Medical Mile/Michigan Street Developments

[tamias6]

I meant Health Hill as a whole. Add everything that has occurred up there since VAI phase I was built and combine that with the current construction projects. We'd have a billion dollars worth of developments on the Hill.

Not to quibble tamias but that's not a billion dollar development. I think it's more in the neighborhood of $350 Million.

[torgo]

The building on the left is blocking it.

I drove by earlier today and it appeared as if it was being dismantled. I came in later this evening and didnt see it. Is it still there?

[MJLO]

The rendering that came with the official announcement of the building, does anyone know if that's what the facade will look like? Or was that just conceptual. Do we have an actual rendering for the school?

[MJLO]

still, it's looking better than just a concret wall, that takes out anything interesting at all. It could be worse.

[GRDadof3]

The rendering that came with the official announcement of the building, does anyone know if that's what the facade will look like? Or was that just conceptual. Do we have an actual rendering for the school?

That rendering was put together by the current architectural firm just to have something to go with the announcement. There will be a redesign, supposedly out later this year. Based on the partnering firm (international firm), I think it will be a very sharp new look. They will also be going for LEED certification.

[GRDadof3]

OK, got the OK to name the architect on the med school (you're hearing it here first before the regular press). It's on the sign I posted, but you can't see it from the street.

The firm's name is Ellenzweig out of Cambridge, Mass, and they are working with URS as the local. To see a portfolio, go to "Projects>Health Sciences" or "Projects>Colleges>Research".

[tamias6]

I just got done checking out their portfolio. Based on what I've seen, what ever is designed for the new Med School will be a very good fit for Health Hill. I hoping for something that looks like the Philadelphia Children's Hospital.

OK, got the OK to name the architect on the med school (you're hearing it here first before the regular press). It's on the sign I posted, but you can't see it from the street.

The firm's name is Ellenzweig out of Cambridge, Mass, and they are working with URS as the local. To see a portfolio, go to "Projects>Health Sciences".

[GRDadof3]

I just got done checking out their portfolio. Based on what I've seen, what ever is designed for the new Med School will be a very good fit for Health Hill. I hoping for something that looks like the Philadelphia Children's Hospital.

This little portfolio shows some of my favorite projects of theirs. They definitely have a recurring theme and style that I think will be a nice addition for Health Hill:

(click for larger image)

[Rizzo]

Something tells me you posted that before....

[GRDadof3]

Something tells me you posted that before....

Yes, I did.

I actually edited my post above. Some of their best work is actually under "Projects>Colleges and Universities>Research". That's a pretty impressive client list.

http://www.ellenzweig.com/

[sparky05]

Unfortunately that glass wall is well above people's heads.. so we still have a Moch Wall along there.

You know, the more I get out there on the hill, the less I care about the whole wall issue, mostly because the slope on Michigan is terribly pedestrian unfriendly to begin with (speaking as a sort-of-out-of-shape dude). As long as it's not blank concrete, I don't mind the what's going on there...

Just my opinion. don't want to start that whole argument again...

[wolverine]

Really I like it. I think if it's a nice wall it will get some appreciation by pedestrians. So far so good.

[GRDadof3]

This wall was not the one I was complaining about. It was the wall from the new drive into the lower three tower complex area down to the new Med School. This portion of the wall looks pretty good with the fieldstone look and the vertical sections breaking it up a bit. Maybe the other section will not be as bad as I envisioned.

[PetersJH]

I drove by there yesterday and the crane was gone.

[GRDadof3]

I drove by there yesterday and the crane was gone.

The crane is definitely down.

I'm guessing (?) that the construction contract for the parking ramp levels is different from the contract for the upper Med School portion (since up until recently they hadn't definitively picked a design/construction team). I'm sure we'll see another crane up soon.

[tamias6]

I'm sure we will see a very good looking building on the sight when the med school is completed. But I'm kind of wishing MSU would have set their plans in stone before the western most section of the ramp was built. This would have allowed architects more design freedom since they would not be restricted to what amounts to be an existing foundation.

The crane is definitely down. I'm guessing (?) that the construction contract for the parking ramp levels is different from the contract for the upper Med School portion (since up until recently they hadn't definitively picked a design/construction team). I'm sure we'll see another crane up soon.

Edited May 21, 2007 by tamias6

[joeDowntown]

When I was in London last week I fell in love with the Bank of America building in Canary Wharf. I'd like to see something like this for the med school building (wishful thinking):

Joe

[tamias6]

Here's a shot of one of the Medical Tower and the future home of the MSU Med School viewed from Ottawa Ave. The contractor has left the rebar in the ramp's upper most columns exposed. I suppose this will allow the builders of the Med School to more easily pickup where the initial developers left off.

In front of the med school site is the Michigan Street over pass--well at least half of it as workers wasted no time in demolition work.

[sdipaR dnarG]

Sorry for a stupid question, but will they integrate the space that was part of the origial tower into the new MSU med school?

[Prankster]

Sorry for a stupid question, but will they integrate the space that was part of the origial tower into the new MSU med school?

If you are talking about the Towers Building, then no, it will be torn down after the other buildings are complete.

[tamias6]

The older tower in the center will be torn down once the two newer towers are done. A third tower will then be built in the old tower's place. So in total we'll have the cancer center to the east, two Medical towers in the middle, and the MSU med school capping things off to the west. GRdad has posted some renderings repeatedly in older pages of this thread. They will help illustrate what the completed development will look like.

Sorry for a stupid question, but will they integrate the space that was part of the origial tower into the new MSU med school?

Edited May 23, 2007 by tamias6

[GRDadof3]

My updates:

Caisson work?

Streetscape rebuilt:

This is interesting:

[GRDadof3]

More stone:

[GRDadof3]

Lots of retaining walls going up:

Any estimates on how long until we see this thing start go vertical?

Based on the pace of other projects around downtown, I'd have to guess by the Fall.

[tamias6]

I would give it another 4-6 weeks.