  Everyman Member Username: Everyman Post Number: 65 Registered: 11-2005 |
I heard they're interested in a tubular development and are thinking about purchasing the river tunnel because they think that both Detroit and Livonia suck. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 5430 Registered: 10-2003 |
The DPD plan for the MCS is dead. That said, we don't have to worry about the MCS going anywhere. The city doesn't have the money to go through the legal wranglings to bring it down, and even if they had the money and time to do that, they'd then not have the money to bring down such a large structure. | ||
Quinn Member Username: Quinn Post Number: 1266 Registered: 01-2005 |
Plan just release by the Developer...if you look real close you can see my wig shop "Qwiggen" on the alley side. Figures they would put my wig shop on the alley...bigots!  | ||
Quinn Member Username: Quinn Post Number: 1267 Registered: 01-2005 |
there's the shop  | ||
Leland_palmer Member Username: Leland_palmer Post Number: 304 Registered: 08-2004 |
Quinn- Love the sign, well done. If I'm ever in need of a wig I'll be sure to stop in. | ||
Thnk2mch Member Username: Thnk2mch Post Number: 891 Registered: 02-2006 |
Quinn, are you going to have have financing? Like - say - rent to comb? | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 4206 Registered: 08-2004 |
Quinn, you tell the architects that they did a great job!! I especially like the fact that the tower is away from GCP, so as to not overpower it. And it finally makes up for not having the 81 story Book Tower not built along Washington Blvd. back in 1930 due to the depression.  | ||
Rbdetsport Member Username: Rbdetsport Post Number: 259 Registered: 11-2005 |
Im Confused. Quinn, is that real? | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 4207 Registered: 08-2004 |
If only it were so...  Quinn just happens to be a master of Photoshop. Last year he did a great job of superimposing the NYC 792 ft. Gothic inspired Woolworth Building on the Statler site. | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 1222 Registered: 04-2006 |
Nah they're not biggots, I just out bid you for the 100 percent corner. Ahh yes. The dollars will start rolling in ! By the way, Dollar General has started a new concept based on smaller stores selling fresh produce, meats, dairy, prepared foods, along with some general merchandise lines. http://www.dollargeneral.com/o urstores/DGMarket.aspx | ||
Scs100 Member Username: Scs100 Post Number: 948 Registered: 12-2006 |
Now that I think about it, Quinn, did you get that out of a game called City Life? It reminds me of a building in that game for the elites. | ||
Quinn Member Username: Quinn Post Number: 1268 Registered: 01-2005 |
No it's a Trump NY riverfront tower (I believe... I also think he built 3 or 4 of these along the river on the upper west side). I found it on local.live.com.  It had the proportions I was looking for, as Gistok pointed out, the contextual (at least from a blocking point of view) shorter "park-side" with a taller tower behind, along Washington where it belongs. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 4213 Registered: 08-2004 |
Hey Quinn, you outta mail a copy of your GCP pic to Dan Gilbert! Detroitplanner, it looks like the dollar stores are starting to emulate ALDI's, the (Germany based) discount stores that are springing up in and around Detroit. | ||
Quinn Member Username: Quinn Post Number: 1269 Registered: 01-2005 |
Maybe someone will forward a link from this page to him? I wonder if he ever visits the forum? | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 2041 Registered: 12-2005 |
I stopped into a new ALDI store and was surprised how small it was. It was about the size of an old-fashioned supermarket but contained palletfuls of each product. As a result, there wasn't much variety. It doesn't seem like a very good idea to me. Are they all like that? | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 4216 Registered: 08-2004 |
Yes Jimaz, they're all like that, not much variety... but the prices are the lowest. And they appear to be flourishing everywhere. In the USA, as well as Europe. Bring your own bags, and pack it yourself (the European way). Ya gotta love their use of shopping carts. You want to use one... put 25 cents into the cart to release it from the rack. You put it back, and get your 25 cents back. On several occasions I've seen a few strays that customers didn't return, which I did! | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 1044 Registered: 06-2006 |
I'm sure that's what Dan Gilbert needs is photoshopped images of what a building would look like at the Staler site...lord knows 2 years of planning and billions of corporate capital have likely failed to yield anything like that... P.S. I'm sure he visits the forum regularly... probably when he's on his jet on his evening flights down to Cleveland to watch the Cavs play, since he probably gets kinda busy running that billion-dollar corporation...he probably has DY saved in his favorites! | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 4218 Registered: 08-2004 |
I know of at least one multi-millionaire business owner who reads this forum... I'm sure Lowell knows a lot more. | ||
Quinn Member Username: Quinn Post Number: 1270 Registered: 01-2005 |
Nothing like a bad attitude to bring down a thread. Gotta love this town. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 4220 Registered: 08-2004 |
Sigh... I know, he goes between moments of brilliance, and moments where you just want to crucify him... | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 672 Registered: 04-2006 |
^^LOL! | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 1045 Registered: 06-2006 |
"I know of at least one multi-millionaire business owner who reads this forum" and I'm related to one...but neither my relative who frequents the forum nor the person you know are heads of billion dollar corporations and owners of professional sports franchises...I think it's safe to say that lifestyle leaves little time for browsing message boards | ||
Detroit313 Member Username: Detroit313 Post Number: 318 Registered: 02-2006 |
I can't wait! 313 | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 1046 Registered: 06-2006 |
sorry Gistok, but Quinn's post was so retarded that I couldn't not comment on it... but I sorta feel bad for picking on the guy now after I noticed that he ended both of his statements with a question mark... | ||
Belleislerunner Member Username: Belleislerunner Post Number: 295 Registered: 12-2003 |
You know a good company they should talk into moving downtown would be Citimortgage. They have a huge presence in Southfield - and I've never seen a company speak so positively of Detroit on their website. http://careers.citimortgage.co m/careers/nam/citimortgage/loc ations.htm | ||
Quinn Member Username: Quinn Post Number: 1271 Registered: 01-2005 |
Nice try Jesus. TheJesus is still smarting from the many times I've torched his poorly written and ill-conceived posts. TheJesus...it's okay. Not everyone can be smart, witty, charming and handsome all the time. Well...I can. Jesus, with your poor grammar and "danny-like" comments, I can only imagine you know a billionaire because he does charity work at the institution where you live. BTW, say hey to Danny for me. Is he in the next bed? Or do you have private rooms there? (oops I ended a post with a question...and I guess that's bad...bad bad bad bad bad) Back to the thread: Gistok do you think there is a chance Quicken will build on Hudsons? Statler makes sense to me...but I really want to see the Hudsons site filled with a multi-purpose, Chicago "Michigan Avenue"-like tower. It's purely emotional for me. | ||
Southen Member Username: Southen Post Number: 156 Registered: 08-2006 |
I think I would prefer to see Quicken at the Statler block. In my mind the Hudson block has a much greater chance of being developed in a "non-Quicken" scenario where I think Statler would take much longer. I also really like the idea of Quicken closing in and building up the west side of GCP. The park is a real gem and it would be great to see more activity there. | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 1047 Registered: 06-2006 |
Quinn: Ending a post w/ a question mark is fine if the sentence was a question...ending a statement with a question mark as you did twice, however, is incorrect...HTH Also, I said "hi" to Danny for you. He responded with, "That guy's a dick." | ||
Scs100 Member Username: Scs100 Post Number: 949 Registered: 12-2006 |
Thanks for clearing that up Quinn. | ||
Quinn Member Username: Quinn Post Number: 1272 Registered: 01-2005 |
Ah I see what you're talking about. I'll be sure to keep as close an eye on your posts as you seem to do on mine. I'm glad I have the "panties-in-a-twist" police on my ass. If you dislike me so much why don't you skim over my posts. It's your choice to ignore them if you'd prefer. I'm glad you and danny have yet another thing in common. Ya...everyone hates me. oh wait... Ya...everyone hates me? All this because I hurt your feelings with the Novi comment on this thread? It's entertaining for me, but I doubt anyone else likes it. | ||
Messykitty Member Username: Messykitty Post Number: 206 Registered: 03-2006 |
Why do I feel like there's going to be some hair-pulling going on? | ||
Quinn Member Username: Quinn Post Number: 1275 Registered: 01-2005 |
With a name like messykitty, why do i feel like you've pulled some hair before? I'm actually jeleous of your name. Pretty cool. Wait for thejesus reply...it's coming down in 3, 2, 1.5, 1.25... (probably still mad about the bankrupt livonia thing with a question mark) Alright I'm done. Maybe I'll delete the livonia thread. Hmmm. | ||
Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 738 Registered: 09-2006 |
Oh now I get why you started that thread. right. lol | ||
Scs100 Member Username: Scs100 Post Number: 950 Registered: 12-2006 |
That makes more sense now. | ||
Quinn Member Username: Quinn Post Number: 1280 Registered: 01-2005 |
Blocking idea for hudsons site with (sorry all I could find to fit) crummy post-modern blah building. Eh...maybe I'm starting to like the Grand Circus thing better.  | ||
Quinn Member Username: Quinn Post Number: 1281 Registered: 01-2005 |
I like Kraemer's idea for the site though.  http://thekraemeredge.com (before you yell at me, I know it's been posted already...) Look at work and it's under consulting, titled "Woodward Block." I like what they do... | ||
Broken_main Member Username: Broken_main Post Number: 1214 Registered: 06-2005 |
That top pic sure is one ugly thing for that site. Maybe Downtown Livonia needs a building like that. | ||
Scs100 Member Username: Scs100 Post Number: 951 Registered: 12-2006 |
LOL @ Broken main. That second pic is very interesting to look at. | ||
Urbanize Member Username: Urbanize Post Number: 1034 Registered: 02-2007 |
If Quicken built next to Cadillac Tower, then we could give Campus Martius the slogan "Land of Rebirth". | ||
321brian Member Username: 321brian Post Number: 348 Registered: 02-2006 |
The problem with all of your ideas is that that Detroit isn't attracting these businesses from other States. Sure it is nice for Detroit if Quicken moves from Livonia to Detroit but it would be better if they were moving from someplace like Charlotte or Nashville. I know you all hate the suburbs but moving jobs around Southeast Michigan isn't going to help anyone or anything. | ||
Urbanize Member Username: Urbanize Post Number: 1035 Registered: 02-2007 |
"I know you all hate the suburbs but moving jobs around Southeast Michigan isn't going to help anyone or anything." The problem with SE Michigan 321brian is that there's not enough centralization like other regions. That's why were so hyped up on these companies in SE Michigan settling into Detroit, because it would look better on the region see ing as everything is in one central location (such as a major city) instead of scattered in every other suburb of a major city. | ||
321brian Member Username: 321brian Post Number: 349 Registered: 02-2006 |
What is the difference between a vacant building in Detroit and one in Livonia? The areas that are build now are going to be that way for some time. Reducing new building in the outlying counties is a great idea and I'm all for it but creating a vacant building to fill a different vacant building is useless. The state needs to encourage businesses and builders from creating more sprawl but what is done is done. | ||
Eric Member Username: Eric Post Number: 797 Registered: 11-2004 |
Attracting out of state jobs would be best, but to say this doesn't help SE Michigan is flat out wrong. SE Michigan's ability to attract jobs is only as strong ability to sell the city of Detroit. Companies like Chrysler have sited Detroit's condition/perception in it's difficulty landing out of state talent. It should go without saying, that this applies even more to landing out state businesses. This move would make Detroit stronger and therefore all of SE Michigan. (Message edited by eric on April 28, 2007) | ||
321brian Member Username: 321brian Post Number: 350 Registered: 02-2006 |
Like Chrysler can talk. I didn't see then shopping for land or buildings in Detroit when they were looking to build a new HQ. | ||
Urbanize Member Username: Urbanize Post Number: 1038 Registered: 02-2007 |
^^^^Exactly my point. you have Ford in Dearborn, Chrysler in Pontiac, Kmart in troy (had), Quicken in Livonia. You see my point. That's nothing but commercial sprawl. Even Cleveland has good centralization despise all the bad conditions and perception they have. So those aren't excuses. (Message edited by Urbanize on April 28, 2007) | ||
321brian Member Username: 321brian Post Number: 351 Registered: 02-2006 |
My point is that I am fine with them in Oakland County but I would be better with it if some other company would have moved to their old HQ in Highland Park. I'll admit that it is better than Quicken moving to Cleveland or Freakin' Dallas. | ||
Gmich99 Member Username: Gmich99 Post Number: 187 Registered: 11-2005 |
While it presently is not great that the only companies moving or considering a move to downtown Detroit are Michigan-based already, such local moves could have an impact on attracting future out of state businesses. Downtown Detroit currently offers less of the downtown dynamic offered in other large American cities. The Compuware move and Campus Martius development improved the situation, and a Quicken move downtown would continue that momentum. Continued local corporate relocations to downtown Detroit will be necessary to create the environment that attracts out of state business lacking that attachment to Detroit. | ||
Rocket_city Member Username: Rocket_city Post Number: 239 Registered: 04-2006 |
Here's my regional take on it: First, I don't think any educated person who is a member here really "hates" the suburbs. Typically, what is hated is the sprawl and the design of elitism/classism/racism by mere imaginary political boundaries. Every place has suburbs, and central cities still thrive with suburbs. They are an essential component to a successful regional system. That being said, the traditional "growth" patterns of this region are mostly all originating from the founding location on the river by Cadillac. In other words, since we've become a metropolitan region of growth, practically all growth corridors are from that point in Detroit, outward. Without any supplimentation (other than trickles of immigration), the city empties out and the "donut effect" as people have used, takes effect. Jobs and the market are created where the people are and where there is space for these "displaced residents on the move" to reestablish themselves. Detroit's growth-to-land consumption ratio is among the worst in the nation: being one of the slowest growing, but consuming some of the most land of any other region. This creates an EXTREMELY WEAK regional structure on all levels, and since the "growth" patterns are primarily only in one direction (from the core, outward) it's only a matter of time that the donut effect catches up to the different rings of the suburbs. Corporate responsibility plays a huge role in reversing that as the world (specifically in this region) transforms to the knowledge-based, creative, global economy. Culture is bred in the fabric of our communities both large and small. By that, I mean there is more human potential to network off of one another if the work environment for entrepreneurs is community-oriented. This is good for Detroit because as we've seen over the recent years, a healthy regional core means benefits to all of us. It's good for places like Livonia because now, maybe instead of people chosing to live out beyond the exurban line and commute 2 hours each way into the city to work, Livonia's population and quality of life might actually be sustained by Quicken employees choosing to live there and commuting 20 minutes to work downtown. On the opposite end of that argument is the Chrysler move to Auburn Hills. There's nothing wrong with that per se, but it all of a sudden allowed employees to live further out. There's a commuting tolerance level that each employee is willing to make, and as long as their job location is within that time/distance, it doesn't matter where they live, and trends have shown that people won't think twice about building that McMansion two townships away from everyone else, as long as it is within their tolerance level of commuting to work. Eventually, "growth" fills in the gap from where they live and where the job (Chrysler) is and the sprawl epidemic worsens and weakens the system for all. Central Detroit is not only the economic bright spot for future of this region, it is also for the state. We've seen what investment here can and will do, so why keep on insisting on denying it? The same principle applies to mass transit. People have make the connection and have educated and informed themselves on why it is an essential piece to the economic make up of this SE Michigan as we transition into the future. The next generation of economic performance is in the enriched quality of life in our major cities. Other than say Las Vegas, tell me of a city that has an image that suggests otherwise. We're the 10th largest metro in this country and have 5 million inhabitants. The past 50 years of has both blessed us and screwed us, but you'd think with the extremities that are so very apparent, that we'd be able to make decisions here that can truely make an impact on our national and international status as a great city that treats itself like 5 million strong and not 5 million weak...10 million if you include the rest of the state, which to me is heavily dependent on the success of Greater Detroit. | ||
Parkguy Member Username: Parkguy Post Number: 6 Registered: 04-2007 |
Very thoughtful post Rocket_guy. | ||
Davecil Member Username: Davecil Post Number: 2 Registered: 03-2007 |
im a senior art director at quicken and thats what was buzzing around | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 5436 Registered: 10-2003 |
I'll echo the sentiments that a move like this is good to centralize the regional economy. Centralization creates a more efficient economy. So, this move may not be a big a deal as a new outside company moving it, but it has its own important benefits setting up the region to compete better with other historically centralized regional economies. I really think a huge problem has been the decentralization of the population and resources making it harder for the region to make a case for outside companies that want a downtown synergy. Detroit isn't built like say a decentralized Houston or Atlanta, yet, it has functioned nearly as such for half a century. It's time to bring things back towards the middle, bring things full circle, and get this local economy functioning at it did best: centralized. A metropolitan Detroit moving in 50 different directions, despite being tied at the waist to one another, isn't attractive to anyone, and especially outside investors looking in. A metropolitan Detroit moving in 50 different directions, is a losing metropolitan Detroit. (Message edited by lmichigan on April 28, 2007) | ||
Rbdetsport Member Username: Rbdetsport Post Number: 260 Registered: 11-2005 |
What is buzzing around, Davecil? | ||
Davecil Member Username: Davecil Post Number: 3 Registered: 03-2007 |
About buying michigan central and renovating it for the company. A few of my really close friends at detroit urban living and city living detroit know what he's inquired about the building. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 5439 Registered: 10-2003 |
But, it seems that that road is not being followed. I'm sure Quicken considered many different sites; you know, throwing everything against the wall to see what sticks. I don't think it would be too much to assume that the MCS didn't stick. | ||
Miketoronto Member Username: Miketoronto Post Number: 539 Registered: 07-2004 |
--------------------------- think a huge problem has been the decentralization of the population and resources making it harder for the region to make a case for outside companies that want a downtown synergy. ------------------------- You have a very good point about that. I know this report was not done on Detroit, but Toronto had a report done on the FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN Tooronto, and the report listed having a very centralized city and downtown as a huge benefit for the economy. The reason?????? So many North American cities have killed their centralized downtown energy that only a handfull of cities still have that downtown energy and synergy to allow the cluster economy to hold. So centralizing things and making that cluster economy is a very strong plus for any city. Here is a quote from the report. ------------- For many US cities, the hollowing out of the centre and dispersal of activity to suburban hubs has eroded agglomeration economies. The scale of the central market thus represents a competitive advantage. ------------------- (Message edited by miketoronto on April 29, 2007) | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 5440 Registered: 10-2003 |
BTW, I forgot to add that a historically densely built metro area can be multi-nodular, but only if the nodes are connected by a rapid transit system. I think Washington is a great example of this. Though, it sprawls to hell almost worst than any other historic, densely built metro area, it's nodes are connected with an efficient subway and other forms of rapid/mass transit. So, Metro Detroit could function as a multi-nodular metro area, but at the moment you have your Royal Oaks, your Livonias, your Warrens, your Central Detroit, etc...all moving in a disjointed fashion with virtually no effective connections beyond the freeways, which just aren't enough to sustain a multi-nodular metro area. | ||
Rocket_city Member Username: Rocket_city Post Number: 243 Registered: 04-2006 |
Thanks for that, mike! Man, read today's freep about graduates, the brain drain, and how there is supposedly no job opportunity in Michigan and you'll be sure to find yourself going through a whirlwind of what is fact and what is fiction. I just had to address this quote here (taken from the freep section entitled "What They Said About Michigan"): #1 "Detroit feels like it's deteriorating. The people in the suburbs just don't care. Jobs are being lost every day." -- Antoine Brantley, 20, of West Bloomfield, a junior studying microbiology at the University of Michigan who plans to move to Atlanta when he graduates. MY RESPONSE: He's absolutely right. By saying "seems like" (Detroit is deteriorating) he's addressing the image problem here. However, those of us involved and investing in Detroit know there is a significant reality that things in this city are turning around DESPITE a scary truth of deterioration and losses. #2 "I'd like to see what it's like to live somewhere else," said Hines, 20, of Detroit. A nursing major, she has her eyes set on Atlanta. She doesn't like Michigan's weather, cost of living and things it has for young people to do. MY RESPONSE: Weather? Ok, fine. If the north lost every last person to the south for the sole purpose that the climate is a little more favorable, then so be it. I have some friends who have moved to the south for job opportunities and they reaffirm it is not all what it is propped up to be. Sorry, but the cost of living is nonsustainable in the south (particularly Atlanta). If you dislike Michigan for the cost of living, you're a pretty cheap bastard, in my opinion. My beef with Atlanta? Sure, it's a decent city, but what does it have that Detroit doesn't? I mean, they both have similar sized major rivers. Ours is filled with water and named the Detroit...theirs is filled with traffic and called I-75. #3 Camaj, who graduated Saturday from U-M, wants to live in a community with vibrant shopping, cleaner streets, better public transit and more culture. "Detroit will always be my home, but for one thing it's kind of scary -- in terms of crime and things like that," said Camaj, who plans to attend law school in New York City in the fall. MY RESPONSE: More culture than Detroit? Good luck finding it, buddy(s). Detroit, given it's continental interior geographic location, is, in my mind, one of the most culturally enriching metropolises on the entire continent. It's just that the people who want a better cost of living are those that are identified as "the suburbs just don't care", and "I want more things for young people to do". They are all sorry excuses, so if you're reason for leaving truely is that you want to see what it's like somewhere else, don't make every excuse in the book as to why another place is better...because it is not. YOU'RE the one that's earned the degree, you should know better than that. Are we pinched for jobs here? Compared to the rest of the country...yes. Does that mean there are no opportunities? No. Model D's latest issue gave a report about how entrepreneurialship in Detroit is more appealing than other places because here, you aren't just a number. Public transit, cleaner streets, safer neighborhoods, more things for young people to do, better job opportunities, more vibrant shopping...The writing is on the freaking wall...THIS is the future of Michigan and Detroit staring at us in the face! We already have the foundation, we're just lacking the attitude and in some cases, the know-how on how to get the job done. And this is why it is a must for companies "like" Quicken/Rock to plant their seed in downtown Michigan. I understand it is ultimately their decision, but if we blow this one, as well as other opportunities, we'll continue to have the best seats in the house to watch as our brains settle in the Seattles, the Austins, the New Yorks, Atlantas, Miamis, Chicagos, Charlottes, etc... | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 2737 Registered: 02-2005 |
Outstanding post, Rocket_city. This is such a circular problem. You can't have a great city without human capital/educated youth, but you can't attract them without a great city. It really comes down to people taking the lead and making things happen on a large scale. More major employers in Detroit is absolutely neccesary. |
