DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown

[Docta_Love]

Edit; Haha beat me to the punch on the jail site article.

All i can say is i sure hope so this time about the bridge it seems like Matty is just about out of legal appeals with the recent victories in court by the state and Canadian government. Additionally Wayne County has made a decision not to build a new jail downtown the deal which is a big victory for Gilbert and his plans for the site. Although the deal isn't finalized yet this is a sign along with the negotiations between Gilbert and Walsh construction in regards to reimbursement of the latter. I'm very excited to see what Gilbert has planned for the site now that area of downtown would be an excellent choice to build a few high rises it's the most imbalanced part of the downtown area with the Ren Cen towering over a mostly mid-rise area.

....

[deja vu]

The Silver Dome implosion this morning failed:

• Video Link

[animatedmartian]

Well I think that just about sums up what it's like to be a Lions fan.

[Busy Bee]

That
feeling
you get
when a
sure thing
gets blown

[Docta_Love]

^^^hehe if it wasn't so sad it would be funny


I'm glad to see the Gratiot connector go along with 375 Eastern Market will with one stroke become much more pedestrian friendly while at the same time opening up a large area for development. The best news is it looks like there is no chance that it will remain a freeway the case of maintaining it is being used to back the case for a boulevard, the time line is really long though.

MDOT I-375 study backs boulevard plans

By ANNALISE FRANK
Crain's Detroit Business
December 03, 2017


The Michigan Department of Transportation is focusing in on two "practical alternatives" for I-375 in Detroit at its public information and feedback meeting Tuesday. The top photo shows I-375 recreated as a boulevard on the east edge, with four lanes in each direction. The bottom photo aligns the boulevard with the west edge, closer to Detroit's central business district. The northbound service drive would remain as a two-way local roadway.



-MDOT study backs boulevard ideas to replace I-375
-To release preferred plan in spring
-Construction could start in 2022


The two alternatives call for transitioning the four-lane freeway, which is about 20 feet deep, into a surface-level boulevard from south of Gratiot Avenue to Atwater Street near the riverfront.

The city became involved as it looked for ways to fulfill a major goal: connecting nearby neighborhoods to the riverfront, said Steve Lewis, urban design director for the central region in the city's Planning and Development Department.

When released in spring for further public comment, the environmental assessment will ideally propose one preferred I-375 replacement, Loree said. But the options may still need refining afterward.

In one of the two central options, the boulevard is aligned on the east edge of I-375, closer to residential areas; in the other it is aligned west, hugging the central business district.

The plan will also likely reform the interchange with I-75, removing access to Gratiot from the east leg of the interchange and moving it to the west where I-375 and Gratiot intersect. It also adds ramps from Brush Street to assist with special-event traffic, brings several sharp curves up to standard and transfers the Madison Avenue exit from the left side to the right.

The study also includes the option to simply rebuild I-375 as it is. That option is being used mostly as a tool for comparison, Loree said, and is unlikely to be chosen.


The Michigan Department of Transportation is also proposing changes to the interchange between I-75 and I-375 in Detroit as it looks at ways to replace the degrading I-375 highway. The interchange area would change significantly. The Gratiot Avenue connector to the east would be eliminated and replaced with a new meeting point where Gratiot and I-375 intersect. Also, new access to I-75 would be created at Brush Street to help with special event traffic.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...oulevard-plans

[The North One]

Overall good news, but 2022? damn.

[animatedmartian]

That is actually kind of quick relatively speaking. It's only been what, a couple of years that the idea of bringing 375 to grade was an idea?

Projects like the I-94 widening (or pretty much any other major freeway project) seem to be planned at least a decade or so out. Then there's the whole length of time that MDOT has to wait for enough funding to be allocated to start off a project. 2022 is a very acceptable start time and I'd imagine because of the short distance, it won't take too long to complete either.

[LMich]

Originally Posted by Docta_Love

^^^hehe if it wasn't so sad it would be funny

I'm glad to see the Gratiot connector go along with 375 Eastern Market will with one stroke become much more pedestrian friendly while at the same time opening up a large area for development. The best news is it looks like there is no chance that it will remain a freeway the case of maintaining it is being used to back the case for a boulevard, the time line is really long though.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...oulevard-plans

Yes! These were the only two options I liked. Of these, I'd much rather the one that tacks on land to downtown instead of giving it over to Lafayette Park. The difference is that the one that gives land to downtown would mean it'd be zoned for more density than if it were given to Lafayette Park. I'm also glad they are going bold with getting rid of the Gratiot Connector (and allowing event traffic access at Brush), and connecting Antietam in Lafayette Park to the new boulevard and severing it with Gratiot. That should allow for better traffic flow and pedestrian safety along Gratiot.

BTW, what's the dangerous curve semis and cars always seem to crash at? Is it the westbound ramp to the Fisher from 375? 'Cause they really need to fix that. I know they say it's designed for the correct speed, but sometimes you have to bend.

When this was posted about a few days ago, I really thought they were going to go for the rebuild option, and given that this plan had already had one major setback, I was ready for them to choose the worst of all options. lol

[LMich]

BTW, speaking of area freeways which have outlived their uselessness, since MDOT seems to be looking at things with a more progressive eye, maybe is now the time to consider getting rid of the Davison along M-8. Merge it with the rest of Davison Avenue; MDOT has fewer bridges to maintain and Highland Park gets to use the frontage for economic development. Win-win. The history of the freeway is interesting, but it's main purpose of getting people from the west side to the east side (and vice versa) without clogging up HP hasn't relevant for decades.

[animatedmartian]

On the contrary, there's no alternative east-west crosstown freeway unless you go down to 94 which is constantly clogged as it is. It also serves as a good bypass for getting over to the Lodge from 75 or vice versa. It's also still a pretty good route if one is traveling south on 75 but needs to cut over to head west on 96.

[Docta_Love]

If I remember my local history (or lore as it may be in this case) correctly one of the original reasons for building the Davidson was to reduce congestion from all the Ford factory workers many of whom lived on the west-side commuting to its Highland Park facilities. It really is a lot like 375 in the sense that if u live or work in an area serviced by M-8 it it's a very convenient short cut but for most Metro Detroit commuters it's a way seldom if at all traveled and may be a determent to the surrounding urban area.

Gilbert adds Buhl Building, Harvard Square Centre to portfolio
Downtown Detroit purchases include a parking deck

By KIRK PINHO
Crain's Detroit Business
December 04, 2017


Dan Gilbert's Bedrock LLC has added the Buhl Building on Griswold (left) and its parking deck (center) and the Harvard Square Centre building on Broadway in downtown Detroit to its portfilio.

-Dan Gilbert adds historic skyscraper, Broadway building to downtown Detroit portfolio
-Separate deals include 652-space parking garage
-"Significant" investment expected at all three properties


They add to Gilbert's ever-growing portfolio in the city's center core, representing 441,000 square feet and 652 parking spaces.

His Detroit-based Bedrock LLC's real estate ownership, management and development company's empire is nearly 100 properties (buildings, parking decks and surface parking lots) totaling nearly 16 million square feet in greater downtown Detroit. Bedrock also has billions of dollars in ground-up construction planned around the central business district.

....

Buhl Building, 535 Griswold St.

Ketai said upgrades to the 390,000-square-foot skyscraper's common areas and its parking deck's lighting and security are in store.

"We'll bring it up to Bedrock standards," Ketai said Monday morning of the 27-story Buhl Building. "Respect the integrity of it and fix it up with new infrastructure."

He said some tenants may be moved to different areas of the building "if we need to make some contiguous space in the building," which is 60 percent-70 percent leased.

"We are getting a lot of calls on a daily basis from companies either moving to Detroit or from the suburbs to downtown," Ketai said.

....

Harvard Square Centre, 1346 Broadway St.

Harvard Square Centre, which was previously owned by Detroit real estate investor Dennis Kefallinos, is 51,000 square feet and has sat vacant for years.

Ketai said it hasn't been determined whether the top floors of the 11-story building will become residential or office space, but retail space is anticipated on the first floor.

"It's actually a beautiful building," Ketai said. "It needs some tender love and care. Given its location right across the street from The Z (parking) deck and Punch Bowl Social, the thought was that we want to make sure it gets fixed up and brought back to life."

....

Kefallinos has been investing in Detroit real estate for decades. However, he has been the target of criticism for delayed renovations or improvements to a slew of buildings he owns.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...e-to-portfolio

[The North One]

Surprised he hasn't bought the park avenue building yet.

[animatedmartian]

Came across some aerial photos of Royal Oak. The office building on 11 Mile and hotel on Main Street are well underway.

Office building:










Hyatt Hotel







Source

[deja vu]

Good finds. I woould like to see Royal Oak 'urbanize' even more.

[deja vu]

Second time's the charm, from earlier today:

• Video Link

[Docta_Love]

Good find animated, it's been a while since we've had a Royal Oak update. ^^As for Royal Oak and for that matter Ferndale becoming more "urbanized" I think that with the demand it's only a matter of time. Berkley, Hazel Park & even Madison Heights now are seeing an influx of young professionals because of the lack of affordable housing along the immediate Woodward corridor.

[LMich]

This was always one of my favorite buildings in the city, even when it was rotting away.

Kraemer Design Group

Capitol Park Lofts now open downtown

By Robin Runyin, Curbed Detroit - December 4, 2017

Mark another building in Capitol Park off the renovated checklist. This downtown enclave has seen a resurgence in investment and renovations in recent years, and now the Capitol Park Lofts building at 1145 Griswold is completed.

The $30 million renovation was a partnership between developers Karp and Associates, Prater Development, Kraemer Design Group, and construction manager Buildtech.

The building has a rooftop deck, an updated elevator system, and a pedestrian bridge connecting the seventh-floor corridor to a nearby parking structure.

Steakhouse Prime + Proper recently opened on the first floor, and the second will be used for offices. Residents have already started moving into the building, and more are available.

[Docta_Love]

Originally Posted by LMich

This was always one of my favorite buildings in the city, even when it was rotting away.

Likewise what really made me fond fond of the building beyond its unique design and shape are the views you get looking at it from Woodward & State or looking down Griswald from Capitol Park.

Hamilton Apartments' $12 million rehab kicks off

By KIRK PINHO
Crain's Detroit Business
December 05, 2017


The former Milner Arms apartment building, now called The Hamilton, will have 97 units ranging from studios to two-bedrooms. Renovations are expected to be complete next fall.


-Project expected to be complete in fall 2018
-Units range from 224 to 810 square feet
-Improvements expected to ballroom, individual units, landscaping


.... Among the improvements to the building, now called The Hamilton, are a new ballroom, new flooring and appliances in individual apartments, upgraded landscaping and updating the mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems, a news release says. Renovations are expected to be complete in the fall 2018; preleasing is expected to begin in the spring.

The building at 40 Davenport St., just off Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard west of Woodward Avenue, was purchased last year by an affiliate of Birmingham-based Broder & Sachse Real Estate Services Inc. for $3.3 million, according to city property records. The previous owner was Milner Hotels Inc. and the building was the last Detroit property in the Milner family portfolio.

There are 16 studio apartments ranging from 224 to 293 square feet; 63 one-bedroom units ranging from 430 to 628 square feet; and 18 two-bedroom units ranging from 660 to 810 square feet.

Residents were moved out earlier this year in advance of construction.

"Construction is just the first step in preserving another historic building in the (Midtown) area that has long been home to Detroiters, and we look forward to welcoming residents back home after the necessary fixes are made," Richard Broder, CEO of Broder & Sachse, said in the release.

When the residents move back in (at no cost to them), they will see a one-time 5 percent increase in rent, and will not receive a rent increase of more than 1 percent per year, the company said earlier this year. The average affordable rent in the building is $600 per month.

....

The building was built in 1913 as the Hotel Stevenson. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...ehab-kicks-off

[LMich]

Two photos from a month ago of the renovation and new construction Shinola Hotel on Woodward courtesy of Kraemer Design Group's facebook page.





Specifically, this is the expansion on the back along Farmer. Here is a picture of of the repair of the beautiful terra cotta facade:



And a picture from later in November showing the Shinola renovation and new construction in the background with the roof of The Elliott - under renovation - in the foreground, which Kraemer Design Group also did the redesign for:

[hammersklavier]

W/r/t I-375, it occurs to me the issue is that a boulevard aligned along the Lafayette Park edge yields more difficult properties to redevelop, while one along the downtown edge yields better redevelopment opportunities -- but ones that would seem to need to be scaled to Lafayette Park's density (or lack thereof).

How about making the service drive downtown's western edge, then? That way you have the best of both worlds: easier properties to redevelop and better density. It also offers the opportunity to make the boulevard an urban canyon.