DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown

[animatedmartian]

Isn't that parking lot to the left of the photo apart of the Wayne County Building? Seems like plenty of space to build something that provides enough parking for something new and the WCB.

But yea I'm still wondering about the tenant too. I keep thinking law firm but that wouldn't take up the whole building, right? There's gotta be some space left over if it's just one tenant.

[detroit_alive]

Originally Posted by hybrydy

glad mccormack is selling. we don't need orleans landing phase 2

Agreed. That project had so much potential but was executed so poorly.

[DetroitSky]

The second phase of Orleans Landing was cancelled about a month ago anyway.

[subterranean]

Originally Posted by detroit_alive

Agreed. That project had so much potential but was executed so poorly.

Was it? From the looks of some of the photos I’ve seen, I thought it looked great. We’re they just from flattering angles? What’s wrong with it in your view?

[detroiterforlife]

https://docs.google.com/viewerng/vie...+site+plan.pdf

for all things Hudsons site! Dig in guys! lots of details and UPDATED renderings for the 912 foot tower!!

[detroiterforlife]

[The North One]

The setbacks really compliment the surroundings and is much more visually interesting than that awful box ever was.

From the side, this is a very slender tower.

Are there any already built examples of the infinite floor plate concept?

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by subterranean

Was it? From the looks of some of the photos I’ve seen, I thought it looked great. We’re they just from flattering angles? What’s wrong with it in your view?

The potential of the project was there and well-intentioned, but it looks pretty cheap and out of place with the higher quality projects that are now being proposed in Detroit. Orleans Landing would be a better fit if it was built in a neighborhood on the periphery of Downtown like Corktown or on the edges of Midtown but definitely not for a prominent location on the riverfront.

Also, there have been numerous complaints about lousy management. I don't know any residents, but I'd imagine if you're paying $2,000 a month to live close to downtown on the waterfront next to a park and a 3 mile long bike path, an apartment complex labelled as 'luxury' ought to reflect that.

And actually about the management, Village Green, I think the company experienced some shakiness in the past couple of years. Something like the original CEO had left the company in 2016 to form a separate real estate company as he wanted to spend more on developing new properties in Detroit while the partnering company wanted to spend more on management. Of course the CEO kinda took a big chunk of money and employees with him after the split so that probably trickled down to poor management at properties Village Green still had ownership of, Orleans Landing included.

It seems like one of those cases where a project probably got built at the wrong place at the wrong time even though at the time it seemed like a good idea.

[davidberko]

Yaaaas!
Better

[subterranean]

I’m still trying to process these huge changes. I think I’ll like it, but materials will be key. I’m definitely on board with the 912’.

[LMich]

Originally Posted by animatedmartian

Isn't that parking lot to the left of the photo apart of the Wayne County Building? Seems like plenty of space to build something that provides enough parking for something new and the WCB.

But yea I'm still wondering about the tenant too. I keep thinking law firm but that wouldn't take up the whole building, right? There's gotta be some space left over if it's just one tenant.

Yes, the parking lot directly to the north has always been included, but it's always been included as...parking for the building. So, something could be built on it, but it doesn't seem likely any time soon.

BTW, the facades on Orleans Landing, IMO, turned out great. And the layout is good as far as auto-oriented design goes (parking in courtyards behind/to the sides of the housing). But the rest of it is vinyl quickly beyond the facades, and no fault of most of the tenants, but this area has been used for years for drag racing and late night crusing and car parades...and the development did not stop them from continuing this behavior along these streets. I think eventually it works itself out. In any case, the new second phase looks very interesting and far more dense.

Really, though, not bad architecture or site plans all things considered. We're not talking little silly Crosswind condos, here. Not bad at all:







https://www.facebook.com/pg/OrleansL...=page_internal

Of course stuff closer to the RenCen needs to be denser, and this next phase is.

[seabee1526]

Originally Posted by subterranean

I’m still trying to process these huge changes. I think I’ll like it, but materials will be key. I’m definitely on board with the 912’.

I curious to find out if Monroe Blocks will be getting some sort of redesign as well.

[LMich]

Higher quality shots of Orleans Landing Phase II:









https://twitter.com/kirkpinhoCDB/sta...05009352577024

[detroit_alive]

Originally Posted by subterranean

Was it? From the looks of some of the photos I’ve seen, I thought it looked great. We’re they just from flattering angles? What’s wrong with it in your view?

Aside from issues with management and quality of the build, my main issue with Orleans Landing is with the site planning. The put a lot of effort into creating urban scaled streetscapes but handicapped their use. There is zero retail/restaurant in the development currently and the spaces do not translate well to this kind of use. The small amount of greenspace created is uninspired, isn't landscaped, and not meant for people (see along Riopelle). And while somewhat hidden in the courtyards, the project has a very large amount of surface parking creating a much lower density overall.

I am not saying these issues cannot be fixed in time but as it stands it isn't very urban other than its streetfront massing. At the time this was the best new residential development in Detroit but since then other projects such as City Modern and Elton Park have really raised the bar.

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by LMich

Higher quality shots of Orleans Landing Phase II:

Not crazy excited about that design. Really solid, kinda monotonous. The street level is interesting to look at but the rest of the design needs to be broken up.

[subterranean]

Originally Posted by detroit_alive

Aside from issues with management and quality of the build, my main issue with Orleans Landing is with the site planning. The put a lot of effort into creating urban scaled streetscapes but handicapped their use. There is zero retail/restaurant in the development currently and the spaces do not translate well to this kind of use. The small amount of greenspace created is uninspired, isn't landscaped, and not meant for people (see along Riopelle). And while somewhat hidden in the courtyards, the project has a very large amount of surface parking creating a much lower density overall.

I am not saying these issues cannot be fixed in time but as it stands it isn't very urban other than its streetfront massing. At the time this was the best new residential development in Detroit but since then other projects such as City Modern and Elton Park have really raised the bar.

That all makes sense.

[DetroitSky]

Italian restaurant, beer hall coming to Shinola Hotel in Detroit

San Morello will be an "urban Italian neighborhood restaurant" of 3,700 square feet, according to a statement from NoHo partner Luke Ostrom. It will be joined by the 5,500-square-foot Brakeman, a beer hall with rotating Midwest drafts and games such as table tennis and shuffleboard.

The third known offering is 800-square-foot Evening Bar, a NoHo-operated bar in New York with craft cocktails and small plates that's making its way to Detroit.

Grand Rapids-based Madcap Coffee to open Detroit shop

A Grand Rapids coffee company has brewed up plans to open a location in "the heart of Detroit" — but where exactly it isn't saying.

Madcap Coffee Co. said Tuesday in a news release that it aims to open in mid-December and employ 10-15 workers.

William Davidson Institute Makes $1.7 Million Donation to the Belle Isle Aquarium

The Belle Isle Conservancy today announced that the William Davidson Foundation in Troy has awarded a three-year, $1.7 million grant to stabilize, restore, and modernize the Belle Isle Aquarium.

A portion of the gift — $700,000 — has helped start facility engineering studies, repairs to critical infrastructure, and the development of plans to modernize the Aquarium in keeping with Association of Zoos and Aquariums accreditation standards.

[LMich]

Something's about to go down at the Park Avenue House in Foxtown.


Google Streetview

Detroit hotel residents, many low-income, given 30 days to move

People living at Park Avenue House — a hotel at 2305 Park Ave. known as an affordable housing option in the city — received notices this past weekend that they have 30 days to vacate.

The news, which was accompanied by rumors that the building has been sold, highlights the continued development and interest in downtown Detroit but also draws attention to limited affordable housing options in an increasingly desirable city.

Details of the building's sale — what is believed to have spurred the notices — are fuzzy. The Wayne County Register of Deeds and City Assessor's office have yet to show documentation of a sale. As of Sept. 27, the 180-unit, 13-story building, which also houses the Town Pump Tavern and is just south of Little Caesars Arena, was listed for $15 million, according to CPIX, a commercial real estate information exchange.

The Free Press made multiple attempts to reach out to the building's manager Sean Harrington but it has yet to hear back.

[DetroitSky]

seabee, Curbed is reporting they've heard from numerous sources that a major hotel chain has purchased the Park Avenue Hotel. Whether this is true or not, I find it very unlikely the building would be demolished.

Madewell set to open in downtown Detroit

The Shinola Hotel won’t open until later this year, but a retail space right next door is set to open next week. Women’s clothing store Madewell will officially open Tuesday, October 16 at 10 a.m. at 1426 Woodward.

Tech company DMI to hire 750 in Detroit over next two years

Maryland-based mobile device management and mobility advisory firm Digital Management Inc., branded as DMI, plans to grow its presence in Detroit four-fold by 2021.

DMI currently employs 250 at its 150 West Jefferson Avenue office in Detroit, called the Center of Excellence for Connected Vehicles, most working on contracts to help connected vehicles communicate with each other and with the city of Detroit, Detroit Public Schools and others. But its growth in the automotive and health care sectors globally will require an additional 750 employees in the region, said Jay Sunny Bajaj, founder and CEO.

[subterranean]

Made well is a cool store. They’ve sold strictly women’s clothing until this year, when they finally started offering a limited supply of men’s stuff.