Ann Arbor Construction updates

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by subterranean

Not bad on the Nanomechanical Engineering (whatever that means) building. My only real complain is the same as with most new architecture: I wish it interacted better with sidewalks/streets.

I agree. And that area still fails to address the pedestrian level

[Rizzo]

Interesting to see the Packard and Plymouth road corridors start to bulk up.

[DetroitMan]

Fox Tent closing leaves downtown Ann Arbor property for sale as potential development site

By Laura Blodgett
Ann Arbor.com
January 8, 2011

Fox Tent & Awning Company, the long running tent rental and custom canvas provider located at 617 S. Ashley in Ann Arbor, closed at the end of December.

Now both the business and the property are for sale, said Larry Zahn, co-owner of Anchorage Realty, who is representing the property.

“This has been a family run business and Ann Arbor landmark for years,” said Zahn. “The current owners David and Becky Fox have retired and decided to put it all up for sale since they didn’t have anybody in the family to take over the business.”

Spanning nearly the entire block, the one acre parcel is bound by South Ashley, West Mosley and South Main St., across from South Main Market on one side and Washtenaw Dairy on the other.

The property includes the entire parking lot on the south end of the block as well as the three buildings currently occupied by Fox Tent, Delux Drapery & Shade Co., and Affordable Vet Services. Those two tenants are occupying their respective spaces under one-year leases starting this month.

The listing has the potential to drive larger-scale development on South Main Street.

Zahn said this property could be the very first parcel to appear under the new D-2 zoning district between downtown and the Old West Side neighborhood, with the potential to be turned into mixed-use development.

http://www.annarbor.com/business-rev...ent-potential/

[DetroitMan]

601 Forest: Demolition begins as Ann Arbor's student housing market braces for more change
By Paula Gardner
Ann Arbor.com
January 13, 2011

Demolition is under way at the corner of South University and South Forest, 4 years and 10 months after Ron Hughes took his first steps toward developing the 601 Forest student high-rise in Ann Arbor.

That deal concluded Friday, putting the project in motion to open in fall 2012, based on construction timetables.

http://www.annarbor.com/business-rev...r-more-change/

[Rizzo]

The new construction, he said, should have a positive impact in those areas as housing is converted back to single-family homes.

Interesting, but hard to imagine. I'm sure the city and permanent residents would love to see that, but the fact remains alot of subdivided houses on the edge of campus will remain rental. What I see as "positive" is that rents in older houses will drop to the level they SHOULD be.

But yes, overall, the impact of this development will be positive. It's going to extend modern commercial space down Forest, and create higher densities of students. I'd love to live here if I was still at U of M

If I'm not mistaken, the apartment building being saved is also owned by the developer? Originally they were going to tear it down when this building was "L" shaped I recall. I'd love to see a taller buidling replace that as well that would act as the eastern gateway to South U.

[DetroitMan]

U-M Regents approve $52 million renovation of Crisler Arena, new scoreboards at Michigan Stadium
By: David Jesse
AnnArbor.com Staff

The project will add 63,000 square feet to the arena and create new spectator entrances, retail spaces, ticketing areas and a private club space. It will cost $52 million, said Timothy Slottow, the university’s executive vice president and chief financial officer.

In addition to the Crisler Arena renovation, the regents also approved new high-definition video scoreboards at Michigan Stadium, Crisler Arena and Yost Ice Arena.

http://www.annarbor.com/sports/u-m-r...higan-stadium/

[subterranean]

Looks great...

[Rizzo]

Here's the article covering the possibility of Village Corner moving to North Campus. Michigan alumni and former Ann arbor residents gasp in horror!! Yes, VC was very much an Ann Arbor staple, and it wasn't just a liquor store. It sold all the groceries you ever needed in a few aisles, and had plenty of fresh produce. For Michigan students, it was the closest grocery store to campus without having to get on a bus.

The 601 Forest Development demolished VC, and although they offered incentives to allow retailers to move back in, it didn't appear VC would be returning. Kind of sad. I can only hope downtown AA eventually gets some sort of grocery store eventually. I've always found it incredibly strange that AA can have every single type of restaurant or coffee shop you can think of, but not a grocer.


http://www.annarbor.com/business-rev...-north-campus/

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by Hayward

Here's the article covering the possibility of Village Corner moving to North Campus. Michigan alumni and former Ann arbor residents gasp in horror!! Yes, VC was very much an Ann Arbor staple, and it wasn't just a liquor store. It sold all the groceries you ever needed in a few aisles, and had plenty of fresh produce. For Michigan students, it was the closest grocery store to campus without having to get on a bus.

The 601 Forest Development demolished VC, and although they offered incentives to allow retailers to move back in, it didn't appear VC would be returning. Kind of sad. I can only hope downtown AA eventually gets some sort of grocery store eventually. I've always found it incredibly strange that AA can have every single type of restaurant or coffee shop you can think of, but not a grocer.


http://www.annarbor.com/business-rev...-north-campus/

I think the Courtyard Shops would make a good location. It's just barely pedestrian friendly to the North Campus dorms, but it's in good proximity to the apartment complexes along Plymouth Rd.

[DetroitMan]

Ann Arbor City Council gives OK to $48.2 million redevelopment of blighted Georgetown Mall property

The Ann Arbor City Council voted unanimously Monday night to approve a site plan for Packard Square, a $48.2 million redevelopment of the blighted Georgetown Mall property.

Bloomfield Hills-based developer Craig Schubiner of Harbor Georgetown LLC, who was in the audience but did not speak, plans to move forward with constructing a four-story, mixed-use building containing 230 apartment units and 23,790 square feet of retail space.

http://www.annarbor.com/news/ann-arb...mall-property/

[Rizzo]

The renderings seem somewhat misleading, wouldn't this be more like a 5 story building, or do they really intend to raise the level of the site that much? The renderings show the retail store entrances level with the street. That's impossible, it can't be that way unless they are hauling in tons of fill.

[DetroitMan]

Regents approve design for glittering makeover of Crisler Arena

BY DAVID JESSE DETROIT FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

When Michigan basketball fans enter Crisler Arena following a $52-million makeover, they’ll be greeted by a large, glowing block “M” situated in a waterfall.


Those fans also will see more restrooms, more concessions, a club for premium seat holders and a ton of windows that will allow the arena to “glow” when in use at night.


The plan calls for an entirely new building around the existing structure, architects told the University of Michigan’s Board of Regents this afternoon.

Renderings of the new Crisler










[img]cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Site=C4&Date=20110519&Category=SPORTS06&ArtNo=105190804&Ref=PH&Item=6&Maxw=620&Maxh=465&q=60[/img]
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/g...5190804&Ref=PH

[ColDayMan]

It strangely reminds me of a small-town convention center like this one in Springfield (Ohio):


http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/p...l/45168891.jpg

[subterranean]

Not very interesting...

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by subterranean

Not very interesting...

I agree. It's just kind of blah. Looks like the entrance to a small-town library or municipal building. I was expecting something way more big-impact. It's still rocking that late 90's early 2000's pomo look. You have Michigan stadium next door with these wonderful grand entrances and colonnades, and then these small non-rescript entrances to Crisler next door.

[LMich]

If I'm to be honest, I've always thought Crisler was a sort of a pig, and this just seems like make-up on it. If I was spending the money, I'd have replaced it entirely.

[DetroitMan]

Dave Brandon envisions Michigan Stadium growing to 119,000

Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon has talked recently, including Wednesday, about a facilities master plan the athletic department is considering.


One element involves expanding Michigan Stadium at some point. Speaking on WTKA-AM (1050)'s "Michigan Insider" show this morning, Brandon said capacity could grow by another 10,000 seats.

http://www.freep.com/article/2011052...text|FRONTPAGE

[DecoJim]

A photo update for a few of the many construction projects in A2.

New City Hall:





Zaragon Place 2 (14 story apartment building):



601 Forest (14 story student apartment building):



Underground Parking (replacing a surface lot near A2 Library):


All photos are mine and are hosted on Flickr.

[Rizzo]

Thanks Jim, these updates are appreciated. A shame we don't have local forumers living in A2 anymore.

I really liked the City Hall design in the renderings, but I'm not the biggest fan of the final product. I was really hoping for something like stone instead of that corrugated metal paneling. I realize cost was a big issue, but I would have opted for a metal panel with a smooth finish and very subtle variances in color.

Everything on the facade tries to compete against one another. The varying colors are too contrasted to be a backdrop to varying fenestration up top. Even the window openings are a little too big and random. The design loses its elegance, which is a bit stronger at the front because the side windows lack any sort of relationship to one another. I would have done ribbon windows that keep within the same horizontal datum, but slip past one another with varying lengths on each level to still achieve that random look, but are much more crisp and clean. You could even "pop out" certain window modules to achieve the depth they were obviously trying to shoot for.

The brick portion seems odd. I think the material is appropriate. It draws a relationship to the existing building, but it seems wallpapered on. It's akin to the strip mall architecture where they forcefully try to break up the facade with a mere application of a different material to create a zone. I would have bumped out the brick portion, or use a less reflected glass to reveal a brick volume slipped beneath the metal volume.

The front looks great, but it's almost a disappointment when you enter the portico only to find nothing there! Just a blank wall of glass. I hope that area won't serve just a mere purpose of providing shelter. I take it the entrance is between the old and new buildings...but again things compete with one another. Such a strong street facade and they tuck the entrance way back?

Anyway, sorry for the architecture criticism. The rest of the projects look like they are progressing nicely. I'm sure I'll have some opinions on those when they are complete.

[DetroitMan]

Village Green project

The council is being asked to approve changes to an agreement with Village Green Residential Properties LLC, effectively lowering the purchase price of city-owned land the developer wants to buy to build downtown apartments at the corner of First and Washington.

The city entered into an option-to-purchase agreement with Village Green in February 2007 and it was last amended in August 2010 to extend the term of the option to June 1, 2011. The city administrator later exercised authority to extend the timeline to Aug. 30, 2011.

City officials say they and representatives of the Downtown Development Authority have been meeting with Village Green on a regular basis since last August and significant progress has been made. The council has authorized general obligation bonds in connection with the project, which includes a 244-space parking garage in addition to 156 apartments.

Village Green also has provided the city with construction financing documents. Negotiation of the condominium documents and completion of the design/development plans for the 11-story project (8 above grade) also has taken place.

A key issue for agreement, according to city officials, was a mutual acceptance of the foundation design, specifically how it would handle the below-ground water table.

"Since this project is in the Allen's Creek area the water table and flooding issues are of great importance to the city and the developer," reads a memo prepared by Mary Fales, senior assistant city attorney, and Tom Crawford, interim city administrator.

"The city, working with the DDA, desired a 'bathtub' design for areas where the water table could rise to meet the deck's foundation. This design in essence prevents water from entering the structure and is similar to how the DDA designed the Fifth Avenue structure," the memo says.

Fales and Crawford say in the memo that it's in the city's best interest to avoid the risk of ongoing pumping by extending the "bathtub" design to encompass the entire foundation. The added cost of the design change is estimated to be about $250,000.

Since a portion of the foundation would have required the "bathtub" anyway, city staff is recommending the City Council agree to contribute $100,000 toward the design change. The developer would be required to fund the remaining $150,000.

City staff is recommending the contribution be achieved by reducing the sales price for the city-owned land from $3.3 million to $3.2 million in the option-to-purchase agreement.

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at [email protected] or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's e-mail newsletters.
http://www.annarbor.com/news/ann-arb...d-medical-mar/