Whale Mural To Be Covered

[wolverine]

I agree that art is important, but when art stands in the way of preserving a more beautiful piece of art, say a building that also happens to be abandoned, then the art has to go. The guy who voted and reversed this decision is an asshat and is standing in the way of progress. Thanks, I present to you, another hopeless abandoned building. That ad was likely the tipping point for Hines to move forward on this development. Now it got all mucked up.

Here comes rant two.

Again, I don't understand the city council. Why must they screw everything up? So what if the ad generates money for the building owner, did they think it was going up free? Does the council even care that there are vacant buildings downtown? Apparently not because they seem to approve demolitions quite well. The council needs to stop looking at the fine print of everything and get more of these projects moving. I pity the companies putting up new buildings in Detroit. I can only imagine the hell they had to go through to get these projects moving.

[Zissou]

The only reason i was in favor of an advertisement was if it didnt destroy the mural, and produced enough money to help with a renovation. If Higgins is really adament about renovating the Broderick is 600,000 that hard to come by? If the renovation doesnt happen it wont be because the city didnt allow an advertisement up there, it will be because the owner has no motivation to get it done.

[wolverine]

I'm not sure if the money would be going to Higgins though, rather Hines if they purchase the building. The renovation would pay itself off over the years.

[Allan]

Someone has been going around & saying that the Broderick was sold. I don't know who started that, lol. The Post Bar was sold, & the Metropolitan was sold, but no Broderick sale. They are still cleaning out the upper floors of the Broderick. If you look you can see that the paint has been scraped from most of the windows, and some of the other windows have been boarded up. Mike Higgins has supposedly received a loan from Comerica for the building. Maybe they can turn the side into a gigantic Comerica advertisment!

[SNWEB]

Gabe told me the loan will pay for new windows.

While were on the subject of the building,

the bar is starting to look good now without the drop ceiling. Check it out and have a brew at the same time.

[wolverine]

Looks like someone left the door unlocked.....

............

[baldy]

I don't think city council is involved in this. The article says the Detroit Historical Commission reversed its decision.

The commission had some questions about the application and whether the revenue generated (from the advertising) would actually go towards the redevelopment of the building," Myckowiak said.

From what I understand is that they want it in writing that all the money generated through the ad will go to renovating the building because right now it isn't very clear. They just want to make Higgins keeps his word and the building is renovated. Hopefully this little legality will get resoloved soon and it can be up in time for the All Star Game, because really that's where the big money is at !

Also, I'm probably one of the few people that actually doesn't mind the mural, but Wyland is starting to piss me off ...

"It's a watershed moment in history," said artist Robert Wyland in an interview from his home in Laguna Beach, Calif. "It's a victory for public art and the message I try to bring through my public murals."

What a bunch of crap! The city has to put the best interests of the city first and the only one that loses with this would be Wyland.

[Allan]

Wyland seriously can't expect his mural to stay on the Broderick forever. Eventually the elements will take their toll, and it will start looking really bad. The lifespan for modern paintings on the side of buildings seems to be between 10 & 15 years. The older advertisments were done using different techniques, which is why there are still faded signs on the side of buildings that were done 75 or 80 years ago.

I have to side with Mike Higgins on this one. It's Mike's building. As long as he gets the proper permits and approvals, he should be able to do with it what he wants.

[Zissou]

Its that "let him do what he wants with his building" attitude that has allowed him to keep it in the shape its in. I think the city should have a say in the matter but I do wish they would realize that this would persuade Higgins to renovate.