DTE campus redevelopment

[detwaa84]

http://www.gma-la.com/site.html

-portfolio

-corporate

has anybody seen this? it's DTE's campus redevelopment plan. It looks nice, but I think it's such as waste of valuable land space that can be used for something else, like an urban village or even the new Red Wings arena (better than where it's presently planned). It isn't long term though, eventually, it would be redevloped. Temporarily, it's better than what is there now -- nothing.

[Zissou]

This is the first ive seen of it. As a temporary thing im all for it, although im afraid most of it isnt going to be so temporary. It will definitely make that area more desirable and perhaps spur some sort of spin off coupled with MGM right across the street. I see potential in the northern most parcel as well as the giant parking lot planned just east of the main building. Get developments on those lots and those plazas and open space would really be utilized.

[wolverine]

The park looks beautiful. I think what's a waste of space is that parking to the right of the building. I think the greenspace shown in the renderings has the potential of being a very nice urban park if its surrounded by more buildings in the future. Capping that little triangle of freeway would be nice if someone is up for paying for it.

[hudkina]

It's nice that we'll be seeing more green downtown.

[Michi]

Is all that blue water? I really do hate to complain because I am so glad they are investing in the city, but does anyone know if more streets are going to be cut off (super blocks) due to this? I'm almost having a change of heart in that I don't care what is torn down anymore so long as the mere ease of navigating this city is not completely destroyed.

[hudkina]

Who really drives "through" that area anyway? It looks like 3rd St is going to become a boulevard and 2nd St is going to be made into a pedestrian mall, similar to how it is south of Michigan Ave. Beech St, Elizabeth St, and Plaza Dr are all going to be removed as well.

[Michi]

That's my point, exactly. Why drive through if there is no flow to the city? Walk, bike, roller blade, etc...You have to go around all these massive blocks or freeways, or dead end streets. It's just getting a little too much. I just wish there was better attention to the flow and function of streets downtown.

[detwaa84]

It'll be just a matter of time until MGM purchases that property to expand, since they really don't have any more room left.

[toog05]

You got that right!!!

[okinawatyphoon]

Wow, that's extravagant. Maybe the really fake looking scenery?

I have a family member that works there, and I could never imagine it turning out like those renderings.

[Zissou]

It'll be just a matter of time until MGM purchases that property to expand, since they really don't have any more room left.

[RustTown]

The very first thing I noticed was the creation of another superblock, which are simply disasters for cities that give priority to the automobile (i.e. Detroit being one of them, unfortunately). It's a nice gesture, the greenery, and all, but they found a way to mess it up.

And, yeah, why would MGM being thinking about expanding any time now, or even in the forseeable future? If they do expand, it will be on their huge property.

[detwaa84]

MGM will expand within 5 years if demand for hotel rooms is up. I said that last time, it's required as part of an agreement with the city. I don't see any more room left on their superblock to build another hotel or more convention space. Infact, they would probably build a larger auditorium too, like Windsor is doing.

[Zissou]

I still dont recall reading anything saying that, and even if it is true, there still is room to expand on the land they already have. The only way I see MGM buying more land is if they residential market really explodes and they try to get into the condo game like they have at other locations.

[hudkina]

That's my point, exactly. Why drive through if there is no flow to the city? Walk, bike, roller blade, etc...You have to go around all these massive blocks or freeways, or dead end streets. It's just getting a little too much. I just wish there was better attention to the flow and function of streets downtown.

[RustTown]

Detwaa,

As is pretty readibly clear, the hotel tower has the ability to add another wing to the elevator tower that splits the tower in two. This wing could, hypothetically, could be expanded even longer than the other two wings. And, if the complex did want to expand, horizontally, you better believe the aggressive ownership (MGM/Mirage of Las Vegas) would have grabbed up more land long, long ago. This theory you keep pushing doesn't even have any basis in even any kind of rumor of thoughtful conjecture.

[detwaa84]

Detwaa,

As is pretty readibly clear, the hotel tower has the ability to add another wing to the elevator tower that splits the tower in two. This wing could, hypothetically, could be expanded even longer than the other two wings. And, if the complex did want to expand, horizontally, you better believe the aggressive ownership (MGM/Mirage of Las Vegas) would have grabbed up more land long, long ago. This theory you keep pushing doesn't even have any basis in even any kind of rumor of thoughtful conjecture.

[Ramcharger]

The original development agreements negotiated between the casinos and the Archer administration required the casinos to build 800 room hotels. After the rivertown land debacle the casinos bailed the city out in exchange for renegotiated agreements that lowered the required rooms to 400. There is a stipulation in the agreements that state that an additional 400 rooms are to be built if the demand warrants it. However, I doubt that neither the city nor the casinos ever expect that clause to be enforced.

[RustTown]

Thanks for that additional information, Ram. That makes everything clear. "If demand warrants" is highly ambiguous and hard to enforce even if the city wanted to.

[jas49503]

Thanks for that additional information, Ram. That makes everything clear. "If demand warrants" is highly ambiguous and hard to enforce even if the city wanted to.

[RustTown]

The casinos were completely content as temporary facilities, without their hotels. They were so much so, in fact, that the city actually had to enforce the part of the deal concerning getting them to their current permanent locations. Let's not pretend the casinos were bursting at the seams, and thus willingly went along to build their new permanent casinos and hotels. They were forced to, and they actively delayed it for as long as they could.

[detwaa84]

The casinos were completely content as temporary facilities, without their hotels. They were so much so, in fact, that the city actually had to enforce the part of the deal concerning getting them to their current permanent locations. Let's not pretend the casinos were bursting at the seams, and thus willingly went along to build their new permanent casinos and hotels. They were forced to, and they actively delayed it for as long as they could.

[Michi]

The flow was interrupted when the freeways went through. Besides 3rd st, nobody used any of the streets north of Michigan and West of Grand River except those who worked at DTE. This is going to be like Wayne State's campus. The paths of the streets will still be there (2nd Ave through the heart of the campus) but they'll be for pedestrians only. If you want to walk from Grand River to 3rd Ave, you can do it, on the pathways that will replace the streets, if you want to drive, you just go one block up. This would be bad if the entire campus was cut off from the outside, but it isn't. It's going to be far more pedestrian-oriented than what is there now.