with full-length posters. lol Really, just get this damned thing built, already.

BTW, not trying to hijack the thread, but we're in the third phase of our four-phase transit study here in Lansing to select whether the Michigan/Grand River Avenue corridor (CATA Lansing Route #1) will eventually develop BRT, a streetcar line, or LRT. We'll be picking our Locally Preferred Alternative (to the current bus route) come this summer. Hopefully, the process won't just end, there, and CATA will get on going before the voters to make a case for it.

It would be nice. Maybe we'll eventually see a light rail system in four of Michigan's major cities (Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Ann Arbor.)

I was really disappointed to here that Grand Rapds voters voted against a millage increase for the Silver Line BRT last May. I hope about time we come up on the point of voting for such a thing that transit upgrades will be more well received. CATA had its first millage defeat in its 37-year history back in 2007 (51% no/ 49 yes), which turned out to be a fluke as CATA got a millage passed overwhelmingly the next year. Either way, it shows that these agencies really have to be proactive and sell these millages if they want them to pass.

BTW, will M1RAIL ever create a website? lol The thing is about to start construction, this summer, and we still don't have much info on it.

Also, for anyone interested in the regional mass transit plan proposed for Detroit, here are some small maps (can't find the larger ones):

http://www.corpmagazine.com/Portals/0/Articles/Trolly/Fig5.jpg
2012

http://www.corpmagazine.com/Portals/0/Articles/Trolly/Fig1.jpg
2025

Green is arteial rapid transit (ART). I can't exactly remember what this is, but I think it's just better scheduled existing buses. Blue is bus rapid transit (BRT), and red is light rail.

Wish that map was a little bit bigger.... No mention of the people mover on there? Has there been any talk of expanding it? (PM) Hopefully the Woodward line gets put on top priority and they can extend that line far before 2025. They should already be planning more lines by then

The people mover will never be expanded, or at least not beyond the immediate downtown area. The only option would be to retrofit it for LRT and have a "ramp" up to the loop from key spots along the route (i.e. Woodward, Michigan, Jefferson, etc.)

Extending the line beyond the fairgrounds will depend greatly on how quickly they get a regional authority up and running. Without the regional authority, I can see maybe Ferndale opting into DDOT or paying some kind of fee to get the line up to 9 Mile, but I can't see the communities in the gap between Royal Oak and Ferndale signing onto anything. That's why he creation of a regional authority (without and opt-out option) is critical. Hell, SMART is having a hard time keeping the communities it has in its system, let alone growing the system. We need to take individual communities out of the process and have this decided on a county basis.

Hud, do you know if Macomb already decides SMART funding on a county-wide basis? I saw a map recently, and I don't remember seeing any "empty" spaces on the map, meaning no community has opted out and it got me to thinking whether or not they decide to stay in on a county-wide basis.

Yeah, the PM ain't going anywhere, and that's not really a bad thing, if you ask me. Let it work as a downtown loop circulator, and perhaps find a way to connect it (within downtown) to the light rail spokes when those get up and running.

Macomb County passed a county-wide initiative a while ago. It's the only county that has done so. Even Wayne County communities have the option to opt-out which is ridiculous. Oakland County just voted on creating a similar funding system to Macomb County, but that didn't pass.

I've always been kind of surprised how much is decided at the county level over in Macomb County, the county government, up until they chartered, which was the least centralized of the tri-counties.

I think the biggest thing is that the vast majority of Macomb County residents live in the lower 1/3 of the county. Unlike Oakland County where there's a ton of low-density rural and exurban development, with Macomb County the development is more urban and more conducive to public transit.

A few more questions on the Woodward line:
- where is the operating funds coming from and who will be operating it?
- what's the timeline?
- is there a website that has a lot more information on this? I can't seem to find anything.

Thanks!

Initially the line will be owned and operated by the private group. Eventually it will be turned over to whatever regional transit authority is created to replace DDOT and SMART.

As far as the timeline is concerned, construction is set for this summer with a completion date sometime in 2011 or 2012.

There is a website (Woodward Light Rail (http://www.woodwardlightrail.com/Home.html)), but it has't been updated in months. A week or two ago I emailed them about the lack of updating it, and they said they are launching a brand new upgrade next month. That said, the website contains an extensive list of documents and maps, so it'll show you everything you need to know.

For a more extensive (and more recently updated) website showing ALL of the rail and mass transit projects currently in the works in Metro Detroit try Detroit Transportation Riders United (TRU) (http://www.detroittransit.org/). There, you'll see updates on the SEMCOG commuter rail being planned between Detroit and Ann Arbor, Woodward Light Rail, The Wally (a commuter rail project between Ann Arbor an exurban Livingston County), etc...Here (http://www.detroittransit.org/cms.php?pageid=28) is the specific page on those projects at the TRU website.

BTW, here are some preliminary concepts for the stations and such. There are a huge amount of local architects, engineering firms, and such brainstorming ideas for this that M1 has retained:

http://www.constructwo.com/images/lightrail5_r3_c5.gif
construcTWO LLC

http://www.constructwo.com/images/lightrail2_r5_c4.gif
construcTWO LLC

http://www.constructwo.com/images/lightrail4_r5_c4.gif
construcTWO LLC

SEMCOG Commuter Rail

6yzvCSvM71E

Woodward Light Rail

dO2-IKM9Jpo

New life for Warren and its Arsenal
1,800 jobs could be a big boost for beleaguered city

A new building going up? It's not a common sight these days in southeastern Michigan.

But the work being done off Mound Road near I-696 on the grounds of the Detroit Arsenal in Warren represents more than just new construction. It means as many as 1,800 jobs by September 2011, most of them expected to be new hires making about $60,000 a year on average

These are military jobs, to be filled mostly by civilian logistical experts and engineers, providing support to U.S. soldiers and helping to develop and maintain the ground vehicles and weapons they use.

Warren Mayor Jim Fouts said it's a godsend in his city, where unemployment is more than 20%.

From Mound Road, the Detroit Arsenal's skyline already is changing -- with the first phase of an eight-story, 230,000-square-foot administrative building under way. But that building, with space enough for 1,100 TACOM personnel, is only part of the project. About $69 million will be spent on the administrative building, a new parking garage, plus another small office space and a fourth building that's being refurbished.

Another $8.3 million -- included in this latest military construction budget -- will go toward a new weapons system support and training facility.

The opportunities have moved into the private sector as well. General Dynamics' Land Systems division in Sterling Heights is the prime contractor on a $514-million deal for the new Stryker armored vehicle, and BAE Systems broke ground in the fall on a 200,000-square-foot building in Sterling Heights for an estimated 600-person force working mostly in its combat systems units.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100118/NEWS04/1180317/?imw=Y

Hi guys! I updated my thread "Detroit - Carros, Música, Decadência Urbana e Skyscrapers" (Detroit - Cars, Music, Urban Decay and Skyscrapers), in the Brazilian Forum with some shots of Google Earth 3D:


Recentemente o Google Earth atualizou o conjunto 3D de Detroit e eu selecionei alguns shots:

1.
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/9471/gedetroit1.jpg (http://img39.imageshack.us/i/gedetroit1.jpg/)

2.
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/4060/gedetroit2.jpg (http://img194.imageshack.us/i/gedetroit2.jpg/)

3.
http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/5273/gedetroit3.jpg (http://img109.imageshack.us/i/gedetroit3.jpg/)

4.
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/3720/gedetroit4.jpg (http://img62.imageshack.us/i/gedetroit4.jpg/)

5.
http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/7565/gedetroit5.jpg (http://img109.imageshack.us/i/gedetroit5.jpg/)

6.
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/7194/gedetroit6.jpg (http://img195.imageshack.us/i/gedetroit6.jpg/)

7.
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/320/gedetroit7.jpg (http://img194.imageshack.us/i/gedetroit7.jpg/)

8.
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/5980/gedetroit8.jpg (http://img195.imageshack.us/i/gedetroit8.jpg/)

9.
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/6153/gedetroit9.jpg (http://img195.imageshack.us/i/gedetroit9.jpg/)

10.
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/2392/gedetroit10.jpg (http://img195.imageshack.us/i/gedetroit10.jpg/)

If you wanna do any comments in the thread, you can post in English, no problem.

Wow. At first glance, this one looks very realistic.;)
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/4060/gedetroit2.jpg

Those 3d shots look like the graphics on my PSP! Pretty coool tho....


Ann Arbor to Detroit commuter rail!!! HELL YEA!

Does anyone know how downtown's population has fluxuated over the past 10 years? What about residential prices / square foot? It would be nice for some of those old office buildings to turn residential.

There has been a lot of residential development in the CBD, but I'm not sure if it has added much more than a thousand or so people to the downtown area. I would guess that the vast majority of downtown housing has two people or less.

Well, the population the census had for the two downtown Census tracts was something like 6,100 back in 2000. A specialized study of downtown covering the first half of the decade found the population to be 6,500. But, that was taken before the entry of some really sizeable mixed-use projects on the scene like the Book-Cadillac and the Fort Shelby. The report had found that a little over 1,200 units had been added to the immediate downtown area over that time period.

Of the 6,500, 42% lived alone, which means the majority lived with at least one other person, be they a spouse/partner, roomate, or child(ren). The report also found that 83% had a bachelor's degree or higher.

So, I guess someone could do the math and extrapolate a worst-case secnario for what we can expect in 2010. It'd seem that at the very worst that the district is still going to post measurabe growth in population, education, and wealth, less so than Midtown, but still growing in every category.

I would be surprised if it was any more than 7,500 in 2010. I'll guess 7,200.

I don't imagine it'll be much over that, either, but that'd still be solid, modest population growth.

I'm still waiting for the day when there are 10,000 people in the CBD and over 100,000 people in Midtown.;)

I don't know if this was on tv before, but the other day on PBS Detroit, a program aired called 'Blueprint America: Beyond the Motor City'. It explains how Detroit has no rapid transit system and what is being done to fix it. It also talks about the potential for Detroit to become a 'green' city in the future. Here is the link to watch it for yourselves. In my opinion, I believe that it's very interesting! :)

http://video.pbs.org/video/1409024983/#

I'd love to see Motown get a rapid. If they could bring it a little south and make some sort of bus connection with Comerica/Ford Field Id definatly come up to see more games. I love the RTA in Cleveland it saves me a few miles of drivin thru heavier downtown trafic and i dont have to pay to park.....

A Rapid and the Woodward project would definatly be beneficial to your city lets get it rollin

I'd love to see Motown get a rapid. If they could bring it a little south and make some sort of bus connection with Comerica/Ford Field Id definatly come up to see more games. I love the RTA in Cleveland it saves me a few miles of drivin thru heavier downtown trafic and i dont have to pay to park.....

A Rapid and the Woodward project would definatly be beneficial to your city lets get it rollin

Well at the end of the video, it says the first phase of construction of the Light Rail project is set to begin in late 2010. So lets keep our fingers crossed that it happens!!!!!!!

GREAT VIDEO!!!!! Everyone should take the time to watch it!

Wondeful video. I've been looking for a comprehensive story of Detroit for a looong time now, and this video hit the mark. I'm very excited about the optimistic tone of the video, and hope that half the things mentioned in the video get done in order to turn the city around.

I'd love to see Motown get a rapid. If they could bring it a little south and make some sort of bus connection with Comerica/Ford Field Id definatly come up to see more games. I love the RTA in Cleveland it saves me a few miles of drivin thru heavier downtown trafic and i dont have to pay to park.....

A Rapid and the Woodward project would definatly be beneficial to your city lets get it rollin

Out of curiosity, did you not see my post on rail on the last page? I posted videos and everything; in fact, it was just a few post down from your January 10th posting on the last page. I'm not sure why you hope that they'll "bring it a little further south". The current line will stretch from the heart of downtown to New Center along Woodward. The line is to break ground this spring or summer.

I was talking about if Detroit got a new rapid.... not the Woodward project. I thought they 2 were different things.

I'm not sure what your definition of "rapid" is, and what you mean by "new"; all of this is new. You've got the streetcar that's to go from downtown to New Center and a light rail from New Center up to the Fairgrounds. The former will begin construction, this year, and the latter is will be finishing up its required federal environmental assessments very soon.

The video made it sound like there was another project other than the woodward one that could be happening soon.... I was hoping for Detroit to also get along with the Woodward a "rapid" like what cleveland has. I was hoping it would come south a lil toward Toledo so I can drive up 75 and not have to go all the way to downtown and then pay for parking at a game....

Clevelands rapid goes as far west as Hopkins Airport... Its about 8 miles or so west of Downtown Cleveland. There rapid (if you arent firmiliar) takes you downtown to Tower City Center then there is a walk way to Progressive Field/Quicken Loans arena. I use clevelands rapid everytime I go to a game which is 2-3 times a year. I go to Detroit maybe every other year for a game. If they had a rapid like Clevelands Id definatly up that to atleast 2 games a year. And possibly make more casino tripd depending on how late the reains would run

Ok, you're talking rapid as in heavy, grade-seperated, commuter-type rail.

Anyway, again, there is a street-car line from downtown to New Center that is to start construction in a few months, a more conventional ligh-rail line from New Center to the fairgrounds to start construction soon after that (still this year, I think). A heavy rail commuter line between Ann Arbor and Detroit is to start limited operation in October of this year. All in all, there should be construction starts or actual service for three different mass and rapid transit projects in Detroit, this year.

Yeah, like the Ann Arbor line, I would hope the area would try and connect itself to Toledo, soon, too. Toledo is decidedly further away than Ann Arbor (a good 20 miles), and there is much less development between the two than Ann Arbor and Detroit whose sprawl basically connects, but Toledo is a much larger market and well worth an expansion of transit.

I think there needs to be commuter rail to Port Huron, Flint, Lansing, Jackson (via Ann Arbor), Adrian, and Toledo. Hopefully the Ann Arbor-Detroit connection is only the beginning.

I don't know if this was on tv before, but the other day on PBS Detroit, a program aired called 'Blueprint America: Beyond the Motor City'. It explains how Detroit has no rapid transit system and what is being done to fix it. It also talks about the potential for Detroit to become a 'green' city in the future. Here is the link to watch it for yourselves. In my opinion, I believe that it's very interesting! :)

http://video.pbs.org/video/1409024983/#

Ha, I was about to post this video link for you guys good thing I found your post!

I would I guess post this link to this transit website I found it has great maps and information about all types of transit projects in this country whether already constructed or in planning stages. This article points out that although these transit improvements are great they will probably not by themselves bring the revitalization to the city that many hope.



Detroit Stakes its Hopes for Renaissance on Transit, but it has Bigger Hurdles Ahead
http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2010/02/08/detroit-stakes-its-hopes-for-renaissance-on-transit-but-it-has-bigger-hurdles-ahead/

Detroit’s half-dead nature has captured the nation’s attention over the past year. Though the whole country continues to suffer from the recession, the emptying of Michigan’s largest city is notable to the degree that its fate seems practically irredeemable: Given its economic, social, and political position, how can the city survive?

Municipal leaders and pundits from around the country are convinced that a concerted planning effort and major investments could to free it from its doldrums. The plan that has commanded the most attention recently is a regional transportation project that would begin with a light rail line down Woodward Boulevard and then extend into a triangular network of bus rapid transit corridors. These would converge on a new high-speed service with direct trains to Chicago.

In a series running tonight, PBS is promoting the decidedly optimistic view that Detroit would be able to capitalize massively on new transit and proceed to rebuild the city around regenerated corridors. Higher-density residential and commercial development would allow the city to reduce per capita spending on essential services like road maintenance and sewers, which require huge expenditures because of the sprawled and vacant condition of much of the city. Detroit would reconstruct itself based on a major piece of infrastructure.

But that vision, as promising as it may be to transit promoters, is no panacea; Detroit will continue to suffer from job and residential loss even with a rail line. The project will only fulfill its promise if the city receives far more investment from exterior sources and if it develops a strong vision for its future.

Transit and development

Much of the discussion about the potential for public transportation to spur Detroit’s renaissance is premised on the idea that well-designed transit can be an effective tool for encouraging development. This is one of the primary reasons why many cities push for light rail or streetcars instead of often-cheaper variants of bus rapid transit. It is assumed that the permanent investment made manifest in the construction of a rail line — the tracks aren’t going anywhere, while bus service could theoretically change routing at any moment — will persuade the private sector to invest in dense new residential and commercial developments around station zones.

And indeed, there is plenty of evidence that new rail lines in the United States have been fantastic mediums for growth, in inner cities and in suburban transit zones.

But that kind of new construction usually only comes when there is sufficient demand for transit-oriented lifestyles. And there will only be such a market when three provisions are met: land in the urban core and in transit corridors must be already relatively well-developed and with low vacancy rates; there must sufficient neighborhood amenities to which residents can walk (or at least the promise of them arriving); and transit must provide a reasonable commute to and from workplaces and destinations of metropolitan reach.

These conditions can be met by some sections of a transit line and not others.

Detroit, even after years of decline, has been able to maintain about 200,000 jobs in the downtown area, thanks to the presence of several large institutions like General Motors, Compuware, and Wayne State University and Medical Center. People living along the Woodward Avenue light rail line would have good access to a large jobs market within easy reach of transit. They would also have direct service to several of downtown’s entertainment districts.

But would there be a strong enough incentive for the construction of new multi-family residences and office buildings along the transit line for the project to have been worth the initial investment in terms of spin-off development? Developers typically have little profit motive in constructing medium-to-high density apartment complexes for people who are not members of the upper-middle or upper classes unless government or non-profit entities provide subsidies to house people of lesser means. That means there must be adequate wealth in the market to make dense urban neighborhoods possible.

But Detroit’s population, which is one of the poorest of any municipality in the country (50% of the city’s children live in poverty), hardly fits the mold developers hope to attract. Nor does the city have much money to spend on subsidizing affordable housing.

Evidence from many American cities that have built light rail suggest that while the transit mode can focus activity around stations in areas where there is a market, it is less productive in generating development in poor neighborhoods as a direct consequence of the lack of developer interest. In cities where demand for more urban living is less strong in general relative to the overall market, there will inevitably be less construction produced, and whole sections of disinterested neighborhoods will remain in their decrepit state, with or without rail transit.

Similarly, there is so much vacant land in Detroit (note the photograph above, just three blocks from the downtown core and one block from a proposed Woodward Avenue light rail station) that even people who do want to live in the urban center won’t have much of a motivation to inhabit high-density buildings. An estimated 40 of the city’s 139 square miles are empty — that’s more land than the entire city of Miami. This means land prices are incredibly cheap and it is often less expensive to build transit-unfriendly single family homes from scratch than to buy an apartment in a multi-story building, which is usually more expensive to build per unit than a suburban house because of the former’s more sturdy construction. Even if there is a market for dense living, most investment will occur in the city’s downtown, which has dozens of vacant high-rises waiting for renovations, not further out along Woodward Avenue.

High-density construction only makes sense to developers when land prices are high: there’s a reason one rarely sees an office tower in the middle of a corn field.

Detroit also suffers from a tremendous dearth of even the most basic neighborhood amenities. In 2003, the city of 900,000 inhabitants had only five grocery stores (none of which was owned by a major chain) with more than 20,000 square feet — the standard size of a modern supermarket. Based on its population, it could support 40, but no one’s building. How can people be expected to live a walking lifestyle when they have a difficult time buying food?

Who, exactly, will choose or be able to afford to live in the thousands of new apartments adjacent to light rail stations? Detroit fits only two of the three conditions absolutely necessary for developers to be attracted to constructing new buildings on a large scale.

Prerequisites for spending on rapid transit

The construction of dense urban developments and the creation of successful transit lines go hand-in-hand: one doesn’t work without the other. But some Detroit planners argue that the primary motivation in creating improved public transportation is to improve the mobility of the city’s car-less citizens, who make up one-third of the population. Quite ironic for the so-called Motor City.

This logic, in fact, is just as meaningful as a development-oriented one, because it serves the purpose of improving social equity. If people can’t get around very easily, their poverty will only be entrenched.

Yet if the primary goal of a transportation system is to serve the needs of the poor in a city like Detroit, light rail isn’t necessarily the right answer. There are some major advantages to trains, namely that they can operate in their own rights-of-way and that they can provide large transport capacity. Cities that are spending hundreds of millions of dollars in new transit should focus on their most dense, congested corridors.

It is undoubtedly true that Woodward Avenue is the region’s premier street, so it should be first in line in receiving light rail. It is also true that the 3.4-mile corridor from Hart Plaza to New Center proposed for the initial investment by private group M1-Rail is reasonably dense, though as shown in the image above, many lots just off the corridor are completely deserted. The proposed city-funded extension from New Center to Eight Mile, however, is entirely suburban in nature, with single-family homes and auto-oriented retail making up most of the landscape. It’s hard to see how this line would attract significant enough patronage to warrant a rail investment.

Meanwhile, if good transit is also reasonably fast compared to cars, the relative lack of traffic on Woodward and parallel highways even at rush hour suggests that buses operating in much cheaper segregated lanes could be just as quick as light rail. Congestion is the best way to encourage people of all income groups to jump onto transit, but Detroit has so many freeways in its urban core that the day when traffic becomes a problem may never come.

If the city’s goal if to relieve the commuting pain of car-less citizens, it could save a lot of money by spending on a larger number of bus corridors instead of one rail line — if capital funds could be transferred to operations, since most bus spending is in the latter category. If it did so, Detroit would have better access for a larger percentage of the city’s spread-out citizenry. This would be the most direct approach to achieving more equitable transportation for the city’s most impoverished.

Growth is necessary, not optional — but it’s only possible with a game plan

Nevertheless, the city’s leaders seem intent on investing in the light rail line, and you can’t blame them, since it will provide a signature symbol of the city’s efforts to resurrect itself. The project, however, will not be successful in attracting large number of patrons nor in spurring significant amounts of spin-off development unless the city stems the mass exodus that has been a fact of life for Motown since the 1950s.

The rail line, it should be emphasized, will not be the magic bullet that makes that possible.

Indeed, there are only two realistic ways to ensure satisfactory use of the transit line and spark affiliated surrounding development: Either there must be population and job growth city-wide, including in the transit zones, or there must be population and job growth in the transit zones, to the detriment of other areas of the city. Because of Detroit’s history, the lackluster state of the automobile industry, and little evidence of a significant nationwide interest in moving to Michigan, the former seems unlikely to pan out.

So the city must endeavor to encourage movement of citizens and businesses into the transit zone. If the city goes about following the status quo, it will build a little-used light rail line surrounded by a lot of vacant land, and foster only minor development. Artist collectives and urban farming will spring up, but these will be but minor counterpoints to a continued narrative of citywide decline. It’s hard to see how a transit system in this situation will provide the stimulus to reverse the city’s course.

On the other hand, Detroit could pursue a radical change of direction in which it closes off sections of the city to housing and compels to move into newly built housing along transit corridors and in the downtown core — basically, artificially altering the city limits to the exclusion of most of the city’s residents. This approach, which would require making it illegal to build or even live in many areas of the metropolis, would increase land prices substantially near transit stations. It would only be possible, however, with enormous subsidies from the state and federal governments to pay for the construction of tens of thousands of affordable housing units. People would have to be implored to stay in the city despite being kicked from their homes.

Because of the cost of such a strategy and the political infeasibility of shuttering whole neighborhoods, such focused growth seems unlikely to occur. But without a well-planned reconfiguration of the city’s built form, Detroit may have difficulty surviving.

Hope persists

Though Detroit is unlikely to advance a complete rethinking of the city’s workings, the cancer that plagues it is not yet irreversible. The municipality’s best hope is in employment growth: if it is able to attract thousands of new jobs downtown and along the light rail line, it could create a dense urban center strong enough to justify the investment in light rail and big enough to attract a growing residential population. These new jobs, of course, will only be made possible with huge government aid; the private sector is not exactly banging down the door of city hall, with companies continuing to eliminate jobs nationwide.

However unlikely any help from Lansing or Washington may be, Detroit’s future may well rest on it. A light rail line would then be little more than icing on the cake, a complement to government-sponsored job growth if things go well, or a last gasp if the city’s fate expires.

I think the article kind of misses the point. I don't know anyone that thinks rail is a cure-all. What we do realize is that nothing else the city is doing and can do can even hope to be successful in a meaningful way without it. In other words, rail is the unifying factor in more ways than just the physical; it ties together all of the region's other economic development efforts.

Yes, Detroit has other hurdles down the road, but it can't even begin to address most of them until it does something about regional interconnectivity, and that can start in a big way with a regional mass transit system. The problem with economic development in the region in the last decades is that it's been piecemeal because it's had to be because of lack of regional mass transit. For instance, Compuware was a great land, but if it's not connected to anything but its immediate and if you have to build build blocks-long parking garages for every major new office tenant, downtown, it's just a isolated drop in the bucket and not really development at all.

I think what he tries to point out in the article is that Detroit is too spread out and that these transit projects might work if the are able to condense the city around it (leaving out those vacant lots) and more importantly build Transit oriented developments around the new transit system.

BTW it seems the mayor actually wants to condense the city too!!

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http://www.detnews.com/article/20100211/METRO/2110476/Mayor-Bing-embraces-downsizing-city
Mayor Bing embraces downsizing city

Leonard N. Fleming / The Detroit News

Detroit --Mayor Dave Bing said today his troubled city could have a bright future if it properly downsizes, markets its positives and find ways to re-create vibrant, safe communities to attract new growth.

"Without a doubt, we've got to downsize the city," Bing said of the city's shrinking population.

He said the city needs to "market our strengths" such as the casinos and the Detroit River.

Bing made the statements at a Time magazine and Brookings Institute-sponsored forum titled "Reimaging Detroit: Making Washington A Partner in Detroit's Next Economy." The event was at the Alfred Taubman Center in the College of Creative Studies near downtown.

Other forum participants were John Austin, senior fellow at the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program; Carol Goss, president and CEO of the Skillman Foundation and Steve Hamp, chairman of the New Economy Initiative.

The mayor also said:

• He's not seeking control, but he wouldn't turn away running the troubled Detroit Public Schools if the state Legislature granted control to the mayor.

• The city needs more federal dollars to survive and help jumpstart transportation projects, clean blight and address illiteracy rates among children and adults.

• Crucial city services like fire, police and garbage pickup will be maintained; others could be changed or privatized.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100211/METRO/2110476/Mayor-Bing-embraces-downsizing-city#ixzz0fd3r9XLb

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I'm all for down-sizing, but even in its declined state, Detroit's neighborhoods (even the emptied out ones) have a greater population density than most of the lines recently built through sprawl/sunbelt city's. It's not imperative to downsize to make transit work, though, it's still something that needs to be done. This is not to mention nodes of activity can often mean more than population to how successful a transit system can be.

http://toledoblade.com/article/20100219/COLUMNIST17/2190325/0/LOG04

article talking about the new canada crossing..... probly nothing new to you guys but I figured I'd post it

Hummus enthusiast from Virginia makes Detroit/Dearborn tribute video:

nIybz6axr1Q

I don't get how this Woodward rail will work. If the train is barreling down Woodward, is there a way to stop cross traffic? The train isn't going to stop for traffic lights is it? Also if it's running down the center of Woodward, can you make left turns on Woodward? You'd have to look behind you to make sure you won't get pummeled by a train.

Read up on how this works in every other major city in America and around the world. This isn't new, and it isn't rocket science. These seem to me to be typical Michigan questions and concerns, and it just shows how far behind the times we are.

Read up on how this works in every other major city in America and around the world. This isn't new, and it isn't rocket science. These seem to me to be typical Michigan questions and concerns, and it just shows how far behind the times we are.

I was more concerned on how it will work in Detroit. Haven't found many cities whose light rail runs down the center of a major thoroughfare. I guess I'll figure it out when it's done.

Check out Houston or Baltimore's light rail. Not sure of the exact setup of each, but I'm pretty sure both run in mixed traffic through much of their routes.

Check out Houston or Baltimore's light rail. Not sure of the exact setup of each, but I'm pretty sure both run in mixed traffic through much of their routes.

It appears the Baltimore one stops at traffic lights. I guess I don't get how this is better than a bus. I still don't know how left turns will work with a train in the middle of the road. For some reason I see accidents waiting to happen.

Often times the lights are timed for the trains, meaning that as the train approaches a particular intersection the light changes from red to green. It's sort of like driving down Telegraph Rd. The lights are all timed so that you never have to wait for a red light.

If you want a great example, check out Boston's Green Line:

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I figured it would have to be timed somehow or else it would be useless. I take it you can't make lefts onto Woodward unless at a main road?

I wouldn't mind one going up Gratiot then I can drink at Tiger games and don't have to be the designated driver. Then again I don't want to walk from Gratiot to my house at night.

If you drive down Grand River and some of the other major spoke roads, you'll notice a lot of "no left turn" areas that make no sense. That's a remnant of the street-car era. If the Woodward light rail is constructed, chances are that you'll only see "left" turns every half mile or so.

Bing confident in rail plan
Mayor predicts work will begin by year-end; federal aid sought
http://www.freep.com/article/20100305/BUSINESS06/3050374/1322/Bing-confident-in-rail-plan

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing said Thursday he believes groundbreaking on the first segment of light rail along Woodward Avenue could start by year's end and signaled confidence that metro Detroit leaders will win support from the federal government for millions in aid.

Bing said the city has been in constant contact with the Federal Transit Administration and that agency officials have made visits to Detroit to assess the proposed plans for light rail connecting Hart Plaza with New Center and, later, 8 Mile Road.

"They're very committed to helping us, not only with the financing of the light-rail system going up Woodward Avenue, but also really getting involved in terms of the design" of the project, Bing said. "I'm hopeful that by the end of this year, sometime in the last quarter of this year, we will be shovel-ready" and construction activity could start.

Bing made the remarks before 900 civic and business leaders gathered at the Renaissance Center for the annual meeting of Downtown Detroit Partnership, a civic group.

M-1 Rail, the first 3.4-mile section of the rail line, has been largely funded with private investment from the Kresge Foundation, Detroit's Downtown Development Authority and business leaders including the Ilitch family, Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert and Compuware Chairman Peter Karmanos Jr.

Matt Cullen, CEO of M-1 Rail, cautioned that there is still an element of fragility in the plans. Federal officials, for one, have indicated they want assurances that both the privately funded portion and a separate plan by the city to extend the line north to 8 Mile, a project that could cost $400 million, are coordinated. It's also still not determined how a recently announced $25-million federal grant for the M-1 project may be spent.

Transit was a main topic at the luncheon, with supporters urging strong support of the first steps in what ultimately would be a coordinated system of light rail, commuter trains and high-speed buses spanning metro Detroit, costing $10.5 billion and taking 25 years to build. It's envisioned as an economic booster that would spur development along transit lines.

Meanwhile, Cullen announced that M-1 Rail's Web site is now operating at www.m1-rail.com.

That website has it running down each side. What happens when someone parks their car on the tracks? I've seen numerous times people parking in a lane of traffic on 8 Mile, so I don't doubt someone is going to park on the tracks.

It's actually running in the 2nd lane from the curb. The first lane is for parking only. Granted, I think it's stupid to have it there. I'd rather it be in the center of the road.

BTW, the stretch north of Grand Blvd is going to run along the center of the road separated from the rest of the traffic as in LRT. The stretch south of Grand Blvd is going to run in the 2nd lane from the curb and will travel with the rest of the traffic as in a streetcar. Originally the idea was that they would be two separate systems with a commuter having to transfer at the New Center Intermodal Station. I think they have since merged the two systems to allow the trains to go from the center toward the outer lanes at Grand Blvd, effectively allowing commuters to go from the State Fairgrounds to at least Grand Circus Park.

If the city is to be downsized, then shouldn't all the neighbourhoods in the city get rebuilt and more parks and greenspace to be developed.

Huh?

If the city is to be downsized, then shouldn't all the neighbourhoods in the city get rebuilt and more parks and greenspace to be developed.

Do you think that all of Detroit's neighborhoods have a significant amount of abandonment? While it is often quoted that 40 sq. mi. of the city is vacant/abandoned properties, (that's about 28% of the total city area) the reality is that most of that land is in a select few areas. The Lower East Side in particular is by far the most abandoned area of the city. The Near West Side, though smaller also has a very high vacancy rate. I'm sure those two areas in particular account for over half of the vacant/abandoned property in the city, with much of the rest being industrial in nature.

Most of Detroit's neighborhoods are actually fairly nice, at least as far as asthetics are concerned. Northwest Detroit in particular has one of the largest middle-class African American populations in the world. The area bounded by 8 Mile, Woodward, McNichols, and Telegraph is about 16 sq. mi. in area. While there are a few sketchy neighborhoods within that area of the city, the vast majority of the housing ranges from well-maintained modest brick bungalows to some of the largest pre-war mansions you'll find in any urban area.

Google has streetviews of that entire area. Take a look at any random street within those boundaries. Here are a few to get you started:

While the vast majority of the housing is brick, there are several neighborhoods with vinyl/aluminum siding:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4413010996_62aa021c52_o.jpg

This is about as bad as it gets in the entire 16 sq. mi. area:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2778/4413011040_a8216063b5_o.jpg

Bungalows like these are the most common housing style:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4412242687_8c36cf9846_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2770/4413010758_fbf01e2d6a_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4413010976_63f4a1daa5_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4413011070_6164f40330_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4413010628_d5a4b042d5_o.jpg

Early bungalows can be found toward the southern portion of the area:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4413010818_442f309a3a_o.jpg

The further west you go, the more common ranches become:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2798/4412242599_76deb54336_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4412242635_58fa55f445_o.jpg

Colonials are also fairly common, especially towards the eastern portion of the area:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2778/4412242727_bd45929399_o.jpg

A lot of Detroit's housing is built in an English Tudor style:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4413010946_09b484b4eb_o.jpg

Many of the neighborhoods were built for upper-middle class professionals:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2755/4412242837_6757aa234d_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2755/4412242915_bb2fd5a5e5_o.jpg

There are even a few neighborhoods built for some of the wealthiest people in the world at the time:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2736/4413010900_5ca3cd6d2c_o.jpg

What is the deal with the fair grounds now? Is The Shoppes at Gateway Park still a go? I imagine if and when this rail gets extended to 8 Mile, it could help retail development at 8 and Woodward. I live by Eastland and Eastland is struggling.

As far as I know, they are doing site work there right now. I'm sure construction will start in the spring/summer. My guess is that the shops will start opening later this year or early next year.

Has Detroit started doing all of the federally required environmental review documentation for the portions of the planned rail transit for which they think they will be getting federal dollars? They won't necessarily need to do environmental review for a transit project that is being funded with non-federal dollars -- but, if they want some federal transit dollars eventually for connected expansions -- they'll need to have their environmental impact studies completed before they can get any.

They are doing the studies now, I believe.

The Record of Decision (ROD) for the Environmental Impact Study for the DTOGS plan (the publically-developed plan) is to be completed by spring. So yeah, that part is well out of the way. It began in September of 2008. Parson's
Brinckerhoff is doing the work if you're interested to know who is doing the study.

I've written the public project about updating its website. They informed me back in December that it'd updated no later than February, but that has come and went and they haven't answered any of my emails since. At least as far as keeping the public updated about the current plan, they've really dropped the ball. The Woodward Light Rail website hasn't been updated since 2008, I believe.

I have been hearing things about a Marriott Hotel coming to the Wayne State Area. Can anyone confirm this?

I'd heard nothing, but that'd be awesome. That area could definitely support a small hotel. Though, I do wonder how much of that crowd that needs to visit WSU use the Motor City, now.

Hey, what do you guys think of the DMC? Is that a place you would go to get treated? How do you see the DMC vs Henry Ford or Oakwood?

It really depends on what you're going to be treated for. Are we talking emergency care, primary care, specialty services...? Regardless, just because of its sheer size, the DMC has a number of nationally-known hospitals to choose from for different things.

Nice pictures of neighborhoods - above. Its hard to show the positive aspects of Detroit though when there are stories like this being told around the world:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/mar/10/detroit-motor-city-urban-decline

Wow... And you wonder where people pick up all of the negative stereotypes of the city...

I saw on a WTOL Mobile site(Toledo news) that the Pistons are looking to sell the team and the Mayor wants to bring them back downtown to share a venue with the Redwings whose lease at Joe Louis is almost up....

I saw on a WTOL Mobile site(Toledo news) that the Pistons are looking to sell the team and the Mayor wants to bring them back downtown to share a venue with the Redwings whose lease at Joe Louis is almost up....

Did you also read L Brooks Patterson's response? He accused Bing of poaching the Pistons, saying he's fighting to keep the Pistons, he's going to lure the Red Wings to Oakland county etc. So much for region unity.

Considering that a huge portion of Red Wings fans come from Downriver, and even Canada, I'd highly doubt they'd do good in Oakland County. I can't stand going to the Palace because it takes over an hour to get there with traffic and the parking fees are outrageous. I hope the Pistons are moved back downtown. Hell, I'd like to see Gilbert or Karmanos or someone buy them and make sure they get moved downtown. If that happens I'll be far more likely to attend a game or two every year.

Considering that a huge portion of Red Wings fans come from Downriver, and even Canada, I'd highly doubt they'd do good in Oakland County. I can't stand going to the Palace because it takes over an hour to get there with traffic and the parking fees are outrageous. I hope the Pistons are moved back downtown. Hell, I'd like to see Gilbert or Karmanos or someone buy them and make sure they get moved downtown. If that happens I'll be far more likely to attend a game or two every year.

There's nowhere to go out there before or after a game. The Palace is a great building. The location sucks.

Nice pictures of neighborhoods - above. Its hard to show the positive aspects of Detroit though when there are stories like this being told around the world:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/mar/10/detroit-motor-city-urban-decline


This documentary was aired last night on BBC2 and I watched with interest.
It essentially chronicled the history of Detroit, the problems that it suffered and some of the reasons for this, and what people thought the future held for the city. The documentary actually ended on quite an upbeat note detailing how Detroit could actually be the future for all cities, as a new green city, land being turned over to farmland, bulldozing certain areas to create higher density in the remaining areas, Detroit once again leading the way.

Detroit was/is a great industrial city and it, like many of the great industrial cities around the world, has suffered throughout the last few decades.
It is up to the city to reinvent itself now, to make the changes needed, hard and tough changes, changes that will upset a lot of people, but changes that are for the good of the city and its people. I hope the people in power are strong enough to make this happen.

I'll be visiting family in Windsor in 2011 and will make sure I pop over the Ambassador bridge and visit your great city. God Bless from the UK and good luck!

This documentary was aired last night on BBC2 and I watched with interest.
It essentially chronicled the history of Detroit, the problems that it suffered and some of the reasons for this, and what people thought the future held for the city. The documentary actually ended on quite an upbeat note detailing how Detroit could actually be the future for all cities, as a new green city, land being turned over to farmland, bulldozing certain areas to create higher density in the remaining areas, Detroit once again leading the way.

Detroit was/is a great industrial city and it, like many of the great industrial cities around the world, has suffered throughout the last few decades.
It is up to the city to reinvent itself now, to make the changes needed, hard and tough changes, changes that will upset a lot of people, but changes that are for the good of the city and its people. I hope the people in power are strong enough to make this happen.

I'll be visiting family in Windsor in 2011 and will make sure I pop over the Ambassador bridge and visit your great city. God Bless from the UK and good luck!

I want to see this, but the BBC site said the video is not available in my region (Toledo).

Brooks Patterson is a typical repub scum bag. Who gives a rats a what he says


Patterson encouraged Oakland County residents to buy automatic weapons, or acquire attack dogs "if they don't like guns",

F##K this guy

The Pistons absolutely need to be back in Detroit. We are past the era of suburban sports teams.

If the Pistons do come back to the D and get a new arena with the wings where would the location of the arena be? Hopefully somewhere with acess to the People Mover and Woodward Light rail project

If the Pistons do come back to the D and get a new arena with the wings where would the location of the arena be? Hopefully somewhere with acess to the People Mover and Woodward Light rail project

Probably behind the Fox Theater where Illitch owns all those properties. It would really make that area of downtown a distinct neighborhood.

It would also hopefully spur a bit of activity along Park Ave.

Nice pictures of neighborhoods - above. Its hard to show the positive aspects of Detroit though when there are stories like this being told around the world:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/mar/10/detroit-motor-city-urban-decline

It was an interesting show and was more a history of the western world in the last 100 years that simply Detroit's urban decay. Hasn't put me off going to Detroit this summer. Most UK veiwers are pragmatic. Is there a list of TV shows that are set in Detroit, e.g Hung. Robocop doesn't count...

Most shows and movies "set" in Detroit weren't filmed here, though HBO's Hung was indeed filmed in the area. Detroit has had a lot of movies filmed in the area recently, though in most cases the movies aren't "set" in Detroit.;) One film that was set and had a lot of filming in the area is Gran Torino with Clint Eastwood. Some of the action scenes in both The Island and the original Transformers were filmed here, though in both cases Detroit stood in for Los Angeles. Many of the airport scenes in Up in the Air were filmed at Metro Airport. A remake of Red Dawn was recently filmed throughout the metro area, though it won't come out until later this year.

Wonderstruck Studios, the proposed digital animation and visual effects studio, plans to locate its operations at Ford Field, Michele Richards, the California producer spearheading the project, said today.

“Ford Field is a state-of-the-art development,” Richards said. “I love that it is in the heart of the entertainment district.”

Richards first announced her plans for the studio in February 2009, when the state of Michigan approved $16.9 million in tax incentives for the project. Wonderstruck had planned to locate in the MGM Grand Detroit casino’s former building in downtown Detroit. But that deal fell through.

Wonderstruck, also known as the Detroit Center Studios, still plans to create 413 permanent jobs and utilize the state’s tax incentives, Richards said. She said the studio will feature a new production technology that doesn’t exist anywhere else.

Ford Field has a backup power generator and “a lot of the power we need to run a high-tech digital pipeline,” Richards said.

Though many people think that Ford Field is just a football stadium, it actually contains 230,000 square feet of office space that businesses can lease. Justin Turk, a development project manager for Ford Field, declined to comment today.

http://freep.com/article/20100316/BUSINESS06/100316062/1019/Digital-animation-studio-set-to-locate-at-Ford-Field

Saab Cars will invest $2.4 million to establish its new North American headquarters in Royal Oak.

Saab, recently sold by General Motors to Netherlands-based Spyker Cars, was granted a state tax break to bring 60 direct jobs to the new headquarters. Saab was granted a $1.2 million tax credit over five years from the Michigan Economic Growth Authority.

The city of Royal Oak also approved a $29,000 property tax break as an incentive to Saab.

http://freep.com/article/20100316/BUSINESS06/100316009/1002/BUSINESS/Saab-to-invest-2.4M-in-Royal-Oak-headquarters

EAST LANSING – Iraqi-born Zaha Hadid, the world’s foremost woman architect, came to Michigan State University this morning to break ground on what promises to be one of the state’s boldest works of architecture.

That project is the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum on MSU’s campus, a $45-million home for contemporary art that will open in late 2011 or early 2012.

Sharply angular, with a glass, concrete, and pleated stainless steel skin, Hadid’s design was chosen in early 2008 during a competition to craft a signature architectural destination as well as a great home for art.

The three-level, 46,000–square-foot building, to be located at the corner of Grand River Avenue and the Farm Lane campus entrance, will be adjoined by an expansive outdoor sculpture garden as an extension of the east entrance courtyard and by a large pedestrian plaza at the west entrance.

Eli Broad, an MSU alumnus, and his wife are donating $28 million of the total cost, with most of the rest raised from private donors. Broad said he was delighted to return to MSU for the groundbreaking.

“I’m an alumnus of MSU and this is a great university and it’s good to give back,” he said.

Today’s groundbreaking came almost a year after MSU had initially hoped to begin construction. Hadid’s winning design proved too expensive to build as initially planned, and it took roughly a year of additional work on the complex structure to make the design workable.

MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said the project “will be an extraordinary building by one of the world’s hottest architects of the 21st century. It will be a building for all of us.”

Now based in London, England, Hadid has won numerous international awards for her designs, yet the Broad Museum at MSU will be only her second project to be built in the United States.

Hadid said she hoped her museum design ”captures the imagination, presenting endless possibilities for exhibitions in state-of-the-art galleries and continuing Michigan State University’s reputation for excellence and innovation.”

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i104/gehrijac/bilde-1.jpg

:cheers:
hooray for world-class architecture

http://archrecord.construction.com/news/daily/archives/2010/100309broad_art_museum.asp

http://archrecord.construction.com/news/daily/archives/080115Hadid.asp

Wow --- looks like Dorothy's double wide crashed in E. Lansing. :) Just kidding -- kind of. I admire that its really way out there --- and it probably will look a little better live and in person ---- but, hmmmmmm ........ it sure is interesting. I don't hate it --- but it sure looks strange. Congrats on a new modern art museum in E. Lansing.

I'm not sure what I think about it, but that's an East Lansing project, which is a good 80 miles from Detroit...

Most shows and movies "set" in Detroit weren't filmed here, though HBO's Hung was indeed filmed in the area. Detroit has had a lot of movies filmed in the area recently, though in most cases the movies aren't "set" in Detroit.;) One film that was set and had a lot of filming in the area is Gran Torino with Clint Eastwood. Some of the action scenes in both The Island and the original Transformers were filmed here, though in both cases Detroit stood in for Los Angeles. Many of the airport scenes in Up in the Air were filmed at Metro Airport. A remake of Red Dawn was recently filmed throughout the metro area, though it won't come out until later this year.

Thanks that's interesting. Believe it or not but Croydon a suburb of London has stood in for New York City several times.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=croydon&sll=51.294559,0.222473&sspn=0.936017,2.469177&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Croydon,+Surrey,+United+Kingdom&ll=51.376013,-0.098062&spn=0.014037,0.038581&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=51.376695,-0.098711&panoid=k76ZwQjvW16ovvskjFpGFw&cbp=12,340.45,,0,-18.93

The Detroit Medical Center, Michigan’s largest health system that provides a safety net care for the poor, has signed a letter of intent to be sold to the for-profit Vanguard Health Systems of Tennessee for $417 million, the new partners announced today.

Vanguard, a company that typically takes bankrupt or near-bankrupt hospitals and turns them into for-profit facilities, plans to invest another $850 million in improvements over the next five years for the eight-hospital DMC system.

The improvements will include $500 million to expand the DMC’s aging, crowded Children’s Hospital of Michigan; double the size of the emergency department at its Sinai-Grace Hospital in northwest Detroit; renovate operating rooms at Harper University Hospital and build new physician offices at Harper and Sinai-Grace. The remaining $350 million will be for repairs and other equipment and building improvements.

According to information passed out at this morning, Vanguard also plans to spend $75.1 million for a new heart institute.

http://freep.com/article/20100319/FEATURES08/100319025/1318/DMC-set-to-be-sold-to-Vanguard-for-417M

http://freep.com/assets/freep/pdf/C4154036319.PDF

A series of high-priced land acquisitions in a forlorn stretch of Detroit's lower Midtown area is fueling speculation a major development project could be in the works.

Eighteen parcels, mostly blighted and empty, have been quietly bought or optioned since September 2008 in the area just north of the Fox Theatre and close to Woodward Avenue. These properties are near four empty blocks of Woodward Avenue owned by the city. The area of activity is bordered by Woodward and Cass avenues from east to west and Temple and Sibley streets from north to south.

In at least two cases, the sellers have been asked to sign confidentiality agreements not to divulge the identity of the buyers.

The secrecy surrounding the deals has sparked speculation among commercial real estate sources about a major commercial development, such as a hotel or a new casino site.

But the most frequent speculation centers on the area being a prospective site for a sports arena that could become the new home for the Detroit Red Wings and possibly the Detroit Pistons, if that team can be lured from Auburn Hills.

Plans for light-rail transit along Woodward from Hart Plaza to Eight Mile also could be fueling the land speculation.

The biggest deal took place last month: An investment firm in Palo Alto, Calif., supplied a $2 million mortgage on the blighted former Eddystone Hotel and two adjacent empty parcels in a neighborhood where the annual median household income is $8,317. Most of the deals, though, don't list the transaction price, according to public records, but at least two have been in the $650,000 range.

"Who pays $650,000 for anything in the Cass Corridor? You don't unless there is a bigger plan by someone who wants to be next to the city's entertainment district," said Jeffrey Bell, first vice president of the Southfield office of CB Richard Ellis, a global real estate advisory firm. "I'm thinking either a hotel, casino or new sports stadium."

A new hotel seems unlikely given the recent opening of casino hotels and others downtown, including the Westin Book Cadillac, and the weak downtown hotel market.

Plans for a casino are a long shot. The city's casinos lost revenue last year. Although a state ballot initiative effort led by Benton Harbor's mayor would try to amend the state constitution and allow the opening of up to eight casinos, including one in Detroit, backers of the initiative still must collect enough signatures to get it placed on the November ballot and approved by voters.

And in June, Ilitch Holdings of Detroit must tell city officials whether it will keep the Red Wings in the city-owned Joe Louis Arena. There has been speculation for years about whether the team will build a new arena in the city.

Ilitch Holdings e-mailed a one-sentence reply for this story: "Whether we are involved or not in these particular business opportunities -- or any others, for that matter -- is not something that we would comment on publicly."

Nearby stop planned for rail
There also are private plans to build a light-rail system along the Woodward Avenue corridor. The route for such a transit system has a stop near the area of land acquisitions.

The city-owned empty Woodward property is a few blocks away from the Fox Theatre, headquarters of Ilitch Holdings and Comerica Park, home of Mike Ilitch's Detroit Tigers. The Ilitch-operated Masonic Temple is a block away from the buildings bought in the past year. And MotorCity Casino, owned by Marian Ilitch and other partners, is within several city blocks of the Masonic and the Fox.

Detroit officials declined comment on what plans the city may have for the big swath of land it controls. Much of the city's land is controlled by the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., the quasi-public agency that handles development, which declined comment. The city also owns many other parcels near the area of private deal-making.

Prices seem high
"There is nothing in the market now that would suggest why anyone would pay those kind of prices," said Steven Chaben, managing director of the Detroit office of Marcus & Millichap, a national real estate investment service. "You're describing a power play; someone coordinating an overall plan for the area and using different agents to get the properties."

The $2 million mortgage for the former Eddystone Hotel and two adjacent properties was granted in February by Better Planet Investments LLC.

The properties are owned by Harper Woods-based Eddystone Development LLC, and state records show one person is identified with the firm, Raif Harik. The only person connected to Better Planet Investments is Georges Harik, who once lived at the same Grosse Pointe address as Raif Harik, public records show. Neither Raif nor Georges Harik returned telephone calls. Raif Harik lives in Grosse Pointe Shores and Georges lives in Palo Alto, Calif., according to public records.

Temple Street, which appears tough and forgotten, is the main source of the buying. Two houses, at 52 Temple and 56 Temple, are empty and boarded up.

Last May, the properties sold for $670,000 to Victorian Rentals LLC. State records show the only person identified with Victorian Rentals is a real estate paralegal who works in the Grand Rapids office of Miller, Canfield. The paralegal, David Jarvis, did not return phone calls.

The next biggest deal is a $650,000 purchase for an empty building at 131 Temple. Local developer Joel Landy sold it in January 2009.

"I've signed a confidentiality agreement that I will honor by not saying another word," Landy said. The buyer was TSD Solutions LLC, an East Lansing firm controlled by CSC-Lawyers Incorporated Services Co. It's unclear who currently runs TSD Solutions or CSC-Lawyers.

Other deals ongoing
There's at least one other potential deal in the works: the Temple Bar. Owner George Boukas said in the past few weeks he has rejected an offer from a representative who will not say whom he represents.

The Michigan Veterans Foundation has optioned four parcels in the area, but foundation Executive Director Tyrone Chatman says they have no immediate plans for the land, and no intention of moving.

Another property owner, Dennis Kefallinos, who owns the former American Hotel, said he hasn't had any offers.

"If someone wants to make me an offer, I'd be more than happy to listen," Kefallinos said. But the Detroit developer said he is wary of guessing what the Ilitches might do for a future arena.

"Who knows if they have it here? I think they have, especially with that Woodward space," he said. "But then again, (what) someone told me last week is they want to put the new arena near the old Cass Tech" High School, Kefallinos said.

In fact, a few properties have been bought in the past year in the immediate vicinity of the former public high school. And there is not much public information about the sales.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100319/BIZ/3190386/Detroit-s-Midtown-land-deals-spark-speculation#ixzz0ieDWRwKA

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i104/gehrijac/bilde-2.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i104/gehrijac/bilde2.jpg

Big moves. I am DMC/WSU affiliated. I ran into Mr. Duggan the other day at Harper cafeteria.

Overall this move will be good for the DMC and Detroit, IMO. The DMC did $400 million in uncompensated care last year, even though it is not (officially) a county hospital meant for that purpose. That's more than Oakwood, Henry Ford, and Beaumont put together. The new outpatient building for Children's hospital has yet to break ground, probably due to money issues. Much of the DMC is just real old. Harper is ancient. With these new investments, the DMC will be much better able to compete with Henry Ford, Oakwood, etc. The DMC is Detroit's only real university hospital (unless you consider UM to be in "Detroit"), and should be on par with places like Mass. General, Ohio State, or nearby UM!

I just hope that Detroit's city council doesn't try to play this issue like they did with Cobo Hall as an "us vs. them", "stealing our crown jewels" type arrangement.

Here's a list of hospitals in Detroit:
DMC Downtown (Harper, DRH, Children's, Hutzel, RIM) - The only real university hospitals in the region
VA Downtown
Karmanos Downtown (not technically part of DMC, but an affiliate)
Henry Ford Downtown - major tertiary care center comparable to DMC, but not quite as comprehensive
St. John East
DMC Sinai-Grace Northwest

Here's a list of inner ring suburb hospitals:
Beaumont Royal Oak }
Providence Southfield } Probably the big 3, what we would call "big community" hospitals
Oakwood Dearborn }
Oakwood Southshore
St. John Oakland

Big moves. I am DMC/WSU affiliated. I ran into Mr. Duggan the other day at Harper cafeteria.

Overall this move will be good for the DMC and Detroit, IMO. The DMC did $400 million in uncompensated care last year, even though it is not (officially) a county hospital meant for that purpose. That's more than Oakwood, Henry Ford, and Beaumont put together. The new outpatient building for Children's hospital has yet to break ground, probably due to money issues. Much of the DMC is just real old. Harper is ancient. With these new investments, the DMC will be much better able to compete with Henry Ford, Oakwood, etc. The DMC is Detroit's only real university hospital (unless you consider UM to be in "Detroit"), and should be on par with places like Mass. General, Ohio State, or nearby UM!

I just hope that Detroit's city council doesn't try to play this issue like they did with Cobo Hall as an "us vs. them", "stealing our crown jewels" type arrangement.

There should be more buzz on the forum about this. I think the total investment by Vanguard is 1.5 billion. MonCon is in jail and we have some new faces, I doubt that would want to ruin the DMC.

Wayne State has been bailing on the DMC like crazy. A lot of the Wayne State programs now have zero association with the DMC and are based in places 20-30 miles outside of Detroit. That's really bad if a place like the DMC (which is supposed to be a university hospital) doesn't offer a full slew of academic programs. In some cases, like Orthopedic surgery, the DMC has started its own programs fill the open spaces. But these programs are then non-academic, community and hence not as good or as desirable. So even though WSU-PG deserves plenty of blame for the DMC's problems, the fact is that they still need them. Having the Wayne State docs is what gives the DMC status as a "university hospital", which counts for a lot. Without this deal, I see the DMC continuing to bleed WSU docs to the suburbs, who will all go there for lucrative and easier jobs. But with this deal, the DMC will have state of the art facilities that will attract top doctors. Hell, the DMC itself will decentralize over time if this deal doesn't go through. It has 2 growing hospitals in the suburbs. A year or two ago, Karmanos (which is kind of partly-DMC) almost bailed downtown for either an outer part of Detroit or a suburb.

For the DMC to keep doing half a billion dollars each year in uncompensated care is unsustainable. It doesn't matter what bill they pass in Congress. DMC has to be able to attract at least some good payers. Rich people and even middle class people don't go to county hospitals. And the DMC can't be sustained as a de facto county hospital for Detroit. These investments are going to make the DMC competitive with other Detroit area hospitals. It's not about bringing suburban people downtown to get treated. If the DMC can retain the astonishing 40% of Detroiters that go to suburban hospitals instead of being treated in the city, that will be enough.

Supposedly, there hasn't been a new building built at the DMC's downtown campus in 30 years. This is pretty surprising. Practically every hospital in America has added new buildings in the last 10 years. Even in Toledo, there was huge expansions at both of the downtown hospitals, in a city where the overall economic climate parallels Detroit. In 2008, the DMC was supposed to get its first new expansion, a new Children's Outpatient building. This should have been under construction by now. They only need a comparatively small $34 million to build it, but have been unable to raise the money. To put this Vanguard deal in context, they're going to get several hundred million to undertake huge expansions downtown, which is pretty much a once in a lifetime opportunity for the DMC.

I just read a rather large article out here in the Seattle Times of a radical plan to downsize the city physically. It would not change the borders but would raze entire neighborhoods and move what people who live in them to healthier neighborhoods. This would involve bulldozing approximately 10,000 buildings both residental and commercial. The land then would be returned to fields of farmland. The money saved in city services including police and fire would help with the $300 million city deficit. The article did not say what the future holds for those pieces of land, if it means they would be held for future development in generations to come. What it did say though was that they have come to the realization that Detroit is a city of less then 1 million now and they are going to restructure to accomedate a city of that size. I guess my question is is this something new or have you guys heard of this before now?

I just read a rather large article out here in the Seattle Times of a radical plan to downsize the city physically. It would not change the borders but would raze entire neighborhoods and move what people who live in them to healthier neighborhoods. This would involve bulldozing approximately 10,000 buildings both residental and commercial. The land then would be returned to fields of farmland. The money saved in city services including police and fire would help with the $300 million city deficit. The article did not say what the future holds for those pieces of land, if it means they would be held for future development in generations to come. What it did say though was that they have come to the realization that Detroit is a city of less then 1 million now and they are going to restructure to accomedate a city of that size. I guess my question is is this something new or have you guys heard of this before now?


Hardly news at all.

I guess my question is is this something new or have you guys heard of this before now?

This story has been written it seems every other week, now, for what seems to be almost a year. No, it's hardly news. In fact, it's becoming overkill and a local joke. The plan has even gotten media interests from Paris and London, and has been in just about every major American daily with any national focus.

BTW, an only slightly related criticism on how the media covers Detroit's situation, but while Detroit's fall isn't unspectacular by any means, and while the plans for its reshaping aren't unprecendented, in the issue of providing a balanced picture, would it kill the media in this type of coverage to at least include one sentence about Detroit still having one of the highest population densities of any major city in the Midwest, even amongst all of this clearing and even with the lowest population estimate given to the city? Again, I'm not asking for some unrealistic or rosy coverage of what is a very serious and depressing situation in many parts of the city, but what I am asking for is some attempt at balanced coverage, that's all.

I have it on my list to do a blog post on the "Other Side of Detroit", using some of the density data, the photos of various intact and even prosperous neighborhoods that people have posted here, etc. I also happen to think that with Dave Bing and Robert Bobb, Detroit's got some of the best urban leadership in place in America.

I'm still researching so post any great info you've got.

There were actually two old posts by either hudkina or LMich I'd love to find if anyone has links. One was a series of photo spreads of urban areas in suburban Detroit downtowns, of which there are many first class ones. The other was a comparison of population and income density in segments of Detroit and Minneapolis.

Supposedly, there hasn't been a new building built at the DMC's downtown campus in 30 years. This is pretty surprising. Practically every hospital in America has added new buildings in the last 10 years. Even in Toledo, there was huge expansions at both of the downtown hospitals, in a city where the overall economic climate parallels Detroit. In 2008, the DMC was supposed to get its first new expansion, a new Children's Outpatient building. This should have been under construction by now. They only need a comparatively small $34 million to build it, but have been unable to raise the money. To put this Vanguard deal in context, they're going to get several hundred million to undertake huge expansions downtown, which is pretty much a once in a lifetime opportunity for the DMC.

I'm really pumped about the influx of cash that the DMC should be seeing in the next few years to modernize their hospitals as I too work in one, and the planned upgrades are more than welcome! It really hasn't been fun to see other hospitals remodel and get the best equipment while, say, Sinai Grace which (according to dmc.org) sees almost twice as many ED patients a year than the ED was actually intended to service.

http://freep.com/article/20100405/BUSINESS06/100405046/1319/Ford-health-system-plans-500M-investment-

Detroit’s Henry Ford Health System plans a $500-million investment on and around its West Grand Boulevard campus, including a 300-acre residential, commercial and retail development and major renovations to the system’s flagship Henry Ford Hospital.

Plans call for two large developments:

• A Community Health Park that would add housing, shops and businesses on 300 acres between the Lodge freeway, West Grand Boulevard, the Ford Freeway and 14th Street.

• Demolition of mostly abandoned homes and businesses south of West Grand Boulevard for possible construction of a doctors’ office building and a research building.

Ford has acquired about 85% of the land for this part of the development, mostly along Sterling Street and Trumbull Avenue, said William Schramm, Ford’s senior vice president for business development.

The area for the research/doctors’ office project is a four-block area bounded by the Lodge, Grand Boulevard, Holden and Sterling.

Schramm said that while the Ford system has been working on buying properties for several years it still does not have financing for the project and its board has not scheduled a vote to approve a plan.

Ford obtained about $383,000 in federal stimulus money to raze buildings in the area, he said.

Plans to announce the project have been on hold because Ford didn’t want word to get out and see landlords raise prices on the rest of the land it hopes to acquire, Schramm said.

The announcement is the second one within a month by a Detroit hospital system about major investments planned for Detroit, at a time when the economy is stalled and other investments have been lagging. On March 19, Vanguard Health Systems of Nashville, Tenn., announced it hopes to buy the health system and spend $850 million in improvements in the system, along with paying off its pension and bond debt.

Schramm said that the DMC announcement was only one of several reasons why Ford plans the expansions. While saying Ford’s plans are “not a responsive tactic,” Schramm added: “We consider DMC to be part of our competition, along with some very fine health care organizations in the suburbs that are part of our competition.” Ford also needs to expand, he said, because many facilities at the hospital are old or crowded and Ford has a long history of working with its community neighbors to keep those areas viable, he said.

The $500-million investment is on top of some $310 million Ford has spent in recent years in improvements on the West Grand Boulevard campus, including renovations to its emergency department and patient rooms.

A challenging list of projects can reshape city in the next decade

http://freep.com/article/20100404/NEWS01/4040517/1001/News/Big-plans-for-the-future-Detroit
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Closing schools creates a smaller, modernized school system

In a sweeping 5-year, $1-billion plan, 41 school buildings and 1 support building are slated for closure in June, with another 13 to be closed by 2012. DPS officials based this redesign in part on Detroit's changing neighborhoods, comparing areas of growth to areas of abandonment. Here is a look at how those buildings fit onto a map of Detroit's most vacant areas.

The plan: A smaller but dramatically better system under control of the mayor, with a Standards and Accountability Commission reviewing every school; 54 buildings closed by 2012, 22 new or renovated opening; 70 new schools by 2020, 35 of them charters; a 90% graduation rate by 2020 and 9 in 10 graduates going on to advanced education.

What has to happen: Education reform is critical to the city's ability to attract and retain families. Basically, the community has to rally around its children. Parents, teachers and other school employees must be engaged to become part of the overhaul. Voter and legislative approval is needed to abolish the school board in favor of mayoral control. Beyond foundation money, Detroit voters will be asked to pass another $500-million bond issue.

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Former casino may be new police headquarters

Mayor Bing hopes to move Detroit Police Department headquarters staff out of the antiquated 1300 Beaubien building that dates to 1923 and into a new or renovated structure. At this writing, the best guess among real estate professionals is that Bing will choose the former MGM Grand casino site near Third and Michigan as the new headquarters. That structure has been awaiting a new use since MGM Grand opened its new casino a block to the north in 2007.

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Foundation investments
The plan: The philanthropic community is investing tens of millions of dollars in projects for the betterment of Detroit, including schools, neighborhood revitalization, cultural institutions, the riverfront and greenways.

What has to happen: The philanthropic cooperation must be maintained, old issues of distrust between city and suburbs must be erased for the good of both, and some projects have to show results fairly soon to be catalysts for further investment. The nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations willing to put time and money behind their commitments to a better Detroit also have to engage city residents in their plans at every step.

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Light rail to link downtown

In an attempt to link the New Center Area with Midtown and Downtown, a light rail streetcar is proposed for Woodward Avenue.

The plan: Light rail on Woodward, from Jefferson to 13 Mile. Private interests are already lined up for a total of $120 million to build the first leg -- 3.4 miles from Jefferson to the New Center. Express buses on Gratiot, Michigan and to the airport. Commuter rail from Ann Arbor to Detroit, possibly from Detroit to Pontiac and even Port Huron and Mt. Clemens. Better basic bus service, with extended routes and increased frequency.

What has to happen: The Legislature must approve a regional transit authority as the governing agency for SMART, DDOT and any rapid-line operations. Washington won't help unless the region speaks with one voice on its transit needs. An RTA then will have to win a local financial mechanism to operate the system -- most likely some kind of regional sales tax that would also require an amendment to the state Constitution.

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The demolition plan to improve neighborhoods

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing highlighted his plan to demolish 3,000 dangerous residential structures by year's end, and 10,000 total by the end of his four-year term. Bing said demolition is only part of a larger plan to strengthen city neighborhoods and improve the use of Detroit's 140 square miles.

The plan: The city has 78,000 vacant houses, nearly one in five. With population likely to be down around 700,000 by 2020, they aren't needed. Mayor Dave Bing hopes to have 10,000 demolished by the end of 2013.

What has to happen: Develop a realistic land-use plan that could help secure money from Washington to do even more. Otherwise, target demolition efforts to shore up eroding middle-class neighborhoods, such as Palmer Woods, North Rosedale Park, the University District and Boston Edison.

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Greening the city with urban farms

The city is studying multiple proposals to expand urban agriculture in Detroit, using some of the city's vacant land. The three areas on the map show some of the areas suggested as possible locations for larger scale food production in the city.

The plan: The city, private foundations and community activists are all studying how to expand food production within Detroit. Urban farming is one of many ideas for filling up and greening Detroit's desolate expanses of vacant land.

What has to happen: City Council needs to create a new zoning class for urban farms. Other changes -- such as taxing agricultural land at a lower rate than other property -- also would boost the idea.

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New sports arena
The plan: The Ilitch family, owners of the Red Wings and Tigers, would like to replace 30-year-old Joe Louis Arena with a new home for the Wings and maybe even attract the Detroit Pistons.

What has to happen: Find a site -- suggestions include behind the Ilitch-owned Fox Theatre and across Grand River from the Ilitch-owned MotorCity Casino. Then the Ilitches and various levels of government must figure out how to pay for it.

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Cobo Center
The plan: A $280-million retrofit and expansion under a five-member regional authority created last year to run the convention center.

What has to happen: Cobo has to be a better facility by the 2011 Auto Show and state of the art by 2015, when it will host an influential convention of association executives who have a lot to say about where other conventions are held.

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$850 million to be used for capital improvements to DMC
Vanguard Health Systems has signed a letter of intent to buy the Detroit Medical Center, assume $639 million in debt and pension contributions and another $850 million in capital improvements. Here's how the money would be spent.

The plan: DMC hopes to finalize by June a $1.5-billion deal with Vanguard, a for-profit system that plans to invest $850 million into upgrading and expanding DMC facilities. The investment is expected to create 5,000 jobs.

What has to happen: DMC must secure a state renaissance zone designation for 12 years free of local and state taxes. The city and Wayne County also have to sign off, and the state attorney general has to approve the sale, based on whether DMC will maintain its charitable service mission.

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Second span to Windsor

At this writing, there are two proposals to build new bridges linking Detroit and Windsor. One would create a second span next to the Ambassador Bridge. The other would create a new publicly-owned bridge downriver near Zug Island.

The plan: Detroit-Windsor could, by 2020, be linked by either one or both of two new bridges over the Detroit River -- a privately owned span next to the Ambassador Bridge and a publicly owned one 2 miles west. Or ongoing lawsuits and bickering could stymie both and reduce Detroit to a second-rate border crossing.

What has to happen: For the privately owned Ambassador Bridge to build its second span, the company needs permits from the U.S. Coast Guard and environmental clearance from Canada. Neither will come easily. For the Detroit River International Crossing project to become reality, the consortium of four governments involved needs to resolve several lawsuits filed by the Ambassador owners to stop the project, persuade the Legislature to authorize money for further work, and get the Canadian government to acquire land and do preconstruction work on its side of the river.

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Aerotropolis

The plan: An $11-billion investment to turn the area around Metro Airport into an "airport city" hub of commerce and logistics, potentially employing 64,000 people and including a rail line from the airport into Detroit.

What has to happen: Zoning and planning are actually complete at the local level in a rare example of intergovernmental cooperation. Wayne and Oakland counties also have reached accord on using tax-free renaissance zones to help attract businesses to the aerotropolis district. The Legislature has to complete action.

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RiverWalk will stretch over five miles, from bridge to bridge

The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy has mapped plans to extend the RiverWalk more than five miles from the Ambassador Bridge to beyond the MacArthur Bridge to Belle Isle. At this writing, a little over half has been completed.

Citywide paths designed for cyclists and walkers

The city plans to put up about 30 miles of bike lanes and more than 12 miles of routes designed for cyclists starting in September in southwest Detroit, near Wayne State and on the east side. The aim is a network of hundreds of miles of biking and walking paths connecting neighborhoods and attractions across the city.

RiverWalk, bike trails, green space
The plan: Completing a pedestrian walkway along the Detroit River from the Ambassador Bridge to the MacArthur Bridge at Belle Isle; connecting that to many more miles of bike and pedestrian-friendly routes throughout the city.

What has to happen: The Detroit RiverFront Conservancy will have the eastern section of the RiverWalk completed in 2012 if contamination issues at the former Uniroyal property are addressed. The west riverfront plan is on a five-year schedule; it depends on fund-raising and addressing a few remaining ownership issues. Greenway projects elsewhere are proceeding in sections -- groundbreaking is set for April 15 on the Midtown loop -- and would require roughly $50 million to complete in full.

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New life for Fairgrounds

A repurposed State Fairgrounds would be open year-round as a Metropark.

The plan: Convert the property closed down by the state in 2009 into a year-round urban park.

What has to happen: The Huron-Clinton Metroparks board is considering the idea, which could cost from $15 million to $50 million. The state, which had hopes of selling the property to a developer, would have to agree to lease the site for $1 a year.

^^
This is definitely good news for Detroit. I am very excited about these improvements!

Detroit is embarking on an ambitious plan to create bike lanes on roads across town, giving cyclists like Jon Koller designated space for riding as city leaders and community groups rethink street and land use in a shrinking city.

It's a big change. Although the city is starting with about 30 miles in a handful of neighborhoods this year, there eventually could be as many as 400 miles of bike lanes in Detroit...

http://freep.com/article/20100408/NEWS01/4080359/1322/Detroit-to-add-30-miles-of-bike-lanes

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i104/gehrijac/C415522448.jpg

Does Detroit really need bike lanes? I've asked the same question about Indy many times. Most of Indy's streets are fairly wide and don't have many cars. Thus despite the lack of official infrastructure so beloved of people who make the rankings, Indy is actually a pretty bike-friendly city. I would speculate Detroit is the same: fairly flat, with lots of underutilized streets that are already perfect for biking.

Anything to seperate bike and auto traffic is a safety boon for both. Good on the city and region's bike advocates for these small quality of life improvements, and good for any residents who help take back, and show interest in, their streets, especially in a city as troubled as Detroit.

In other related good news:



Midtown Greenway construction starting in Detroit (http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20100409/FREE/100409891#)

By David Runk
Associated Press Writer

(AP) — Construction starts next week on the Midtown Greenway, which will begin as a route for pedestrians and bicyclists circling through Detroit's Cultural Center area and Wayne State University's campus.

It's the first part of a four-phase project that by fall 2012 is expected to link the area with Eastern Market and the Detroit riverfront. Construction crews begin work Monday and an event to mark the start is Thursday.

University Cultural Center Association President Susan Mosey said the project will widen walkways to create more room for pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as add landscaping, bike racks, benches and small park areas.

The greenway is designed make the area, which includes the Detroit Institute of Arts, more friendly to pedestrians and bicyclists.

Nice list of big projects for Detroit (a few posts above). I hope most of them can get done. I think the Riverwalk, downtown transit line, and improvements to the convention center and a new arena will be key to strengthening the downtown core. There's plenty of other work to be done too. Its good to see the big list put out there though. It might be difficult to get all of those projects done -- but its good to have the goals out there to plan for, to coordinate other projects around, and to work toward getting them completed.

Man i really hope the Ann Arbor Detroit Rail happens! That with the Woodward Project and a new basketball/hockey arena downtown will definalty help detroit get goin in the right direction.....

The new Police headquarters at the old MGM is a great idea as well.

People might not remember the name Northwest airlines much longer. Since the Delta takeover, new flights to Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Korea (shifted from the main hub in Atlanta). Also some European flights from Delta's Cincinnati hub were shifted to Detroit. And now, talk of Detroit getting a non-stop flight to Brazil:

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/4770719

Delta has filed an application with The Department of Transportation to offer daily service between Detroit and Sao Paulo with a 767-300ER.

Delta initially plans to offer two flights a week (presumably transferring them from LAX-GRU) starting in November.

Then, Delta has applied for five additional frequencies when more GRU frequencies become available. So, essentially, Delta is applying for "first dibs" on something that is not even available yet. It will be very interesting to see how this plays out with DOT.

Is DTW going to be the next Hartsfield? LOL.

No I don't think so, but it's done better under Delta than I thought it would, after going from the most important (or equally most important with MSP) hub under NWA to clearly being #2 or lower under Delta.

I finished the blog post I promised with a picture of the "other side of Detroit"

http://www.urbanophile.com/2010/04/11/the-other-side-of-detroit/

Arguments used were courtesy of hudkina and LMich.

On Sunday, April 18 at 7 p.m. ET, Chris Hansen on Dateline NBC is doing a episode on Detroit called "America: City of Heartbreak and Hope". I'm sure it will cover the highs, the lows, past, and present, and future of Detroit.

The Damon Keith Law Center at Wayne State University will break ground on May 17 with completion in time for classes in the fall of 2011.

The center will comprise a 10,000-square-foot addition to as well as a renovation of a portion of the existing law school building. It will house an entry area that will also be used for exhibits and a reception area for the school's clinics, office space, two conference rooms, and a 60-seat lecture hall.

http://modeldmedia.com/devnews/WSUkeith051110.aspx

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i104/gehrijac/DN-lawcenter.jpg

They call it "the shale gale": a welcome storm that blew full force into Michigan last week when bidders paid $178 million for state land leases. In Michigan, that's a Texas-sized oil and gas sale, reaping in one day nearly what the state collected in total over the previous 81 years.

Even as the state invests millions in alternative energy, Michigan already may be sitting pretty, poised on the cutting edge of another energy revolution.

http://detnews.com/article/20100513/OPINION03/5130424/Michigan-may-reap-gas-fortune

Does anyone really think $178 million is a big deal? That doesn't seem like much to me for the rights to take the natural gas reserves out from under the surface of the State of Michigan. Indiana got $3.8 billion for leasing out the rights to operate the Indiana Toll Road. I mean $178 million doesn't buy too much anymore. Is there going to be more money coming in from this in the future for additional leases? I hope this isn't all Michigan is going to get out of this.

DPS' $500.5 million capital improvement project to start on three Detroit Public Schools

Detroit—Detroit Public Schools is launching the first three construction and renovation projects as part of the district’s $500.5 million bond program that together total $64.1 million dollars in contracts, and will mean more jobs for Detroit residents and more work for Detroit-based companies.

The DPS School Construction Project, which will build and renovate schools and includes district-wide technology upgrades and security initiatives, are part of the Detroit Public Schools’ three-year capital improvement construction project being funded with $500.5 million federal stimulus dollars following voter approval in November of Proposal S.

Up to 1,375 Detroiters will be hired for the first three school projects.

“Today is an exciting day for Detroit Public Schools, Detroit residents and the City of Detroit,” said Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb. “Thanks to voters for passing Proposal S, DPS is about to launch three major construction and renovation projects that will mean state-of-the-art learning facilities for our students that are bound to attract families and improve neighborhoods. And as we promised during our campaign, we are pleased that the bond program is aiding Detroit’s economy by awarding work to Detroit residents and Detroit companies.”

Work at the first three schools, totaling $64.1 million, is set to get underway in June. They are:

• Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School, 3200 E. Lafayette, which will be completely rebuilt

• John R. King Academic and Performing Arts Academy, 15850 Strathmoor, which will have major renovation

• Marcus Garvey Academy, 2301 Van Dyke, which will have major renovations

Bobb announced the projects today on the Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School campus where a new school will be built.

A new $45.3 million building will replace the existing Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School with a state-of-the-art facility emphasizing a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Curriculum. The new building will have a cyber café and media center and will connect to the current auditorium and performing arts building, which will be remodeled. The opposite end of the school will feature a new varsity gymnasium and 10-lane natatorium. The entire campus is scheduled to open September 2011. MLK students will attend classes in the existing facility throughout construction; once students are relocated, the old building will be demolished.

The John R. King and Marcus Garvey schools, which serve students in preschool through 8th grade, will receive major renovations that will be completed over the summer and are scheduled to reopen for classes to resume for the fall 2010 semester.

The $10.2 million John R. King project includes significant renovations to support the school’s performing arts-centered curriculum. Improvements include a new state-of-the-art black box theatre tailored to provide flexibility for a wide variety of student instrumental, vocal, and dance performances. The school will also receive technology and facility upgrades that include technology and science laboratories, security offices, and building system repairs.

The comprehensive plan for Marcus Garvey Academy calls for an $8.6 million upgrade to building infrastructure and renovations of academic areas. At the heart of these improvements will be the new Harambee Center addition, which will become the new gathering space for the school’s African-centered curriculum. A completely flexible space that can be secured from the rest of the school for use after hours, the Harambee Center will provide a welcoming home for student gatherings by day, the lunch room for the middle school students at noon, as well as ample accommodation for events for parents and the community on evenings and weekends.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i104/gehrijac/bilde-3.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i104/gehrijac/bilde2-1.jpg

Existing King High
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i104/gehrijac/529.jpg

http://www.detroit.k12.mi.us/news/article/1947/

As an old graduate from Cody High School I am wondering if it is scheduled for a remodel or if it is one of the schools being closed? Is there a complete list of what schools are being closed? What is the district going to do with the schools they close? Are they being offered for sale, redevelopment or are they too going to be part of the new urban farm landscape?

I read some good things about the Detroit Electronic Music Festival getting started this Memorial Day weekend in downtown Detroit. Sounds like a fantastic event. Any local input on how that event is going this year? How many people are attending? Sounds like a great thing to promote for getting people to come to the city to experience it. How big of an event is it - as far as bringing people in from around the country? Anyone have any pictures? (or soundbites?)

I read some good things about the Detroit Electronic Music Festival getting started this Memorial Day weekend in downtown Detroit. Sounds like a fantastic event. Any local input on how that event is going this year? How many people are attending? Sounds like a great thing to promote for getting people to come to the city to experience it. How big of an event is it - as far as bringing people in from around the country? Anyone have any pictures? (or soundbites?)

A RECORD SATURDAY: Despite Monday's rain, Movement appeared on track to meet organizers' optimistic attendance expectations. More than 35,000 people showed for the festival's opening day -- a single-day record since the fest became a ticketed event in 2005. Another 32,000 attended Sunday, placing the fest within reach of last year's three-day total of 83,000.
Among them were nearly 250 credentialed media workers from around the world, said publicist James Canning

pics:
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=C4&Date=20100529&Category=ENT&ArtNo=5290803&Ref=PH&Profile=1318

50-unit, mixed-use The Auburn apartments to be built at Cass and Canfield in Midtown

Detroit's Roxbury Group, in partnership with Invest Detroit, is developing The Auburn at the southeast corner of Cass and Canfield. The building will have 50 one-bedroom apartments, four studios and nine retail units. It is named after the car company that once had a dealership on the site.

The project is expected to begin construction next year and is being designed to cater to students and young professionals, with rents in the $600 to $700 range and apartments averaging 600 square feet. "The marketplace, or at least the perception of the marketplace, has shifted," says James Van Dyke of the Roxbury Group. "These are smaller units to keep the price point lower. ... This is not a luxury product, it's an affordable product."

http://modeldmedia.com/devnews/theauburn060110.aspx

http://www.roxburygroup.com/projects/the_tionesta.html

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i104/gehrijac/DN-theauburn.jpg

Hybridy: Thanks for the input on the Movement Electronic Music Festival and for the links about it. Looks like a great time!

I finished the blog post I promised with a picture of the "other side of Detroit"

http://www.urbanophile.com/2010/04/11/the-other-side-of-detroit/

Arguments used were courtesy of hudkina and LMich.

Arenn, I know I'm late on this (I don't stop by the detroit development area much...) but nice article! I was in Detroit about 2 years ago to look at a potential convention city and, while I know I got a very tailored tour, they showed me a lot of great things going on in the city. They too had a very balanced and realistic view and it it's a refreshing thing to see. Keep up the good work!

Highland Park's gem of a library poised for rebirth

Opened in 1926, McGregor Library at Woodward and Massachusetts was forced to close its doors in 2002 after the city began to struggle financially, and the state placed Highland Park in receivership.
Hope that the library would reopen arrived in 2006, when Highland Park and seven other cities statewide, including Pontiac and Hamtramck, received grant money under the Cities of Promise Initiative that Gov. Jennifer Granholm created to redevelop communities with job loss and blighted neighborhoods.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100602/NEWS02/6020344/Highland-Park-s-gem-of-a-library-poised-for-rebirth


http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i104/gehrijac/d05-HP-lib-480cap.jpg

Young Architects Buy Detroit Home for $500, Turn It into Design Lab

The Motor City has 33,529 vacant houses. To most of the country, that's 33,529 reasons to wring its hands over What To Do About Detroit. To architects, it's a gold mine.

Five research fellows from the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning transformed an abandoned house in Hamtramck (which is basically Detroit) into their very own lab rat. The recent architecture grads gave it new stairs, walls, glazing, rooms -- the works. But it wasn't some heroic attempt to build shelter for down and outs, which a lot of architecture schools are into these days. It was a pure design exercise -- one aimed at rethinking the conventions of a single-family home -- and it shows how much creativity you can draw from the great arsenal of Detroit's ruins.

http://www.fastcompany.com/1653220/this-old-house-detroit-edition-abandoned-home-a-lab-for-design-experiments

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i104/gehrijac/newell2_5F20lede2.jpg

But it wasn't some heroic attempt to build shelter for down and outs, which a lot of architecture schools are into these days.


That's kind of the unfortunate thing though...... As a graduate of TCAUP, I would have liked to see the architecture program do more of a service to the community rather than a solo benefit to the students and faculty. What's even worse is that the pure design exercises that have occurred in the past at the school all ended up in the dumpster shortly after. I see many schools developing new single family home prototypes in poor neighborhoods....challenging the notion that good design is only for the wealthy. Just imagine how that could contribute to Detroit. Keep in mind these constructions and studies will eventually be ripped out and hopefully recycled. But why can't all that investment in materials and labor be saved for the sake of providing shelter?

It's great they are able to flip a property, but I see it doing little more than satisfying a few egos. Kind of hate to be debbie downer towards my alma mater on this, but I know they can do better.

Old Free Press building makeover moves ahead

A $70-million plan to remake the old Detroit Free Press building downtown into residential apartments, office and retail space inched forward Wednesday as the Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority approved incentive financing for the deal.

The project still needs to overcome hurdles, including finding market-rate financing in a tight credit market. But Wednesday's action shows that the deal is moving ahead.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100617/BUSINESS04/6170368/1002/business/Old-Free-Press-building-makeover-moves-ahead

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i104/gehrijac/bilde-4.jpg

I just got back from my trip to Detroit to visit family and friends. Went down to the River Walk and was really impressed. What was really cool was how open and friendly people were, joggers saying hi, mom's with kids in the stollers saying hi.....loved it. There was a real feeling of community, something I did not experience many years ago when I lived there. The last time I was down on the river was over 30 years ago and man what a difference. The water looked aqua blue as oppossed to the brownish color it was then. I am really glad the casinos didn't develop right on the water as now there is a great opportunity to develop more user friendly things, whatever that might end up being. I actually was there during the earthquake, didn't feel it though but had to laugh a little since I thought I was getting away from that sort thing when I left Seattle. Also, was staying in the Ypsi /Saline area and we were sitting on the front porch when the tornado sirens went off......we turned on the TV and it was saying to take cover NOW......of course we didn't, smart eh............turned out a tornado did touch down 5 miles south of us. So I had quite the adventure.

The Detroit Medical Center, Michigan’s largest health system that provides a safety net care for the poor, has signed a letter of intent to be sold to the for-profit Vanguard Health Systems of Tennessee for $417 million, the new partners announced today.

Vanguard, a company that typically takes bankrupt or near-bankrupt hospitals and turns them into for-profit facilities, plans to invest another $850 million in improvements over the next five years for the eight-hospital DMC system.

The improvements will include $500 million to expand the DMC’s aging, crowded Children’s Hospital of Michigan; double the size of the emergency department at its Sinai-Grace Hospital in northwest Detroit; renovate operating rooms at Harper University Hospital and build new physician offices at Harper and Sinai-Grace. The remaining $350 million will be for repairs and other equipment and building improvements.

According to information passed out at this morning, Vanguard also plans to spend $75.1 million for a new heart institute.

http://freep.com/article/20100319/FEATURES08/100319025/1318/DMC-set-to-be-sold-to-Vanguard-for-417M

http://freep.com/assets/freep/pdf/C4154036319.PDF

DMC to add 5,000 jobs for construction projects

The Detroit Medical Center today told 600 construction companies and vendors about 15 different construction projects it hopes to begin in October, creating 5,000 building industry jobs.

The projects, ranging from $3 million to $170 million, are scheduled to begin after a tentative Oct. 1 closing date of the sale of the DMC to Vanguard Health Systems, a for-profit Nashville firm that has signed a tentative agreement to buy the eight-hospital system. DMC held a “construction outreach” event at Detroit’s Ford Field to explain the projects to potential vendors.

Vanguard plans to spend $500 million to expand and upgrade DMC’s facilities, including a new outpatient pediatrics center at Children’s Hospital of Michigan, located on the DMC’s Midtown Detroit campus; a new cardiovascular institute at Harper University Hospital, also on the campus; and expansion of the Sinai-Grace Hospital emergency department in northwest Detroit

The DMC said 30% of the construction awards will go to minority-owned businesses and that 25% of the hours on the construction projects will be designated for city of Detroit residents, and 50% will go to Wayne County residents.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100716/BUSINESS06/100716040/1318/DMC-to-add-5000-jobs-for-building-projects

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i104/gehrijac/bilde-5.jpg


Details...

Children’s Hospital of Michigan
Patient Tower & Carls Medical
Office Building
• New construction and renovation
• $126 million construction
• 58 month project duration
• Fall 2010 start date

Children’s Hospital of Michigan
Pediatric Specialty Center
• New construction
• $24.6 million construction
• 16 month project duration
• Fall 2010 start date

Detroit Receiving Hospital
Inpatient Renovations
• Phased renovation
• $13.9 million construction
• 48 month project duration
• January 2011 start date

Detroit Receiving Hospital
New OR & Pre/Post-Op• New construction and phased renovation
• $4.4 million construction
• 12 month project duration
• January 2011 start date

Harper University Hospital
Central, Unified Lobby• Renovation and new construction
• $8.5 million construction
• 18 month project duration
• Fall 2010 start date


Surgical Services Renovation• Phased renovation
• $16.9 million construction
• 28 month project duration
• Fall 2010 start date

Ground Floor Masterplan Project
• Phased renovation
• $9.8 million construction
• 26 month project duration
• April 2013 start date

Unit Renovations
• Phased renovation
• $4.3 million construction
•15 month project duration
• Fall 2010 start date

Harper ED Expansion
• Phased renovation and new construction
• $2.3 million construction
• 12 month project duration
• Fall 2010 start date

Cardiovascular Institute &
Multispecialty Building
• New construction
• $58 million construction
• 34 month project duration
• Fall 2010 start date

Sinai-Grace Hospital ED, ICU and Radiology
• New construction and phased renovation
• $52.6 million construction
• 36 month project duration
• Fall 2010 start date

anything happenin with the Woodward Rail project?

anything happenin with the Woodward Rail project?

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20100722/FREE/100729955

Quicken Loans and Blue Cross both moving thousands of workers from Livonia and Southfield to downtown Detroit.

Of course, I wonder if the liberals will complain about Detroit "poaching" suburban businesses as they did when Warren tried to win over GM's HQ.

BCBS moving employees back to their main corporate headquarters isn't "poaching" and no, considering that in most cities the CBD is where most jobs are located, I would say any form of centralization and consolidation into the CBD is perfectly fine.

I bet most of Quicken's employees have never even seen a black person before. It's gonna be quite a culture shock for them. :hahaha:

DMC to add 5,000 jobs for construction projects

The Detroit Medical Center today told 600 construction companies and vendors about 15 different construction projects it hopes to begin in October, creating 5,000 building industry jobs.

The projects, ranging from $3 million to $170 million, are scheduled to begin after a tentative Oct. 1 closing date of the sale of the DMC to Vanguard Health Systems, a for-profit Nashville firm that has signed a tentative agreement to buy the eight-hospital system. DMC held a “construction outreach” event at Detroit’s Ford Field to explain the projects to potential vendors.

Vanguard plans to spend $500 million to expand and upgrade DMC’s facilities, including a new outpatient pediatrics center at Children’s Hospital of Michigan, located on the DMC’s Midtown Detroit campus; a new cardiovascular institute at Harper University Hospital, also on the campus; and expansion of the Sinai-Grace Hospital emergency department in northwest Detroit

The DMC said 30% of the construction awards will go to minority-owned businesses and that 25% of the hours on the construction projects will be designated for city of Detroit residents, and 50% will go to Wayne County residents.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100716/BUSINESS06/100716040/1318/DMC-to-add-5000-jobs-for-building-projects

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i104/gehrijac/bilde-5.jpg


Details...

Children’s Hospital of Michigan
Patient Tower & Carls Medical
Office Building
• New construction and renovation
• $126 million construction
• 58 month project duration
• Fall 2010 start date

Children’s Hospital of Michigan
Pediatric Specialty Center
• New construction
• $24.6 million construction
• 16 month project duration
• Fall 2010 start date

Detroit Receiving Hospital
Inpatient Renovations
• Phased renovation
• $13.9 million construction
• 48 month project duration
• January 2011 start date

Detroit Receiving Hospital
New OR & Pre/Post-Op• New construction and phased renovation
• $4.4 million construction
• 12 month project duration
• January 2011 start date

Harper University Hospital
Central, Unified Lobby• Renovation and new construction
• $8.5 million construction
• 18 month project duration
• Fall 2010 start date


Surgical Services Renovation• Phased renovation
• $16.9 million construction
• 28 month project duration
• Fall 2010 start date

Ground Floor Masterplan Project
• Phased renovation
• $9.8 million construction
• 26 month project duration
• April 2013 start date

Unit Renovations
• Phased renovation
• $4.3 million construction
•15 month project duration
• Fall 2010 start date

Harper ED Expansion
• Phased renovation and new construction
• $2.3 million construction
• 12 month project duration
• Fall 2010 start date

Cardiovascular Institute &
Multispecialty Building
• New construction
• $58 million construction
• 34 month project duration
• Fall 2010 start date

Sinai-Grace Hospital ED, ICU and Radiology
• New construction and phased renovation
• $52.6 million construction
• 36 month project duration
• Fall 2010 start date


DMC poised to begin expansions and renovations Oct. 1

The Detroit Medical Center's new owners, Vanguard Health Systems, is expecting to close on the purchase on October 1, and construction on one major project on its Detroit campus will begin immediately: a new pediatric specialty center at Children's Hospital. Construction will take 16 months on the $24.6 million building.

Other improvements to the Midtown campus will be bid out for architectural services at that time, including improvements to inpatient rooms ($13.9 million) and a new operating room and pre- and post-op areas ($4.4 million) at Detroit Receiving, and a new patient tower and office building ($24.6 million) at Children's.

Harper University Hospital will gain a new lobby and entrance ($8.5 million); an expanded emergency department ($2.3 million); a renovated patient unit ($4.3 million), surgical services area ($16.9 million) and ground floor ($9.8 million); and a new cardiovascular and multi-specialty building ($58 million). A 1,700-car parking structure also will be built.

Also going out for architectural bidding is work at Sinai-Grace In Northwest Detroit. Its ICU and radiology departments will be renovated ($52.6 million) and there will be facade and site improvements.

There are $500 million in total improvements planned, including renovations at Huron Valley-Sinai, which are also slated to start on October 1.

Dave Manardo, DMC's corporate vice-president of facilities, construction and engineering says that individual project start dates will be determined by the bidding process. "There are no priorities; they are all important," he says.

Manardo expects the new patient tower at Children's Hospital to take the longest time to build, approximately 4 1/2 years. It will go up just east of the existing Children's Hospital.

DMC has made a commitment that 30% of all construction dollars will be awarded to minority- and women-owned and Detroit-based businesses. There are also set minimums for hours worked by minorities, Detroiters and Wayne County residents. "As we award these projects, [we will be] looking at the composition of the teams that responded to the requests for proposals, with an emphasis on those teams that provide the most inclusion and diversity," says Manardo.

http://modeldmedia.com/devnews/dmc072710.aspx

DPS starts building new Brightmoor, Southwest schools, part of $100.4M in construction projects

Construction has begun on two, new, LEED Silver certified, $20.5 million, PK-8 schools in Detroit. One will be located in Brightmoor on the site of Harding Elementary School on Burt Road, and the other will face Clark Park on Scotten in Southwest Detroit. Both will open in August of 2011.

The schools are being funded by the $500.5 million dollars from the Propsal S Bond Referendum that passed in November of 2009. So far, Detroit Public Schools has awarded $180.4 million in contracts for 10 construction projects in the district's three-year capital improvement program funded by Proposal S.

The contract to build the Brightmoor and Southwest schools was awarded to Detroit-headquartered Brinker Construction in a 50/50 joint venture with Lansing-based Christman Construction. Detroit Public Schools estimates a $19 million in savings for the district by combining both schools into one contract.

Both schools will have separate wings for elementary and middle school students with common areas, like a cafeteria, central administration offices and multipurpose rooms.

The Brightmoor school will consolidate and replace three older buildings: Harding -- which will be demolished -- as well as Vetal and Gompers elementary schools. The Clark Park school will be located at the site of Earhart Middle School, which will be demolished. Students from nearby Maybury Elementary School also will relocate to the new facility.

Proposal S enables DPS to access $500 million in federal money for school capital improvement projects. Seven new schools will be built, six will be renovated and the entire district will see technology and security upgrades. All work must be complete by fall 2012 to comply with federal guidelines.

http://modeldmedia.com/devnews/DPS072710.aspx

Quizzle will join Quicken Loans in Detroit
Free online personal finance company will work out of Compuware building

Quicken Loans Chairman and founder Dan Gilbert announced today that Quizzle LLC, a free online personal finance tool, will be joining Quicken Loans when it moves to Detroit’s Compuware building later this month.

Quizzle will bring 15 employees downtown as part of Quicken’s move.

“Quizzle will be a great addition to our core group of companies making the move to Detroit,” Gilbert said.

Other Quicken-related companies making the move will be Fathead, In-House Realty and One Reverse Mortgage. About 1,700 employees in all will be making the move.

Read more: Quizzle will join Quicken Loans in Detroit | freep.com | Detroit Free Press http://www.freep.com/article/20100804/BUSINESS06/100804038/1019/BUSINESS06/Quizzle-will-join-Quicken-Loans-in-Detroit#ixzz0vqVI3qP7



Lear to build plant, invest $5 million in projects in Detroit

Lear's financial commitment to Detroit -- a $5-million neighborhood revitalization investment and plans to open a manufacturing facility -- could be the beginning of a slow but steady resurgence of manufacturing in metro Detroit, according to a local turnaround expert.

Though short on specifics, Lear officials announced Wednesday that they hope to open a new manufacturing facility in Detroit and bring with it at least 200 jobs, possibly as early as next year. Lear makes seats for the auto industry.
Lear's $5 million will be used for community parks and to develop mentoring programs with Detroit Public Schools.

Read more: Lear to build plant, invest $5 million in projects in Detroit | freep.com | Detroit Free Press http://www.freep.com/article/20100805/BUSINESS06/308050005/1019/Lear-to-invest-5-million-in-projects-in-Detroit#ixzz0vqWKvAzY

Mike Ilitch says he wants to buy Pistons and move them to downtown Detroit

Detroit sports and pizza industrialist Mike Ilitch confirmed today what’s been rumored for some time: He wants to buy the Detroit Pistons and move them downtown in deals that could eventually cost close to $1 billion.

It’s believed that the Ilitches want the Wings and Pistons to share a joint-use arena, possibly built north of I-75 along Woodward Avenue, not far from Comerica Park and relatively near the Motorcity Casino Hotel that’s owned by Mike Ilitch’s wife, Marian. Mike and Marian Ilitch cofounded what today is Little Caesars Enterprises Inc.

:nuts:

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20100809/FREE/100809898

Mike Ilitch says he wants to buy Pistons and move them to downtown Detroit

Detroit sports and pizza industrialist Mike Ilitch confirmed today what’s been rumored for some time: He wants to buy the Detroit Pistons and move them downtown in deals that could eventually cost close to $1 billion.

It’s believed that the Ilitches want the Wings and Pistons to share a joint-use arena, possibly built north of I-75 along Woodward Avenue, not far from Comerica Park and relatively near the Motorcity Casino Hotel that’s owned by Mike Ilitch’s wife, Marian. Mike and Marian Ilitch cofounded what today is Little Caesars Enterprises Inc.

:nuts:

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20100809/FREE/100809898

Having the Pistons back downtown would be a HUGE BOON to downtown Detroit and would have ALL FOUR PRO sports teams back in the city proper! I hope Ilitch makes it happen! :banana:

I'm still mad at him for what he did to the Madison-Lenox Hotel, though!