Internationalist style has gained a reputation not necessarily completely unearned with some of the later glass boxes however this view imo is more of a modern stereotype. The Internationalist & New Formalism styles of architecture have some of their root in post war Detroit & the metro area most notably in the works of Minoru Yamasaki who adopted Detroit as his hometown.
Furthermore if there is one place in the city where I wouldn't mind seeing more of the style (tastefully done) either would definitely be Lafayette Park. I rather like the project I'd have to say it's the right project in the right place imo.
Quote:
The McGregor Memorial Conference Center is an office building located at 495 Ferry Mall, on the campus of Wayne State University in Midtown Detroit, Michigan. Completed in 1958, the building was the first commission of the noted Japanese-American architect Minoru Yamasaki marking his shift from traditional International Style to a style known as the New Formalism. The building was designated a National Historic Landmark for its architecture in 2015.
|
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McGreg...ference_Center
But I can understand why some don't like the style but as LMich said I don't think it looks like a jail with so much open glass.
Harrison High School in my hometown of Farmington Hills was built in the 80's by a contractor who mainly built jails (assuming they hired them to save money) this is a jail-lookin' building to me if i've ever seen one. Haha. (Glad I went to North)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris...hool_(Michigan)
An update on the surge in tourism by Crain's, there seems to be a concerted effort being made in concert with the hotel building boom to make further improvements to Cobo Hall. This is looking to be a good chance to make and cement gains in the convention industry lack of rooms had always been a stumbling block for conventions downtown, now what becomes of JLA takes on an increased importance.
Quote:
Detroit’s new-found reputation as a tourist destination spurs hotel boom
By KIRK PINHO
Crain's Detroit Business
July 01, 2018
-Detroit's hotel market average occupancy rate is in the low 70s
-Growing perception of the Motor City as a tourist destination
-2,000 more rooms expected to come online
|
Quote:
An increasing influx of visitors is no mirage, O'Callaghan said: A decade ago, 11 million or 12 million people visited the region.
In 2017, that figure stood at more than 19 million. He pointed to recent features in Lonely Planet, The New York Times (which later in 2017 asked whether it is "the most exciting city in America"), "Good Morning America" and "The Today Show" highlighting Detroit as a good place for tourists to travel as helping fuel that perception nationwide.
"When you have the recognition of major publications like that driving demand to a city, we have to deliver lodging experiences for those travelers," said Andrew Leber, vice president of hospitality for Dan Gilbert's Bedrock LLC real estate development, ownership, management and leasing company.
So with apparently a growing market for leisure travelers and convention-goers, the question then becomes where the visitors to greater downtown Detroit lay their heads at night, as there are only about 5,000 hotel rooms in and around the central business district, ranging from the motels that dot east Jefferson Avenue and other major thoroughfares to the city's tallest building, the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center.
|
Quote:
Developers have taken notice in the increased demand for hospitality space. A Crain's tally shows that no fewer than 2,000 rooms have been proposed or come online in the last few years, and there are easily hundreds more in the pipeline that have not yet been formally confirmed or announced, ranging from projects in Midtown to a host of others throughout the area.
That means to maintain downtown occupancy rates, the increasing numbers of visitors will also have to continue to rise.
Bedrock is developing not only the Shinola Hotel on Woodward immediately north of the J.L. Hudson's department store site project, but also tentatively plans converting the former Detroit Police Department headquarters at 1300 Beaubien St. into a 200-room hotel and is considering a hotel component in a residential tower slated to soar 800 feet above the ground.
|
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...urs-hotel-boom