DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by LMich

So this is just going to be the redevelopment of the existing building? I had to google this one because it's so incredibly non-descript that I'd forgotten what it looks like. The parking lot to the north must have a high-rise building; I'd not compromise on that. I guess I'd never realized how forgettable the other side of the block from the Book Cadillac was.

Anyway, Karp & Associates does good historic renovations. They've done pretty well on the Farwell.

How tall are we talking because I can just look at that lot and see a lack parking as a big obstacle.

We could probably get away with a boutique hotel without parking though those are usually only several floors. It'd be a nice filler, but nothing substantial.

It's unfortunate, but it'll probably be a repeating pattern with the smaller lots left in the downtown core. Unless you assemble enough lots together (and/or demolish something) or buy one of the bigger lots from the big players (Gilbert, Olympia, GM, etc.), you'll probably see shorter buildings on the smaller lots.

[LMich]

You don't even need parking on that block for this to be substantial. In any case, I'm talking a legit high-rise. Doesn't have to be a skyscraper, but it should be average the height of its block and the blocks to the north, which all have monumental ol buildings on them. Not every development downtown, anymore, needs directly adjacent or on-lot parking, though developers are sure to still want such an amenity for tenants.

[DetroitSky]

As far as I know, Dan Gilbert is still planning on building a new garage for the Book Tower right over there. Could be that Karp is considering leasing some of that garage. The planned site is really the only place in that area a garage could be built anyway unless they work parking into the base of the new building like how they proposed a few years back.

The Gateway Center Building used to look a lot nicer but it had a nasty mid century renovation. It’s one of the few downtown buildings that’s still in really poor condition. I’ll be happy to see it restored or torn down.

[subterranean]

From a Crain's article from 2016 interviewing Karp re: Gateway:

“But it’s not historic. It’s not architecturally significant. So there’s no (financing) incentives available for it from a historic standpoint. For us to spend the money rehabbing it, we are better off doing a larger structure encompassing the surface lots to the north,” he said."

[LMich]

An update on the redevelopment of Brewster-Douglass redevelopment project in Midtown.



Local firm drafting master plan for former Brewster-Douglass site

A Detroit-based global architectural design and planning firm is drafting a master plan for the $300 million development of the former Brewster-Douglass housing project.

Mark Rossetti, president of Rossetti, announced Monday that Bedrock Detroit selected his firm to create the plan for the 22-acre site near Interstate 75 south of Mack Avenue near the Brush Park neighborhood.

Specs:

The development will include 913 apartments, condos and townhouses, catering to people of varying income levels as well as an 80-room hotel. Other development features include three acres of public space, 19,000 square feet of retail and 60,000 square feet of childhood education space.

Construction is scheduled to start next summer with the first units available in early 2021.

BTW, just looked at the FAA obstruction evaluation tool after seeing someone bring it up on another page. Looks like they approved the tower crane that will be used to build the addition to Compuware back on September 21, and the approval stretches until March of 2020. So it looks like maybe this one will finally be starting construction before the end of the year?

[hybrydy]

Originally Posted by LMich

An update on the redevelopment of Brewster-Douglass redevelopment project in Midtown.

Local firm drafting master plan for former Brewster-Douglass site

Mark Rossetti, president of Rossetti, announced Monday that Bedrock Detroit selected his firm to create the plan for the 22-acre site near Interstate 75 south of Mack Avenue near the Brush Park neighborhood.

boy the dailies have gone to shit. can't even get a name correct. who's the editor?

https://www.rossetti.com/sites/defau...bal_sports.pdf

[hybrydy]

Originally Posted by DetroitSky

Warner Norcross + Judd is opening office next to Little Caesars Arena




I believe the DMC is using two floors in the new Sports Medicine Institute building, meaning 3 of its 5 floors are leased.

Warner Norcross will occupy the entire third level of the five-story, Class A office building, which is expected to open in fall 2020. The workplace will house about 55 attorneys and staff, and will feature conference rooms, collaborative work spaces, dedicated parking, and a lounge overlooking Woodward.

The firm will be joined in the 127,000-square-foot building (2715 Woodward) by the Detroit Medical Center, which in June announced it will lease part of the building to operate a state-of-the-art Sports Medicine Institute. The building, which will offer approximately 17,000 square feet of street-level retail space, will be located in The District Detroit, the 50-block area that includes Little Caesars Arena, Comerica Park, Ford Field, Fox Theatre, and numerous other buildings.

source

[DetroitSky]

The Checker Building at Elton Park starts pre-leasing

This building will have 45 one-bedroom apartments and seven two-bedroom apartments on Trumbull. Curbed visited the building as work is finishing on the apartments.

The apartments have polished concrete floors, exposed brick walls, and exposed columns and beams. The one-bedroom options range from 600 to 900 square feet, and start at $1,020 per month. The two-bedroom apartments range from 950 to 1,175 square feet and start at $1,900 per month. This $2 per-square-foot rate is typically seen in downtown rentals.

New joint venture to lease Grand Circus Park garage, improve park

Parking garage users will begin to see immediate improvements at the garage, said Ryan Hunt, president of Nashville, Tennessee-based Premier Parking, in a statement. Renovations will include security and technology updates that will take place over the next two years, the operators said.

The partnership will also establish a nonprofit conservancy for financing long-term capital improvements for Grand Circus Park.

“The Roxbury Group is dedicated to the Grand Circus Park district and to helping give the residents and businesses of our neighborhood the service and amenities that they deserve,” said David Di Rita, a principal of Roxbury, a Detroit-based real estate development and investment firm.

Detroit’s Bird Bee to Open Sister Store Urban Angelo in Brush Park

Urban Angelo, upcoming sister store to Capitol Park’s Bird Bee, will open in November at The Scott at Brush Park. The store will feature apparel and accessories for both men and women, drawing inspiration from monochromatic aesthetic, art, music, and street culture.

The 1,500-square-foot store will be located at 90 Erskine St. and offer a cross between streetwear and contemporary fashion, as well as a curated selection of elevated basics, including denim, loungewear, and outerwear.

^With this opening, I believe that means the last vacant retail space in The Scott is between Empire restaurant and the new Citizens Bank branch.

Hotel Eddystone work begins in advance of window installation

Trash and debris are being removed from the long abandoned Hotel Eddystone across from Little Caesars Arena in advance of the anticipated installation of new windows.

The work is needed before the Ilitch family's Olympia Development of Michigan puts in the promised historically accurate windows, the company said Tuesday in a statement to Crain's.

A reporter spotted a worker in the 13-story eyesore's upper floors Tuesday morning, and materials were seen coming down a chute on its western side.

Detroit-based Olympia, which is spearheading the District Detroit development project anchored by the new arena, said in August that windows were expected to be installed in September after it blew through a deadline to redevelop the hotel, which was spared from demolition following a protracted battle with the city and historic preservation community.

Owners of Provisions in Ferndale to open cheese, chocolate shop in Midtown

The owners of Provisions in Ferndale plan to celebrate the store's one-year anniversary by opening a new chocolate, cheese and charcuterie business in Midtown.

Founders William Werner and Zach Berg, both 34, are planning to open a new store at 4240 Cass Ave. with quadruple the offerings of its original outpost. Expanding from a 150-square-foot space inside of Farm Field Table to 1,028 square feet on the ground level of The Auburn apartments will give the shop a wealth of new opportunities and satisfy a long-running vision for the owners.

"It was always the long-term goal to open in Detroit. We've been contemplating (a Detroit location) since we opened last year," Werner said, adding that they'd been looking at locations in Midtown and Corktown seriously since January.

Their new lease is for three years with two three-year options. They plan to invest around $30,000 to build out the new space — a process expected to start in the next week or two.

Mahindra-Funded Agricultural Center Opens in Detroit

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held this morning to mark the opening of the new Mahindra Agriscience Learning Center at Detroit's Pingree Farms. The Center will serve as an on-site classroom where students will focus on agricultural and animal science, and will allow the farm to further expand both their Agriscience curriculum and student enrollment. "The Mahindra Agriscience Learning Center will provide an excellent educational environment for students and community members to study and learn a wide range of food production techniques," said Mahindra Automotive North America's CEO and President Rick Haas.

[LMich]

More on Elton Park.


Daniel Mears / The Detroit News

Elton Park lofts in historic Checker Cab Building near completion

By the end of the year, the first group of tenants are expected to move into a $150-million mixed-use development that has transformed the former Checker Cab Building in Corktown.

The former cab building, part of the first phase of the Elton Park project on Trumbull near Michigan Avenue, will feature 45 one-bedroom apartments and seven two-bedroom apartments. It’s one of six mixed-use buildings in the development just east of the old Tiger Stadium. Pre-leasing for the apartments began Tuesday for occupancy as early as December.

A rendering and more photos by the New's Daniel Mears:

[DetroitSky]

Gilbert's Hudson's site skyscraper may grow to 912 feet in height

Billionaire mortgage mogul and real estate maven Dan Gilbert's skyscraper slated for downtown Detroit may grow by more than 100 feet to 912 feet tall, Crain's has learned.

While the final height has not yet been determined, Joe Guziewicz, vice president of construction for Gilbert's Bedrock LLC, confirmed that it will be taller than the 800 feet that was previously announced as the company looks to get "the most flexibility for how we use it and how we program it."

"We may end up at 900," Guziewicz said, adding that the city has been briefed on the plan. "This has been an ongoing struggle for us for the last eight months. We get one shot and we want to be sure we have the right components inside."

Those include residential, and possibly hotel and other uses, although a final configuration of the space hasn't been decided. The previously revealed $909 million cost is almost certain to grow, although by how much is not known.

The maximum height of 912 feet was arrived at because that's the height the elevator cores as they are currently designed can support, Guziewicz said.

[LMich]

Read about this in the dailies a few days ago. More than the parking garage, I'm really curious about the conservancy to be created for the actual park, and whether they will just be responsible for capital improvements, or if they'll manage the park with their own rules and regulations?


Michelle & Chris Gerard

Grand Circus Park underground garage to undergo major renovation

Building improvements have been widely documented during this era of downtown Detroit’s resurgence—how about the infrastructure underneath it? Detroit has many underground parking structures in varying degrees of functionality. As more people come downtown—and many drive—the condition of the structures becomes important as the city moves forward.

The 790-space underground structure at Grand Circus Park will undergo renovations, according to a recent press release. A partnership between the Roxbury Group (who redid the David Whitney Building and are currently restoring the Metropolitan Building), Pike Pointe Parking LLC, and Premier Parking will form Grand Circus Holdings. The group will lease and operate the structure, as well as form a non-profit conservancy to take care of the historic park above it.

Two significant developments nearby also have underground parking in their plans. The former Statler Hotel site on Grand Circus Park currently is under construction for 288 apartments plus 400 underground parking spaces at the City Club Apartments. A few blocks away, the Hudson’s site was home to an underground parking garage. That’s been dug out for the tower and development that will rise at the site, along with 700+ underground parking spaces.

Anyway, they say the improvements will take place over an 18-month schedule.

[DetroitRises]

Photos of construction at “The Corner”

https://i.imgur.com/tWFYSOp.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/OAYasFo.jpg

[DetroitSky]

Madewell, Le Labo, Drought, Good Neighbor coming to Shinola Hotel

Madewell's downtown Detroit location, first reported by Crain's in August, will take approximately 2,500 square feet and have Woodward frontage. A sign for the retailer, which is a division of New York City-based J. Crew Goods Inc. (NYSE: JCG), was installed on the building Friday morning. A spokeswoman for Madewell declined comment.

Le Labo, which was founded in New York in 2006, is leasing about 1,000 square feet and will also have Woodward frontage. Estee Lauder Cos. (NYSE: EL) purchased it in 2014.

"They are one of the most coveted beauty brands in the world," Skiba said. "They have less than 25 locations in the U.S. and specialize in candles, skin care and custom fragrances for men and women."

Drought, which has eight locations in the region, including two in the city, will move from its first-floor space in Gilbert's Chrysler House high-rise at 719 Griswold St. It has other locations in Detroit's Eastern Market (on Saturdays only), Ann Arbor, Royal Oak, Berkley, Bloomfield Hills and Plymouth.

Madewell and Le Labo will be open when the hotel opens in December. Drought's Chrysler House location will remain open until its space in the hotel is ready; it's not yet determined when Good Neighbor will open.

Carli Goltowski, owner of Good Neighbor and a former Shinola employee, said she has a five-year lease for her first store but wouldn't disclose her rental rate.
It will employ three-five part-time employees to start as it sells men's and women's apparel, ranging from large brands such as Levi's and Red Wings boots to local and national independent makers, Goltowski said.

^I find it kind of odd we still haven't heard if a Shinola store is planned in the hotel or not. Also, since the article doesn't give much as far as the locations of the stores, it seems that Madewell is actually located in the Healy Building, not the hotel; Le Labo will be in the hotel along Woodward; Good Neighbor will be located along Farmer Street and Drought will be in the activated alley.

Former ‘ugliest apartment building’ gets fresh new look

Alex Pereira—known for the Lorax, Up, and Wonderland Houses, as well as the JD Baer House in Woodbridge—has redone the building in his signature bright colors and is now leasing the apartments.

Up for rent are six one-bedrooms, three two-bedrooms, and three private office suites. Two units are renting at $1,100 for those making 80 percent of the Area Median Income; the rest are renting at Midtown prices. A one-bedroom is coming in at $1,300 per month, with a two-bedroom currently renting for $1,900.

Handball courts make a comeback in Palmer Park

The People for Palmer Park are hosting a grand reopening of the handball courts at the park on Saturday at noon. The old courts were in awful shape, as seen below, but because of a partnership between the Michigan Handball Association (MHA) and the People for Palmer Park, along with help from the city’s Parks and Rec department, the courts will reopen to the public.


Before the courts were cleaned, resurfaced, and repainted. Courtesy of the People for Palmer Park
The courts were last used as compost bins for manure and wood chips from the nearby Mounted Police horses. No worries! All of that has been cleaned up.

First look at the Fillmore Detroit's striking restoration

The real "whoa" factor comes inside the main auditorium, where the grand domed ceiling has been deep-cleaned and meticulously repainted for the first time since the C. Howard Crane-designed venue opened as the State Theatre in 1925.

Lavish canvas murals portraying a rustic scene — much like the ones in the original theater — have returned in place of the curtains that have lined the walls for decades. The proscenium around the stage has been deep-cleaned, as have the marble-painted columns lining the walls, which had been dulled by layers of nicotine.

The auditorium is the most striking part of the makeover, but new touches fill the entire complex, included redone bathrooms, a new lobby chandelier, a new bar top and a mezzanine that includes new carpeting and reupholstered seats.

Gordie Howe International Bridge groundbreaking ceremony held in Windsor

A ceremonial groundbreaking was held with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Gov. Rick Snyder in attendance.

The bridge is estimated to be completed in six years, but with the new trade agreement in place, Snyder and Trudeau are trying to speed the process up.

The two touted an economic boom is expected with the new bridge.

"It's going to strengthen the community of Windsor," Snyder said. "It's going to strengthen the community of Detroit. It's going to provide an ongoing opportunity to do incredible things and it's just not about business, it's the opportunity to ride bikes, to build cultural ties, about educational opportunities this bridge brings."

[DetroitSky]

Piety Hill storefront to open as flower shop/bar/retail combo in 2019

A husband and wife team plans to open a little bit of everything—a flower shop, beer and wine store, and a bar under the name Garden Flora—in one of those storefronts early next year.

Expect florally-focused beers, hand-tied bouquets of flowers, plus wine and beer retail offerings in the shop. The building sits next to an urban farm run by Central Detroit Christian, and Richard and Laura Ludka intend on purchasing flowers from their neighbors when they’re in season.

Restoration of Old Wayne County Building complete following $7 million effort

Work on the 225,000-square-foot building at 600 Randolph St. — one of the last prominent vacant buildings in the downtown core — began in December 2016, with the majority of the work focusing on the exterior masonry and window restoration. Work on the stairs and concrete around the building was also done.

The building is owned by 600 Randolph SN LLC, a New York-based investment group that paid $13.4 million for it and a 120-space surface parking lot at 400 E. Fort St. in July 2014.

Both properties had previously been owned by Wayne County, which occupied the building before moving its executive branch employees into the Guardian Building. The Old Wayne County Building has been vacant ever since.

Global auto supplier opens $160 million facility in Detroit

Flex-N-Gate Detroit owner Shahid Khan, Gov. Rick Snyder and Mayor Mike Duggan officially opened the $160 million, 480,000-square-foot facility Monday afternoon.

The city said it's the largest investment in Detroit by an auto supplier in more than 20 years. Flex-N-Gate makes exterior trim components and other products. It will supply parts to Ford Motor Co.

Flex-N-Gate is partnering with the city on access to jobs and job training for city residents. About half of the plant's 230 current employees live in Detroit. Up to 750 people could be employed at the facility.

[Guiltyspark]

Originally Posted by DetroitSky

Piety Hill storefront to open as flower shop/bar/retail combo in 2019





Restoration of Old Wayne County Building complete following $7 million effort





Global auto supplier opens $160 million facility in Detroit

The WC building is an absolute gem. I am so glad it got restored.

[LMich]

I just wonder about the tenant. They say they are seeking a single tenant for the whole thing, but what kind of tenant would fit in these kind of floor plates? They'd be better off making this multi-tenant. Actually, I'd have loved to see Wayne County stay in the building.

[phoenixboi08]

Interesting. Quite "German Baroque" in style.
Detroit really has nice stuff all throughout town.

Though, this would be nicer with a large pedestrian plaza out in front...
Somebody should get on that

[LMich]

Very unlikely to happen. Randolph is a state highway and it connects to the Detroit-Windsor tunnel just a few blocks to the south. In any case, Cadillac Square is right across the street. They could put some trees in the little island; but really what they need to be doing with this area is filling in the surface parking.

[hybrydy]

Project with 360 apartments, 120-room hotel planned for east Detroit riverfront

$136 million project to begin construction in first quarter 2020, take at least two years to build
City Growth Partners has $192 million in development in the pipeline
ODA Architecture out of New York City brought on to design the project

The project by Detroit-based City Growth Partners LLC would also include 30,000-40,000 square feet of retail space and a 120-room boutique hotel, said Moddie Turay, founder and principal partner and a former Detroit Economic Growth Corp. executive.

The Economic Development Corp., which is staffed by the DEGC, approved Tuesday morning transferring development rights to the 3.1-acre property bounded by Atwater, Franklin, Riopelle and Rivard streets from St. Louis-based McCormack Baron Salazar Development Inc.to an entity affiliated with City Growth Partners.

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

[The North One]

Originally Posted by LMich

Very unlikely to happen. Randolph is a state highway and it connects to the Detroit-Windsor tunnel just a few blocks to the south. In any case, Cadillac Square is right across the street. They could put some trees in the little island; but really what they need to be doing with this area is filling in the surface parking.

yeah, some infill development around the building would be a huge improvement, I'm kinda annoyed nothing around there has been proposed yet, it's a pretty prime location.