  Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 1814 Registered: 09-2006 |
This is awesome news. When I wake up tomorrow I'll have to check again to make sure this isn't an alcohol induced fantasy and this is actually reality. Wish me luck. | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 4740 Registered: 10-2004 |
If it's really in the private sector, I hope it succeeds. However, it's somewhat less than a zero-sum game in the CBD (and for the rest of Motown), and any added development simply hurts the others. There's no such animal in Detroit as synergy, as some zealots foolishly believe. | ||
Detroitstar Member Username: Detroitstar Post Number: 865 Registered: 01-2006 |
Lol Mayor, I thought the exact same thing!! It's these nights in EL you know... I know this is going to be a major love it/hate it issue for Detroiters, but I think investment from the outside that does not take major tax bonuses and will bring new jobs, not just steal them is going to be great for the city! | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4290 Registered: 02-2005 |
Congrats to Hockey_player for breaking the story...must work at the Freep? | ||
Eric Member Username: Eric Post Number: 1063 Registered: 11-2004 |
When Kilpatick said some weeks ago he had a major announcement I thought it'd be about a new hockey arena. I have to say this is way better than an new arena As for the architecture I think it's exactly the sort of thing the city needs. The Penobscot and Guardian were cutting edge when they were built. But that is some that has been lacking for city's landscape for too long | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 2502 Registered: 07-2004 |
The Artist's rendering doesn't appear to be drawn to scale. The building doesn't appear to extend to the intersection of Monroe and Woodward(look at all of the parked cars that continue pass the front of the building). Where is the 800 space parking garage? What is that strange round(water droplet)looking building and how is it oriented? To get that shot, the water droplet building has to be at the corner of Monroe and Farmer(See the rendering farthest to the right of the mayor's shot in the Freeps pics). Therefore, we would not see Compuware, but maybe a view of the First National Building along with the Chase Building(old NBD). I can appreciate the strange look of the building if it was drawn to scale. If it IS drawn to scale, then a lot of space on that site is not being used. (Message edited by royce on January 06, 2008) | ||
Reddog289 Member Username: Reddog289 Post Number: 173 Registered: 08-2007 |
looks like flying cars will be next, if i don,t get it confused with a giant blender | ||
Apbest Member Username: Apbest Post Number: 667 Registered: 03-2006 |
If financing is already lined up, why will it take a year and a half to break ground? | ||
Wilus1mj Member Username: Wilus1mj Post Number: 232 Registered: 05-2005 |
Anybody have pictures of the civil war era buildings that were torn down in early 90's on Monroe? | ||
Wilus1mj Member Username: Wilus1mj Post Number: 233 Registered: 05-2005 |
Whoops...just saw Skamour's post with the pictures I was looking for. I always thought it was strange to have those huge surface lots there. I wish they could have saved some of those buildings....I wonder if they would have lasted 10 more years, if someone would have rehabbed them? | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 4741 Registered: 10-2004 |
quote:Exit strategy, in case the market worsens or if a national recession occurs? Remember 1929? The Guardian (1929) was the last Detroit skyscraper built for almost a half century. | ||
Hybridy Member Username: Hybridy Post Number: 188 Registered: 08-2006 |
i appreciate the roof garden gesture. if the building gets some form of leed certification i will be uber pleased. the amount of retail mentioned + gateway mall. i wonder if that project will die in the face of this proposal? what about the retail and cinema at the ren cen? i suppose the wealthy folk in the book caddy will need a place to carry around a starbucks cup. | ||
Hybridy Member Username: Hybridy Post Number: 189 Registered: 08-2006 |
haha they show kwame getting crazy on the book roof http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs .dll/article?AID=/20080105/VID EO01/80105072 | ||
D_mcc Member Username: D_mcc Post Number: 55 Registered: 12-2007 |
The building is disgusting, and I am appalled Detroiters would allow a monstrosity like that to be constructed...great...another empty building, look at the Strata Center at MIT...or any other Gehry building, Opus should be ashamed... | ||
Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 1816 Registered: 09-2006 |
We as Detroiter's are beggars therefore in terms of development we cant yet be choosers. So while some may think it is an ugly development it is still a development which is a whole lot better than what is there now. | ||
Eric Member Username: Eric Post Number: 1064 Registered: 11-2004 |
quote: Well, they do have to find tenants and national retailers aren't rushing to city. So it may take them some time fill up all that space | ||
D_mcc Member Username: D_mcc Post Number: 56 Registered: 12-2007 |
No, that's not how it works. The citizens can call for a redesign if they feel the building does not fit in with the urban context, which, clearly this does not. If the property is of such value to the developer, and there is public disdain for the building in question, he/she will make the appropriate changes. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 6937 Registered: 02-2004 |
Scs100, I don't like that building to be put up at the Monroe block. Quicken Loans should build their 90 story glass covered skyscraper in that areas with retail shops all over. | ||
Emu_steve Member Username: Emu_steve Post Number: 554 Registered: 11-2006 |
Is it now easier to finance speculative office buildings and retail then housing? Despite the credit crunch there must be SOME money to lend and lenders apparently are betting on office buildings en lieu of housing. If so, not a bad thing for this development, Quicken, stuff along Woodward, etc. My take. Agree or disagree? | ||
Beantown Member Username: Beantown Post Number: 66 Registered: 10-2006 |
D_mcc, you better than anyone should know that architecture can be immensely polarizing, especially when the situation involves a city playing decades of "catch-up" with its high-rises. While it may not be perfect in every aspect, not everyone thinks it to be appalling, disgusting, or a monstrosity, and many of us will be overwhelmingly glad to see a modern structure added to our traditional skyline. Not that I want to start you on a rant about architectural style - far from it. Just inviting you to open your eyes to the all the positives that this project would represent for Detroit... | ||
Scruffy Member Username: Scruffy Post Number: 29 Registered: 04-2007 |
Query: If all financing is lined up, why isn't this project breaking ground for almost 2 years?(fall of 2009 as reported in today's Freep). Now that's what you call patient money. | ||
Corktownmark Member Username: Corktownmark Post Number: 361 Registered: 12-2004 |
It takes maybe more then a few weeks to DESIGN and create SPECS for a project like this. You might say the construction is the easy part. What happens first determines the quality and effectiveness. | ||
Scruffy Member Username: Scruffy Post Number: 30 Registered: 04-2007 |
Perhaps, but it doesn't take 2 years. My guess is that the real reason has more to do with the likely conditions to that financing, such as securing actual tenants for the retail. | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 3180 Registered: 06-2006 |
thumbs down to the design... glad there's interest in developing that parcel but is something like that really what we want to sit on the last vacant parcel on CM for the next 100 or so years? | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 2466 Registered: 04-2006 |
quote: Probably waiting on Quicken to finalize their relocation plans. | ||
Texorama Member Username: Texorama Post Number: 128 Registered: 12-2006 |
I think it's just the ticket for that spot--Compuware is too much of a monolith. The openness and green will be a great contrast. | ||
D_mcc Member Username: D_mcc Post Number: 57 Registered: 12-2007 |
I am not condoning the development itself, simply the design. Someone has already pointed out it resembles a blender. My fear is that designs like this, are very, kitschy... A design like this, can be come quite the novelty very fast, and if that is the case, and the building is poorly designed, as it appears to be, then tenants will be wary to occupy the spaces because they won't meet the needs and standards they have come to expect from a modern building. Building for the sake of building is quite possibly the worst thing the city of Detroit can do. While it is understandable that Kwame and the residents of the region yurn for development, I simply say...Demand better quality, and don't accept buildings that could become another eyesore. Good buildings last because they are based on good design. This building, while it appears to be green, with a green roof and the like, could be a HUGE energy drain, simply based on my experience and looking at the renderings, that is essentially where the green aspects end. Again, let me reiterate, that I am happy about the development, I just think we as detroiters should expect, and deserve more. | ||
93typhoon Member Username: 93typhoon Post Number: 39 Registered: 04-2006 |
does this help push the Quicken project to the old hudson's site? | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 1312 Registered: 09-2007 |
^^^Uh no. 1) The Monroe Block wasn't even considered a choice for Quicken to choose and develop on. 2) They will be developing on the old Statler site (Source: DetroitRise) | ||
Planner_727 Member Username: Planner_727 Post Number: 141 Registered: 07-2006 |
I think this would make a greater argument to keep them at Statler site, as the distance is not that far and the traffic between CM and GCP would do wonders for Capitol Park and support improvements along lower woodward. Like a 'golden triangle' with the BC |
