DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown

[hudkina]

Detroit never had a population of 800,000. (at least not since 2000...) The last census put the population at around 950,000. The Census Bureau had estimated that the population had dropped significantly since then, but after the city challanged the Census Bureau estimates, they were revised to a more modest drop. Today the city is estimated to have about 915,000, or about a 4% decline from 2000. In other words, the city never really saw a net gain in population, it just wasn't shrinking nearly as fast as what the Census Bureau had originally estimated. It would be nice if the population loss was even less than the revised estimates, but I'm not so sure about that.

[Funkie]

for everyone who wants the Lafayette Building to be saved, sign the petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/Lafayett/petition.html
maybe it'll help!!


(i took the pics)

[fish2026]

It makes no sense to tear this down. Detroit doesn't many qualities that would attract new people or investment. Cold climates lose people being at the top of the crime statistics loses people, high taxes lose people.

So what could possibly attract people ? Low cost housing and the wealth of attractive old buildings. Where I live in Texas this would be a real treasure.

Its not like there is a lack of space for development-there's plenty.

Leave the building alone!

[derekski99]

Meh, there are plenty of good reasons to move to Detroit. Development would be the top one for me. House prices are significantly cheaper. Property taxes as well. Sales tax is apparently only enforced on goods brought in...in CT virtually everything is taxed.

Theres also more nightlife and entertainment in Detroit than in CT.

Let's put it this way, lots down the road from our modest home (raised ranch + addition, 2200 sq. ft on 1/3 of an acre of land) are selling for $165,000...that's without a home. $165,000 in Detroit can buy me a 4000 to 6000 sq. ft. french mansion in need of restoration.

[hudkina]

Property taxes in Detroit are some of the highest in the nation. Sales tax is 6% on most goods (higher for certain vice products) with groceries and certain other items exempt. There is a city income tax for residents as well as those who work in the city. Insurance rates are also ridiculously high. It's not uncommon for Detroit residents to pay more per month for their car insurance than they do for their car...

$165,000 won't get you a mansion, but it can get you a really nice brick home in a decent neighborhood.

[LMich]

This is quite a surprise. Looks like the proposed Shoppes at Gateway Park up at the Fairgrounds is still on track to be built.

$80M open-air Detroit mall moves ahead

Jaclyn Trop / The Detroit News

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Detroit -- Despite the economy and other setbacks, developers are moving forward with their plans to build an $80 million open-air mall -- the Shoppes at Gateway Park -- at Woodward and 8 Mile next to the Michigan State Fairgrounds.

More than 60 percent of the retail space in the 365,000-square-foot mall has been leased, and the developers are in talks with two major retailers -- one for a 190,000-square-foot anchor store and the other for a 40,000-square-foot space, according to Bernie Schrott, one of five partners in Gateway Park LLC.

He declined to name either retailer, but said both are union shops and "not Wal-Mart."

An announcement on the retailers could be made within weeks and the developers hope to break ground as early as next month.

(read on at Detnews.com)

[hudkina]

I like how the dot is in Oakland County.

So J.C. Penny pulled out, it would be nice to have a department store, just so the naysayers can't say "Detroit doesn't even have a department store!"

[LMich]

You really do wonder who makes these maps; they obviously aren't from the metro. lol

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Funkie

for everyone who wants the Lafayette Building to be saved, sign the petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/Lafayett/petition.html
maybe it'll help!!


(i took the pics)

Nice pics. I really don't think petitions have much effect. But I did sign it just in case! (I am one of the few PA residents on the list) Looks like a pretty great building. Hope something good happens to it. Maybe Ferchill can take on this project when he's done with the Book Cadillac.

[detroit_alive]

A temporary stay of execution for the Lafayette Building:
Cockrel puts hold on Lafayette Building demolition

[jodelli]

[derekski99]

More bad news for great, historic architecture...I hope someone steps forward and restores Michigan Central......

http://www.freep.com/article/2009040...0407070/?imw=Y

[derekski99]

Oh by the way, here's a link to a slideshow compilation from Freep...

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/g...4070808&Ref=PH

[LMich]

There is talk that this move may be by council to bring this fight over the building to a conclusion. Conyers even kind of hinted that demolition isn't necessarily what they are looking for, so this may be to scare Matty into at least securing the thing and giving it a minimal clean-up.

If it comes to demolition, however, I've decided that this one shows so much less promise than other dinosaurs of ever being redeveloped, so while it'd be sad to see it go, it's even sadder to see it sit open to the elements for another 20-30 years.

However, I do object to the plan for the city to use its money to demolish the and then to try to bill Matty, later. That they are taking this route kind of makes me think this is yet another scheme to line the pockets of the city's prominent demolition contractors. If that is the case, then I oppose the demolition.

However, there is also talk that there has already been a deal made that the city would demolish the structure, and get the land underneath if as an exchange.

There is so much going on, here, that God only knows what's really going on.

[Funkie]

Here's a nice YouTube video about the renovation of the Argonaut Building:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TTrFzu128U

[fish2026]

dereksi - just make up any facts you like. Taxes low in Detroit? Why not just say all the streets and neighborhoods are safe and that reports or murder are all wrong?

There are houses selling for $10,000 in Detroit that have the same tax bill as my house in Texas appraised at $741,000. Texas is only about average as far as real estate taxes, however we have NO personal income tax.

Texas and many other states use market value -based on arms length sales between a willing buyer and seller as the taxable price, however they usually under-appraise by a bit to keep people happy. Detroit uses "What this could be worth if Detroit was a flourishing vibrant community and if every house on the block was in perfect condition. This is one reason why you have so many abandoned houses.

Why give someone dishonest advice? Would you like it if a dealer sold you a car and said it was in good condition when he know the engine was missing vital parts.

The states in the northeast are all high tax but most of the rest of the country is much lower than Michigan - Detroit.

[PistonsFan]

Detroit could cash in on cruise industry






Its bare steel girders are just going up this week.



But by spring 2010, downtown Detroit's new $15-million public docking terminal is to be ready to accept Great Lakes cruise ships that could bring hundreds of tourists to town.


"We don't like to label it a cruise terminal because from a realistic point of view, it's not going to be like Miami," said John Kerr, director of economic development for the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority.


"But even if we had half a dozen vessels stopping a dozen trips a year each, it would be beneficial. We estimated back in 1998 that cruise ships contribute $150,000 per stop to the economy."


The terminal is at the foot of Bates and Atwater near the Renaissance Center. It will make Detroit a player in a small but steady tourism sector of the state. Great Lakes cruises draw American and European tourists who pay $4,000 to $11,000 to sail on 100-passenger luxury ships, stopping at ports such as Houghton, Mackinac Island and Holland.

From Detroit Free Press:
http://www.freep.com/article/2009051...S07/905180363/

[au5233]

Does anyone have any idea what the new building is that's going up in midtown on woodward, inbetween the Detroit symphony and McDonalds? The steel outline is all laid out...but no signs on what the building is?

[apbest]

As cited on DetroitYes, the MEDC site described the project as;

North Woodward Garden Block Development – A state brownfield tax credit valued at $2.2 million will help the development group revitalize a blighted block on the west side of Woodward between Mack and Warren in Detroit. The project involves the restoration of the Garden Theatre and the Blue Moon Building. The theater will be returned to its original use and the Blue Moon will house a new restaurant. A new, three-story building will be constructed with retail and commercial space. Plans also call for a 300-space parking garage. The project will generate $28.7 million in capital investment and create more than 200 new jobs.

[Michi]

Anyone have access to the Rosa Parks Transit Hub? I would like to see how that is progressing.