Gold! Jerry! Gold! A pedestrian experience in Southfield, MI

plinko · #1 Posted: **Aug 17, 2007, 8:57 PM**

I'm not exactly certain why I chose to spend an hour walking around this place, but nonetheless I did. I probably could have lumped in some of these photos with my Detroit pics, but I can't recall a Southfield thread in 8 years of being on here.

So why not?

Southfield is a large business district (suburb) about 12 miles NW of Detroit. The Town Center was planned and built by Prudential in the early 1970's to the mid 1980's. In true fashion with the time, it consisted of a few office towers, a hotel, a residential tower, all surrounded by ample parking lots. I can say that at least the three main office towers and the hotel are connected at the base, but the entire area makes Century City look downright urban. Still, Southfield does have 29 buildings over 12 floors so it does have a decent skyline. 5 of those buildings (and a 12 story hotel) were part of the original Southfield Town Center development.

The past few years they've filled in some of the parking lots with new urbanist housing (translation - front porches with little to no transit) and not much else. It still lacks even the most basic living amenities (retail, restaurants, a movie theater). There are a couple of other large office towers and residential projects nearby, but none of them are remotely connected to this (in terms of urbanism).

Oh well, an interesting study anyway...and the definition of why never to use gold tinted reflective glass!

So enjoy...

Didn't this building used to have a rounded top with a restaurant?

westak · #2 Posted: **Aug 17, 2007, 10:33 PM**

My Godmother lives there but I've never been there to visit her. It looks like a hot mess. Thanks for the warning.

ColDayMan · #3 Posted: **Aug 17, 2007, 11:01 PM**

That's Southfield.

HoosierGuy317 · #4 Posted: **Aug 18, 2007, 1:24 AM**

Southfield.. I heard it was Metro Detroit's premier black suburb?

Evergrey · #5 Posted: **Aug 18, 2007, 2:07 AM**

My family would love that place.

Clevelumbus · #6 Posted: **Aug 18, 2007, 3:39 AM**

Even the towers went north of 8-mile.

Austinlee · #7 Posted: **Aug 18, 2007, 6:33 AM**

Sweet. I've always wondered what Southfield looks like after hearing people talk about it on the board here. I didnt realize it had a few buildings with that kind of height. Still, ashame those werent put to use in Detroit's nice downtown area. Suburban office parks are so blah.

olga · #8 Posted: **Aug 18, 2007, 9:06 AM**

Great pics, miserable place...

ady26 · #9 Posted: **Aug 18, 2007, 10:37 AM**

and they say Detroit is going down!

PhillyRising · #10 Posted: **Aug 18, 2007, 11:33 AM**

Downtown Detroit should be thankful not to have those buildings blighting their skyline. Gold windows? Ewwwwwwww!

ChrisLA · #11 Posted: **Aug 19, 2007, 7:12 AM**

Well at least they're getting a Fat Burgers, and a Michigan colleague of mine is so excited.

Michi · #12 Posted: **Aug 19, 2007, 7:45 PM**

What's a Fat Burgers?

In terms of demographics, Southfield is well integrated. The "8 Mile" syndrom doesn't really seem to apply to Southfield as much as it does on the east side of Detroit. On the east side, particularly in Macomb County, there is a stigma that as the abandonment of middle class pushes further north from places like Warren or Eastpointe, the new 8 Mile divide separating the haves from the have-nots is marked by 9 Mile, 10 Mile 11 Mile and so on. I think the "8 Mile image" that people instill fear in has crept up to 11 Mile Road, resulting in the majority of suburbanites on that side of town to warn not to go south of 11 Mile.

Southfield, on the other hand and the other Oakland County communities bordering Detroit on 8 Mile have seemed to remain somewhat more integrated which is good. I'd feel pretty confident in saying that Southfield is doing quite well in that regard, yet I am not entirely aware of the actual movement of demographic shifts.

Nice pics, and I agree...horrible planning. The town center is just another excuse for yet another community to proclaim that they are "downtown Southeast Michigan". I think there's actually a FIELD adjacent to all those towers. Whether it is the SOUTH field, I do not know.

mthq · #13 Posted: **Aug 19, 2007, 8:00 PM**

Detroit should indeed be glad not to be getting those horrid gold tinted towers. That just screams Donald Trump 1980s douchebagness.

So why do they call it Ovaltine? It's not an oval... why not call it Roundtine?

ChrisLA · #14 Posted: **Aug 19, 2007, 9:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michi

What's a Fat Burgers?

One of the better hamburgers stands around southern california IMO. Still thats a matter of opinion and locals have some pretty strong opinon on which one is better, In & Out or Fat Burgers. A couple weeks ago during one of our weekly conference calls with our Michigan staff. A colleague hinted to my manager that he should bring some Fat Burgers on his upcoming trip. He said he had tried both In & Out and Fat Burgers. He like the latter better, and stress how he hope they get one in Michigan. They are in Auburn Hills, and when I found out from one of he foumers on this site, I also informed him about the one in South Field opening up soon. But according to the website I think its already open.

Here is the link, check it out.
http://www.fatburger.com/home/

Michi · #15 Posted: **Aug 19, 2007, 10:17 PM**

Aah, thanks! Watch out Weinermobile...the FATmobile high rollin.

I think it's interesting that one of the articles says that the franchise is selective in its locations, siting upscale sprawl malls as their preferred locations in Oakland and Macomb Counties. If I'm shopping at Somerset or Gucci, I'm probably not going to buy a $1200 bib to go eat at a burger joint.

Silly Michiganders.

However, I see the Southfield location is at Tel-Twelve which I sometimes frequent, so I'll have to give it a try.

the pope · #16 Posted: **Aug 19, 2007, 10:28 PM**

you stay classy, southfield?

stepper77 · #17 Posted: **Aug 20, 2007, 8:03 PM**

To be honest, I have never heard of this place until your thread today. But, I just looked Southfield up on google maps and I have to give you credit for actually making it look better than it really. The amount of space devoted to parking is astonishing. Thanks for sharing!

Buckeye Native 001 · #18 Posted: **Aug 20, 2007, 8:06 PM**

I pity the fool who don't like that much gold on their buildings.

pdxtex · #19 Posted: **Aug 21, 2007, 8:48 AM**

i always liked the gold glass.....alas, i need to come home for a visit sometime...se michigan that is....

Evergrey · #20 Posted: **Aug 22, 2007, 3:39 PM**

According to Grubb & Ellis, Southfield has over 16.7 million square feet of leaseable office space. That's over 4 million square feet more than Detroit's CBD (which ranks third in the metro behind Southfield and Troy). Southfield has more leasable office space than the CBD's of a lot of major cities.

http://www.grubb-ellis.com/pdf/metro...nd/Detroit.pdf