Detroit like Woah Part II

[wolverine]

New display on the Whitney Building. I like the "r" But the hard to see "i" makes it look like DETROT

Broderick Tower facade.

Renovation Work

Superbowl display

1403 renovation

Just think of what your business can look out to!

Looking toward Campus Martius

Merchants row facade

Detroit Breakfast House and Grill

More facade work

Another Superbowl store, and another and another and another.......

Looking down near Capitol Park

Penobscot and Dime buildings.

Campus Martius

A view of the possibly doomed People's Outfitting Building.

50 Cent seems to have uncertain future with his image peeling off the side of the building.

Ford Field pops slightly above the buildings.

Hudsons block

Now I can see inside the Compuware building lol.

Looking toward midtown along Woodward.

Detroit Like Woah I

Detroit Like Woah III

[andrew.w]

Renovation Work

It's great that all of that was preserved under the storefront signs. There are some beautiful details there.

More facade work

I'm really interested to see how this one will look once the scaffolding comes down. Every floor has realy cool window designs!

Hudsons block

The YMCA actually fits in really well from this shot.

I've never noticed that Compuware has balconies.

[tomo]

Great busy pic of Midtown, Wolverine. How did you take it?

[RustTown]

Man, Woodward really is too wide. lol But, that's my favorite photo. I love how it makes everything look so connected, maybe someday it will actually be like that.

BTW, I'm having a hard time recognizing this building, could you help?

This isn't another JC Beal project, is it? I love their motto, though: Percisely as Intended.

Also, if the Capitol Park Building ever realizes its full potential, that would be one excellent looking corner. I like how the building gently curves around the block making it feel more inviting. It reminds me of the countless triangular buildings in D.C. that open up to the corner.

[hood]

I double-posted, see below.

[hood]

Whats with that parking garage in the foreground? I seen it when I was at the auto show, it looks like those beams sticking out of it could support a huge building above it, assuming that's what the plan is.

[andrew.w]

Whats with that parking garage in the foreground? I seen it when I was at the auto show, it looks like those beams sticking out of it could support a huge building above it, assuming that's what the plan is.

That would be the site of the former downtown Hudson's department store. As far as I know, it is designed to support more development built on top of the underground ramp. I don't think there were any plans when it was constructed but, ...

edit: never mind the rest of that statetment, detroitfan already answered it.

[detroitfan]

The Hudson block where Hudson's main department store use to be. It was imploded in 1997 as part of the Campus Martius development and an unground garage was built with the ability to support a 15 story building. The city awarded development rights in November to the same company that did One Kennedy Square

[devin c]

that pic of midtown is great.

[RustTown]

Yes, REDICO has what, one year, to put together a development agreement for the site, or else it will be awarded/bidded out to someone else. That is, unless REDICO begs for extensions which is what happens in many long-term developments.

[Zissou]

The Hudson block where Hudson's main department store use to be. It was imploded in 1997 as part of the Campus Martius development and an unground garage was built with the ability to support a 15 story building. The city awarded development rights in November to the same company that did One Kennedy Square

Is it really just 15? I thought it was somewhere in the 20-25 range. Ill take 15 but its kind of disappointing.

[RustTown]

I heard that it's really on 10-12 stories. I don't remember hearing anything but the Monroe and Crowley Blocks (Compuware) being anything over 20-stories. The highest I had ever heard for Hudson's was something like 15.

Then again, it really depends on how tall each of the floors are too, but it wouldn't change it by that much. The Hudson's/Woodward Block, I hear, is supossed to be a true mixed use with a possible small hotel with residential, office, and retail space.

[andrew.w]

As long as it isn't one massive building, 10-12 floors should look fine. Especially with the scale of the buildings across the street.

[Zissou]

I agree about varying the building up. I was just hoping for something with maybe a tower on one end thats all. A modern Book Tower.

[wolverine]

You mean the proposed building was planned for 10-12 stories... in fact one of them called for an even smaller building. I have an article saved somewhere saying that the steel structure could support 15 floors across the entire block. That means the building couldn't go much taller than Compuware...unless some fancy tower was added one place (like Hudsons) which would mean some extra retrofitting would be necessary to increase height up to 20-25 floors.

[Michi]

Well, I saw early sketches of the Hudson's site and the best way to describe what is envisioned is like one big complex but with say 3 midrises. To understand what I mean, think "Cadillac Place" up in New Center...how it's one building, but has "book ends" or wings. And yah, the height was about 15 stories. That's about all the supports can handle.

How DID you get the aerials, wolverine? Especially the one that looks like you are floating above Woodward?

[wolverine]

Well you see I used my powers to levitate above Woodward.....

Actually, it's from the 1001 Woodward ramp. Woodward Ave actually slight curves before it comes into the downtown.

BTW, just a warning to some people, the walls on the top level are actually 5 feet high, blocking all views, you'll have to climb up on top of the wall and there is nothing preventing you from falling, so be careful not to fall over the edge if you intend on getting pictures..

[Allan]

What a difference just one day makes! I swear...more improvements have been made in the past 24 hours than have been made for the past 20 years!

Today downtown was very interesting. Woodward is now blocked off, and they are busy installing more tents. I saw more people taking photos of the city today that I've ever seen before. Everyone was just walking down Woodward and enjoying the scenery. It was really cool to see people rediscovering downtown. So many of the people there today had not been downtown for 30 years or more. At nearly every street corner, it seemed as if people were reminiscing about the "good old days."

@ LMich - That is the R. H. Traver Building, designed by Gordon W. Lloyd. It has an oppulent but unrestored ballroom on the top floor. I can't remember what the building was originally used for off the top of my head. The scaffolding came down overnight. The restored facade is nothing really spectacular - it is plain stonework that matches the stone on the upper levels relatively closely. Oh, and it is not a JC Beal project, haha.

Re: Capitol Park Building. There were very raw lofts in there as recently as 3 or 4 months ago. The upper floors look entirely vacant now...I haven't seen anyone going in or out of the lobby since probably October or November.

[RustTown]

Where is the Traver located? I really don't ever remember seeing it.

[detroitfan]

Woodward and State just down from the Breakfast Grill House

[RustTown]

D'uh! I feel so stupid. This is in the 1200 block of Woodward right next door to the Fowler and the tallest of the Kresge stores. But then again, it's one of the shorter ones so maybe that's why I didn't recognize it from so close up.

[andrew.w]

I saw the Traver building today. It's not too bad, but the glass block window on the right looks strange now. I think they should have moved the window on the far left over to the right to balance the facade.

A picture for reference, found from a link on detroityes.

edit: it's the third opicture down (on the left)

[Allan]

The glass block window looked better when the Art Deco facade under the later "improvements" was exposed (to see what it used to look like, check out 1201 Woodward next door). Now it just plain looks like it doesn't belong. I'm sure they will fix that somewhat in a future renovation.

[hudkina]

Maybe they expect a sign or marquee will go there when a future business moves in?