[NYguy]

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in...ans_for_a.html

What we know about plans for a new iconic building in Detroit

By David Muller
March 06, 2015

First things first: Nothing is final.

Local Detroit media made a big deal out of the potential redevelopment of the former Hudson's site Thursday, but with very little actual news, aside from confirming that plans are moving forward.

That's not to knock the fuss, which did in fact prompt Rock Ventures to release what it says is a "more refined conceptual rendering," seen above.

But in releasing the rendering, the company also released a statement, attributed to Quicken Loans founder and Chairman Dan Gilbert, cautioning that the design is "still evolving."

That may be welcome news to some readers, who expressed distaste with the modern, swooping glass structure seen in the rendering.

In any case, here's what we know now about the project:

-Rock Ventures, Gilbert's umbrella company, intends to build something at the site.

-The company has said as much since at least February 2013, when it announced a global design competition. An Italian team won that competition in June of that year.

-The competition was never meant to signal the final design of the Hudson's project, and in November 2013 Rock Ventures enlisted New York City-based SHoP Architects to work with Detroit-based Hamilton Anderson Associates on the final design for the development.

-In February of this year, a series of designs were shown by Gregg Pasquarelli, a principal with SHoP during a lecture at the Southern California Institute of Architecture. In his talk, Pasquarelli doesn't specifically mention Detroit but describes "an American city going through a renaissance" and a client who owns 40-50 buildings in the area with a need for a project to serve as a "catalyst" for the neighborhood.

-Pasquarelli also mentioned museums and an amphitheater going in the building, but the Detroit Free Press reports that the museum idea has since been dropped. (It's worth nothing that Gilbert has, in the past, expressed his desire for some kind of automotive attraction in Detroit).

-Rock Ventures said Thursday it aims for the design and architecture "of a building that will be standing as a one-of-a-kind, destination for current and future generations of Detroiters and visitors alike."

-The company said it plans to announce a final design sometime during this calendar year.

-Construction is tentatively scheduled to be complete in mid-2016.


And here's what we don't know:

-An exact time frame for construction.

-The project's anticipated cost or budget.

-Whether or not the project will use public incentives.

-What the final project design will actually look like.