Downtown Flint, MI (11/20/07)

[robk1982]

Hi all, new poster here. I posted these at skyscrapercity.com, but there seems to be a little more Michigan love on this forum. I've seen a few select pics of Flint on here, but no major collections so here are some that I shot today. Hope you ENJOY!!


First, some pics of the Cultural Center area. Here's the Flint Public Library.


The newly renovated Flint Institute of Arts.


Bower Theatre and Longway Planetarium.


Flint Institute of Music


View of Saginaw Street facing North


Mott Foundation Building and Genesee Towers in background


Flint's Masonic Temple


County Courthouse and Jail (background)


Federal Building


Bankruptcy Court and AT&T Building (background)


Mott Foundation Building


Citizen's Bank Weather Ball


Newer Citizens' Bank Building


Old Citizens Bank Building


First Street Loft Building (and others) ready to rent


Construction on Rowe Inc. Building (3 buildings that are being combined into space for a 150 person engineering firm. The middle building collapsed during the construction about a month ago)


Construction on Wade Trim Building (across from Rowe Inc. construction)


Capitol Theatre (remember this photo when Will Ferrell's movie "Semi-Pro" comes out)


University Pavillion (UM-Flint)


Flint Skyline from North


A great building north of downtown


Berridge Hotel (soon to be remodeled into apartments)


Manhatten Place apartments (doesn't look like much, but $200,000+ condos are almost ready to be sold)


One of the condos in the above building



Durant Hotel (possible student housing for UM-Flint)


Riverfront Character Inn (potential student housing for UM-Flint, since it has never thrived as a hotel)


Durant-Dort Carraige Company building (the birthplace of General Motors)


UM-Flint's first on-campus housing


I like this line of buildings


Notice the street is closed in front of Genesee Towers (falling concrete)


Northbank Center (owned by UM-Flint)


Hurley Hospital outside of downtown


State of Michigan Building


A few more of UM-Flint

[boden]

Enjoyed your post there robk1982. Welcome to SSP!

[flar]

Welcome and thanks for posting these. Flint doesn't get enough rep here.

[robk1982]

Thanks for the welcome, boden and flar. Here are a few more pics:

A better view of UM-Flint's newest building (built on the former AutoWorld site)


The back of the Durant Hotel


Side of the Capitol Theatre building


The Flint YWCA - a bit outside of the downtown, making it one of Flint's most visible buildings


Paterson Building


Yet some more construction


The Dryden Building



Mott Building from behind


Nice new facades



Flint Journal Building and new printing press building


Community Foundation Building construction

[DetroitSky]

Nice shots and welcome to the forum!

[excel]

Love it.

[Atlantan]

Not bad looking buildings in the downtown.

[direfloyd]

I've never been to Flint but if any fellow Michigander want love for Michigan just ask and I'll be there =) Look's like a nice downtown!

[robk1982]

Thanks for the welcome and compliments, guys. While I don't know everything, here are some of my thoughts on Flint's redevelopment.

Flint is in about the same stage of it's comeback as Detroit, and following pretty much the same plan, minus the sports arenas. There still isn't a whole lot to do downtown, but a few nightclubs and restaurants are in the works for the renovated buildings. The Capitol Theatre would be a huge boost, but it just isn't feasible to spend $15-20 million on it right now.

The major catalyst in Flint is UM-Flint, a largely commuter school that used to be limited to 4 major buildings. In the last dozen years, it has built 2 buildings, bought the Northbank Center and Water Street Pavilion, acquired the old AutoWorld property, and is currently building its first dorm.

One of the most unique things about Flint's redevelopment is the Genesee County Landbank (www.thelandbank.org). They have torn down 800 abandoned homes in 5 years, and have offered most of those properties to the neighbors for $1/lot. The Landbank also owns the Berridge and Durant Hotels, and was able to fast-track those projects. A number of cities are looking at this approach because it has been so successful.

The site www.whatsupdowntown.com (Uptown Reinvestment Corp) gives an overview of all the projects going on downtown.

[the dude]

not bad. not bad at all. good to see some positive things happening in flint.

[Austinlee]

Looks good!

[Chelsea Spy]

Funnily enough I just watched Michael Moore's film about the auto plants closing down in Flint just the other night - pretty depressing

I'm glad to hear the city is making a come-back. Still looks rather desolate from these pictures though...

[robk1982]

I'm glad to hear the city is making a come-back. Still looks rather desolate from these pictures though...

During the weekdays, the downtown area is actually pretty packed - a big change from 10 years ago. The city is planning to build a new parking garage because there simply isn't enough parking anymore. Once the Rowe Inc. and Wade Trim buildings are done, you'll have another 200+ people working downtown. The city still empties out after 5pm.....

I don't have any hard facts, but in 3-4 years, it's very possible for there to be another 600-800 people LIVING downtown (dorm/student housing included). That should help to make it look less desolate.

And, it would help if that big, UGLY monstrosity that is Genesee Towers would be torn down before it collapses on it's own.

[MobyLL]

Good to hear about the positive things going on in Flint. Thanks for the photos. Kind of scary though to hear about a building being built for an engineering company collapsing

[Ex-Ithacan]

Certainly don't see Flint pics very often, especially such an extensive tour. Thanks for sharing your pics and info, and welcome to SSP.

[BUFFALOVE!!]

Originally Posted by Chelsea Spy

Funnily enough I just watched Michael Moore's film about the auto plants closing down in Flint just the other night - pretty depressing

I'm glad to hear the city is making a come-back. Still looks rather desolate from these pictures though...

Michael Moore is a socialist pig, don’t buy into his garbage. His films are full of contradictions and quotes taken out of context. Also I love how he boasts being raised in the underprivileged Flint, MI when he is really from Davidson, MI; an average American suburb.

But other than that I wish all the best for Flint, looks like some great things are happening. Keep banking on your university as an economic catalyst, it will never dry up.

[StevenW]

That Mott Building is cool! Flint Rocks!

[zigzag]

Thanks for sharing.

[DowntownDweller]

Flint is where I was taught the practice of never sitting in a restaurant with your back to the door.

[robk1982]

Here's a short story from the Flint Journal about the major projects going on downtown. It sounds like things are coming along nicely.

Downtown on target
Renovations progress as tenant interest grows
FLINT
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
By James M. Miller
jmiller@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6318

FLINT - Workers have removed most of the debris from the partial collapse of the Rowe Building in August in downtown Flint, and the damaged wall will be rebuilt using steel.

Scott Whipple, a project manager for Uptown Developments, said the damaged portion of the brick wall that once divided the former PSI building and the Jewelry World store on the west side of S. Saginaw Street has been removed.

He said the wall will be rebuilt with steel, and other original walls also will be reinforced. Installation of the steel is scheduled to start early next year.

Across the street, steel framework for the Wade Trim building is nearly complete, and floors could be poured in the next two weeks.

"The steel's going up really fast," said Whipple.

He said the Wade Trim building is on schedule, and floor decking could go on this week or early next week. The building could be closed in early next year, and completion is scheduled for spring.

The Copa to the south, and former Blackstone's building on the north side of Wade Trim, have been gutted, and will be give the "white box" treatment - basic heating, electrical and plumbing systems will be installed so the walls can be finished, letting future tenants decide on final finish details.

A storage area on part of the Copa building, facing the alley, is in bad shape and probably will have to be razed, Whipple said.

Workers at the new Community Foundation building, at S. Saginaw and W. First streets, have reinforced a beam in the front of the building.

Whipple said windows will go in the front wall soon, and the steel and glass facade will be built.

Designers have done away with the former corner entry, and a new door will be built on the Saginaw Street side.

Crews have installed new windows on the First Street side, and were putting insulation on the outside in preparation for adding a brick panel system.

Whipple said Uptown - a group of developers that took over and is revitalizing several downtown buildings - has heard from potential tenants interested in opening restaurants, a bar/night club and other businesses downtown.

The group has space on the ground floor of the Community Foundation, Wade Trim and Rowe buildings, as well as the former Copa, Blackstone's, Metropolis and other buildings.