DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown

[uaarkson]

Nice to see the pandemic didn't slow down development in Detroit too much. The city really looks like it's on a permanent upswing.

[The North One]

They're really getting deep into the MCS renovation now.

[DetroitSky]

Automated parking structure part of historic Detroit Free Press Building redo

As renovations are being completed at the historic Detroit Free Press Building, a state-of-the art feature is being built in the basement – a fully automated parking structure.

Bedrock, which owns the building at 321 Lafayette, announced Tuesday that Los Angeles-based Dasher Lawless Automation is constructing the parking structure system, called AUTOParkit. When it opens during the second half of 2021 it will be the first of its kind in the Midwest, company officials say.

“What we’ve accomplished is provide kind of a valet service without the valet,” said Shawn Adams, vice president of sales and marketing for AUTOParkit, which has about 60 projects underway, mostly in the Los Angeles area.

In the Free Press building, the AUTOParkit system will autonomously park vehicles in 105 stalls and retrieve them in 40 to 180 seconds. The parking structure will be used by residents and commercial tenants of the building.

Because of the basement’s depth and layout, traditional underground parking would have allowed for few spaces, said Kevin Bopp, vice president for parking and mobility at Bedrock.

California’s Viola Announces First Cannabis Harvest in Detroit Cultivation Facility

California-based Viola today announced its first cannabis harvest in its Detroit cultivation facility. The announcement also marks the launch of the company’s fully operational Detroit facility, bringing more than 10 strains to market.

The harvest launch arrives on the heels of the opening of the company’s 48,000-square-foot Detroit retail location in November. The harvest brings a full grow of cured, ultra-premium flower to the Michigan market, including ATL, Keylime, Star Dog, Triangle Kush, Vader, Wifi, XXX, GG#4, Underdog OG, and Underdawg.

“The launch of our first harvest in the Detroit facility is a true testament to the growth, reception and overall expansion of the Viola brand,” says Al Harrington, former NBA player and founder of Viola. “We see so much opportunity and potential within the Detroit region, which is why we’re putting such an emphasis on this particular harvest and using this facility to elevate our brand and, most importantly, the community.”

Magna will expand Highland Park seating plant, creating 480 new jobs

Magna International Inc. is investing more than $35 million to expand its Highland Park plant after winning two new full seat assembly contracts, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

The plan is expected to create 480 new jobs, including nearly 300 entry-level positions, just as the automotive supplier sector faces deep strains following weeks of downtime and a long ramp-up process.

The governing body of the economic development agency on Tuesday approved a $2,173,322 grant for the project that would add 5,000 square feet of space. The plans also call for adding 100 parking spaces, three shipping docks and two automated storage and retrieval shipping systems, as well as a redesign of all assembly lines to maximize space.

"This project represents our automotive manufacturing strength and demonstrated continued leadership in developing future mobility solutions," MEDC CEO Mark Burton said during a conference call. "It chose Michigan thanks to our state's connected supply chain, talented pool and continued economic growth under Gov. Whitmer over the past several months."

[subterranean]

Thanks, as always, for the updates.

[seabee1526]

Where could this be?

https://www.in-formstudio.com/hudroe...utility-plant/



Thanks to DetroitYes

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by seabee1526

Where could this be?

https://www.in-formstudio.com/hudroe...utility-plant/

Thanks to DetroitYes

That looks like the corner of Randolph/Monroe and Broadway/Gratiot.

https://goo.gl/maps/iNjwged2oPkqXDG37

[DetroitSky]

^^^^The closed J.L. Stone menswear store, The Broadway, and a parking lot occupy that site. The Stone store and The Broadway are/were owned by Bedrock and that parking lot was for sale recently. I kind of always assumed they were going to expand the parking garage onto those sites, but this is better IMHO.

From the architect's website:

[IMG]This undisclosed mixed-use project re-imagines the traditional approach to Central Utility Plant (CUP) design by maximizing its potential as an architectural gateway that pulls visitors into the central business district off of main city access points. At six stories, this project will stimulate the downtown core by integrating a visitor center and curated city-wide art exhibition while simultaneously servicing two of the newest developments in recent history. It highlights that architecture and art are truly blended disciplines.

Conceptualized as an interactive art installation that will engage passersby, this new project features a façade that explores public experience with a structure that communicates system performance metrics through kinetic and audio design. This building’s skin not only accommodates equipment locations, airflow intake, exhaust, vibration reduction, and noise cancellation, but also transforms and harmonizes equipment noise, and illuminates to display various building performance metrics.[/IMG]

The name "Hudroe Central Utility Plant" name definitely came from the Hudson's Site and Monroe Blocks project. Looks good.



In other news, the developers of the Henry Glover House in Brush Park announced they'll be building a carriage house. One less vacant lot sounds good to me.

We had another long awaited milestone this week with the HGH. Specifically concerning the carriage house plans.
As long-time HGH followers will know, our construction progress was delayed almost 18 months until we determined if we could acquire the adjacent City-owned 1/2 lot to the E. Which we purchased last November.
We’re happy to report that, following recommended approval by the Brush Park CDC, Detroit’s Historic District Commission, and Detroit’s Planning and Development Department, the full City Council approved our carriage house development plans.
So now we can proceed to submitting our plans to the building department for plan review and permitting approval. We hope to break ground on the carriage house in September.
We’ll post our plans shortly. After we convert the plans to a file format we can easily upload to FB.

They're also working on the basement walls for the rear addition:

[The North One]

The carriage house is in the back alley and was always part of the original plan. I saw their renders, they plan to use the empty lot they purchased as outdoor space which I don't really like.

[DetroitSky]

Originally Posted by The North One

The carriage house is in the back alley and was always part of the original plan. I saw their renders, they plan to use the empty lot they purchased as outdoor space which I don't really like.

Yeah, I hadn't seen the renders until this morning, but you're right. The carriage house takes up very little of the additional lot.




Source

I came across a few small projects today on Christian Hurttienne Architects' website:

First is an addition to the Detroit Institute of Bagels, located at 1236 Michigan Avenue, on the Corktown/downtown border. The addition will fill in a small grassy courtyard abutting PJ's Lager House.

The Corktown establishment of the Detroit Institute of Bagels has done very well since its renovation and opening in 2012. The Proposed addition will provide much needed kitchen space with ab expanded entry and ordering area, while giving more room to dining-in options. Conceived to be about the bagel, the front facing Michigan avenue will have an iconic arch to balance with the traditional style of the existing building. Filling in of the courtyard with this addition will provide Detroiters with an improved bagel experience.

Project Budget: $1,500,000

Expected Completion: Fall 2020

Then there's these renderings of the 4th Street Townhomes project, announced in 2018. I believe these are the first publicly available renders of the project. Its located right down the street from the eco homes project and Midtown West.





And then there's this. I haven't heard anything about it, but it appears to be an actual proposal as opposed to a conceptual plan.

GENESISHOPE VILLAGE
The site of the former Eastern High School is now proposed to be developed into affordable housing for the GenesisHOPE Community Development Corporation. In conjunction with Genesis Lutheran Church and Cinnaire Solutions, GenesisHOPE CDC wishes to construct a multifamily apartment complex on the vacant property. The 4-story mixed-use building on Mack Avenue will contain 31 1-, 2-, and 3- bedroom apartments with approximately 3,000sf of commercial space. Utilizing modular construction for the 2-story townhouses has made the project financially feasible. Other features include an underground stormwater management system, energy conservation sustainable design, art walls and business commercial small space for local entrepreneurs.

Project Budget: $12,000,000

Expected Completion Date: Spring of 2022

And some news from today:

Ford and New Lab Will Launch Two Mobility Studios at Michigan Central Campus in Detroit’s Corktown District

New Lab, founded in 2016, rents startup studio space at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York City that is occupied by more than 800 engineers, entrepreneurs, and inventors that apply “transformative technologies to things that matter.” In Corktown, Ford and New Lab plan “to foster an innovation ecosystem committed to helping shape the future of mobility in a way that benefits everyone.”

As part of the effort, Michigan Central and New Lab will launch two new studios focused on mobility that will ultimately live within the district. A corporate studio sponsored by Ford will kick off this summer to address macro mobility issues, and as part of Ford’s commitment to the local community, a second civic studio will follow focusing on more immediate mobility issues in the neighborhoods around Michigan Central Station.

“The goal of the Michigan Central district is to spur development of new transportation solutions and our collaboration with New Lab will bring even more talent to the region to join Ford in creating the future of mobility,” says Julie Roscini who leads the development’s external engagement strategy for Ford​. “The mobility studios will help us lay the foundation for the innovation ecosystem of partners and collaborators we want to create in Corktown.”

New Lab’s studio model brings entrepreneurs, engineers, and inventors together with leaders and experts across cities, regions, and industries to solve the world’s most pressing challenges.​

In establishing the mobility innovation studios for Michigan Central, New Lab said it will work together with the existing community of accelerators and incubators in Detroit and Michigan, attracting talent and capital from outside the region and supporting homegrown companies and entrepreneurs.

Detroit Assembles International Design Team to Help Revitalize Gratiot/7 Mile Area

The city of Detroit plans to revitalize the Gratiot/7 Mile area through a new neighborhood framework plan that will implement investment from the city’s $130-million Strategic Neighborhood Fund, which is working across 10 neighborhoods.

The effort at Gratiot/7 Mile will be led by Detroit’s Giffels Webster, a civil engineering and community planning firm, and SLA, a Danish architecture and urban planning company. Consultants will include Utile, an architecture and planning firm in Boston; Community Development Advocates of Detroit; HR&A Advisors, a real estate, economic development, and program design and implementation firm; and Noah Stephens Photography to address the social and urban challenges of the community.

The team is developing the framework for the 3.4-square-mile area on Detroit’s northeast side.

The plan includes the Regent Park, Mohican Regent, Mapleridge, and Franklin neighborhoods and is seeking resident input on projects that will enhance parks, streetscapes, and commercial and multifamily development.

Officials: Gordie Howe bridge on track to open in 2024 despite construction delays from COVID-19

The Gordie Howe International Bridge project is on target to open by the end of 2024 despite the COVID-19 crisis that slowed construction for a time, officials said Thursday.

The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority held an online community meeting via Facebook Live to give the public an update on the project.

"Work has been able to continue throughout this entire time period at the site," said Heather Grondin, the vice president of communications and stakeholder relations for the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority.

Grondin, who appeared with other officials working on the project, said in terms of the "overall schedule we're not behind," but there has been a need to shift some aspects of the schedule to accommodate mitigation measures in place for COVID-19.

[CrazyCres]

This looks interesting...

https://www.crexi.com/properties/318...velopment-site

[jonwylie]

Originally Posted by DetroitSky

And then there's this. I haven't heard anything about it, but it appears to be an actual proposal as opposed to a conceptual plan.

This project is on the docket for the next zoning appeals as well. Seems like it may be legit.

https://detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm...%2C%202020.pdf

[The North One]

That's a huge development for something so far out in the neighborhoods.

[DetroitSky]

Originally Posted by jonwylie

This project is on the docket for the next zoning appeals as well. Seems like it may be legit.

https://detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm...%2C%202020.pdf

Nice find!

Another neighborhood development mentioned today on the Historical Detroit Area Architecture page on Facebook:

started renovations on this project. Picture on right is rendering of what is to come!
5631 Stanton built by michael j griffin who was an Irish immigrant and builder in the area. He dates back to the address as far back as 1890. Michael and his wife Jeannie raised 5 children until there passing in 1920. In 1925 the home had a third story, stairwell and rear addition put on to covert to 9 apartment units.

Plans are to convert it into 9 studio and one bedroom units. Glad to see this being saved.

[CrazyCres]

Have there been any updates for the MID project?

Source:https://detroit.curbed.com/2019/7/26...truction-begin

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by CrazyCres

Have there been any updates for the MID project?

Source:https://detroit.curbed.com/2019/7/26...truction-begin

Nope, I’ve just assumed it’s dead at this point. There’s been an article regarding it every once in a while, but groundbreaking dates have come and gone with no activity still. The last one I saw was on it’s biannual cbo report which gave an early March date for groundbreaking. I’m assuming Covid was the final nail in the coffin for this project which was unlikely to happen anyways

[DetroitSky]

Originally Posted by DetroitSportsFan

Nope, I’ve just assumed it’s dead at this point. There’s been an article regarding it every once in a while, but groundbreaking dates have come and gone with no activity still. The last one I saw was on it’s biannual cbo report which gave an early March date for groundbreaking. I’m assuming Covid was the final nail in the coffin for this project which was unlikely to happen anyways

Last we heard of it was a few months ago when the developers said it was being redesigned, I'm assuming because of rising construction costs and Covid. I've never heard anyone say its dead besides DetroitYes forumers, and they say that about everything.

[The North One]

Last we heard was that they were finishing up financing in February.

Something IS getting built there, they spent too much money on that lot and they have brownfield incentives for it.

[Garbage_Human]

https://www.in-formstudio.com/cpa-mixed-use/

Has anyone else seen this development before? I was checking out the other projects from the website the CUP was found on and I stumbled across this. As of right now there's very little information on it. From what I can tell the land parcels are owned by Corktown Garage LLC., D West Limited Partnership, J&M Land Company, City Of Detroit P&DD, and BFD Corktown LLC. It's unlikely that anything actually happens with this site but it would be cool to see something big happen in Corktown, other than MCS of course.

[The North One]

No and last I know the CPA building was owned by slumlords from NYC so IDK how this even happens.

[DetroitSky]

It’s purely conceptual and isn’t going to happen. It even says it’s conceptual on the page. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see construction on those vacant lots there soon though.