DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown

[uaarkson]

That actually looks amazing.

[JonathanGRR]

Arguments are starting to heat up on Gratiot:

Wayne County committee nixes moving jail to Mound Road; Rock Ventures cautions against 'hulking jail' on Gratiot
Chad Halcom and Dustin Walsh | October 9, 2014

Construction cranes could return to the stalled Wayne County Jail project in downtown Detroit after a committee of county commissioners recommended shelving an alternative plan that would clear the way for Rock Ventures LLC to redevelop the site.

The committee at a meeting today voted 9-2 to recommend approving a resolution taking a possible alternate jail and criminal justice center at the former Mound Road Correctional Facility off the table.

The measure now goes for a formal vote of the full board, possibly by Oct. 16.

The resolution offered by Commission Chairman Gary Woronchak takes off the table two alternate proposals to relocate the jail nine miles away at Mound Road, and would directs the board only to consider only the three remaining options from a presentation it received last month.

That paved the way to resume the half-finished project on Gratiot Avenue next week in the face of opposition from Rock Ventures, the development arm of Quicken Loans Inc. founder-chairman Dan Gilbert’s real estate empire. The commission has reviewed five development alternatives so far, two of which involved moving to Mound Road.

Two more involve completing the Gratiot building, and a fifth option is to renovate two existing jail buildings along nearby Clinton Street — a longshot, officials have told Crain’s, because one of the buildings is almost 90 years old. But all three remaining options would preclude Rock’s offer to pay $50 million for the Gratiot site along with the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice, a juvenile detention facility and other county buildings.

Gilbert has argued remaining at Gratiot will hinder revitalization of the downtown’s entertainment district. Commissioners have told Crain’s that the two Mound Road options would cost either $468 million or $488 million in new construction, depending on the size of the jail it chooses, and Wayne County could need to issue about $400 million of new bonds on top of its current debt load, which includes $200 million of bonds sold in 2010 to fund the Gratiot jail.

Commissioner Kevin McNamara said the project has come too far to turn back. Commissioners voted 9-2 to keep going and may make their final decision Oct. 16.

“A judicial complex makes sense for a downtown area,” McNamara said. “You can’t walk away from $157 million.”

Construction was suspended in June 2013 after a county report that the project would run $91 million over planned cost. The state has offered a former prison nine miles away in Detroit for a $1 annual lease as an alternative. The commission ruled out that plan with its resolution today.

The downtown project’s cost overruns prompted a grand-jury investigation that culminated last month in the indictment of three current and former county employees on charges of neglect of duty.
...

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...t-jail-project

[animatedmartian]

Personally, I don't think the building of the jail itself is a problem, but if I were a Wayne County taxpayer, I'd feel my tax dollars were being misused simply because of the lack of transparency.

The jail being built is meant to be a consolidation of the two jails next door to the old Police HQ which both are stated to be demolished. There's going to be two plots of land that would presumably open up after the Fail Jail is complete, plus the land the old Police HQ is on if that ends up needing to be demolished as well (due to a clause). I don't think the completion of the jail will have that big of an effect on downtown (or the proposed entertainment district). No one's going make a fuss about seeing a jail when they're coming down Gratiot or 375.

At this point, I just want Wayne County to finish the damn thing and sort out their mess.

[hudkina]

I would certainly rather see something other than a jail at such an important location. I think the Mound Road facility is the best option, and I don't think it really matters that I'd pay more tax dollars to see it moved out of the downtown area.

[detroit_alive]

I can't believe there is even an argument about the jail. The existing judicial infrastructure is downtown and a downtown location makes sense as it is the center of the county seat.

Get it built, demolish the existing jail buildings, renovate or demolish the old DPD bldg, and develop the land that is cleared. Redevelop the area bounded by Madison, St Antoine, Macomb, and Brush as the entertainment district. This would be more connective and beneficial to downtown than a site bounded by a freeway and casino parking garage.

[hudkina]

But you don't need to place a prison there. Why not place the wastewater treatment facility and a coal powerplant there as well. You don't need to place everything in the business district for it to function properly. Why would it be any different if the jail were located at the Mound Rd facility. It's still in the county seat, but its in an area tucked away.

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by hudkina

But you don't need to place a prison there. Why not place the wastewater treatment facility and a coal powerplant there as well. You don't need to place everything in the business district for it to function properly. Why would it be any different if the jail were located at the Mound Rd facility. It's still in the county seat, but its in an area tucked away.

Because the courthouse and juvenile detention center would have to be built there as well which isn't a cost Wayne County is ready to take on.

[animatedmartian]

Another rendering for the Roxbury proposal for Navin Field aka Tiger Stadium. Not an overly dramatic design, but I like it. I think it fits well along Michigan Avenue.


http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...er-stadium.php

[Busy Bee]

Keep the general site and massing program but please bring in a new architect.

[subterranean]

Agreed, that looks pretty bad.

[mousquet]

^ No, it doesn't IMO. The glass bays to the street level make it open enough and what I assume to be some traditional brick spares it from being bad looking. It may just be a fair piece of increasing density.

A dense fabric has never been made of exceptional buildings exclusively, huh. By definition, most things tend to look rather random in a high density.

[subterranean]

I'm just not a fan at all. It reminds me of this monstrosity they built in Lansing a few years back:

[animatedmartian]

I'm pretty dumbfounded on the response to this design. It looks pretty similar to what's typical on the main thoroughfares of Detroit and considering many buildings along those thoroughfares have been butchered to hell, this design seems to be a nice refresher back to the original styles.

But of course this is just one of two proposals. Maybe the other one will keep everyone pleased.

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by subterranean

I'm just not a fan at all. It reminds me of this monstrosity they built in Lansing a few years back:

That looks incredibly more repetitive. There's more subtle variety in this proposal.

[animatedmartian]

Deal lets Detroit creditor develop Joe Louis site
Robert Snell, David Shepardson and Christine Ferretti, The Detroit News



The last major holdout creditor in Detroit's bankruptcy case will get to redevelop the Joe Louis Arena site under terms of a deal struck early Thursday aimed at speeding the city's exit from bankruptcy court.

Under the deal, holdout bond insurer Financial Guaranty Insurance Co. will replace the longtime home of the Detroit Red Wings with a hotel, riverfront condominiums and retail. The development, which includes the Joe Louis Arena parking garage, has the potential to transform a stretch of the riverfront west of Cobo Center and complement earlier redevelopment efforts along the Detroit River.

....

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...itor/17346549/

[The-New-Tony-Detroit]

Questions that should be pushed with the FGIC/Joe Louis news:

- How will the developer link this development into downtown?
- Could/Should the Lodge be capped to promote more connectivity to Corktown/downtown/riverfront?
- Why is the hotel portion of the building capped at 30-stories?

I'd like to see some major architects take a stab at this one. We cannot afford another RenCen site.

-TNTD

[Guiltyspark]

The upper floors of that design look like a project. Aweful.

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by The-New-Tony-Detroit

- Could/Should the Lodge be capped to promote more connectivity to Corktown/downtown/riverfront?

Not near the JLA atleast. The Lodge actually rises to grade-level before passing under Cobo and plus it's technically an interchange with multiple ramps. Not to mention the pedestrian bridges and People Mover track.



A big reason the building on the left is capped over the freeway is due to there being a train station that the freeway was built under. The train station was demolished in the 70s.

At the very least, the biggest positive is that the people mover station is right there and the RiverWalk is on the other side.

Also, I'm not sure if it's the reason for the height limit, but I'm pretty sure a portion (if not all) the land JLA is on is reclaimed land.

[Guiltyspark]

Originally Posted by animatedmartian

Not near the JLA atleast. The Lodge actually rises to grade-level before passing under Cobo and plus it's technically an interchange with multiple ramps. Not to mention the pedestrian bridges and People Mover track.



A big reason the building on the left is capped over the freeway is due to there being a train station that the freeway was built under. The train station was demolished in the 70s.

At the very least, the biggest positive is that the people mover station is right there and the RiverWalk is on the other side.

Also, I'm not sure if it's the reason for the height limit, but I'm pretty sure a portion (if not all) the land JLA is on is reclaimed land.

God this area of the city is such a confusing mess of skywalks, fences and concrete and ramps. I can't wait till the Joe is gone and the area can be opened up and improved.

[Rail>Auto]

The redevelopment of the old Tiger Stadium lot looks terrible. They need to get an architect who will design something unique that will pay tribute to Tiger Stadium. Even though the shell is gone, a decent architect should be able to construct a complex with a shell that goes around the entire complex that mimics Tiger Stadium.

Old Bush Stadium in Indianapolis looks amazing. They hit a homerun with that project.