 
Lo_to_d
Member
Username: Lo_to_d
Post Number: 42
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, January 24, 2008 - 4:33 pm: |    |
I am very disappointed in the finished product at Mack and Beaubian. This project was very uplifting to me as I drove by it every day and witnessed the progression. It was a sign of progress on a smaller scale that meant a lot to me. The expansion of a medical office... good attention to detail, nice material selection, nice landscaping. Then at completion... BOOM, huge metal roll-up gates put on the outside of the windows. It looks terrible, I cannot stress enough what it does psychologically to the people of the area. Why waste so much good money on nice building materials, and then ruin it with huge metal roll-downs. I know security is a concern here, but there are examples of doing the gates on the inside of the window... T-Mobile at Mack and Woodward, Sole Sistas at John R. They should outlaw exterior window gates in the zoning ordinance. That progression of that building always brought a smile to my face, but not now. I would rather see a vinyl sided building with no exterior roll up gates.
Sorry, just venting. |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 1825
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, January 24, 2008 - 4:36 pm: | |
I wonder if they got a better insurance rate because of the roll-down gates. |
Rsa
Member
Username: Rsa
Post Number: 1376
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 24, 2008 - 5:13 pm: | |
during construction, at almost 90% completion, scrappers got in and stole the copper piping out of the basement. this was already after the water had been turned on. the owners then panicked and added them on after the fact. i don't know if it was a requirement of their insurance company, if it lowered the rates, or simply panic and paranoia.
the good news is that they have repaired all the damage and have fully completed the building and are expected to open soon.
the interesting thing to me about this project is that it is an addition. the original small building is still buried in the middle. the addition tripled the size and almost completely enveloped the original building. |
Detroit313
Member
Username: Detroit313
Post Number: 600
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, January 24, 2008 - 5:51 pm: | |
Any pics?
<313> |
Iddude313
Member
Username: Iddude313
Post Number: 140
Registered: 07-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, January 24, 2008 - 7:34 pm: | |
Security systems can be disguised or built more internally into a structure for aesthetics sake.
But most people wouldn't notice a dang thing wrong with what you noticed Lo_to_d. |
Lo_to_d
Member
Username: Lo_to_d
Post Number: 43
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Friday, January 25, 2008 - 9:31 am: | |
most people... except for the people who continue to call all parts of Detroit "the ghetto", even where there is new construction. Like I said, its a psychological thing. I wish scrappers could get more money for those gates. Then they would rip them off every building downtown and midtown. Here's a pic during construction. I'll try to get one of the finished product.
|
Spitty
Member
Username: Spitty
Post Number: 658
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Friday, January 25, 2008 - 10:20 am: | |
Is it really panic and paranoia if they actually got their plumbing yoinked? I don't blame them for wanting to secure their investment. |
Lo_to_d
Member
Username: Lo_to_d
Post Number: 44
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Friday, January 25, 2008 - 11:22 am: | |
They are helping the property value go down by putting them on the outside, aka their investment. I don't blame them for having security, but the gates are just as effective on the inside and they don't scream 'UNSAFE AREA' to every visitor. |
Yooper
Member
Username: Yooper
Post Number: 110
Registered: 12-2006
| | Posted on Friday, January 25, 2008 - 12:09 pm: | |
Oh, so that's the reason the property values are dropping. Thanks for the update. |
Lo_to_d
Member
Username: Lo_to_d
Post Number: 46
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Friday, January 25, 2008 - 12:52 pm: | |
The key word there was 'helping.' You would think property owners would try and be smarter than criminals instead of contributing to them pulling our city down... But thanks for your antagonistic post. |
Kjwick
Member
Username: Kjwick
Post Number: 86
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 25, 2008 - 2:31 pm: | |
smashed out windows cost a lot of money. for some reason, mindless window smashing is a favorite in the area.
so, if part of the goal is to save money in the long run, security gates on the inside are not as effective.
i do agree with you though, they did go overkill on the security. i love the metal bars covering the glass block windows on the west side of the building! talk about overkill....
but we have to give them credit for making a nice building. in my opinion, the benefit for the neighborhood because of their investment in the project surely outweighs the unpleasant aesthetic of the security. |
Sirrealone
Member
Username: Sirrealone
Post Number: 72
Registered: 01-2007
| | Posted on Friday, January 25, 2008 - 2:47 pm: | |
So far I've seen at least half a dozen people criticizing them for putting the security measures on their building, but so far not much talk criticizing the people that stole the copper pipes from the project, which led to the beefed up security. It's cause and effect. The cause: criminals taking what wasn't theirs from the owner's investment. The effect: unsightly security gates on the building.
Maybe spend more time addressing the cause (i.e. the criminals) and less blaming the owner for dealing with the effect.
I mean, think of it this way, if the owner didn't put gates on, they'd have a better chance of being broken into, which would then lead to them shutting the place down, which would mean abandoned buildings and de-investment in the city. This increases the likelihood of them staying in the city. Shouldn't it at least be considered that it could be a worthwhile trade off? |
Rsa
Member
Username: Rsa
Post Number: 1377
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 25, 2008 - 2:51 pm: | |
the last two posters bring up very good points. also, keep in mind, these types of security measurements can always be taken down later. the more permanent part (the building itself) is a very nice addition to the neighborhood, and will be for years to come. |
Ndavies
Member
Username: Ndavies
Post Number: 2922
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 25, 2008 - 3:33 pm: | |
I'll happily accept a nice new building with ugly metal security doors over a scrapped out hulk of a building that the owners ran away from due to the crime.
(Message edited by ndavies on January 25, 2008) |
Lo_to_d
Member
Username: Lo_to_d
Post Number: 47
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Friday, January 25, 2008 - 4:15 pm: | |
Believe me, I wish I could smack the shit out of those criminals. I realize it's their fault! However, its a reality. My point is, us law-abiding folks need to out smart them without being a detriment to our own community. Your right RSA they can be taken down, taken down and put on the inside. I'm sick of worthwhile tradeoffs. But, I'm done bitch'n too. Welcome to the neighborhood! I only hope the roll up doors don't become blank canvas for some two-bit graffiti artist. |