Detroit General Development

[RustTown]

Nine on Third, crap?! Really?

[Michi]

I didn't know it replaced quality housing either. (?)

[RustTown]

Yeah, don't these front an empty lot along Third Street? I also think that Nine on Third is easily one of the most quality (in design) of the new townhouse projects this city has seen, and a great example of the steps forward developers are taking in demanding quality in design in the city. Definitely a step above the first phase of say the Woodward Place at Brush Park townhomes.

[MJLO]

Can anyone give a quick rundown of Projects currently underway in Detroit and ones proposed, and of the proposed projects, what are the likeliness of them actually being built? I hear alot of development news out of Detroit, but then little to no substance afterwards.

I'm having trouble getting anything concrete on it, being so far out of the loop from the area.

[Allan]

I'll work on something. The project list is very out of date, and I don't have the time/energy to keep it updated.

[Michi]

Hey, look it's the Michigan Welcome Center's Mexicantown Supermercado! (on February 11, 2007)

I LOVE the iron artwork that can be found in Southwest Detroit.

[RustTown]

Wow! Much better than I expected.

[Michi]

Yah, I second that! Now, I'm just worried about tenants. This development really just sits in the middle of nowhere surrounded by highways, fields, roads and the bridge plaza. The neighborhood needs to be built into it. Oh, and connected to the other side of the fwy. That's going to hurt.

[RustTown]

It would be a shame is the mercado and plaza where nothing more than showpieces, and never got much usage as what they are supposed to be used as.

[Michi]

I was at the Jimmy Johns in the Ford Building today for lunch, and there was a stand with a poster on it of the Better/Bettis development at the old Uniroyal site. It looked pretty impressive, and I was dying to know more. I found the authors of the design at the bottom of the poster, but could not find anything online. They are called

SDG Design:

http://simsdesigngroup.com/index.htm

I know some of you actually contact firms or municipalities, so I thought I would post their information since I could not find anything within their website.

[Jasoncw]

http://simsdesigngroup.com/contact.htm

I can't find their buildings though. I see a few photos of some Detroit buildings on the right but that's all.

[wolverine]

Looks like they've done the Museum of African American History and the Cobo expansion.....and that's it! Those are pretty big projects, I wonder why they don't showcase their other stuff.

[RustTown]

Their site has been under construction for many months, now. They are a local firm, and Mr. Sims has been designing in Detroit for decades, believe it or not. He's done alot of work (renovation, additions) out at Metro Airport.

I'm not sure why (though, I have my suspicions), but there are a lot of local developers, architects, ect...that don't put much stock into their websites, rarely ever answering emails, updating their websites, etc.

Edited March 16, 2007 by Lmichigan

[Michi]

In this particular case it might be because the Uniroyal development might be 50 years away yet and there is little substance behind the planning. I mean, the site has been untouched up to this point. Lots of talk, no action. So, the developers asked for a drawing. So.......so to create excitement and motivation?

[RustTown]

I was talking, in general. I mean, just look at Strather Associaties website, Jenkins Construction, L.S. Brinker, etc...they are all sparse or have been 'under construction' for months/years. And, in my research, the only one I've ever gotten an email reply from was L.S. Brinker, and that was after having to go through a different company they were working with on a specific project. I think more companies really need to step up their internet game. It would only help them in the coming years, anyway.

Edited March 16, 2007 by Lmichigan

[Michi]

Update, update! See all about it! First day of Spring: WOOT!

We'll start in the urbs. The Fifth Royal Oak. The Woodward Avenue Lofts (the only other burbs project worth mentioning) STILL has not yet broken ground.

The windows at MidMed everyone's been complaining about on detroityes.

If you're going to own a car and live here, this is where you park.

As of Sunday, March 18, 2007

Hello Greektown Casino storage unit.

:repeat

From the not-so-traveled north side of Greektown.

The orb of Ste. Mary's is to blame.

These columns are for the hotel tower.

Good Grief! That's like level 13 up there! Let's hope they don't forget to install the elevators.

Front entrance of the Vinton is progressing near completion.

The 2 inches left of the Detroit Commerce Building. As of today, it is a part of our history.

The replacement has been catching the eyes of passersby.

Count yourself lucky: A never before seen picture of Detroit.

It was a nice (but frigid) day.

[Michi]

Die, bzzch!

Another never before seen...only to be in existance temporarily.

? (the day after St. Patty's)

This is downtown's first furniture company: MEZZANINE.

Bee-Boo!

Mmmkay...Intermission to Windsor. This thing does not grow vertically. It will be the city's new tallest. (Second hotel tower to Ceasars somethingsomething Windsor Casino).

And this thing has been sitting without a face for months now too. Hello Windsor! You aren't Detroit!

There will be a ceremony in the spring (which is now) for the grand opening of Rivard Plaza, just east of the Renaissance Center on the East Riverfront.

Making Detroit a lovely city is the new Michigan Welcome Center and Mercado at the Ambassador Bridge Customs Plaza on the Southwest side. It looks very nice.

The two buildings here comprise the project.

A zoom out.

The historic preservation project at Vernor and ____ in Mexicantown. This area of town should be applauded for embarking on a large number of preservation projects. Way to go SW side!!

Yawn. The Motor City from the train station.

The Motor City from my apartment.

The only thing going on in Grosse Pointe these days is this duck.

In-bound from the Pointes, I came across this project on Jefferson. I'm sure you guys know what it is, but I do not. I was surprised to see windows on a large structure in a part of town where most large structures do not have any. This is around Jefferson/Dickinson. Somebody please enlighten me.

Liquor store anyone? You have a choice of about 5,000 on Jefferson alone.

AND FINALLY...The site of the highly-anticipated South University Village project! I drove by there today on my bike on my way home from work and noticed yellow tape sectioning off the area for tomorrow's official ground breaking ceremonies at 3:pm.

As long as I'm at this location, which may not be for much longer, I will post periodic updates, given the speed or lack-there-of of the progress.

Rendering:

[RustTown]

The DEGC reported two weeks ago that all but four of the Book-Cadillacs 67 condo units are sold, and that the project is solidly on schedule, no major delays, thus far.

http://www.degc.org/main.cfm?location=37&a...ID=8&pid=31

[tracer1138]

Holy cow! You do get around Michi. Those are excellent pictures, thank you for posting and updating.

It's hard to tell from the constraints of the photo, but those lofts in Royal Oak seem just a tad out of scale.

RIP Commerce building, may your successor live up to and/or surpass you it its usefullness and aesthetic appeal.

Edited March 21, 2007 by tracer1138

[dtown]

Thanks for the pictorials michi. Bye bye to that surface lot!

[statedude3]

I've been wondering about that project on Jefferson for quite a while too. It seems like nothing has happened in a few months though.

[Allan]

It is the Hotel Savarine, which is currently being renovated into apartments.

For more info look here: http://www.modeldmedia.com/developmentnews/savarine69.aspx

and here: http://www.modeldmedia.com/developmentnews/savarine47.aspx

[wolverine]

It has actually moved along very quickly. Wasn't there a fire just prior to its renovation?

[wolverine]

Anything going on with Lee Plaza at all? I've heard nothing. Has it been sold to anyone?

Edited April 4, 2007 by wolverine

[RustTown]

It would be big news if it were, so I'd assume that it hasn't.