Unmade Projects in Detroit

[Jasoncw]

We've all heard about Book Tower, and the unbuilt portions of the Fisher Building and Ren Cen, but occasionally other unmade projects pop up, or there isn't much information about unmade projects that we've heard about.

One thing in particular, in this picture, it looks like there is another addition to the Penobscot Building.

I'm also interested in the Art Deco building in Hart Plaza in this picture. I've read about it before, but I can't remember anything about it other than the general design.

Does anyone have any more information about these projects, or have any questions themselves?

[Allan]

I believe the Penobscot addition to the building is just the Dime Building beyond (unless you see something that I don't).

The tower was a memorial building designed by Eliel Saarinen as part of his plan for the riverfront.

[hunchentoot]

Where is this illustration from? And what was the full RenCen plan?

[Jasoncw]

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=112478

^That has a lot of pictures. Phase III was residental if I remember right.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_Center

http://info.detnews.com/history/story/inde...egory=locations

http://www.answers.com/topic/renaissance-center

are some nice links about the Ren Cen.

The pictures show 4 Phase II towers instead of the two that exist now, but they're all pretty much the same. I think someone could probably photoshop a photograph to include them in the skyline if they wanted to.

I guess that was the Dime Building. The funny angle and it's color (it looks too grey) made it look like it was ontop of the original Penobscot Building.

[andrew.w]

Is there a building built over Washington Ave. in the first linked picture in this thread?

[statedude3]

When CMP was being designed, I saw a rendering that included concepts of the park, compuware site, monroe block, and kenedy block all developed. Just a shot in the dark, but does anyone recall seeing this, or having any idea where this image would be?

If I recall correctly, it had about 18 or so stories on each block.

[Zissou]

Got two for you.

Not sure if this is the one you want.

This is the one I think you are looking for. This is the one i had on my computer and when I searched the internet I couldnt find anything larger. Sorry bout that.

[statedude3]

That is actually not the one I was referring to, but I like it more than the one I saw.

On a side note, I love the new lights at Cadillac Square Park.

[Jasoncw]

For fun I added in The second Comerica Tower, and more of the Ren Cen.

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/9268/skyl...toshopedac9.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=232770487&size=l

^ Original

[statedude3]

I'm actually glad the 2nd tower was not built. It looks very strange without a skybridge or something else visible. It just looks out of place.

[RustTown]

It sure does. And the full RenCen would have really been over kill. I'd always imagined/envisioned Two Detroit Center to be a complementing tower to One Detroit Center, much the same way that One and Two Liberty Center in Philadelphia interact. They aren't exact, but they really complement each other.

[statedude3]

It sure does. And the full RenCen would have really been over kill. I'd always imagined/envisioned Two Detroit Center to be a complementing tower to One Detroit Center, much the same way that One and Two Liberty Center in Philadelphia interact. They aren't exact, but they really complement each other.

Agreed. Not to mention it blocks the Windsor view of beautiful Cadillac Tower.

[Zissou]

Wouldnt One and Two Detroit Center have been closer together? I think it looks awkward in the photo because they are so far apart but I think if they were shown closer together that it would look good.

[Jasoncw]

I figured the 2nd tower would go where that seperate garage is on randolph. Actually, my picture is wrong, it should be more to the right. The left edge of the tower should be lined up with the right edge of city hall. Cadillac tower sticks out right inbetween the two. I made this sorta late last night, so I just guestimated. I personally think it looks better father apart.

The only thing I like about the unmade Ren Cen is that it fills that gap inbetween downtown and the ren cen in a lot of views. Of course, that gap was created by the ren cen in the first place, but what canya do.

[Ramcharger]

After the second tower they could add a 15 story section (parking deck?) with a huge rose window connecting the two towers and it would look like an enormous gothic cathedral. lol

[Zissou]

I figured the 2nd tower would go where that seperate garage is on randolph.

Im not sure if the garage on Randolph was a part of the Comerica Tower plan. There are two garages on that block and the one directly next to CT was designed with better materials and is already capped on the top which I assume was for the purposes of possible expansion.

You can see what im talking about in the lower right portion of this picture. This was actually taken from the very top of the Randolph garage. Because of this I think the second tower would have been much closer to the first to give it a center type feel instead of book ends.

[Jasoncw]

I figured the "master plan" would be that the two towers would have the garage in the middle, from the way that the block is divided up. Although the fact that the roof is finished is weird.

[RustTown]

Yes, tower two would have gone up there the first garage went up (directly on the parcel of land to the east). Then, you have a newer and taller parking garage directly nextdoor to that. That whole block looks very awkward, not just because you have an office tower abutting a garage abutting another garage, but because the architecture of the first garage doesn't mesh with the architecture of the tower, but the garage furthest to the east actually does.

Zissou, would do you mean by the first garage was "capped?" I remember people saying the first garage wasn't built to hold anything untop, and that when the second one was under construction not too long ago, that people were hoping this would be able to support a future expansion and that it, in fact, doesn't have the capability to add a tower. It seems to me that Detroit is stuck with those two monster garages for quite some time.

[Zissou]

In the picture I put up the garage closest to Comerica Tower is in the bottom right. You can see that it has a metal roof on it instead of being open at the top like most garages are. Thats what I meant by capped. Since you dont really see that with above ground garages Im assuming it was done in case they ever decided to build another tower, that way it would already be level and you could just start adding steal. There has to be some sort of purpose to putting a roof on a parking garage, perhaps its for something other than another tower, I was just speculating. You are right though about the block being awkward. Two garages next to each other like that looks rediculous and with the absence of ground floor retail it just kills the vitality of the area.

[resourcefulidiot]

best 2 detroit center

make it alittle smaller like 750-800feet though

(its currently One Atlantic Center in Atlanta)

[dtown]

that would look pretty great.