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Detroit General Development


Allan

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  • 3 weeks later...

It was just way-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay too nice NOT to go out and take pictures today, so that is exactly what I did. My skin is burnt to a crisp, so you all better appreciate! :D 80 degrees in the sun, I got on Big Red, my bike, and hit the streets of Detroit.

We'll start off with the latest and greatesf of the Motor City Casino.

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Future site of Studio One Apartments at South University Village (Phase I). Actual construction should be starting very soon.

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http://studio1apartments.com/

This will be a good vantage point to document the progress once it starts.

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I didn't expect the clocks on the Woodbridge Senior Towers to be peaked like that. I guess it's good in that you can see the time from far away though.

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This guy burned up a few months ago. I think that it is still being taken seriously for redevelopment though (Garfield Street across from MOCAD).

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Hello Mr. Kitty McKittleson.

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Then his brother is across the street right next to MOCAD.

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The ever popular MidMed Lofts.

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55 W. Canfield This building has a new home decor store called Bureau of Urban Living located in it. See this link for details: http://www.bureauliving.com/

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...will post the rest tomorrow...

Edited by Michi
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Yah, sorry to make you wait. The library at WSU closes at 9 on Saturday and was kicking me out. :) Here's the rest of the photos:

Another store on Cass called Spy.

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How 9 on Third looks from the back.

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...and the front.

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Willy's Overland Lofts is progressing very slowly on the exterior. Hopefully, the interior progress is making up for that.

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Someday very soon West Willis will become a nice, vibrant little side street.

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Don't complain. This post contains some random extras...just cuz I love Detroit that much!

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The Commodore, which I never really new existed, looks very sharp. It's on W. Seldon.

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Being from Northern Michigan, these rooftop access portals remind me of deer blinds. lol Grinell Place Lofts, Corktown.

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MGM Grand Detroit Casino $750,000,000 of questionable design. ;)

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Southwest Detroit, Mexicantown Area.

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The new State of Michigan Welcome Center at the Ambassador Bridge border crossing to Canaduh.

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Note: the Mercado across the street really hasn't changed, so no new pics of it.

This huge complex caught fire probably almost a year ago now, but it looked to me like one of the buildings (the one on the far left) was being renovated. I investigated...

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Getting closer...

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There it is...anybody familiar with this project?

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On the top, it says Merchandise Building.

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Back towndown. I got in trouble for taking this picture from the corner of the Federal Building. The security lady was really respectful, but she trash talked the city. I'm like, "dude, I live here". "I like Harrison Township", she says. :rolleyes:

Westin Book Cadillac

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Washington Boulevard

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I think the powerwash contrast is amazing. The dirty part doesn't even really look that dirty, so that makes the clean part immaculate!

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Looking up Shelby Street.

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Took a bath.

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#3 casino, and my favorite because it is the tallest, the Greektown Casino construction site.

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...timeout...

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This is the site of the hotel tower, which will be taller than the Blue Cross Building in the background.

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The lovely prefab is being installed on the Macomb side (north) of the structure. I'm questioning where the promised ground floor retail is suppose to be!

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The view you can expect from across the water. Judging from the crane placements, there will be quite an impressive impact on the skyine as the tower rises and is topped out! :D

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Windsor's second hotel tower to its casino complex is steadily on the rise across the river.

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Gabrielle Richard (pronounced "Rish-ARD")Park. This is the end of the line for the Detroit Riverwalk going east. It is almost complete all the way through the Renaissance Center to Cobo Hall. The expansion from Cobo west to the Ambassador Bridge is a future endeavor. But is an ambitious one. :)

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These photos were taken from the Belle Isle Bridge. I REALLY hope the parkland isn't going to turn into a gigantic parking lot...

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Paving paradise on Belle Isle. This is honestly a rediculous amount of concrete that has been poured in preparation for the return of the Detroit Grand Prix which is held on Belle Isle on Labor Day weekend in September.

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But...I guess the payoff is that the southern tip area of the island (closest to the skyline views) is getting a manicure. People pix.

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That crap on the ground is bread.

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Belle Isle is THEE destination in Detroit for family reunions.

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I was so close to getting this right. Just a little up-and-to-the-left would have done it.

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Pangborn Design Studio, Iron Street. http://www.pangborndesign.com/

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Iron Street Lofts

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This is a section of the Detroit Riverwalk. It curves inland to bypass the Mt. Elliott Park ship inlet. The Harbortown complex is in the background. There are two new highrises planned for that property.

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Iron Street Lofts and the makings of the trails.

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This photo shows the riverwalk becoming the same as the sidewalk.

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A sneak peak from the site of the Detroit Omni Hotel.

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Detroit needs to embrace its French heritage a little more in the area east of downtown.

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The Stinky Rose in Rivertown almost made it, but one night fell to the Detroit fire plague. :( I think it is in debate whether the building will be saved or not.

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Great news on the Detroit Elevator Company Building! It will be converted into lofts. Sales starting at the end of April I believe. This is also in Rivertown, Detroit's old (but largely destroyed) warehouse district on the rver.

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Imagine the resurection of the fresh, historic orange brick! aaaah...

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Luxury living on the riverfront. Good grief. lol

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Recall Pangborn Design from the photo above...this is largely Dominic Pangborn's Asian Village concept. If successful, he wants to try it in other cities too.

http://www.modeldmedia.com/features/pangborn.aspx

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Renaissance Center

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Hart Plaza skyline today

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Jefferson and Woodward, the origin point of the entire 7-county metro.

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The Spirit of Detroit is getting stronger...but in a really sucky economy right now.

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Cadillac Square Park: an extension of Campus Martius Park in the heart of downtown.

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From the old Bagley Fountain

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Petanque is a popular game that is played at Campus Martius.

http://www.usapetanque.org/

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Someday this view will no longer exist as the Monroe Block of the Campus Martius development will be built upon, blocking the Renaissance Center.

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The old Kern's Clock on Woodward Avenue.

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Merchant's Row retail. Sadly, we just lost the Mark English de Mode botique, located right next door to the brkfst house.

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Looking for me downtown? Chances are you can find me here! ;)

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The Tigers played ball today...and lost...again...to the Chicago Sox.

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Cheli's Chilli Bar has become a popular attraction, especially the roof top area during awesome day's like today.

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No comment.

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Brush Street bisects the dual stadiums.

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The Elwood Bar was moved to this location on wheels, from a different one a few blocks away.

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I thought I smelled something foul. U of M's in town.

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Crystal Lofts, Woodward Avenue, Midtown/Brush Park.

http://www.modeldmedia.com/developmentnews/crystallofts.aspx

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The Kahn-designed building just north of the Crystal Lofts.

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North Brush Park Development

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And coming full-circle of this tour is the Whitney Restaurant, finally visible with some trimming of the shrubbery and new ownership.

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Michi, thanks for posting these! I've been slacking off lately on the updates thread. In fact, today I picked up my camera for the first time in almost a month. Today was an excellent day for photography. I helped out with a photo shoot over in Rivertown. Fun stuff. At some point I'll post some of those pics....

I agree that Nine on Third looks incredibly bland. They seriously need at least some trees and greenery to liven things up a bit around there!

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They should have made it look more like that illustration, lol.

The way it is now is not good. It looks mega dead

I think it would look fine if they put a lot of trees along the building (to cover up the dead top), and a bunch of tall bushes on the front (to cover up the dead bottom).

But it honestly looks like bums should be in those stairways.

And what is a "townloft" LOL

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Yeah, I knew the above illustration was too good to be true. Nothing like textured CMU at the base! Classy like half of Detroit's liquor stores. I just don't know what to say. I hate to be critical about development, but I can't stress enough that it doesn't take a lot to have good design.

BTW, this project pratically steps below Near North in Chicago

Okay that was rude.

Edited by wolverine
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I guess what I don't get about 9 on Third is: I realize things change from concept to construction, but how does something that started off looking so charming end up looking so... institutional?

(Rhetorical question, really.)

Edited by nofunk
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