Detroit Photo of the Day

[hudkina]

My ultimate fantasy (as far as downtown development goes) would be to see the new wings stadium built behind the Fox Theatre and have Columbia St act as a pedestrian-oriented entertainment strip.

Edited August 11, 2006 by hudkina

[RustTown]

That's been pretty close to my vision, too, especially the placement of the new arena. Though, I wish the whole of the Fisher through downtown could be capped to reconnect more tightly Brush Park and Cass Park to downtown. Seeing the old photos of how they once seamlessly melded into one another just looks so right.

[Jasoncw]

I would have the cap go equal on each side of woodward. The purpose is to make pedestrains more comfortable, and putting it all on one side doesn't do that as well as putting it on both. Also, there's a church on the one side, and having a little park thing there would make it nicer. Since churches are important community points, I think it's good to not have a highway cutting it off from midtown, where I'm guessing most of it's people live.

Then I'd connect Witherell street to the service drive, and I'd put a big parking structure in the new block formed. I think the GCP garage should be used mostly for other things in the area, not the sports venues. The new garage would also service the church. Ideally, this garage would put all of the surface lots out of business, allowing for development to replace all foxtown lots. Since GCP garage is freed up, perhaps parking won't be as much of an issue for GCP developments. Although I'm not an expert at all on the parking garage usage, or how the parking business really works. The shaded area on the yellow is retail. It's only on one side because I don't think it would be sucsessfull on any of the other sides.

The red wings can go in that blue spot, with retail lining the streets. No matter where the red wings would be, there would be a lot of little food places and stuff going in the building, however they would be planned, they would be accesseble from the street, but still convienient for the hockey people.

I'm not sure if that's a good thing that three sport places, plus theaters are in one spot. If there were games at all places, and shows all letting out at the same time, it would be hell, especailly with most of the people at a few mega garages.

But yeah, I'm not a pro or anything, so what I see probably has a lot of flaws in it.

[Allan]

when they renovate that, are they going to add some more windows? because the side of it could really use some, lol.

No. The lack of windows is because the elevator shafts (5 of the 6) are located there. The 6th is a freight elevator.

[RustTown]

I highly doubt they could successfully fit the new arena on Woodward, nor do I think putting it on Woodward, if they could, would be a good thing.

[wolverine]

^ Ha, that still doesn't mean we can't go old fashioned... the days when elevators were open iron and the shafts had windows.

[dtown]

No. The lack of windows is because the elevator shafts (5 of the 6) are located there. The 6th is a freight elevator.

Oh, i just assumed that it was because the oringinal architect assumed there would be another building built next to it, and didnt bother to put windows in it. Which is what ive seen on many other buildings, but not one that big(that i know of). They probobly assumed back in the day that downtown Detroit would be as dense as manhattan. At least thats what i assumed.

[Jasoncw]

They figured another building would be put there, which is why they put the elevators there, to clear up the floor space in the rest of the building.

But, for example, Book Tower, that has windows on it's back, but it's still not decorated, because they figured another building would go there and cover it up anyway. But there are still windows there.

[Allan]

^ Ha, that still doesn't mean we can't go old fashioned... the days when elevators were open iron and the shafts had windows.

LOL, good luck with that one! Detroit codes prohibit windows in elevators. That's why the windows in the Detroit Life Building elevators will be bricked in during the renovation.

[WALD0123]

I believe there are windows in the elevators of the Ren Cen and in Compuware as well.

[dtown]

the ren cen im pretty sure has an all glass elevator.

[BarGal]

the ren cen im pretty sure has an all glass elevator.

They have several glass elevators. I used to ride them a couple of times a day when I worked there.

Edited August 11, 2006 by BarGal

[Zissou]

I think what Allan means is windows in elevator shafts like the kind you would find in the Detroit Life Building. I think glass elevators are completely different.

[dtown]

oh, sorry. im just not familliar with the Detroit life building. Do you have a picture to show me the elevator shaft windows?

[wolverine]

Zissou is correct. The particular shafts in the Ren Cen are much different than the Detroit Life Building. I think most of it has to do with fire code and stuff like that.

[Allan]

Yeah, Zissou has it right. Glass elevators are different than conventional elevator shafts with windows plopped into them. It has to do with fire codes.

Dtown, I don't have a photo of the elevator shafts off hand. In fact, I might not have one at all...it's been a long time since I've been in that building.

[dtown]

oh, mmkay. well, will they be doing anything to the building to spruce that side?

what is that building clad in anyway? is it painted brick?

[wolverine]

Isn't the back just common brick? The building pretty much has all of its original exterior exposed

BTW dtown, the Detroit LIfe building has it's own website that's gives some good info about it:

http://www.detroitlifebuilding.com/

[Zissou]

Ive got a ton of shots that Ive been meaning to process but when I saw this one I had to take some time and post it. Its from the Broderick Tower probably about a third of the way up. Hope ya like.

[dtown]

hey! thats a very cool pic. Whats the building with all the crap growing on it in the center of the shot?

[RustTown]

Nice composition, though you may want to take the fake clouds out if it. You can tell its tweaked, and the clouds so low just look a bit over the top. BTw, I know I ask this of a lot of your photos, but would you happen to have the unphotoshopped/tweaked version to view? Those are my favorites.

Edited August 14, 2006 by Lmichigan

[dtown]

what fake clouds?

[Zissou]

If I upload the original untweaked photo ill put it up for you Lmich and Im laughing regarding those fake clouds. They are very much real, the only thing done to the photo is the layering of several images, everything in the shot is how it was.

The building in the foreground is the abandoned Metropolitan building.

[RustTown]

lol, I guess you were up higher than I thought, because they almost look as if they are too low. The angle and height are throwing me off.

Man, I really wish the owner of the Met could get it up and running, again. It's easily one of the more unique high-rises downtown.

[hudkina]

I like it. The thing I find interesting is that we are sort of looking at the "ass-end" of all of the buildings.