Welcome back to the motor city

[wolverine]

I emailed the following image of the new mural on Cadillac Tower to my father who works in managment for General Motors.

"Oh no!" he replied. "That looks like blood!"

I was expecting to see a Pontiac ad as I drove in on Fort Street toward Campus Martius Park this past Saturday. Although I dearly missed the murals of Sanders and Yzerman, I knew a car ad would be alright since GM could use a bit of help. However, I was shocked when the mural came into view. I still don't know what that red dripping stuff is.

Is it paint?

But I couldn't get the thought of blood out of my head. Unfortunately, it seems to many people, the words murder and detroit go hand in hand. And such a massive advertisement in such a prominent place as Campus Maritus Park would increase those stereotypes more than ever.

As I sat in Campus Martius Park, I heard people discuss it among the hum of conversation and jazz music. Although surprised, many people just laughed it off. Some Detroiters (nearly all teenagers) thought it was cool. Yeah, it's gangsta (who would've thought, a solstice?) but a bit of an unpleasant shock to visitors and suburbanites possibly thinking about moving back into the city. I'm not saying this ad would serve as a hinge factor; but wow, the media could really make something up dirty on this one. Once again, putting Detroit in an embarassing spotlight.

I don't know what the designers of this ad were thinking. I know it isn't meant to be blood, but many people sure think it looks like it. A city with sensitive issues does not deserve to have an ad like this. Yeah, it could be paint dripping down, but save it for some billboard on the freeway in Oakland County, not downtown Detroit.

[Detroit_Luveur]

I think it's pitiful if this ad becomes some overblown mess.

When I looked at it, one of the many thinks that did not go into my mind was blood. I just wrote it off as sometype of design.

Now, it may just be coincidental that it looks like blood; but, I doubt GM would intentionally create such an ad. Detroit is GM's lifeline.

[WBG4]

LOL! that thing SUCKS!

[Zissou]

Yeah its a little like blood but when I was down there that didnt really pop into my head. The red is a nice splash of color but I suppose it could have been designed differently. I tend to agree with John Gallagher though when he writes that we should take all murals off the Cadillac. If just emphasizes the lack of development in the city's core.

[statedude3]

When I look at it, it seems that without red at the top, the Pontiac logo would be hardly visible. It seems to be just an artistic way of providing a background for the logo.

[mn_body_detroit_hrt]

The best guess that we have over on the MN end is that it is supposed to be a solar flare...

[rbdetsport]

More and more I am starting to like the design. My first reaction in person was, BLOOD. I said that to my friends and they laughed. I am getting used to the design though.

[statedude3]

To settle this debate, why dont we build on the existing parking lot and hide the advertisement all together!

[wolverine]

Did you just say build!!! In a thread about Detroit! Shut yo' mouth!!

[Zissou]

It could be a possibility. ManageMich over at SSC seems very reliable with his information and he has said to expect an announcement about a proposal on Monroe Block soon. Maybe im just a sucker for rumor and speculation but I bought it and am hoping for the news soon.

[wolverine]

I was just kidding. I'm aware that there are already proposals for the Monroe block that have yet to be released. Filling that block would be the final phase of the grand plan for the Campus Maritus area.

[Zissou]

Well that and Hudson Block. I hope they announce something soon. I want some damn renderings. Knowing about the riverfront and Monroe just isnt enough to please me.

[wolverine]

THere was a really cool 3D model over at the Renaissance Center of downtown Detroit including proposed buildings. They had put buildings on the Monroe, Hudsons, and Kennedy blocks. The Compuware block was out of date since the model of it looked like the old proposal where the front of the building was higher than the back. The Visteon tower or midrise looked pretty close to what the rendering was. The Hudsons block model was uninspiring and boring and was only 10 stories at most, and the Monroe block was really cool since it had a 20 story tower, with a midrise next to it up against Cadillac Tower. I know the buildings on the model are just proposals, and the new buildings that go up on those blocks will likely look nothing like the model, but it's still cool to check out anyway. The model is located to the left when you walk in the RenCen. It moves around from time to time since I saw it once in the Wintergarden. Check it out sometime!

[Zissou]

Next time im in there I will definitely check it out. I like how Monroe Block is sounding from your description. I think the need to make that building better than both Kennedy and Compuware.

[rbdetsport]

Can someone get a picture of that since I won't have time to go to the Renaissance tonight and the next week because tonight I am doing other things downtown?

[Ramcharger]

It would be nice if what is built on the Monroe block could be similar in shape and height (25 stories) to the First National Building. It would give Cadillac Square some symmetry.