Detroit DDA will sell ‘air rights’ for Book Cadillac garage

apbest · #1 Posted: **Dec 7, 2006, 4:55 AM**

granted it's being discussed and has been posted on all types of sub-forums and websites, but the more viewable the better, right?

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/apps/pb.../61206009/1016

its from Crain's, so idk if you'll be able to read it, so here it is
Detroit DDA will sell 'air rights' for Book Cadillac garage

The Detroit Downtown Development Authority has entered into an agreement in principle to sell the “air rights” from a parking garage being built as part of the Book Cadillac redevelopment to a firm that wants to build 80 units of condos on top of the garage.

Detroit-based Roxbury Development L.L.C., an arm of The Roxbury Group P.L.L.C., is the developer for this proposed Griswold/Capitol Park project. The company’s offices are in the Stott Building on Griswold.

The 528-space garage will be at 150 Michigan Ave., the site of the soon-to-be-demolished Commerce Building. The Book Cadillac is at Michigan Avenue and Washington Boulevard.

The “air rights,” the ability to develop space above a property, are being sold for the incremental costs the DDA might spend to support the condominium development such as increases in construction or garage design costs. Roxbury estimated this cost to be $750,000 and the DDA will receive the funding on or before the completion of the garage.

Gary Brown, design and construction consultant for Detroit Economic Growth Corp., said the Commerce Building destruction began Dec. 1 and he expects it to be finished by the end of the month. He said the designs of a parking garage supporting a condominium structure on top still aren’t finished. Construction of the garage is expected to start in February, Brown said.

The DDA is a branch of the DEGC, which is a public/private partnership with the city government to attract, retain and govern over business and economic initiatives in Detroit.

Though the deal is still in negotiation, here is the current framework of it:

Roxbury would buy the “air rights.”

Roxbury would buy or lease 120 garage parking spaces at a rate to be determined later.

Both parties agree to share a percentage of the profit from the sale of the condos.

The DDA has to approve the design of the condo development. The deal will be finalized when Roxbury receives more information on project construction and when the development agreement is negotiated and approved by the board. The memorandum of understanding expires next June.

DEGC staff member Brian Holdwick said this memorandum of understanding was important for Roxbury because now the company can obtain third-party financing for the project using the document as proof of ownership of the “air rights.”

The DDA board of directors approved the resolution to enter into an agreement with Roxbury at Wednesday’s development meeting.

David DiRita, president of Roxbury Group, and Brown said this condo project might be the first in Detroit’s central business district that didn’t involve any restoration or conversion of an existing building.

Holdwick said Roxbury has been working with the DDA for about six months on the project. On Aug. 25, the DDA sent a letter to Roxbury allowing them to investigate the feasibility of condo construction project. Holdwick sent a memo regarding the sale of the garage’s air rights to the DDA board of directors Nov. 28.

Mimi Pledl, the DEGC’s brownfield redevelopment associate director, said a key piece of the financing Roxbury hopes to receive will come from a decision at a Dec. 19 Michigan Economic Growth Authority board meeting to grant more than $3.6 million in brownfield tax credits to the company.
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The-New-Tony-Detroit · #2 Posted: **Dec 7, 2006, 1:57 PM**

Trendy.

STLgasm · #3 Posted: **Dec 7, 2006, 2:31 PM**

I have a question-- is the Book-Cadillac restoring as much of the original interior as possible, or is that too unrealistic? I've seen pictures of the ballrooms and lobby in its heyday and it was very opulent, but I know it decayed very badly over the years. I hope they can make it look new again without gutting everything.

the pope · #4 Posted: **Dec 7, 2006, 3:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by STLgasm

I have a question-- is the Book-Cadillac restoring as much of the original interior as possible, or is that too unrealistic? I've seen pictures of the ballrooms and lobby in its heyday and it was very opulent, but I know it decayed very badly over the years. I hope they can make it look new again without gutting everything.

Short answer:

Lobby and the main ballroom are being restored. (so basically the first two floors) The guest rooms are being diced up and modernized. (to make fewer larger guestrooms)

The-New-Tony-Detroit · #5 Posted: **Dec 7, 2006, 4:38 PM**

Plus they are adding a new ballroom and catering space on the exisiting parking lot along Washington just north of the structure.

This from what I understand will be built to match, as best as possible, the existing exterior desing of the building.

STLgasm · #6 Posted: **Dec 7, 2006, 5:29 PM**

Thanks! This is going to be a beaut!

LMich · #7 Posted: **Dec 8, 2006, 1:42 AM**

BTW, the rooms were original rooms were ruined long ago, as with most hotels. Plus the 1,000+ hotel rooms of the original layout were tiny little rooms, so there is significant combining of the rooms.

As for the garage, I'm just happy it's not going to be a garage which is all we were originally supposed to get for the demolition of the historic Commerce Building. This makes the rash decision of demolition just a bit less senseless if even still a bad thing.

Here is the new's take, which at least gives us an idea about the height of the garage: 8 to 10 floors + 80 residential units:

Condos to top off Capitol Park site

December 07, 2006

Louis Aguilar / The Detroit News

Upscale housing in Detroit continues to reach new heights, as a developer took steps Wednesday to build 80 condos on top of a planned parking garage.

Roxbury Group LLC agreed in principle to buy the "air rights" -- the empty space above the planned parking structure -- to build condos tentatively priced in the mid-$200,000 range, said James Van Dyke, vice president of the Detroit-based developer.

The site, 150 Michigan Ave., houses the soon-to-be razed Commerce Building in downtown's Capitol Park neighborhood, now known mainly as the place to catch or transfer to a number of city buses.

"It's exciting to build a project that may start on the 10th floor," Van Dyke said, referring to the planned condo project called Griswold/Capitol Park. "It's also great to be among the first major projects in Capitol Park."

Given all the empty buildings, it's rare that a developer seeks "air rights" in downtown Detroit, said Brian Holdwick, vice president of business development for the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., the quasi-public agency that promotes the city. He said other developers are interested in buying similar rights to downtown sites.

Roxbury Group is keen on the site because the parking lot is around the corner from the Westin Book-Cadillac, the landmark Detroit hotel going through a $180 million renovation. Two penthouse condos there sold recently for over a $1 million, which many believe is the first time downtown housing hit that mark.

No money changed hands in the agreement, but if the deal goes through, Roxbury will pay the costs -- about $750,000 -- to bolster the 528-space garage so that the condos can be built on top of it. Roxbury entered into the agreement with the city's Downtown Development Authority, a branch of the Economic Growth Corp. The DDA will own the garage, which will be eight to 10 stories.

The developer can now seek financing for the project. If all goes as planned, the parking garage is slated to begin construction in spring, DEGC officials said.

You can reach Louis Aguilar at (313) 222-2760 or laguilar@detnews.com.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...IZ03/612070384

This will be a pretty substantial tower, it sounds like, if they stack the condos completely above the garage. If they stack them next and cantilever some above, it will of course be shorter, but still not anything to laugh at. And, considering that almost all new parking structures are now required to have ground floor retail (I think it may be all city-built garages, and garages are particular locations), this may really lessen the blow of losing this block.

illmatic774 · #8 Posted: **Dec 8, 2006, 8:03 AM**

I can honestly tell you that im a little scared.

i have seen buildings with condos/offices on top of garages... lets hope that they can pull this one off a bit nicer.

LMich · #9 Posted: **Dec 8, 2006, 8:59 AM**

If given a choice between having just a parking garage and a parking garage with something on top, I don't care what they stack on top of the thing. They can stack a brutalist-style cinder-block commie block on that thing and I wouldn't care. lol

Let's just put it this way, since they tore down a perfectly good historic filler building, they better stack something on top of that garage to fill the corner back in, be it the Mona Lisa of mixed-use parking architect or Trolley Plaza 2.0.

Exodus · #10 Posted: **Dec 8, 2006, 10:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LMich

If given a choice between having just a parking garage and a parking garage with something on top, I don't care what they stack on top of the thing. They can stack a brutalist-style cinder-block commie block on that thing and I wouldn't care. lol

Let's just put it this way, since they tore down a perfectly good historic filler building, they better stack something on top of that garage to fill the corner back in, be it the Mona Lisa of mixed-use parking architect or Trolley Plaza 2.0.

I totally agree. Better to have something added to the parking deck rather than just a parking deck.

The-New-Tony-Detroit · #11 Posted: **Dec 8, 2006, 3:28 PM**

Some of us like Trolley Plaza 1.0.

the pope · #12 Posted: **Dec 8, 2006, 3:31 PM**

as soon as i read ilimatic's post, I couldn't help but think trolley plaza...

Hayward · #13 Posted: **Dec 8, 2006, 5:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LMich

If given a choice between having just a parking garage and a parking garage with something on top, I don't care what they stack on top of the thing. They can stack a brutalist-style cinder-block commie block on that thing and I wouldn't care. lol
Plaza 2.0.

Uh, I prefer not to. And the fact that I can very easily see this happening is why I've lost so much faith in Detroit, and will continue to.

The-New-Tony-Detroit · #14 Posted: **Dec 8, 2006, 6:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolverine

Uh, I prefer not to. And the fact that I can very easily see this happening is why I've lost so much faith in Detroit, and will continue to.

Yes because the quality of many of the new projects is just that disgusting that we are losing faith in Detroit. Please Wolverine! While I can totally understand people being upset at some of the architectural losses we've had it is very shortsighted to not be able to see the forest for the trees. The new projects have in many cases added to the streetscape, added walkability and has helped downtown get a lot closer to critical mass than anytime in recent memory. Even if this new project did have some less than desired architectural features I find it ridiculous that people lose faith in their city before we even saw a rendering or sketch as to what they were going with. And furthermore how can one lose faith when the project adds residents with disposible income to the city? Isn't that the real goals we are after here?

Hayward · #15 Posted: **Dec 9, 2006, 1:21 AM**

Believe me, as much as I love Detroit, you have not seen the end of this attitude. I'm surprised you didn't catch my skepticism when I was in Detroit last. Don't worry, I care about Detroit, but probably more than I should. I believe that it deserves better than shitty architecture. It doesn't take a huge amount of investment to produce a great building when there is good designer behind it. Actually, I think we've done okay on new buildings thus far with a few exceptions. We'll see how this parking structure turns out with housing on top. I'm sure it will be fine. But I feel Detroit hasn't reached the end of its mass building of parking structures. I think it's pathetic there isn't the cooperation between developers and the leadership to build central shared parking. Developers don't even want to consider automated parking which occupies a very small footprint, and doesn't cost that much more than convential structures. But I think the consumption of parking spaces by the units that require them, will put a pinch on the number units for the stalled Lafayette project. Additionally, if the Farwell building is renovated, it might require spaces as well. I think there is a lot of alternative options Detroit can explore to become the great and vibrant city it needs to be, instead of just getting by with the build one demolish one type of development we have here. I'm not bashing so much the architecture, rather the accpething attitude of projects Detroiters have. I think we need to be more critical in the planning and design of Detroit. I had this same sort of attitude with the new Red Wings stadium when I felt the city was becominng arena city and anything but an urban paradise. I was banking on the idea of a new stadium on the JL site, coupled with additons and renovations of COBO, and hopefully, just hopefully the empty lots on the other side of Woodward would get the same treatment as Brush Park (see there, I'm optomistic!).

Sulley · #16 Posted: **Dec 9, 2006, 2:50 AM**

wolvy, at least the D isn't Buffalo

hudkina · #17 Posted: **Dec 9, 2006, 4:40 AM**

The optimist in me thinks this could very well be Detroit's version of Main North Lofts.

The only difference is that you'd probably have about 8 floors of parking...

And while I'm sure it would never happen, It would be great to see condos or office-space built ground-up on the Griswold-Michigan Ave corner so you wouldn't have so many floors of "dead space". They would probably have great views of the Campus Martius area.

Hayward · #18 Posted: **Dec 9, 2006, 5:32 AM**

The lofts in RO is a great example hudkina. There also great examples in Chicago of what can be done with these types of situations. What I hope is the developers of the BC and the condo units will work together to create a great design such as the one above.

LMich · #19 Posted: **Dec 9, 2006, 5:37 AM**

Considereing the placement of the garage (i.e. Book Cadillac), and how the city of Detroit has actually stepped up its game in parking architecture (i.e. Opera House and 1001), I'm really expecting something decent. And considering it will most likely have ground floor retail (as that seems to be a requirement for most all garages, save for casino garages) I'm really thinking this could easily be a nice project.

What I do want to see, though, is the layout, though, as the block is awkwardly shaped.

Exodus · #20 Posted: **Dec 10, 2006, 6:52 AM**

This project just might turn out not to be as bad as some of us thought. Let's cross our fingers.