Detroit Photo of the Day

[tomo]

That building is the Capitol Square Building (not to be confused with the Capitol Park Building at Griswold & State). It was one of the many buildings in the area that was constructed by Sebastian Kresge. It is undergoing a very slow, low-cost renovation into lofts...they've been working on the building for about three years now, with very little visible progress in the last 6 months.

Allan, can you expand on why it is a low-cost renovation? It there hope for renovating other unused buildings downtown, even the larger ones, in a low-cost way as well?

[RustTown]

I'd guess it's simply because whoever owns the building doesn't have a lot of money. That's usually the case.

[Allan]

Basically the owner of the building wants to spend as little money as possible redoing the building, while still charging as much for rent as possible.

[detroitfan]

Do any of you guys have a picture of it when it was blue? I think I remember it, but I didn't realize it was that particular building.

Best I could find

[wolverine]

Wow, that's awful.

[hudkina]

Great view, Zissou!

[Michi]

Thanks, Allan!

[Jasoncw]

I think that the blue looked too bad, but paint is for covering up cinder blocks, not good brick.

I think that murals or something should be put on the nasty sides of buildings though. Fire escapes should be painted and have flowers too. I'm going off topic though.

Nice pictures everyone!

[wolverine]

I think that the blue looked too bad, but paint is for covering up cinder blocks, not good brick.

I think that murals or something should be put on the nasty sides of buildings though. Fire escapes should be painted and have flowers too. I'm going off topic though.

Nice pictures everyone!

Have you ever seen Cottage Inn Pizza building here in Ann Arbor? It has exactly what you are talking about LOL.

In the architecture world, we call the sides of buildings urban buildings Common walls, and the brick used on them is called, guess? Common Brick. It's usually cheaper since it was somewhat expected a neighboring building would come next door and cover up the sides. Because it was cheap, it was never nice looking because the facade determined the beauty of the building. When suburbanization came around, we saw less of common brick, but has had a redux with the return to more urban building. Except, nowadays we usually paint it a nice solid color.

[Jasoncw]

I don't know what building that is specificly, but I was thinking of Ann Arbor in general when I wrote that reply. One time I saw an alley with some paintings and a guy dancing to micheal jackson, and I think that's really great.

Now I know what the ugly part is called!

[ZachariahDaMan]

Have you ever seen Cottage Inn Pizza building here in Ann Arbor? It has exactly what you are talking about LOL.

In the architecture world, we call the sides of buildings urban buildings Common walls, and the brick used on them is called, guess? Common Brick. It's usually cheaper since it was somewhat expected a neighboring building would come next door and cover up the sides. Because it was cheap, it was never nice looking because the facade determined the beauty of the building. When suburbanization came around, we saw less of common brick, but has had a redux with the return to more urban building. Except, nowadays we usually paint it a nice solid color.

Here is the building you are talking about:

[Michi]

Wow, is that real rust on the awnings?

[Allan]

Designed by Daniel Burnham, the Ford Building was completed in 1909. The Ford family was in the glass industry, and many of the products used to make glass were mined between Detroit and Toledo. The family established the Edward Ford Glass Company in the 1880s, which later merged with the Libby Glass Company, forming Libby-Owens-Ford. In the second decade of the 20th century, closed coupes became popular, creating an even stronger market for the company.

[Michi]

Woah, never seen the Ford in that kind of light before...at least in a photo! Nicely done.

[RustTown]

The Ford's ground floor always seems so lively, and even when its not it gives off that appearance/

[tapezord]

i always used to stop at Mick's on the first floor of the Ford on the walk from the bus to the guardian building... Its a very underappreciated building!

Edited April 8, 2006 by tapezord

[wolverine]

Great photo Allan, love the lighting.

[rbdetsport]

Why isn't Jimmy John's ever open? Everytime I go by it is not open.

[Allan]

Because Jimmy John's in the Ford Building is used mostly by the people who work in the Ford Building & the surrounding buildings...people who work 9:00-5:00, Monday-Friday.

[Allan]

The Lee Plaza glows in the late afternoon sun.

[RustTown]

It pains me to have to wait to see if the resurgence of Greater Downtown will catch up to the Lee Plaza before the wreckig ball does...

[hudkina]

I have a feeling it won't. But who knows. Maybe we'll see some out-of-state developer fall in love with it.

[statedude3]

I have never gone into Lee Plaza, mostly because I'm not convinced of my safety. But from what I can tell, the structure is still solid. It looks so sad without the green roof though.

[Zissou]

Some from last night before security kicked me off the Opera House parking garage.

[dgriff04]

Boy, the metropolitan is just itching to be redevelped. Whats the hold up on that project anyway?