DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown

[deja vu]

^ That steam vent is intense. Did anyone ever confirm exactly what that is for, and if it is permanent?

[Docta_Love]

I'm not positive but in the greater downtown area there is steam central heating built into many buildings from the Art Deco era, those vents may be from a "sub-station" or some kind of distribution center.

Here’s what West Village could look like in a few years
Housing, park improvements, and more

By Robin Runyan
Crubed Detroit
Jun 8, 2018


Kercheval & Van —

Improved streetscapes, affordable housing, landscaping current parks, and hopefully a grocery store are in the works in the Villages. The City has been hosting community meetings to gather feedback from residents, and details were recently revealed.

As part of the Strategic Neighborhood Fund, the improvements center around Islandview, West Village, Indian Village, and East Village. The City says that Butzel Playground would become a “centerpiece of the area,” with more playscapes, repairs, new entrances, and more programming. The City expects to seek a landscape architect for Butzel Playfield next year.

Housing would also be added to the same block at the Marcus Garvey school, with a new building with 54 units of affordable housing.

The busy Kercheval Avenue would see greater emphasis on pedestrians and bikes, with an effort to slow down traffic coming through. This could mean improved sidewalks and clearer bike lanes, plus more street-level retail with housing above.




The large development seen in the rendering above is still in the early phases, although a nearby house is in the process of being moved for it.

https://detroit.curbed.com/2018/6/8/17440122/west-village-islandview-neighborhood-plan-improvement

[DetroitSky]

World's first IHOP/Applebee's combo about to open in downtown Detroit

The IHOP portion opened in May with the Applebee's portion opening this month. Grand opening set for June 26. I walked by last night and it looks very nice.

Some updates:

May 31


Keyes Apartments, W. Willis Street.


Last update I stated that it appeared Boulevard Hostel had experienced some construction. It appears its going faster than I previously thought.


Temple West in District Detroit. Still no residential being built in the front section along Park.


Renovations at 640 Temple have begun. Its only apparent from the back of the building, shown here.


The Crawford, Elton Park


The Robertson, Elton Park


Checker Building, Elton Park


The UFO Factory was damaged pretty badly by construction vehicles for Elton Park. They're still undergoing repairs/renovations and have not reopened yet, but the building looks much nicer than it did a few months ago. On the left and right of the UFO Factory will be the two 3 floor buildings from Elton Park


Abinitio restaurant, Michigan Avenue at 8th Street, Corktown


124 Alfred Street, City Modern


Alfred Street from John R, City Modern


Carriage Homes at City Modern. These ones are located on the alley on the block bounded by Alfred, John R, Adelaide and Brush


Historic home rehabs on Alfred, City Modern


Alfred from Brush, City Modern


440 Alfred, City Modern


Looking south into City Modern from Edmund Place


229 Edmund Place


The Kelemen


Aurora Apartments, Brush at Erskine. Formerly vacant.

June 2


Gordon Food Service Store going in the former Staples space thats been vacant for years on E. Jefferson


Franklin Lofts. More information here.

Grand River and Warren development:


Magnet restaurant


The white wall is the side of The Sawtooth building. The space at right will be a park.

June 4


WCCCD City Center Campus expansion


The south facade of the Book Tower is about half power washed.


Free Press Building


It appears the Paradise Valley project has begun. This building is going to be the new home of the Michigan Chronicle and appears to be under renovation. Hastings Place will be built in the parking lot to the left.


The northernmost storefront in the Metropole Building/Bedrock headquarters is being worked on.


Marquette Building/Adient global headquarters


Third & Grand

June 5


Work going on in the retail space at Briggs Houze. Last I heard this was going to be a restaurant called Tirana Grille.


Book Tower's south facade


Second Best Bar in the former Brush Park Heidelberg Project building


64 Watson Street


Billinghurst Apartments

[/url]
Apartments between Cass Cafe and University Tower

June 8


Cork & Gabel restaurant, Michigan at 16th Street


2201 Wabash Street


2835 23rd Street


Bohemian National Home. It doesn't look like it from the photo, but it does appear to be under renovation.


Something being built in Southwest Detroit. The address is, I believe, 2716 Livernois.


Sakthi Automotive plant built on some of the property formerly used by Southwestern High School.


Sunbelt Rentals opening soon at 3411 W. Fort

[cityguy]

Great updates.

[deja vu]

Yes, astounding updates, as usual. So many of these projects are just...awe-inspiring.

• For a place like 229 Edmund Place to be rehabbed a decade ago would have been almost unimaginable.
• I love seeing things like Keyes Apartments and the Boulevard Hostel building getting new life.
• Every time I see Elton Park or City Modern progress, I have to remind myself that this is Detroit. Not Chicago. Not Minneapolis. Nowhere else. Detroit, man!

Viewing these eloquent photos actually increased my heart rate for a few minutes (or maybe that's partially the coffee that I'm drinking). I am so incredibly excited that this is what Detroit is looking like these days. I am an absentee observer looking in from afar and it makes me really want to visit soon. Props to the countless individuals and organizations that give a damn about this city enough to transform it in these positive ways. The future looks very bright indeed.

And whatever they're paying you, DetroitSky, to bring us these great updates, it should be doubled.

[LMich]

Once again, DetroitSky, amazing update of all the smaller (and sometimes less —) stuff going on around town. Anyway, how did I not know (or forgot) that the Free Press building was actually under renovation? I thought they were simply doing prep work, at best. Those look like brand new windows on the thing.

Glad to see the fire at the Marquette Building only set things back temporarily. And I'm also glad that Harmonie Park redevelopment appears to be happening, finally. Still super confused about what's taking the Ashton Detroit so long to get its sh%t together, though.

Finally, I can't get enough of City Modern and what's happening in Brush Park. It's like everything has just happened all at once.

[detroit_alive]

Originally Posted by deja vu

^ That steam vent is intense. Did anyone ever confirm exactly what that is for, and if it is permanent?

The steam vent is permanent but the current stack is temporary. It is my understanding that it will eventually be relocated into a new stack within the building venting at the roof.

[LMich]

Well, the long-awaited announcement has come.

Moroun confirms Detroit train station sold to Ford: 'Blue Oval will adorn the building'

By Chad Livengood, Crain's Detroit Business

June 11, 2018

Detroit's worst-kept secret is official: The Moroun family has sold the historic Michigan Central Station in Detroit to Ford Motor Co. in a landmark real estate deal that could portend a transformation of Corktown and the automaker's re-engagement with the city where it was founded.

Matthew Moroun, son of billionaire transportation mogul Manuel "Matty" Moroun, confirmed the sale Monday morning at an announcement outside of the long-vacant train station. It has long stood as a symbol of Detroit's decline for the past three decades.

"The deal is complete. The future of the depot is assured. The next steward of the building is the right one for its future. The depot will become a shiny symbol of Detroit's progress and its success," Moroun said in prepared remarks released exclusively to Crain's before the 9 a.m. announcement.

"The Ford Motor Company's Blue Oval will adorn the building."

Ford has a meeting planned for the 19th to detail exactly what they want to do in Corktown with this building being the centerpiece.




Kirk Pinho

**crossing fingers hoping that part of it will be used as...a train station.**

[subterranean]

Is that new fire escape toward the bottom?

[Chris Stritzel]

Originally Posted by DetroitSky

The northernmost storefront in the Metropole Building/Bedrock headquarters is being worked on.

It appears to be a Apple Store is coming soon here. I am not for sure if it is or isn't but that Black temporary wall is something Apple uses when building a new store in a mall or outside. They did something similar to this in Kansas City but were very lowkey about it till its opening. Plus the idea of a Apple Store doesn't seem so far fetched as I recall reading a story some time ago that Dan Gilbert may have a Apple Store move into the Quicken Loans Building. Then came the Early 2017 renderings of Hudson's with the store included in the plans (both inside and out). But this is only speculation, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is Apple since the building appears to be something they would like to be in (old architecture) and Downtown Detroit has tons of retail moving in so it isn't far fetched.

[DetroitSky]

I’m glad you guys enjoy my updates! Subterranean I believe it’s a new fire escape. I can’t tell if they restored the old one or replaced it. I doubt they could have restored it, though.

I’m standing in Roosevelt Park right now and there’s crew everywhere at MCS. They’re cutting down the fence that surrounded it and I can see people inside and hear machinery at work. This is crazy.

[DetroitSky]

Chris Stritzel, that would be pretty amazing if it was an Apple Store. I’ll be going downtown in a minute and I’ll see if I can find out.

[Chris Stritzel]

Originally Posted by DetroitSky

I’m standing in Roosevelt Park right now and there’s crew everywhere at MCS. They’re cutting down the fence that surrounded it and I can see people inside and hear machinery at work. This is crazy.

You guys are lucky you have Ford, a company that is dedicated to Detroit. Can't wait to see the work done to MCS. I've been to Detroit a couple of times and that building always stuck out.

[seabee1526]

I understand that the Corktown area has been somewhat left behind in the resurgence of the downtown area. It would be nice to see the entire area developed into a worldwide automotive tech area.

[subterranean]

It will be interesting to see what happens in Corktown. There really isn't much housing to speak of in the area, but there are plenty of opportunities for infill, especially across 75.

[detroit_alive]

Originally Posted by DetroitSky

Chris Stritzel, that would be pretty amazing if it was an Apple Store. I’ll be going downtown in a minute and I’ll see if I can find out.

This is not going to be Apple. This location is celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson's new restaurant. No details in this old Freep story but it references the plans: https://www.freep.com/story/entertainmen...-samuelsson-detroit-restaurant/94855178/

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by LMich

Well, the long-awaited announcement has come.

**crossing fingers hoping that part of it will be used as...a train station.**

Ditto that.

[DetroitSky]

I would not be surprised if Michigan Central became the Amtrak and MiTrain commuter rail's Detroit station. The tracks behind MCS go to Ann Arbor and on to Chicago, meaning the MiTrain line between Ann Arbor and Detroit via DTW announced years ago could be put into effect. MDOT bought and tested equipment for the line in 2013? 2014? And its been sitting in a yard somewhere ever since. Another passenger rail-related project that could be done is using the railroad tunnel under the Detroit River, which connects to the tracks behind the station, to get either an Amtrak route between Detroit/Chicago and Toronto or a VIA Rail line between Toronto and Detroit. Who knows, maybe we'll see the Qline expand down Michigan Avenue between MCS and Campus Martius.

Some smaller news thats been overshadowed by the MCS news, but still worth mentioning. More property put back into fully functional use, the better.

Historic Hamtramck Stadium snags major sponsorship

In the past year and a half, it received a planning grant from the National Park Service African American Civil Rights Program. The City of Hamtramck then released an RFP for pre-devleopment work. Conceptual designs were also released to gather feedback from the community. Plans for the stadium include cricket, soccer, yoga, and of course, baseball. We hear that a study should be released this week for the entire Veterans Park area.

Comerica Bank recently committed $20,000 to the Friends of Historic Hamtramck Stadium for the renovation. Future work includes the grandstand and the baseball diamond; both currently cannot be used.

[LMich]

Originally Posted by DetroitSky

I would not be surprised if Michigan Central became the Amtrak and MiTrain commuter rail's Detroit station. The tracks behind MCS go to Ann Arbor and on to Chicago, meaning the MiTrain line between Ann Arbor and Detroit via DTW announced years ago could be put into effect. MDOT bought and tested equipment for the line in 2013? 2014? And its been sitting in a yard somewhere ever since. Another passenger rail-related project that could be done is using the railroad tunnel under the Detroit River, which connects to the tracks behind the station, to get either an Amtrak route between Detroit/Chicago and Toronto or a VIA Rail line between Toronto and Detroit. Who knows, maybe we'll see the Qline expand down Michigan Avenue between MCS and Campus Martius.

Yes, it's a no-brainer to re-use it for transportation, too, as the line behind it is still very much active. But in all of this talk about the station in the last few months, there has been no solid talk of that, which has kind of worried me.

BTW, MDOT stopped leasing the cars that had been sitting in Owosso after the legislature through a fit about the lease payments and were essentially threatening to defund MDOT's rail office. The commuter rail is contingent on the RTA getting off the ground, and after the narrow defeat of the millage in 2016, it looks like we won't even get the board to put a millage on the ballot, this year.

It's going to take a change of government in Lansing, this year, before I think advocates voices will be prominently featured in improving all kinds of non-automobile transit projects, again.

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by LMich

Yes, it's a no-brainer to re-use it for transportation, too, as the line behind it is still very much active. But in all of this talk about the station in the last few months, there has been no solid talk of that, which has kind of worried me.

Well, we won't have to wait too long (hopefully) to find out if Ford is considering helping resurrect station as part of their master plan here. Should know by the end of month what the big picture ideas are. That would be an interesting process / partnership to watch unfold (Ford & Amtrak & MDOT).

The Detroit News has a story with some great photos of the train station when it was in action. Can never get enough of this imagery.

Purchase of train depot adds new chapter to long history
Breana Noble | The Detroit News
June 11, 2018

Michigan Central Depot was busy, Bill Worden recalled of his visit to the station in the 1940s during its heyday. People walked all around, catching trains and visiting the restaurant and other amenities the station offered. Worden bought a candy bar from a round stand in the middle of the grand waiting room that seemed overwhelming to a young man...