DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown

[animatedmartian]

First look at The Z: It's not your typical Detroit parking deck
By Kristin Bull
October 11, 2013







When is a parking garage a destination?

When it is an art gallery, too.

A 10-story parking garage soon to open in Detroit's central business district will blend 1,300 parking spots with the work of 27 mural artists from across the globe.

Called The Z (because it zigzags the corners of Broadway and East Grand River, and Library and Gratiot), the garage is a collaboration between Bedrock Real Estate Services and Library Street Collective, a fine art gallery connected to the garage. The parking garage will open in December.

The Z is a 500,000-square-foot project, which includes 34,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space that will start to fill in the spring, said Dan Mullen, Bedrock's vice president of development. Tenants have not been determined, he said.

Mullen, along with Matthew Eaton, a partner at Library Street Collective, gave members of the media a sneak peak at the artwork on Friday.

They said the 130-foot-wide murals inside the garage were meant to turn the parking garage into a Detroit destination. The artwork is diverse: In a mural inspired by a lazy day in the tropics, a giraffe takes a nap in a windowsill; in a mural meant to symbolize Detroit's rebirth, a tiger chases a baseball.

"This is about different experiences you can't get anywhere else," Mullen said. "We really wanted to blow people away."

Southfield-based Neumann/Smith Architecture is architect on the parking project, and Rich & Associates Inc. in Southfield is consulting on the structure's design. Colasanti Construction Services Inc./Sachse Construction, a joint venture of Detroit-based Colasanti and Birmingham-based Sachse, are the construction managers.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...-parking-deck#

Not so sure that it's a 'destination' per se, but quite nice that there's something other than blank white walls.

[hudkina]

It's sort of like the artwork in each of the people mover stations. Though this is obviously more vivid and modern. I'd like to see this happen in other garages around town.

[subterranean]

Those murals are really beautifully done.

[mousquet]

Originally Posted by subterranean

Those murals are really beautifully done.

They are. Dig the colorful childish graphical style.

[Rizzo]

I really like the city's embrace with public art. There's needs to be a lot more of this. Alot of great talent in the city.

[LMich]

Gilbertown continues it's growth:

Kathleen Galligan | Detroit Free Press

1265 Griswold - Bamlet Building

Dan Gilbert adds 2 buildings to his growing holdings in downtown Detroit

By John Gallagher | Detroit Free Press

October 15, 2013

Billionaire businessman Dan Gilbert’s Rock Ventures and its real estate arm, Bedrock Real Estate Services, have purchased two more properties, bringing its total holdings in downtown Detroit to more than 40 properties owned or controlled by Gilbert’s network.

The latest purchases are at 1505 Woodward and 1265 Griswold, adding 84,000 square feet to its growing real estate holdings. Gilbert now has a total of about 8 million square feet of commercial and parking space downtown.

...

Both of the new purchases are vacant. The buildings will be converted to mixed use.

The 1505 Woodward building is on the northwest corner of Woodward and Clifford Street. The eight-story, 48,000-square-foot structure was designed by renowned architect Albert Kahn and built in 1931. Its original tenant was the Richman Brothers clothing store.

The 1265 Griswold building, at the southwest corner of Griswold Street and Grand River Avenue, borders Capitol Park. The 36,000-square-foot, six-story structure was originally the Bamlet Building and was built in 1897 by architectural firm Spier & Rohns.

Bedrock will oversee renovations, management and leasing of the two structures.

...


Kathleen Galligan | Detroit Free Press

1505 Woodward - Richman Bros. Building

I wonder how Karp & Associates is coming along on the Farwell Building next door to the Bamlet? Haven't heard much about it. BTW, was the Bamlet the last building on Capitol Park that didn't have any plans for it? This might complete the puzzle on the square.

[LMich]

Also in Gilbertown, a more mixed plan for an aquisition:

David Coates | The Detroit News

Gilbert in talks with city to buy half block, theater

By Louis Aguilar | The Detroit News

October 15, 2013

Detroit —Dan Gilbert’s Rock Ventures, which controls almost 8 million square feet of space downtown, is in talks with the city to buy another half a block, including a long-empty historic theater that would be at least partially demolished, according to court documents.

The historic building is the National Theatre — said to be the last surviving theater designed by renowned architect Albert Kahn. Talks are ongoing and no deal has been sealed.

Eric Larson, managing partner of Bedrock Real Estate Services, said Monday in an email: “We have had conversations with the city about the National Theatre and are exploring options to preserve the architectural history and legacy it represents.” Bedrock manages the real estate holdings for Rock Ventures.

...

The deals were discussed in email exchanges that took place between a Rock Ventures vice-president, Deb Dansby, and the city’s director of planning and development, Rob Anderson.

One proposal is the sale of a huge former parking garage known as the Bates garage. It wraps around Monroe and Randolph. The shuttered garage is owned by the city's Downtown Development Authority, and is in the process of being razed.

Rock Ventures also wants to buy the National Theatre at 100 Monroe. The building is the last survivor of Detroit’s first theater district, and the last theater known still standing to have been designed by Kahn, according to the website HistoricDetroit.org.

...

The exchanges also seem to indicate the city is hoping Rock Ventures would keep at least the facade of the National. The city official wrote this: “Facade retained in place with reasonable effort not classic standards. Plastic replacement pieces, OK, just retain character in place.”

...

I mean, I get that the city is just desperate to unload the building, so they want to put as few demands on the potential buyer as possible. But, man, they don't have to sound that desperate. lol I can see the rest of the email, right now...

"Yeah, you can just fill in the facade with some painted-over lego blocks, Dan. No big whoop, dude. Hell, you can reconstruct the missing parts with styrofoam for all we care."

[subterranean]

A lego facade may be kind of cool. Just sayin'.

[LMich]

Well, for whatever negative spin I put on that story, to be honest, I'm just happy that they are talking of saving any of it. A decade ago, they'd have demolished this thing in the dead of the night after an hour of discussion.

Truth be told, Dan has been really good when it comes to re-use of existing structures. Albeit, a lot of this has to do with the fact that he's incredibly careful about what Bedrock buys. He doesn't buy junk and stuff he knows he's going to have to demolish, or sitting on stuff to sepculate. And, maybe it's because of a lot of the truly rotted stuff has long sense been brought down. But, fortunately, Gilbert isn't the kind of guy who's going to knock down some treasure for a surface lot, either, so there is that, and I give him credit for that.

[subterranean]

I've got to say, despite me being a little fearful of one company owning so many properties, he has done a decent job with the properties. And I have to imagine that after a few years of his buying spree, and the transformations that have/will occur, that a lot of other folks will jump on board. Downtown and Midtown are just looking so good, it's impossible to ignore in the development community. I know it's a long way off, but I can't wait to see more new infill next to some of these historic beauts.

[DKNewYork]

Originally Posted by LMich

I mean, I get that the city is just desperate to unload the building, so they want to put as few demands on the potential buyer as possible. But, man, they don't have to sound that desperate. lol I can see the rest of the email, right now...

"Yeah, you can just fill in the facade with some painted-over lego blocks, Dan. No big whoop, dude. Hell, you can reconstruct the missing parts with styrofoam for all we care."

First time poster on this thread (usually on Pittsburgh and New York pages) with a question: I am thrilled with the amount of development occurring in downtown Detroit---much of it due to Dan Gilbert---but is there now enough of a critical mass downtown that perhaps the National Theatre should be preserved as a theatre? Seems like there are many more people downtown during the day and maybe the city is at the point (or approaching the point) that it can look toward adding cultural aspects to the downtown revival.

My in-laws live in Southfield and I get there once a year but have no sense if there is enough activity downtown to support a renovation of the theatre, or if there is even an organization that could put the building to use.

Any input would be appreciated. And good luck going forward.

[subterranean]

At risk of sounding like a Pure Michigan ad, Detroit's theater circuit has been hailed as second only to Broadway. I think some folks might be surprised at the variety and number of arts and culture venues/opportunities in Detroit. Despite the population decline in the city, it's still the cultural hub of a region of over 5 million people and draws from a state with over 10 million and some folks from Ontario. I have no doubt in my mind that the market could absorb another venue. However, the interior of the National Theatre is in pretty rough shape. It would take an incredible investment to bring it back. But who knows.

http://www.degc.org/arts-culture.aspx
http://historicdetroit.org/building/national-theatre/

[DKNewYork]

Originally Posted by subterranean

At risk of sounding like a Pure Michigan ad, Detroit's theater circuit has been hailed as second only to Broadway. I think some folks might be surprised at the variety and number of arts and culture venues/opportunities in Detroit. Despite the population decline in the city, it's still the cultural hub of a region of over 5 million people and draws from a state with over 10 million and some folks from Ontario. I have no doubt in my mind that the market could absorb another venue. However, the interior of the National Theatre is in pretty rough shape. It would take an incredible investment to bring it back. But who knows.

http://www.degc.org/arts-culture.aspx
http://historicdetroit.org/building/national-theatre/

Thanks. I appreciate the feedback as well as the introduction to the Historic Detroit web site. Bummer that the interior of the National is in bad shape. Still, maybe it can be saved. I am very familiar with the development of downtown Pittsburgh over the past 30 years and cultural venues, primarily performing arts spaces, have played and continue to play a large part in its success. Not across the board---some of these venues have not attracted an audience, which means that they are struggling financially and offering no tangible benefit to Pittsburgh's downtown. But for the most part the strategy has paid off beautifully. I hope Mr. Gilbert realizes that once the people are downtown for work, they need things to do. It would be great to see this theatre brought back.

Off topic a bit: I am fascinated by the discussion surrounding the DIA and its relation to the city's bankruptcy. Astounding to think that the collection could possibly be sold to repay creditors. I am midway through a really interesting socio-economic history of the DIA, A Museum on the Verge, written by a Wayne State art professor named Abt. It explains how the museum got to this position. It is proving to be a great read.

[hudkina]

Keep in mind that Detroit has a ton of tbeatres already. The Fox theatre is one of the largest in the world. There's also the opera house, orchestra hall, Fisher theatre, music hall, Fillmore, gem theatre, city theatre, bonstelle, hillberry and more.

[DKNewYork]

Originally Posted by hudkina

Keep in mind that Detroit has a ton of tbeatres already. The Fox theatre is one of the largest in the world. There's also the opera house, orchestra hall, Fisher theatre, music hall, Fillmore, gem theatre, city theatre, bonstelle, hillberry and more.

I know where the Fox and Fisher Theatres are located. Are the others you list downtown? Sorry but I don't know downtown Detroit that well.

[animatedmartian]

A lot of them are less than a mile from each other. I think it's interesting Detroit never really had a 'theater district' per se, but more or less theaters spread out across town. Though a majority of them are located in Downtown and Midtown.

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

[animatedmartian]

Chinese firm buys old Free Press, David Stott buildings
By JC Reindl
October 16, 2013

A Chinese firm has bought the old Detroit Free Press and David Stott buildings in downtown Detroit and has plans for a $50 million residential and commercial redevelopment of the former newspaper headquarters.

Shanghai-based DDI Group was the highest bidder for both buildings in back-to-back online auctions last month, said said Ryan Snoek, a regional manager for Luke Investments, the buildings’ previous owner.
The DDI Group paid about $9.4 million for the David Stott, 1150 Griswold, and about $4.2 million for the old Free Press Building at 321 W. Lafayette, said Snoek, noting the final prices included a 5% buyers premium.

“They actually beat out Dan Gilbert for the David Stott,” Snoek said this afternoon. “Dan Gilbert was the other bidder.”

Snoek said DDI has bought U.S. real estate before, although this was their first Michigan purchase. DDI officials were astounded by the opportunity in Detroit to buy a skyscraper for under $10 million.
DDI is planning a $40 million to $50 million redevelopment of the Free Press building that would include ground-floor retail and roughly 150 units of rental apartments, according to Snoek. Work is slated to begin early next year and finish by late 2015 or 2016, he said.

DDI Group is considering future residential development in the 38-story David Stott building.

http://www.freep.com/article/2013101...Stott-Building

[LMich]

So happy the Free Press Building is being saved. They've been trying to get this building saved, forever. Schemes have been proposed before for residential reuse, but it was always said it was a hard one to go residential. We'll see if this works.

As for the National, there are more than enough old theaters in the greater downtown area that the National doesn't need to be reused as a theater. Of all of the things Detroit may lack, live theater - from small, intimate stages to the Fox - is not one of them.

[LMich]

Up the street in Royal Oak, on 400 North Main...

Developers aim for Hyatt hotel in downtown Royal Oak

By Sherri Welch | Crain's Detroit Business

October 17, 2013

Developers of a $40 million, eight-story hotel and mixed-use project planned for Royal Oak's Main Street are negotiating an agreement to fly the Hyatt flag at the 114-room hotel.

The deal has yet to be finalized, said Greg Cooksey, managing member for 400 Main LLC, the developer of the project.

The city's planning commission gave final approval to the site plan for the project in June. But Cooksey said the developer is still finalizing its development agreement with the city, local and state incentives packages, and financing.

"We hope to break ground in the spring," he said.

Slated for the former site of the Jim Fresard Pontiac-Buick-GMC auto dealership on Main Street, the project, first proposed in spring 2012, also includes:

* an eight-story, 82-unit apartment building

* a five-story office building restaurant attached to the 114-room hotel, including banquet and meeting space

* a separate, three-story office and retail building

* a four-level parking garage.

...

Rendering:

[LMich]

And, down Jefferson at Harbortown, it seems they've got state money that gets the expansion closer to having shovels in the ground:

Detroit Harbortown gets state aid for $20M project

Associated Press

October 16, 2013

LANSING — A Michigan development agency says it has awarded $1 million for a $20 million expansion of Detroit’s Harbortown residential complex that will add 134 rental apartments.

...

The agency says the Harbortown project is a five-story, 165,000 square foot building within the existing Harbortown complex on the Detroit River. It says the apartments will be a mix of one- two- and three-bedroom units.

The the is ugly as sin - I think I posted a rendering of it months ago somewhere in the thread - but it's some new housing, so...