DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown

[Innsertnamehere]

yea, it isn't non existent but it hardly looks like anything that would give more than 5 minutes of delay.

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by mind field

Bring more down! If you figure about 200 sq. feet per employee, that's a nice extra 250 workers coming downtown. One thing that is concerning, for so many of these workers moving downtown, traffic congestion will become an ever increasing negative, will it reach the point where companies decide not to locate downtown, or they even leave downtown? Now if we had any kind of functioning transit system....

It's been nothing short of miraculous witnessing the rebirth of our once forlorn and abandoned downtown, makes me misty eyed.

The common argument (for suburban office space) has always been whether the jobs are centralized relative to a majority of workers, not necessarily congestion. In fact, most of Detroit's major suburbs have congestion that's just as bad if not worse compared to downtown because there's many more bottlenecks and most traffic has to spill onto surface streets. Downtown Detroit's freeways were built with easy egress in mind so it's much less of an issue.

However, the one negative that does increase with more workers is the scarcity of parking. Without a major transit system, downtown Detroit will likely see most new construction with large parking garages attached (as well as large standalone parking garages nearby) and the cost of parking will increase. Unless a number of suburbs start redeveloping their parking lots in favor of dense development (decreasing the supply and increasing the price of parking) then Detroit will always need to offer other incentives to make companies move. At that point, it'd probably be easier for Detroit to try and lure large corporations from outside of the region, I'd think.

[Docta_Love]

Big news for Pontiac Australian-based software company BoonEx buys Phoenix Center, will relocate its North American HQ into connected office towers. This is a very significant for the city of Pontiac not only is the phoenix center in need of costly repairs which will presumably be done by its new owners but with a software company moving its NA HQ into the adjoining 2 office towers it seems like a large number of skilled workers will be coming into downtown. Hopefully BoonEx can do for the phoenix center what GM did for the Ren Cen.

Whats more Peter Karmanos' technology-investment company Mad Dog Technology LLC moving 3 of its tech companies into the Riker Building downtown, downtown pontiac is looking like its emerging as one of the regions tech hubs.

It would be cool to see with the new interest in Pontiac as a tech center the villages at bloomfield development configured to take advantage, that could really make what is a pretty bland project into much more of an asset beyond bringing new residents and retail to a major thoroughfare between Pontiac and one of the richest city's in the country.

Pontiac sells Phoenix Center to Australian-based software company
By KURT NAGL
January 12, 2017
Crain's Detroit Business



Pontiac City Council members voted 7-0 Thursday night to sell the city's troubled downtown Phoenix Center parking garage in a complex deal with an Australian-based software company, the Detroit Free Press reported.

BoonEx has told the city it would relocate its North American headquarters from Atlanta to two office towers connected to the Phoenix Center.

In a deal that is to close Feb. 13, the city would sell the parking deck for $3 million but gain no money because of liens outstanding on the structure, which the city has failed for decades to maintain, attorneys at the meeting told city officials, the Free Press reported.

Mayor Deirdre Waterman said the deal is a "win-win for the people of Pontiac" because it releases them from lawsuits with the owners of Ottawa Towers, which could've ultimately cost the city more than $20 million, the Free Press said.

The Phoenix Center parking deck and rooftop amphitheater was built in the 1980s and touted then as the beginning of the city's comeback. Now in need of costly renovations, it has been more of a burden to the city than an asset.

Waterman has supported selling the Phoenix Center to BoonEx. The company has also struck a deal to purchase the Ottawa Towers in a related deal.

The city has been tied up for several years in lawsuits with the owners of Ottawa Towers — Michigan-based Ottawa Tower II LLC and North Bay Drywall Inc. Profit Sharing Plan and Trust. The lawsuits center on the city's bid to demolish the Phoenix Center.

The deal would offer several benefits for a city trying to emerge from troubled times, Waterman said. BoonEx would pay the city $3 million for the structure, Waterman said, putting an end to the city's ongoing litigation. Pontiac would also save $2 million in demolition costs, she said. Finally, BoonEx would help breath new life into the city and help establish it as an up-and-coming tech hub, Waterman said.

....


Its hard to find a good view of downtown Pontiac and the Phoenix Center so i thought id add in a view from the park on the roof of the P.C. looking over downtown. The second i believe is a zoomed in view from the park as well looking down saginaw st to the pontiac state bank building.



http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...ftware-company

Here's a bit about Karmanos' Mad Dog move from the end of october.

Karmanos' Mad Dog to move 3 tech companies into downtown Pontiac, hire more than 100
Lenderful to invest more than $1.75 million

By KIRK PINHO
10-27-16
Crain's Detroit Business



Peter Karmanos Jr.'s technology-investment company Mad Dog Technology LLC is taking 15,000 square feet of space in the Riker Building in downtown Pontiac for three of its companies.

Birmingham-based Mad Dog, of which Karmanos Jr. is chairman and Mark Hillman is co-founder, says it plans to hire more than 100 people for its Lenderful LLC, Deliver My Ride LLC and Perfect Realty LLC companies in the next three years.

Lenderful is a cloud-based software that allows people to search and apply for mortgages. Deliver My Ride is a car-buying software and Perfect Realty is a home-listing software.

"There is relatively inexpensive space that is more accessible by people that live around there," Karmanos, the founder of Detroit-based Compuware Corp., said Thursday morning in an interview with Crain's.

"It's our target market for employees, with better school systems surrounding it. It just was a natural place if you want to build a high-tech center and you want to be competitive for someone who would have to drive 20 minutes on a winter day to get to work, and we have parking where we are at, versus having to drive an hour and a half to go to work with no parking."



Hillman said Thursday morning that the companies are cramped in their space in downtown Birmingham. The relocation of the three Mad Dog companies, which has a portfolio of eight firms, is expected to start immediately, Hillman said.

"It will be world-class tech space," he said. "That’s part of the strategy of how you get the right talent, you bring them into tremendous quarters."

The Lenderful investment in Pontiac is more than $1.75 million, according to a news release. The total investment for the three companies is not being disclosed. Lenderful received an $800,000 Michigan Business Development Program grant, the release said. Pontiac is waiving building and other permit fees, the release said.

"We are just moving three companies, but these three businesses in particular are in industry segments that are huge, so we have collectively put many millions of dollars already to date in our forward plans, let alone the Pontiac plan move and that investment requirement," Hillman

...

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...wntown-pontiac

[detroit_alive]

Originally Posted by Docta_Love

Big news for Pontiac Australian-based software company BoonEx buys Phoenix Center, will relocate its North American HQ into connected office towers. This is a very significant for the city of Pontiac not only is the phoenix center in need of costly repairs which will presumably be done by its new owners but with a software company moving its NA HQ into the adjoining 2 office towers it seems like a large number of skilled workers will be coming into downtown. Hopefully BoonEx can do for the phoenix center what GM did for the Ren Cen.

I'm curious as to why this article didn't report the number of employees moving. That is standard for this sort of development announcement. With some digging I found that BoonEx once had ~60 employees but have since been operating with a leaner team (LinkedIn shows 16). Moreover almost all of their employees are located in Australia and Kyrgyzstan. I have no idea how they plan to fill that building. I wouldn't expect much out of this.

[animatedmartian]

Some pictures I took last weekend.

Mixed use apartments at Third and Grand Boulevard.




The Scott at Brush Park looks like it's done and already has residents.



Patternson Terrace at John R and Erksine.




Construction trucks around Brush Park for the City Modern development.




Little Ceasers Arena




Nuedeck Building at Clifford and Bagley. Being renovated from office building into apartments, not sure if the facade will be affected at all though.




28 Grand




Farwell Building

[The North One]

The updates are much appreciated, thank you.

[Warrenite84]

It's great to see them bringing back the decorative cornices to the old buildings!

[JonathanGRR]

Thanks for the pictures!

Here's some information for those interested on the Neudeck Building (originally Detroit City Gas/MichCon): https://blog.detroithistorical.org/2...ing-buildings/

I'm assuming that they are not going to de-skin the building, but it could definitely be worth it. Grand Rapids is currently in the process of de-skinning and un-combining what is now one building: http://www.mlive.com/business/west-m...ld_buildi.html

[animatedmartian]

Bedrock to turn old Free Press building into offices, retail, residences
John Gallagher , Detroit Free Press. Janurary 23, 2017.



Businessman Dan Gilbert's aides unveiled an ambitious plan Monday to remake the long-vacant Detroit Free Press building at 321 W. Lafayette into a mixed-use development of retail, office space and residential units.

In an exclusive Free Press tour of the building Monday, Gilbert's team said reconstruction could begin in the second quarter and take two years, projecting a 2019 reopening date.

"We're super excited," Jim Ketai, CEO of Gilbert's Bedrock LLC real estate arm, said during the tour. "We'll put our retail on the first floor as we always do to activate the street. We think the building lays out perfectly to do a combo of office on the first couple of floors and residential above. We think it lays out great for a bunch of apartments. We think it's literally just the ideal building to do mixed-use."

The restoration project is significant on several fronts. It rescues another Albert Kahn-designed classic from slow deterioration. It will provide new office and residential space in the heart of a downtown that has seen its supply of both rapidly filling up. And the project adds another new anchor on the west side of downtown where redevelopment work has remained spotty until recently.

....

http://www.freep.com/story/money/bus...town/96943998/

Packard Plant owner eyes spring construction start
By CHAD LIVENGOOD. Crain's Detroit. January 22, 2017.



The Peru-based developer attempting to resurrect the former Packard Plant says it has secured financing and tenants to start construction this spring on renovating the first hollowed-out building at the sprawling factory complex on Detroit's near east side.

The developments are a step forward for an ambitious renovation of one of the world's best-known industrial eyesores — a grand plan that has drawn both hope and skepticism.

Arte Express Detroit LLC, the local holding company of Peruvian developer Fernando Palazuelo, will begin construction of office, commercial and event space in the 121,000-square-foot former Packard administration building along East Grand Boulevard after the top two floors are cleared of debris and contaminants, according to project manager Kari Smith.

Smith expects to the close on financing of $17 million-$21 million from unspecified lenders for the project within the "next two months."

"A lot of it will be private equity," Smith said. "And people are often surprised by that."

The committed tenants for the now-windowless four-story building include Silveri Architects, Environmental Consulting & Technology Inc., Testing Engineers & Consultants, Sterling Security and the Detroit Training Center, a nonprofit job training organization.

Construction is expected to last through the end of 2018 with the tenants moving into the space by the first quarter of 2019, Smith said.

.....

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...truction-start

[animatedmartian]

Historic Detroit commercial strip gets $7.5M redevelopment
By Dana Afana. January 27, 2017. Mlive Detroit.







A historic strip of storefronts along Woodward Avenue is being redeveloped in a $7.5 million project overseen by a nonprofit that owns key stretches of the commercial district.

Nonprofit development group Midtown Detroit Inc. purchased 6568 Woodward Ave., a three-story structure built in 1896, to be renovated and rebranded as Woodward Grand, which sits along the new M-1 Rail streetcar track.

"It's a catalyst for New Center," said Sue Mosey, executive director of Midtown Detroit Inc. "It gives us a whole new set of beautiful storefronts to place businesses."

The space will feature 10,000-square-feet of retail space in multiple Woodward Avenue storefronts, 10,000-square-feet office space and 10 third-floor housing units, three of which will be designated affordable units.

Across the street, another storefront space also owned by Midtown Detroit has been renovated and rebranded the North End Collective, housing retailers Purple Love, Traveling Pants Co., United Front and Live Coal Gallery.

The two projects were part of a $7.5 million investment announced by Midtown Detroit on Friday.

....

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in...ard_grand.html

[Docta_Love]

An eight-story building at 1400 Woodward Ave. in downtown Detroit, which began life as a hardware store and most recently housed Eastern Wig & Hair Co., will be transitioned into a Shinola Hotel.

Work on Shinola Hotel in Detroit to begin Tuesday

January 30, 2017
By KURT NAGL



Groundbreaking for the Shinola Hotel in downtown Detroit is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday.

The project for an independent boutique hotel in Detroit is a joint venture between Shinola/Detroit LLC and Dan Gilbert's Bedrock LLC. Both the eight-story hotel building at 1400 Woodward Ave. and a four-story building at 1416 Woodward Ave. are part of the project, details of which were first reported in September.

Shinola CEO Tom Lewand, Bedrock Vice President Dan Mullen and Gilbert are expected to speak at Tuesday's event.

The 130-room hotel is expected to open next year.

The new hotel in Detroit is a first for Shinola, but the second for Gilbert, who also counts Greektown Casino-Hotel among his holdings.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...-begin-tuesday

[99spartan]

Crane is up at the Little Caesars Headquarters

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by Docta_Love

An eight-story building at 1400 Woodward Ave. in downtown Detroit, which began life as a hardware store and most recently housed Eastern Wig & Hair Co., will be transitioned into a Shinola Hotel.

There's also going to be a new building on Farmer Street. Very little is mentioned of this building or its specific use(s). Judging from the renderings, it'll be about 5 stories tall. There's a shorter 2-story building that looks like it'll obviously be a restaurant with a rooftop patio.

View from Grand River (Hudson's side)


View from John R (Metropolitan Building side)


https://www.shinola.com/shinola-hotel

[subterranean]

So I thought Gilbert had until December 2016 to tell us something about the Hudson's site? SSDD?

[Docta_Love]

^ That was the word however the city hasn't said anything about a breech of contract or anything so i would guess they received another extension to see if Gov. Snyder and the legislature pass the bill bringing back brownfield tax credits to essentially what they were under Granholm. It seems he has 2 different "project packages" for both the Hudson's and Monroe blocks and if the bill is passed the chances seem good that we will see the 60 story Hudson's tower and the 30 story Monroe tower. The lame duck legislature passed off the bill to the new one and it seems that if it is brought out of committee it will pass Snyder's attitude has been more ambiguous but he had said recently that he has been warming to the idea. Well that's my take at least i'm still feeling optimistic however this is Detroit so you never know until the shovels are in the ground but i like that the project seems to be growing in ambition as time goes by and deadlines pass.

[skyfan]

The Scott Mansion has made some awesome progress.

[subterranean]

Daaaamn, Daniel! Looking good.

[Docta_Love]

^Wow! back from the dead literally i didn't have much hope that the day would come when the Scott Mansion would be renovated, props!

Sources: Duggan, Bedrock to announce Microsoft move downtown tomorrow
February 02, 2017
By KIRK PINHO
Crain's Detroit Business



Mayor Mike Duggan and Dan Gilbert are expected to announce tomorrow morning that Microsoft Corp. will be moving its regional offices to downtown Detroit from Southfield.

Sources familiar with the matter said the computer software giant will be moving to the Gilbert-owned One Campus Martius building into about 50,000 square feet, a deal first reported by Crain's last month.

The number of employees expected to move downtown is not known, but real estate experts generally estimate that by approximately 200 to 250 square feet per employee. At about 50,000 square feet, that would amount to 200-250 employees.

The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant currently has about 53,000 square feet in the Southfield Town Center, a 2.2-million-square-foot office complex north of 10 Mile Road between M-10 and Evergreen Road, according to CoStar Group Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based real estate information service.

An event is scheduled for 9 a.m. tomorrow at One Campus Martius, the former Compuware Corp. headquarters building that Gilbert and Detroit-based Meridian Health purchased at the end of 2014 for $142 million.

Also expected to speak at the event is Jim Ketai, CEO and co-founder of Gilbert's Bedrock LLC real estate development and management company. Bedrock says it has purchased more than 95 properties since 2011 totaling more than 15 million square feet, representing a total investment of more than $2.2 billion.

....

A year ago, Gilbert's Quicken Loans Inc. hired John Fikany, formerly Microsoft's local sales chief as its vice president of the Enterprise Sales and Partner Group, as Quicken's vice president of strategy development.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...ntown-tomorrow

[Docta_Love]

Its official Microsoft is moving into One Campus Martius with at least 165 employee's with Microsoft's relocation to downtown. Tech giant will take 40,000 square feet in One Campus Martius.

Microsoft to move from Southfield to downtown Detroit
February 03, 2017
By KIRK PINHO
Crain's Detroit Business



Microsoft Corp. and Bedrock LLC this morning announced that the technology company will move its Michigan Technology Center from Southfield to downtown Detroit early next year.

Microsoft will take more than 40,000 square feet in the Dan Gilbert-owned One Campus Martius building, a deal first reported by Crain's last month.

At least 165 Microsoft employees will move to One Campus Martius.

Tracy Galloway, general manager in the local Microsoft office, said Friday that the company has been in Southfield for about 30 years.

"We are strongly committed to Detroit's thriving technology hub by providing resources and experienced team members to help your team find solutions to its technology challenges," Phil Sorgen, Microsoft corporate vice president, U.S. Enterprise & Partner Group, said in a news release.

Gilbert, who along with Detroit-based Meridian Health purchased the former Compuware Building at the end of 2014 for $142 million, praised his new tenant.

"Microsoft, like many tech companies in Detroit and around the country, recognizes that being located in downtown Detroit is great for business," Gilbert said in the release. "Today's tech talent wants to work and live in urban cores. Not only will the Microsoft Technology Center provide a much-needed resource for Detroit-based businesses, its presence will also connect Detroiters with a wider global network."

During a news event Friday morning on the 10th floor of One Campus Martius, Mayor Mike Duggan said Gilbert called him about six months ago to tell him that Microsoft was looking to move downtown. Duggan, who is expected to announce his re-election bid for a second term Saturday, said the Microsoft move adds to the city's credibility as a technology hub.

Rodrick Miller, president and CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., said a 10-year tax abatement worth about $1.03 million was part of the deal to lure Microsoft downtown.

The Southfield office of Cushman & Wakefield represented Microsoft in the lease deal, which will bring it to the fifth floor of One Campus Martius. Detroit-based architecture firm Neumann/Smith Architecture is designing the space and Bedrock will be the construction manager on the build-out, said Jim Ketai, CEO and co-founder of Bedrock.

The move will displace some Gilbert employees to an unknown location. Gilbert said the search for space is ongoing.

"Momentum breeds momentum," he said. "Now it's a matter of space. If we can't find it, we're going to build it."

Christopher Ilitch, president and CEO of Ilitch Holdings Inc., which is building a new world headquarters for its flagship Little Caesars pizza chain as well as Little Caesars Arena and 50-block The District Detroit, welcomed Microsoft to town.

....

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...wntown-detroit

[animatedmartian]

The Griswold residence is officially complete and getting new residents.



Also a cool view of Capitol Park and how 28 Grand fits in with its neighbors.



https://www.facebook.com/thekraemere...54006932360882

The Book Tower has also been going through some cleaning. The view is from 28 Grand.





https://www.facebook.com/thekraemere...54006921280882