DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown - Page 22

zuelas · #**421** Posted **Jul 12, 2007, 9:58 PM**

^^ Oh really? That was your favorite place there next to the city-owned parking garage a block away from the expressway? What a shame they messed that all up for you.....

zuelas · #**422** Posted **Jul 13, 2007, 12:30 AM**

Detking: There's hasn't been much progress on Greektown. The hotel is 3-4 floors and the parking garage isn't done yet but all four corners are filled out now w/just a few sections in the middle to be completed.

A couple weeks ago MGM must have been testing some of their exterior lights out. There were beams shining up the top 2-3 floors in the vertical banding area between the windows. It was subtle but looked pretty good. I already much prefer the bldg at night.... the hideous 2nd head (elevator shaft/etc) at the top isn't as obvious and the rooms look attractive lit up from within at night.

The-New-Tony-Detroit · #**423** Posted **Jul 13, 2007, 7:15 PM**

Speaking of hotels...

Sheraton's site claiims the new Detroit Riverside Hotel (currently the Hotel Pontchatrain) will be open for reservations for 10/16/07 and beyond... meaning the $12 m renovation should be complete by then...

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sherat...ropertyID=1754

And as mentioned on the forum before, Westin's site claims the Book Cadillac will open about a year later in October of 2008

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin...ropertyID=3001

Great to see the websites showing the new Detroit Downtown properties to visitors looking for hotels for the auto show and march madness contests next year.

illbred · #**424** Posted **Jul 14, 2007, 3:32 AM**

4 10 story condo buildins in early planning states near bell isle

http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...EWS01/70713027

DetKing12565 · #**425** Posted **Jul 14, 2007, 5:06 PM**

Eastern Market changes coming

Welcome center opens today as part of $10.8M renovation of landmark.

Eric Morath / The Detroit News

LMich · #**426** Posted **Jul 14, 2007, 11:51 PM**

We're the link?

DetKing12565 · #**427** Posted **Jul 15, 2007, 1:19 AM**

sry..here is the full story

DETROIT -- An Eastern Market welcome center set to open today will be among the first tangible results of a $10.8 million renovation of the Detroit landmark.

The center -- at Adelaide and Market streets -- will serve as an information hub to guide visitors through more drastic renovations expected to kick off later this month. In the first stage, Eastern Market's Shed 2 will under go major construction, displacing vendors to a nearby tent.

"Customers are used to having the vendors in the same location, so (the welcome center) will be a spot to dispense maps and give other information," said Laura Rodwan, spokeswoman for the Eastern Market Corp., the nonprofit that took over operations of the marketplace from the city last year.

The project to restore Shed 2 to its original 1894 appearance was supposed to have started in June. But the logistical issues of relocating vendors and preparing visitor materials delayed the start. Now the corporation is awaiting Detroit City Council approval to launch the renovation efforts.

If the approval comes within the next week or two, Shed 2 could reopen in September or October. Original plans called for a Labor Day grand opening.

As for the welcome center, future plans call for photographic displays to document the market's historic past; sales of Eastern Market merchandise and canvas shopping bags; and workers dispensing directions and information about the area'sother tourist attractions.

"We felt like it will be a nice place for those new to market," Rodwan said. "We'll give directions, have maps of the layout for first-timers, have bathroom facilities and give information about membership to our 'Friends of the Eastern Market' program."

Historic renovations are planned for the market's other sheds so that the area looks as it did in the 1890s. The overall goal is to create a more appealing location to attract first-time visitors and better serve long-time customers and those in nearby neighborhoods.

Once completed, Eastern Market will operate three days a week instead of just Saturday and provide a heated shed for more comfortable year-round operations.

Other changes to come:

A new "flowerland" in Shed 5. The building will feature a new glass front and contain fresh-cut blooms and plants.

A heated and ready-for-cold-weather Shed 3.

A program that lets people receiving public assistance and food stamps use their benefits, distributed via a debit card, at Eastern Market.

Increased inspections of vendor stands and produce to ensure the fruits and vegetables are fresh.

A membership drive for the Friends of Eastern Market. Membership fees would generate funds for renovations and market maintenance. Members would get discounts at Eastern Market merchants

DetKing12565 · #**428** Posted **Jul 15, 2007, 3:25 PM**

I wonder how tall of a building quicken's HQ will be. it can't out beat the Ren Cen in height if they're only spending 200 million. for the Ren Cen to be built today could exceed 5 billion

DetKing12565 · #**429** Posted **Jul 16, 2007, 1:23 AM**

I can't wait until the Westin Book-Cadillac gets it's full renovation.
this is a pic from June.

Shot at 2007-07-15

zuelas · #**430** Posted **Jul 16, 2007, 8:17 AM**

The before and after pics of the Book Cadillac are going to be alot more dramatic than I had originally thought. The top looks strange now since the turrets aren't green. Anyone know how long it takes the copper to change once it's exposed to the elements?

Also, maybe I read it wrong but I thought the 2oo million # was the total deal/tax breaks/incentives the state was offering and not the actual cost of the HQ. If Gilbert has been hinting at big "blow you away" things and other businesses coming with him, I'd expect something valued alot more than 2oo million if that was the case. How much extra money might someone very rich be willing to blow to transform an average HQ into a grand iconic HQ? The extra cost might be worth it if the HQ happened to be on the Statler site and thousands could see it during Tiger games. Be speculative and build more than you need. I know I'm daydreaming but if this project becomes very prominent, I could see floors of condos on top of everything fetching top dollar so why not go high and also get the exposure from the folks at the ballpark and media.

I've heard the argument that something with significant height wouldn't look good built right on Grand Circus Park. Personally, I'd love to see a tall modern tower here. You have the Broderick 1 bldg away which is quite tall and soaring and right on the park so I don't think a big old HQ would look out of place there at all. How many chances do we get at building something new dwntwn- something sleek and shiny punctuating our beloved skyline. Perhaps keeping w/popular modern designs we could have a slender curving black skyscraper looming over GCP that is our answer to Calatrava's Chicago Spire...... Detroit's Quicken Quill

DetKing12565 · #**431** Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 2:36 AM**

You may be right on the 200 million dollar thing. I think Quicken should build their HQ like this, or this

Shot at 2007-07-16

zuelas · #**432** Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 5:42 AM**

^^ I'm not crazy about the second one but something sleek like the 1st pic would look great at either proposed site. I have a feeling, though, considering all the plots of land that might be used at the Statler site, there would be setbacks and it'd have a more stacked look to it.

At Motorcity, they've been putting up the metal sheets at the top. Like the MGM, this hotel tower looks best at night and I'm curious how their night-lighting scheme is going to turn out. For as awful as I think that building looks, I think they should just make it bright and gaudy as hell at night and try to draw as much attention to itself as possible. It's a tacky design in an undesirable location so all I really expect from it is to hopefully light up that pocket of dwntwn a little.

LMich · #**433** Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 5:56 AM**

Speaking of Woodbridge, if any of you guys can get pictures updates on Woodbridge Estates' progress, that would be great, not to mention any new construction going on with the new North Corktown historic-styled, wood-frame homes just north of the Fisher. I really think this area has and incredible amount of potential for the sole fact that it's largely a blank slate south of Grand River. Most of the neighborhood is gone.

BTW, I just found a new project going on in my old neighborhood, The North End:

North End Village

As long as the garages are in the back, I don't much care about how they look. I had no idea this was even planned or going on. Apparently, the infill will consists of 90 homes in two phases, and it says "attached" two-car garages, but I'm still unable to tell if this means garages behind or in front.

Here is the Model D blurb:

Two homes in one day for North End

hudkina · #**434** Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 4:03 PM**

I'm sure they'll be using lower quality materials, but it is a good start.

DetKing12565 · #**435** Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 11:38 PM**

Wayne County expected to buy Guardian Building

Robert Snell / The Detroit News

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DETROIT --Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano is expected to announce more than $30 million in building purchases today, a plan that could involve relocating county workers from the Old Wayne County Building to the Guardian Building.

The 11 a.m. announcement will be made at the Guardian Building, which Wayne County Commissioner Edward Boike suspects will be purchased by the county, and possibly serve as the new headquarters of county government.

The spending spree comes amid a lingering dispute between owners of the Old Wayne County Building and Ficano, who claims the county is being overcharged to lease the structure.

The spree could reshuffle occupancy rates for at least two historic downtown properties, or it could merely be a bluff by Ficano to secure a more favorable lease rate at the 105-year-old Old Wayne County Building, which is known for its ornate ceilings, mosaic floors and antique statues of a horse and chariot on its roof.

"I don't think it's a bluff," Boike said. "I think what it says is, 'Hey, we are serious.' The landlord's got to pay attention now. What we're paying for the building right now is way too much."

The county leases the building for about $5 million a year from Southfield-based Old Wayne County Building Limited Partnership, a private company that owns the historic site. Ficano has accused the company of routinely overcharging for office space and threatened to move out of the building on Randolph Street in downtown Detroit.

Both sides were scheduled to meet Monday to discuss proposals that could keep Wayne County offices in the Old Wayne County Building but the meeting's outcome was unclear Tuesday. Partnership spokesman Michael Layne could not be reached for comment.

Boike said a decision has not been made to vacate the Old Wayne County Building or purchase the Guardian Building. And he has not been briefed on how the county will pay for the purchases or what other buildings are involved.

"The commission will have the final vote on that," Boike said.

The Guardian's owner, 500 Associates LLC., is a joint venture between New York Capital in New York and Sterling Group, a real estate firm in Detroit. The venture bought the 40-story, 750,000-square foot landmark from DTE Energy in 2003.

The occupancy rate of the Guardian is 69 percent, which translates into 197,216 square feet of available space available, according to Co-Star Property. The average rent is $16.75 per square foot.

Danny Samson of The Sterling Group did not return a phone call seeking comment Tuesday but is scheduled to attend today's news conference.

Staff writer Louis Aguilar contributed to this report. You can reach Robert Snell at (313) 222-2028 or rsnell@detnews.com.

jasonic · #**436** Posted **Jul 18, 2007, 1:16 PM**

New loft development. Anyone have more info? Looks very well designed, inside and out. Is this for real, or just a concept?

http://www.twelve-25.com/

Trying to attach pics.

-J

skyfan · #**437** Posted **Jul 18, 2007, 2:37 PM**

The Roxbury Group Breaks Ground on The Griswold ~ Capitol Park

DETROIT–The Roxbury Group, a Detroit-based development company, broke ground yesterday on The Griswold ~ Capitol Park, an 80-unit condominium project to be located on the corner of Griswold Street and Michigan Avenue, next to the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel and Residences.

Stacy Fox, a principal of the Roxbury Group, announced the construction team, Walbridge Aldinger and LS Brinker, who joined forces as construction managers on the project. She stated, “Having worked closely with Walbridge Aldinger in the past, I am confident that this project will be built safely and on time and on budget.”

Participants in the groundbreaking included Detroit Deputy Mayor Anthony Adams, Detroit City Council President Kenneth V. Cockrel, Jr. and President of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation George Jackson.

The Griswold ~ Capitol Park was first announced in December of 2006 when the Roxbury Group secured the “air rights” – the empty space – above the parking structure to be owned by the Downtown Development Authority on which the project will be built. In her acknowledgements, Fox stated, “George Jackson immediately saw the creative economic development opportunity in the air rights and has worked diligently with us to realize this potential.”

The Griswold residences, designed by Detroit-based architecture firm, Kraemer Design Group, will rise six floors above an 11-story retail and parking complex, which is being built to support the Westin Book-Cadillac and The Griswold.

The residences range in size from 650 to 2,800 square feet and will feature high-end amenities and finishes including a private entrance on Griswold Street staffed by a 24-hour doorman, floor-to-ceiling windows, one or two terrace balconies per unit, fireplaces in certain units and gas appliances. The top residential floor (15th floor of the building) will offer nine, two-story penthouses allowing for second-floor master suites with a second balcony. Every unit will have spectacular views of downtown.

The cost for the entire project is $41 million; with The Griswold portion alone totaling over $26 million in investment.

LMich · #**438** Posted **Jul 19, 2007, 2:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonic

New loft development. Anyone have more info? Looks very well designed, inside and out. Is this for real, or just a concept?

http://www.twelve-25.com/

Trying to attach pics.

-J

It's real. It's been in the planning stages for a few years now.

Skyfan, do you have a link to what looks like a press release?

jasonic · #**439** Posted **Jul 19, 2007, 2:55 AM**

Twelve-25, gets me thinking.

You know, Woodward has so much potential to be a trendy destination for both living and entertainment. When i see projects like this one that have a nice modern style to it, I get excited about what Woodward can become, at least in the CBD and midtown. Along with places like Detroit Breakfast House, Proof, Borders, and Au Bon Pain it seems like Woodward has the beginnings of a great urban area.

Lets hope it can get over the hump and retain some of these good developments and add others. I can totally see a Gap, Whole Foods, Blockbuster video, etc coming in and making woodward a very walkable and liveable area. Add a movie theater and it would be hard to argue not living there.

Exciting potential.

-J

LMich · #**440** Posted **Jul 19, 2007, 5:23 AM**

Is Twelve-25 all that different from what's been going on and going on, now, though? I don't think we should overstate its importance. It'll be another great notch in Woodward's belt, but not so drastically different from what we've seen in the downtown, and drawing upon the success of Merchant's Row and the hundreds of other residential units that have been developed in downtown since 2000.