Detroit General Development

[Zissou]

Thanks for the update. I dont have my finger on the pulse of Detroit as much as some of you so I thought I would ask and see if i was missing out on anything.

[atperry]

I'm not sure what councilmember Allan is sleeping with to get some of this info. But I thought I would add that the lighting and bar have been installed at the Centaur in the Iodent building (dont know when this will open)

There is something under construction at the old ice cream place on the corner of Monroe and Brush in Greektown.

Allan, do have any idea what is going on with the plans for the Book Tower and the Stott to be turned into apartments?

[Allan]

I'm not sure what councilmember Allan is sleeping with to get some of this info.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

LMAO!

The Iodent Building is taking longer than expected, but Centaur should be open soon. The lofts won't be ready until fall.

The old ice cream store at Brush & Monroe is being turned into a furniture store.

And speaking of ice cream, a Ben & Jerry's will be opening in the Compuware Building. I'm not sure when it's going to open, but I can't imagine that it would take that long to do.

I am not sure what the status of the Book Building & Stott Building loft conversion projects are. I am expecting to see movement on things like the Whitney Building first. I'm not sure if the Stott is actually going residential. I just know that it is something they were considering. The Stott is occupied on the upper floors, so the renovation isn't that urgent. I must say though, if I had those types of views from my apartment, I don't know if I'd want to leave!

There have been rumblings about the Wurltizer Building in recent weeks, but I can't confirm anything. It is supposedly being converted into lofts.

Apparently there have been contractors making notes outside of the Metropolitan Building recently too.

[baldy]

The sign for Ben & Jerry's says it will open in June, but as of last week end, the only thing that was done was to put the sign in the window.

As for the Whitney, I heard ESPN was going to set up in there for the Superbowl and would do some renovations. I didn't think anything else was going to happen until after that.

[Zissou]

Thats interesting about ESPN. I thought they would be in the Ford Field atrium to broadcast. At least at the Whitney there would do some renovations, maybe a catalyst to getting that building going again.

[Mojo]

Was oustide of the Metropolitan today and saw several contractors working away putting up wooden siding (Similar to what you see outside of the Broderick now). I asked one of the contractors if he knew anything about the rennovation, and he informed me that they were only boarding up the building, and didn't know much about the rehab project. Something I gathered from the conversation though is that another group of contractors are supposed to be in the building soon. He couldn't tell me if they were going to be fixing the building or what, but I'm hoping this is the case.

[Allan]

The only other thing I can think that they'd be doing in the Metropolitan is renovating it, or at least making improvements of some kind. There is some stuff that has to be cleaned out, but they wouldn't be doing that unless they were going to renovate it.

At least they put decent looking boards on the building now though. The others were starting to look pretty bad, especially with that mess out front. The other boards didn't do a good job of keeping people out either.

[wolverine]

Oh, I though those old boards were sliding doors to keep bad weather out, not people!

[Michi]

The old Kresge Building (aka, House of 9) has a dumpster out front and new street-level boarding. I believe this is the next building to go if I recall correctly, and a dumpster out front usually means only one thing!

[Allan]

There has been a dumpster next to 1304 Woodward (aka the Kresge Building & the House of 9) for a while. I remember noticing that at the same time I noticed the new "for lease" signs on the ground floor. I thought the renovation wasn't going to start until fall, but maybe I'm wrong.

[wolverine]

It would be nice to see those windows uncovered (or put in) on that building.

[DetroitBazaar]

Hope these plans blossom and certainly the National Theater on Monroe would be a grand plan for downtown. In our efforts to clean areas in the neighborhoods of the city, we continue to see buildings with "for rent" "for sale" signs on them. When one calls the number, it's been disconnected or noone calls back. Let's hope some of the outer areas can be redeveloped.

Speaking of downtown, unless there are residents there, no retailer will spend any money to eek out a living. Sure CrossWinds is building their 7 years in the making condos- the same company that made it happen in 2 in Royal Oak- and the Woodward Corridor is beginning to become loft central, but until about 20,000 folks choose to move from the suburbs or other areas of the country, there will be no major effect. Wait til the crains come down and the buildings are built. Residents are the key to substaining any viable downtown or neighborhood in general. The city touts its "new housing permits" every year- they number in the low hundreds. A city that once was home to two million, now 850,000, needs residents and folks willing to take risks.

Still, the downtown area can substain a major retail project indeed. However, the neighborhoods need not be forgotten.

I'd buy up all the property downtown but the prices of land raised by speculators waiting endlessly for casinos/ballparks/arenas have priced the average investor right out of the area. Major money has monopolized many historic buildings and land. The most we'll see is a Walmart- well, there is now a Borders-Perhaps it is time to throw some reality at them and surround the islands of prosperity and at most, Home Depots, with true urban renewal, block by block, parcel by parcel independantly. We can sell or build with people devoted to the integrity of the city. Who needs another suburb in Detroit?

Peace from Will at DetroitBazaar

Peace and Good day

[Detroit_Luveur]

Hope these plans blossom and certainly the National Theater on Monroe would be a grand plan for downtown.  In our efforts to clean areas in the neighborhoods of the city, we continue to see buildings with "for rent" "for sale" signs on them.  When one calls the number, it's been disconnected or noone calls back.  Let's hope some of the outer areas can be redeveloped. 

Speaking of downtown, unless there are residents there, no retailer will spend any money to eek out a living.  Sure CrossWinds is building their 7 years in the making condos- the same company that made it happen in 2 in Royal Oak- and the Woodward Corridor is beginning to become loft central, but until about 20,000 folks choose to move from the suburbs or other areas of the country, there will be no major effect.  Wait til the crains come down and the buildings are built.  Residents are the key to substaining any viable downtown or neighborhood in general.  The city touts its "new housing permits" every year- they number in the low hundreds.  A city that once was home to two million, now 850,000, needs residents and folks willing to take risks. 

Still, the downtown area can substain a major retail project indeed.  However, the neighborhoods need not be forgotten.

I'd buy up all the property downtown but the prices of land raised by speculators waiting endlessly for  casinos/ballparks/arenas have priced the average investor right out of the area.  Major money has monopolized many historic buildings and land.  The most we'll see is a Walmart- well, there is now a Borders-Perhaps it is time to throw some reality at them and surround the islands of prosperity and at most, Home Depots, with true urban renewal, block by block, parcel by parcel independantly.  We can sell or build with people devoted to the integrity of the city.  Who needs another suburb in Detroit? 

Peace from Will at DetroitBazaar

Peace and Good day

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Retail depends on much more than the amount of residents within an area. Traffic and location is more important to a retailer. The demographic of their potential customers is also important. (One thing Detroit still has to conquer.)

Another thing, don't underestimate the power of the Super Bowl. Half of Downtown Houston was empty, with the exception of a drive-thru McDonald's and a drive-thru Bank-One, about a month before the 2004 Super Bowl. By the week before the game there was little to no vacancies.

There's going to be a lot of companies that will be more willing to test the water in Detroit, simply because of the Super Bowl. It gives them the impression that if the city can draw in these type of events, that business will be booming.

~my 2 cents.

[mn_body_detroit_hrt]

Ok, here is my two cents:

I have been looking into coming to Detroit for the fall, with all the available real estate I thought it would be a breeze to find a decent loft downtown for a reasonable price (hey, I'm a student) I really wanted to be right in the core of things and I am coming from a outside market (aka, someone from another state wanting to move to Detroit). Downtown rental prices are comparable to downtown Minneapolis prices, and MN is in a housing boom, our real estate and rental prices are off the charts here. If the city is really trying to get people to move down there, and why build all the lofts if they're not, I personally think that maybe a rental special or two would be in order.

[gecko10225]

Unfortunately "the city" doesn't own the buildings/lofts and doesn't set the price. Downtown can be tough on a student's budget (I think you'd find that to be the case in most cities) but mid-town which is very close to downtown is very affordable and a pretty cool neighborhood. You should look there.

In terms of project lists, I noticed demo work has begun in Porcher's Breakfast Joint at Merchant's Row.

[Allan]

Cheap apartments are available in downtown. The problem is finding them. They tend to be in smaller buildings, and information about them spreads by word of mouth. A friend of mine lives in a loft downtown that costs only $300/month. I considered moving into a loft on the 6th floor of that building, but I didn't want to have to deal with the parking fiasco.

If you are looking at coming to Detroit in the fall, check out midtown. Wayne State University is located there, so there are plenty of apartments in the area. It's not far from downtown either.

http://detroitmidtown.com/midtownhousing.shtml

[DetroitBazaar]

Cheap apartments are available in downtown.  The problem is finding them.  They tend to be in smaller buildings, and information about them spreads by word of mouth.  A friend of mine lives in a loft downtown that costs only $300/month.  I considered moving into a loft on the 6th floor of that building, but I didn't want to have to deal with the parking fiasco. 

If you are looking at coming to Detroit in the fall, check out midtown.  Wayne State University is located there, so there are plenty of apartments in the area.  It's not far from downtown either. 

http://detroitmidtown.com/midtownhousing.shtml

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You may get a decent old place for about 550 or less in the Cass Corridor/Second toward Wayne State. I've been looking. Wouldn't mind getting some property to build on as well.

[DetroitBazaar]

Cheap apartments are available in downtown.  The problem is finding them.  They tend to be in smaller buildings, and information about them spreads by word of mouth.  A friend of mine lives in a loft downtown that costs only $300/month.  I considered moving into a loft on the 6th floor of that building, but I didn't want to have to deal with the parking fiasco. 

If you are looking at coming to Detroit in the fall, check out midtown.  Wayne State University is located there, so there are plenty of apartments in the area.  It's not far from downtown either. 

http://detroitmidtown.com/midtownhousing.shtml

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

300 dollars? I'm there! Might be nice if it's in good condition.

[DetroitBazaar]

Retail depends on much more than the amount of residents within an area. Traffic and location is more important to a retailer. The demographic of their potential customers is also important. (One thing Detroit still has to conquer.)

Another thing, don't underestimate the power of the Super Bowl. Half of Downtown Houston was empty, with the exception of a drive-thru McDonald's and a drive-thru Bank-One, about a month before the 2004 Super Bowl. By the week before the game there was little to no vacancies.

There's going to be a lot of companies that will be more willing to test the water in Detroit, simply because of the Super Bowl. It gives them the impression that if the city can draw in these type of events, that business will be booming.

~my 2 cents.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

True, and I applaud the loft/condo development going on leading up to the Superbowl particularily along Woodward. There are some really nice places indeed. After the Superbowl though, the momentum needs to keep going. I want to see the day when Detroit- a city of just under a million, approves as many housing permits as say, Canton- roughly 50,000 residents. We need to have a consistent flow of folks aside from the ballgames. I'd have to drive for miles to get the things I need on a daily basis- groceries, lumber, prescriptions. The entertainment venues are flourishing and that is a major positive, but since there seems to be such pent up demand for housing, I guess I'm hoping things move a little more quickly so that when the Superbowl is over, people from outside of the downtown area keep flowing in to live and shop. BTW, East Jefferson is a good place to be as well.

Peace to Detroit

[dnast]

I'm being nit-picky but being in Detroit the past couple of days, pharmacies aren't hard to come by, and I assume most people don't buy lumber often enough to need it within "biking distance".

That being said, I agree with keeping the momentum after the Super Bowl. I'm only hoping I'm right, but I believe the Super Bowl is serving as a deadline to get Phase I of the "City Core Redevelopment" done in a timely manner. I hadn't been there in months, but it's great to see the construction cranes and steel frames on Woodward. The little I saw of the "Car Tunes" were a nice touch.

I only assume it was an outisider saying this because of the wording, but I heard a yound lady saying, "This is an interesting city...", while driving by, that people are regaining interest in the once great city.

I only say "once great city" because I spent most of my time outside of downtown and Midtown. There's still a lot of work to do. I can't say that I will be one of those people that'll help bring Michigan's city back up to par, but while I'm here I will do what I can.

I hope there's some focus on the middle class that wants a nice looking, urban environment. There's so much potential there, but people seem to get caught up in "luxury" and affordable housing that there's a lot that Detroit is missing out on. The M-L and Statler are lost, so let's support what's still there and keep the momentum going.

[Michi]

If the city is really trying to get people to move down there, and why build all the lofts if they're not, I personally think that maybe a rental special or two would be in order.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You won't find rent specials downtown because rental properties are not struggling to attract tenants. However, I received a special on my current Midtown apartment because the building I previously lived in is turning condominium. My current complex is one of the few highrises in Midtown that is for rent, and management knew it could attract displaced people from my old place if they threw in an incentive.

[Michi]

The link that Allan provided is the best one for a housing search that I have come across. It's pretty extensive. For now, I would stay away from any property on Prentis and or 3rd Street. Beautiful old buildings, but not the greatest internally...meaning there's some shady activity that you can get caught up in.

mn_body...what is your reason for moving to Detroit? Are you originally from here? I can help you find a place if you tell me a little about what your needs are. Will you be in school, have a job, a partner/friend to share the rent, parking?

[mn_body_detroit_hrt]

The link that Allan provided is the best one for a housing search that I have come across.  It's pretty extensive.  For now, I would stay away from any property on Prentis and or 3rd Street.  Beautiful old buildings, but not the greatest internally...meaning there's some shady activity that you can get caught up in.

mn_body...what is your reason for moving to Detroit?  Are you originally from here?  I can help you find a place if you tell me a little about what your needs are.  Will you be in school, have a job, a partner/friend to share the rent, parking?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My reason for coming to the

[RiversideGator]

What is the status of the old Cadillac Hotel?

[Allan]

The Book-Cadillac renovation still does not have the financing gap filled. It currently sits guarded while the developers (Ferchill Group) try to find other ways of bridging the gap. Meanwhile, the hotel deteriorates more with each passing day.