  Hans57 Member Username: Hans57 Post Number: 366 Registered: 05-2006 |
There seems to be some activity at the building that once housed the Blue Moon. There is a Monaghan sign on the building and a trailer on the side of the building. Does anyone have any info on this? | ||
Troy Member Username: Troy Post Number: 260 Registered: 10-2003 |
There is unfortunately a pharmacy sign on the building as well. | ||
Jams Member Username: Jams Post Number: 9682 Registered: 10-2003 |
Appropriate! | ||
Hans57 Member Username: Hans57 Post Number: 367 Registered: 05-2006 |
That sign say that the pharmacy next door has moved. This Monaghan sign is recent, within 4 days, and I believe there's a fence around the building and trailer. (Message edited by hans57 on November 24, 2008) (Message edited by hans57 on November 24, 2008) | ||
Rocknrollscientist Member Username: Rocknrollscientist Post Number: 182 Registered: 05-2005 |
From what I've heard (from people in the neighborhood - not solid sources), that whole block is coming down to make way for some sort of new development. | ||
Detroit_pride Member Username: Detroit_pride Post Number: 38 Registered: 02-2008 |
Yes new development....it is going to be the Garden Theater Block Parking Structure. | ||
Eboyer Member Username: Eboyer Post Number: 116 Registered: 01-2007 |
From the MEDC on Dec. 18, 2007: "North Woodward Garden Block Development – A state brownfield tax credit valued at $2.2 million will help the development group revitalize a blighted block on the west side of Woodward between Mack and Warren in Detroit. The project involves the restoration of the Garden Theatre and the Blue Moon Building. The theater will be returned to its original use and the Blue Moon will house a new restaurant. A new, three-story building will be constructed with retail and commercial space. Plans also call for a 300-space parking garage. The project will generate $28.7 million in capital investment and create more than 200 new jobs." Looks good to me! | ||
Bvos Member Username: Bvos Post Number: 2317 Registered: 10-2003 |
We don't know if it looks good (no architectural renderings are known), but it sure does sound good! | ||
Eastsideal Member Username: Eastsideal Post Number: 73 Registered: 10-2007 |
quote: You're a bad boy Jams... | ||
Hans57 Member Username: Hans57 Post Number: 368 Registered: 05-2006 |
Well then, good things are still happening . The re-development of Midtown is slowly creeping southward. On a side note, I propose that MSU builds a campus on the 5 or so blocks north of 75 on Woodward. It would be dedicated to urban farming, considering they were initially founded as an agricultural school. It's as simple as that, right? (Message edited by hans57 on November 24, 2008) | ||
Detourdetroit Member Username: Detourdetroit Post Number: 421 Registered: 10-2003 |
yes, i'm glad someone said it. the whole block will not come down. we're trying to learn how to use a scalpel remember? Good stuff will be REUSED. | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 592 Registered: 08-2008 |
Hans57, that's an excellent idea. I second it. MSU would most certainly be pioneering non-traditional, agricultural areas. It could be a whole new field of farming, education and employment. Of course, would it be taken seriously? | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 2031 Registered: 04-2006 |
200 new jobs?? Thats a lot of Catholics flipping pizzas! Its too bad MSU did not hook up with the High School operating a farm in N Corktown area. http://www.metrotimes.com/edit orial/story.asp?id=7026 | ||
Rb336 Member Username: Rb336 Post Number: 8227 Registered: 02-2007 |
I've seen elevations -- it's going to look nice. the new definitely respects the old | ||
Kryptonite Member Username: Kryptonite Post Number: 14 Registered: 11-2008 |
That's good to hear Rb336. It's sad when something new trashes an aesthetic old structure. Like have you ever seen the hideous addition to the Birmingham Library?? A grotesque crescent-shaped modernist building was built that is plenty ugly of itself, but also curves around and hides the original beautiful gothic (i think) building. It must be one of the premier architecture blunders in Oakland Co. | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 605 Registered: 08-2008 |
Kryptonite, is the addition to the Birmingham Library recent? The last few years? I used to frequent the downtown Birmingham Library. It was quite nice, though cramped. I haven't been there in about three years. I'd hate to show up unprepared, to find a 'Soldier Field', flying saucer sitting atop the beautiful library. | ||
Registeredguest Member Username: Registeredguest Post Number: 449 Registered: 10-2003 |
There is nothing wrong with melding old and new, like the Soldier Field renovation or the Libeskind addition to the Royal Ontario Museum. If we ever want to grow out of being considered a cultural backwater, flyover city, then we need to embrace more dramatic and bold juxtaposition between the old and new. Much better than the post-modern, ye-old, brick and cornice, un-inspired crap that gets promoted time and time again on this website. The Garden Theater Block provides a great opportunity for such an experiment in design. I hope the project's architects embrace it, and that the project's funders follow through with it. | ||
Eastsideal Member Username: Eastsideal Post Number: 75 Registered: 10-2007 |
I have no problem at all with modern architecture, but there's a time and a place for it, and a time and place for preserving and enhancing an existing structure's historical character. The new Soldier Field is a good example, because it's such an abomination. They took a beautiful structure that was also a pretty nice historical football stadium, and in the name of preserving its history stuffed it with a gigantic silver thing that dominates and completely diminishes the earlier structure, while at the same time looking completely awkward, blocking the view of the lake that was one of the old stadium's joys, and not being that much of an improvement as a stadium. The Garden Theater is a historic structure in a city that has preserved far too few of its fine old theaters, or of its historical cityscape in general. I'm hoping, as I always do, for a historically sensitive renovation, and a preservation of the block's urban character and relationship to the pedestrian use of the street. | ||
Novine Member Username: Novine Post Number: 875 Registered: 07-2007 |
"If we ever want to grow out of being considered a cultural backwater, flyover city, then we need to embrace more dramatic and bold juxtaposition between the old and new." Really? What cities are destination cities because of the architecture of their buildings? | ||
Tekla Member Username: Tekla Post Number: 1 Registered: 05-2008 |
Ummm try New York, Chicago, Paris, Los Angles, Bilbao, Tokyo...the list goes on and on. Pretty much any major city in the world. Even Milwaukee. | ||
Rb336 Member Username: Rb336 Post Number: 8242 Registered: 02-2007 |
Chicago (overrated) NYC London Berlin that's about it Baldwin's addition is ugly, Soldier Field was vandalized Libeskind addition is jarring, and hideous. Sorry, but "new" and "innovative" don't always mesh with "good," Registeredguest. grabbing something because it is adventurous or to make a statement is no reason to grab it. granted, I would like to see something more interesting than Compuware. Still love the Cadillac Place proposal | ||
Kryptonite Member Username: Kryptonite Post Number: 18 Registered: 11-2008 |
1kielsondrive, I don't know how long the Birmingham Library addition has been in existence, it looks fairly recent. The new building is not very attractive and hides a beautiful old building that looks like it could belong on the Cranbrook campus, a very attractive place. From Chester St. it looks awful, all you see is a curved modern structure and part of the upper story of an attractive old building. Too bad, but IMO the project only serves to hide a beautiful structure with something not much more attractive than a parking garage. Actually some garages...  Hey, Rb336, I agree, I think Detroit's skyline is prettier than Chicago's. Just my 2cents. | ||
Gnome Member Username: Gnome Post Number: 2168 Registered: 08-2007 |
Just called up there, that original addition to the Baldwin Library was constructed in 1980. I recall the uproar after it was upgraded, but since I was otherwise occupied, I had other things to worry about. I do know that the 1927 main entrance was not on Chester but one street north, Martin, and the children's entrance was on Chester. To contridict the 1980 date, the WSU virtual Library has a pic dated 1960. Obviously, those stairs in the photo below aren't ADA compliant. baldwin 1960 The DTE Aeral site isn't detailed enough to determine 1967 areal of B-ham area. As far as Soldier Field is concerned, they lost their Historical Marker when they put that chrome bedpan on top. | ||
Novine Member Username: Novine Post Number: 878 Registered: 07-2007 |
Question: "What cities are destination cities because of the architecture of their buildings?" Answer: "Ummm try New York, Chicago, Paris, Los Angles, Bilbao, Tokyo...the list goes on and on. Pretty much any major city in the world. Even Milwaukee." Of that list, I would say that Bilbao is the only "destination" city due to the architecture. I've been to NYC, Chicago, LA and even Milwaukee and while I did enjoy some of the architecture in each, I don't think I would ever make the trip to any of them just for the architecture. Those are great cities and places that people visit for many reasons. I think few people travel for the architecture alone. | ||
Kryptonite Member Username: Kryptonite Post Number: 21 Registered: 11-2008 |
Gnome, your "chrome bedpan on top" statement nearly resulted in peanut butter & crackers up the nose. Good synopsis, i obviously enjoyed it. Nobody should underestimate Detroit architecture. The Penobscot, Fisher Bldg, Guardian Bldg, and Fox Theater are worth visiting from out of town. I myself have driven guests visiting from around the US and even the UK to those places. And I have taken people to see numerous Downtown churches. | ||
Rjlj Member Username: Rjlj Post Number: 753 Registered: 11-2003 |
Just because you would go to certain cities as a destination for architecture does not mean other people would not go. | ||
Novine Member Username: Novine Post Number: 880 Registered: 07-2007 |
"Just because you would go to certain cities as a destination for architecture does not mean other people would not go." Of course and I never claimed otherwise. I'm questioning the claim that Detroit's architecture is some kind of hinderance to attracting outside visitors or the validity of the claim that "we need to embrace more dramatic and bold juxtaposition between the old and new." Architecture is just one reason people visit great cities and the idea that throwing up some craptacular architectural landmark is going to bring throngs of people to Detroit is a bit far-fetched. |
