DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown

[animatedmartian]

Detroit awarded $10M to improve Eastern Market, link Dequindre Cut, Midtown and Hamtramck

The federal money will help fund Link Detroit, a "multi-modal enhancement plan" designed by the city, which had requested more than $15 million for the project.

Planned improvements at Eastern Market include streetscape enhancements, improved bicycle and transit facilities, landscaping and pedestrian lights. The city aintends to replace deteriorating Adelaide and Division Street bridges just east of the market.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow praised the prospect of additional improvements to Eastern Market, which she said "is already a hub for economic activity" in the region.

The project also aims to expand the Midtown Loop Greenway and provide links to Eastern Market, the the RiverWalk, downtown and Dequindre Cut, which itself would be extended two miles north (through on and off-street bike lanes) to a planned greenway system in Hamtramck.

(screencap from pdf file)

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in..._river_default

[LMich]

Yes! This kind of stuff is what facilitates true urban development when it comes. I really enjoy hearing about infrastructure improvements like this, even more than some of the other development you hear about.

[Onn]

Woodward comeback on road to reality



Louis Aguilar
The Detroit News
21 June 2012

A key section of downtown Detroit's Woodward Avenue may be on the verge of fulfilling a long-deferred dream — returning to a corridor filled with shops and sidewalks full of people, developers and experts say.

Quicken Loans Inc. founder Dan Gilbert has said the mass accumulation of downtown property by his real estate unit, including five buildings on Woodward, should lead to a "two-year period when a lot of new residential ... and new retail" will open in the city's core.

Hundreds of retailers and other small firms have inquired about setting up shop in the nine downtown Detroit buildings bought by Gilbert and his partners since 2010, according to company officials. The inquiries follow the relocation of about 9,000 workers from Quicken Loans, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and other companies from the suburbs to offices near the Woodward corridor, establishing a customer base for dining and shopping.

"We are vetting them now," said Bruce Schwartz, Bedrock Real Estate Services' Detroit relocation manager, at a recent Detroit Regional Chamber event. Bedrock Managing Partner Jim Ketai said the retailers include "restaurants, grocery stores, furniture." Every downtown building Gilbert and company will buy will always have first-floor retail, Ketai said.

Although there remain many gaps along the eight-block stretch of the city's signature street between Jefferson Avenue and Grand Circus Park, at least six businesses have opened or relocated to the area in the past 18 months. They include a Brazilian steakhouse and an Olga's Kitchen restaurant, as well as more routine businesses like a bail bond office and a convenience store.

Still, many developers and commercial real estate analysts say there has been enough progress that a retail recovery is within grasp. The progress includes rising occupancy in downtown apartments and Metro Detroit's improving economy.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz1ySz0kqep

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by LMich

Yes! This kind of stuff is what facilitates true urban development when it comes. I really enjoy hearing about infrastructure improvements like this, even more than some of the other development you hear about.

Agreed.

I wonder how the Hamtramck Connector will be implemented. Between EM and Ham Town, it's like a no-man's land of blight and industrial buildings. Though there's some pretty awesome churches in the area that could probably act as anchor points. The only long-term drawback is that the Incinerator is upwind of this area. It'll definitely be interesting area to watch though.

And also glad to see an article taking notice of the movement on Woodward.

[Onn]

Detroit auto show organizers reveal Cobo Center upgrades


The gigantic steel truss, a critical structural element for the new ballroom and meeting rooms inside the former Cobo Arena, was raised 87 feet in Detroit on Thursday. (David Coates/The Detroit News)

Jaclyn Trop
The Detroit News
21 June 2012

Organizers of the North American International Auto Show unveiled renderings for the renovated Cobo Center at a press conference Thursday.

The upgrades will affect most aspects of the facility, from freight elevators to catering menus to the multi-story atrium that will overlook the Detroit River, under the slogan "a new center rising."

Renovations will be completed before next year's auto show in January.

Construction workers Thursday raised a 150-ton steel truss that will be structurally critical to a new ballroom on the second floor of the building.

The 150-foot piece of steel will hang from the ceiling and allow for movable walls to be hung, allowing the 40,000-square-foot ballroom to change size depending on what it's being used for.

The new Cobo Center will improve Detroit's image, Mayor Dave Bing said at the conference, held at Detroit Beer Co.

It's a "longer-term agreement to make our city what we want to be."

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz1yTlkHKmK

[Onn]

Looks like the RiverWalk has quickly become a smash hit, not just for people but businesses. Couldn't pick a better location for all this!

Tall ships, rides, entertainment draw families to the RiverWalk







Lauren Abdel-Razzaq
The Detroit News
24 June 2012

Detroit -For Detroiter Marsha Bruhn, the River Days festival is a chance for her to see the work she did as director of the Detroit City Planning Commission put into action. Before she retired in 2005, she helped launch the framework for what would become the riverfront walk.

"It's such a variety for all age groups and it's wonderful to see it so alive," said Bruhn, who had come to the festival with her friend Sarah Moore. "It's exciting to see something going through the planning phase, to implementation to see how people are actually using it."

Added Moore: "It gets better every year.

Detroit River Days this year will span the RiverWalk from the William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor, near Atwater Street, to the port authority terminal and dock, just past the Renaissance Center.

Hundred of families strolled along the riverfront, partaking in midway rides and touring some of the ships docked along the way. A replica of a tall ship traveled back and forth between Windsor and Detroit carrying British and American soldiers reenacting a battle from the War of 1812, complete with cannon fire.

A new addition to the festival is ArtScape, an open competition for Michigan artists. Ten pieces were on display along the riverfront and attendees will have a chance to vote for their favorite.

Nicholas Barkley of Roseville was one of the artists showing his piece "Mermaid Sunning" inside the Wintergarden of the GM Building. He sculpts professionally for General Motors and creates his artwork in his free time.

"This event is very great for Detroit," said Barkley, who spent five years on his carved cottonwood mermaid sculpture. "I didn't even know where the Wintergarden was and when I came down here, I said holy cow, that's impressive."

Other highlights include a 5K Walk and Run taking place Saturday morning, the Pooch-a-Palooza walk on Sunday morning, a kids zone, carnival rides, street performers, river tours and demonstrations by the Coast Guard and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz1yjKt6mjP

[animatedmartian]

New Hyatt breaks ground at Suburban Collection Showplace




BY THE DETROIT NEWS | JUNE 27, 2012

[...]

The Hyatt Place joins announced plans for the possible addition of two boutique hotels in the region — one in downtown Detroit's David Whitney Building and another in downtown Royal Oak.

"Many of the projects that you see coming are projects that were planned before the recession and are now coming back online," Skelton said.

Hotel rates in Metro Detroit have increased during the past year because of a lack of hotel building, industry analysts say.

The showplace is considered Michigan's second largest convention center, Hyatt's Schramm said. But the Suburban Collection Showplace rarely competes directly with Detroit's Cobo Center for convention business, since it suits small to medium conventions and events, Bowman said.

"We offer a choice as another alternative in Metro Detroit," he said.

But with the former Pontchartrain hotel across from Cobo getting renovations and a new owner and the showplace adding a hotel, the region should become a better convention destination, Bowman said.

"We're going to have a great package to offer meeting planners," he said.

The $9.5 million showplace project includes adding 20,000 square feet of space to the Diamond Center for 10 breakout rooms and more pre-function space.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...CFRONTPAGE%7Cp

Seems like an odd photo to me...anyway, with this news of needed hotels in Metro Detroit, I'm wondering what ever happened with the rumors that W hotel was going to renovate/build something Downtown.

[Onn]

Detroit targets 1,500 buildings for demolition


Detroit Mayor Dave Bing announces the demolition program in front of a home slated to be torn down on Coram Street near Denby High School. (Steve Perez / The Detroit News)

Tony Briscoe
The Detroit News
27 June 2012

Detroit— Standing outside a dilapidated house near Denby High School, Mayor Dave Bing on Tuesday announced a plan to demolish 1,500 dangerous structures in the city in the next 90 days — the most the city has ever tackled in that amount of time.

The mayor, along with Karla Henderson, the city's group executive for planning and facilities, stressed he wants Detroit's schoolchildren to feel safe coming to and from school. The house on Coram Street on the city's east side is among those slated to be razed.

"This is just the tip of the iceberg, because even if we reach our goal of 10,000 (demolitions), which I think we will in the administration's first term, they're still only 10 percent of the homes that need to be torn down," Bing said.

"It's not going to happen overnight. We are trying to be strategic. We want our kids in particular to be safe as they are going to school and coming home from school."

The structures to be demolished will mainly be residential, because commercial buildings generally cost more to demolish, Bing said. Funding for the project comes from $15 million in federal money set aside for the city's neighborhood stabilization program.

After the current phase of demolitions, the city might need to seek more federal support, he said.

The city has hired 17 contractors for the current phase of demolition. To meet the mayor's goal of 1,500 by the end of September, the city must tear down more than 16 structures a day. Ten buildings were scheduled for demolition Tuesday.

Bing said that he expects City Council to approve more than 600 structures for demolition next week.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz1z0UfYjrs

[animatedmartian]

[animatedmartian]

And I guess I can post these in this thread as well.

[hudkina]

Man... Has there been a decent looking apartment building built in the city since the Ellington?

[Onn]

The Palace of Auburn Hills to undergo renovations









Eric Lacy
The Detroit News
11 July 2012

Auburn Hills— Pistons fans are expected to step foot into a more visibly appealing, open-air feeling at the Palace of Auburn Hills when the NBA season starts this fall.

Palace officials confirmed Wednesday afternoon that a remodeling project, including the main concourse and 100-level concourse and removal of 16 suites in the 300 level — replaced with an open-air lounge — will be completed by the time the Pistons tip off the 2012-13 season.

The project includes new lighting and sound systems, hospitality areas, furnishings in luxury-seating areas, wireless internet access and digital menu boards along the concourse.

"We want to do whatever we can to make this a escape for our fans and thrill them," said Dennis Mannion, president of Palace Sports & Entertainment.

Plans, according to the timeline, also include remodeled east and west atrium entrances and revamped VIP and administration entrances, expected to be complete by the end of the 2013 calendar year.

Palace Sports & Entertainment, according to the Associated Press, will pay for the improvements, expected to cost $13-15 million.

It's the biggest investment yet since owner Tom Gores took over last year.

"Tom is a perfectionist on every level," Mannion said. "He doesn't have his fingers on everything, but he's got his eyes on everything."

The improvements suggest that the Pistons are committed to staying at the Palace and not planning a move any time soon.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...ns?odyssey=tab

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by animatedmartian

Looks like those are FCB panels on the top. Very nice. But I'm not sure it coordinates well with the brick. A two tone approach would have been slick and less awkward. Either a neutral gray / black / slight gray-blue colored masonry would have been appropriate over the dark red or brown at the base. Otherwise I'm happy with it.

[PistonsFan]

Final stretch for Detroit River Walk gets $44M boost
July 23, 2012 at 1:22 pm
By Josh Katzenstein
The Detroit News




Detroit— After recalling times when much of the Detroit River was run down and barely accessible by the public, a cheerful group of public and private officials broke ground on the final stage of the east riverfront project Monday morning.

The project, which will be funded by $44 million in federal and state appropriations, will connect the downtown RiverWalk to the space just east of the Belle Isle bridge, creating green spaces, plazas and parks accessible for the city's residents and visitors.

Amid the ongoing turmoil surrounding Detroit's financial situation, Gov. Rick Snyder noted his pleasure to announce the news in Detroit on Monday morning, and he said he recently looked across the river from Windsor with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper — before announcing the new international bridge crossing — and told him about the resurgence of the riverfront.

"From what was a lost opportunity, there is success, and we should be proud of that," Snyder said Monday morning. "Let's keep this going. Let's make this riverfront great and reinvent Detroit."

The state's Department of Natural Resources awarded the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy a $15 million check at the groundbreaking ceremony. The conversancy has also received a $29 million federal highway appropriation, which U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Detroit, helped secure and the state's Department of Transportation gave to the river project.

Officials from the conservancy, MDOT, DNR and others applauded the partnership that will transform the river.

"This is so exciting," said Faye Nelson, president of the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, adding construction will begin immediately and be complete by the end of 2013. "We are marching toward that finish line, and obviously, as everyone has mentioned, we could have never done this by ourselves. This is an extraordinary public-private partnership."

One of the main improvements coming with the project is a transformation of Mount Elliott Park, which will have an interactive water park for kids, a separate kids play area, new landscaping with trees and shrubs and an open pavilion structure similar to the one at Rivard Plaza. Gabriel Richard Park, just east of the Belle Isle bridge, will soon have a new parking lot, lighting enhancements and a bicycle pathway connecting the riverfront to Jefferson Avenue. The former Uniroyal tire factory will also be developed into a public space

Read more...

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz21UTw4t5V

[PistonsFan]

Title Source to move 1,500 into Detroit's First National Building
July 23, 2012 at 2:47 pm
By Karl Henkel
The Detroit News



Detroit — Troy-based Title Source says it will move 1,500 workers to the First National Building in Downtown Detroit.

The company said Monday it will move 500 employees into the Central Business District this week, with the remaining 1,000 coming in waves during the next six months.

First National Building — at Campus Martius — was purchased by Rock Ventures LLC last year. Rock Ventures is one of the Quicken Loans Inc. family of companies founded by Dan Gilbert.


From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz21UUkk300

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by PistonsFan

Title Source to move 1,500 into Detroit's First National Building
July 23, 2012 at 2:47 pm
By Karl Henkel
The Detroit News



Detroit — Troy-based Title Source says it will move 1,500 workers to the First National Building in Downtown Detroit.

The company said Monday it will move 500 employees into the Central Business District this week, with the remaining 1,000 coming in waves during the next six months.

First National Building — at Campus Martius — was purchased by Rock Ventures LLC last year. Rock Ventures is one of the Quicken Loans Inc. family of companies founded by Dan Gilbert.


From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz21UUkk300

!!!!!! Holy crap this is really great news! This justifies more retail / restaurants downtown. Seriously, once the Broderick is all filled up and the Whitney starts constructions, you've basically book ended Woodward with occupancy make it alot easier to fill in the gaps.

[animatedmartian]

Gilbert gives updates for projects in downtown Detroit
TUESDAY, JULY 31, 2012
Writer: Jon Zemke

Quicken Loans Chairman Dan Gilbert took questions about his other downtown Detroit projects at the Title Source-moves-downtown press conference last week. Here is a quick grab bag of updates on what he and Detroit Economic Growth Corporation President & CEO George Jackson spoke about.

M-1 light rail line: Both Gilbert and local officials, such as Jackson, continue to speak confidently that the hard-fought-for streetcar line between the Detroit River and New Center would soon get the green light to begin construction. They didn't indicate an announcement about the project's approval was pending but didn't say the process was moving backward either.

Woodward Avenue retail: The Gilbert team continues to work toward reinvigorating the section of Woodward between Campus Martius and Grand Circus Park with dynamic retail. He did indicate that announcements of opening businesses would happen in groups instead of individually so the retailers would be better positioned for success. Gilbert also announced that his team has recently hired a handful of urban planning experts from outside of Michigan to help with the retail roll out. "That's really our focus right now," Gilbert says.

Downtown rental housing demand: Gilbert is bullish on downtown Detroit's worst kept secret: the sharp uptick in demand for rental housing in the greater downtown area. "The market is there," Gilbert says. "There are a lot of people in their 20s who want to come to downtown but it's sold out."

Possible future building acquisitions: Opportunity is the driving force behind Gilbert's building acquisition plan. Many of the nearly one dozen structures his team has purchased in a relatively short amount of time happened because it was the right opportunity at the right time at the right price. He says his team will look at adding more properties when the right opportunities present themselves. "A lot of these opportunities just came to us," Gilbert says. "A lot of (foreclosing) lenders approached us. This was the low-hanging fruit."

State help for Detroit's other large parks: Jackson says the negotiations about the State of Michigan helping the City of Detroit maintain and upgrade Belle Isle are ongoing, declining to say much more. He adds that similar talks are not going on about Detroit's other major parks, such as Rouge Park and Fort Wayne, but a deal on Belle Isle could be used as a template for future partnerships with those parks.

http://www.modeldmedia.com/devnews/g...oit073112.aspx

[animatedmartian]

Get Moving Detroit: U-Haul Buys NBC Warehouse Building

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...eader_comments

U-haul Detroit Blog.

[LMich]

I've always loved this building.

[animatedmartian]

Something interesting...

Daniel Libeskind Judging Detroit Design Competition

The local Detroit AIA (American Institute of Archiects) chapter is having a competition with a bit of a celebrity judge! Architect Daniel Libeskind is signed on as a jury member! The starchitect is best known for winning the World Trade Center design competition and buildings such as the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the extension to the Denver Art Museum. The Detroit Riverfront Competition challenges entrants to design the public space for the area between Cobo Hall and the Renaissance Center and between Jefferson Avenue and the Detroit River. This includes Hart Plaza and entries are due November 30, 2012. First place is a $5000 and Trip to Detroit.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...ompetition.php

Maybe some cool ideas can come out of this and maybe other parts of Detroit can get similar competitions as well.