Quicken

[MJLO]

Ok maybe someone posted on here already, but what's the deal with Quicken?

I've heard they are eyeing spots Downtown Detroit? Say at the old Statler site,

and down at the Hudsons block. I also heard something about the city offering

property to Rock financial? Is any of this true whats goin on kids i'm suprised not

to find anything on it.

[toog05]

Yes, Detroit has offered property to Quicken loans in a Crainsdetroit artlicle.

Quicken offered 2 Detroit sites for HQ

By Robert Ankeny

6:00 am, May 8, 2006

Quicken Loans/Rock Financial Inc. has been offered at least two downtown sites for a new headquarters office building, Detroit’s development czar George Jackson said last week.

One site is above the Premier Garage on the site of the former J.L. Hudson’s store.

.........The other is on Grand Circus Park, between Washington Boulevard and Bagley Street, site of the former Statler Hilton Hotel, which was razed last year...........

........Without naming Quicken, Chris Ilitch, president of Ilitch Holdings Inc., said last week that he would make a “bold prediction” that a corporate headquarters would rise on the Statler site.......

[resourcefulidiot]

not allowed to post full articles...I learned that the hard way

"Without naming Quicken, Chris Ilitch, president of Ilitch Holdings Inc., said last week that he would make a

[wolverine]

I shortened it. Sometimes you have to be registered to read some of their articles. However, in the future don't post full articles since they are copyrighted.

[MJLO]

Well all I can think is that it would be outstanding if both Rock and Quicken would abandon their Suburban headquarters for Downtown Detroit highrises. Having that many more workers downtown would do so much for the downtown area, shopping, and housing markets. Whats good for goose is good for gander, I think it would do a little more to further the cities recovery, maybe even the neighborhood housing markets.

If I were the state of Michigan, i'd do whatever I could to lure them to downtown Detroit.

[bobjgumby]

Well all I can think is that it would be outstanding if both Rock and Quicken would abandon their Suburban headquarters for Downtown Detroit highrises. Having that many more workers downtown would do so much for the downtown area, shopping, and housing markets. Whats good for goose is good for gander, I think it would do a little more to further the cities recovery, maybe even the neighborhood housing markets.

If I were the state of Michigan, i'd do whatever I could to lure them to downtown Detroit.

Aren't quicken and Rock the same company. Rock Fina

[Wordsmith]

Quicken is Rock Financial's parent company.

WS

[hudkina]

I doubt they would build two towers, besides I'd rather see one tall skyscraper than two short skyscrapers.

[hood]

Any idea at all on how much square footage Quicken would require, or how many employees they have? Anyone have an idea of how large (in sq ft) is the Statler site?

[RustTown]

On skyscrapercity, ManageMich says the company is going to need 600,000 square feet (about half the space of the Compuware Headquarters on C-Mart Park), and that there is already a proposal in the works for the Statler site. We'll just have to wait and see. He also said earlier that there will be a parking garage somewhere on the site, too, meaning that the footprint for the Statler site is made even smaller if they don't decide to stack the building above the garage. He's also alluded to an idea being thrown around for a live/work concept that would include a possible renovation of the vacant Whitney Building across the street to house workers that choose to live near headquarters.

[MJLO]

As usual, what i'd like to know more about is height. I'd like to see something new built in Detroit that exceeds 400'. Detroits new developements seem to be shrowded in Midrise-dom.

[wolverine]

Based on some of my brainstorming, I'm going to guess that this would be a 15-20 story building. This depends upon where the parking structure would go, and if this building would dedicate the lower levels to retail, usually 3 at most. I really do hope that the parking structure would be hidden. I'm so sick of the visibility of parking structures.

[resourcefulidiot]

As usual, what i'd like to know more about is height. I'd like to see something new built in Detroit that exceeds 400'. Detroits new developements seem to be shrowded in Midrise-dom.

Why is midrise-dom bad? we are so obsessed with height, but we still have a lot of street level work to do in promoting walkable communities before we can get in the tall building game again

[hood]

The problem with Detroit is that it has had nowhere near it's fair share of highrises over the past 40 years. It's not that mid-rises are bad, its just that high-rises are better.

[resourcefulidiot]

in good time my friends. I would rather establish the capital in the city with midrise development and create a market that would warrant a nice highrise. Do we want a 40 story One Kennedy Square (or something worse)? Eventually we will have a nice new scrapper dont worry

[MJLO]

while this is true hood, the truth is, yes Detroit hasn't had it's fair share of high rises, and we all would like to see a little change on Detroit's somewhat dated skyline, But at this point, any developement is welcome! Walkable streetscapes are a must.

[RustTown]

I really could care less about height for Detroit, right now. There is SO much empty space downtown that height isn't even something anyone should expect. In order to get land values up to support taller structures, you must first fill in much of the empty space. There are very few places, right now, in downtown that the market would need a high-rise for. All I want to see in Detroit, right now, especially considering that it's downtown is still very early in its renaissance, and quite a bit behind other cities downtown renaissances, is good projects that fill their respective blocks in such a way as to promote walkability. Anything else (including height), is just an extra, at the moment.

[rbdetsport]

But do we want all of the prime real estate taken up by smaller buildings?

[RustTown]

There is more than enough space to fill. And, again, as it becomes more scarce, property values will rise making space more valuable, and thus it will have to be maximized (i.e. more floors, more amenities...). Detroit is nowhere near the point of having to worry about its quality sites being taken up by smaller developments.

[MJLO]

Lmich, I hate admitting when you make sense