DETROIT | Hotel Water Square | 302 FT | 25 FLOORS

[X E N O]

The former Joe Louis Arena site on the Detroit River, now called Water Square, is set to welcome a new addition in the form of a 25-story, 600 room hotel. The Developer (Atwater and Second Associates, LLC) which includes Sterling Group as the principal, proposes this new hotel consisting of five (5) podium floors which include a ground floor restaurant, a lobby bar, two ballrooms, 50,000 sq ft of meeting rooms, swimming pool, spa and fitness area. The back-of-house areas will include offices, staff support spaces, and a large kitchen to support the seamless operations behind the scenes. A pedestrian bridge will span over the future 2nd Avenue and provide a direct connection to Huntington Place Convention Center. This important feature will enhance accessibility and convenience for convention-goers and guests alike and allow for truly connected access to the convention center. The hotel tower floors will comprise 20 levels and offer unprecedented views and amenities.

https://detroitmi.gov/departments/pl...l-water-square

[colemonkee]

Detroit is on a roll!!!

[seabee1526]

Looks taller than the also 25 floor residential building, I hope they are not actually the same height.

It’ll be a real boost to convention business.

[DetroitSky]

Originally Posted by isoamazing

Hotel Water Square

https://detroitmi.gov/departments/pl...l-water-square

The former Joe Louis Arena site on the Detroit River, now called Water Square, is set to welcome a new addition in the form of a 25-story, 600 room hotel. The Developer (Atwater and Second Associates, LLC) which includes Sterling Group as the principal, proposes this new hotel consisting of five (5) podium floors which include a ground floor restaurant, a lobby bar, two ballrooms, 50,000 sq ft of meeting rooms, swimming pool, spa and fitness area. The back-of-house areas will include offices, staff support spaces, and a large kitchen to support the seamless operations behind the scenes. A pedestrian bridge will span over the future 2nd Avenue and provide a direct connection to Huntington Place Convention Center. This important feature will enhance accessibility and convenience for convention-goers and guests alike and allow for truly connected access to the convention center. The hotel tower floors will comprise 20 levels and offer unprecedented views and amenities.

Great news, though the design is a little lacking. Looks to be about 400 feet or so. It'll do a lot to help fill in the skyline between the Financial District and Riverfront Towers when viewed from Canada. I wonder if they're still planning on adding an office tower to that site in the future, or if they might instead add a second residential or hotel tower.

[DannyP]

Originally Posted by DetroitSky

Great news, though the design is a little lacking. Looks to be about 400 feet or so. It'll do a lot to help fill in the skyline between the Financial District and Riverfront Towers when viewed from Canada. I wonder if they're still planning on adding an office tower to that site in the future, or if they might instead add a second residential or hotel tower.

I was thinking its going to be its going to be more like 330 -340 feet based on the floors and rendering. Either way it's going to fill a nice gap in the skyline.

While the design is very plainjane, I like how the Sterling group doesn't draw out the process like Bedrock. I have confidence this will actually start mid 2024

[Innsertnamehere]

Why is the floorplate so large for a hotel? what's going on in the middle of the building? Hotel floorplates typically need to be very narrow to fit the hotel rooms (look at all the narrow hotel buildings in Vegas for example).

[VegasMatt]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Why is the floorplate so large for a hotel? what's going on in the middle of the building? Hotel floorplates typically need to be very narrow to fit the hotel rooms (look at all the narrow hotel buildings in Vegas for example).

Hotels with a square foundation like this often have an atrium in the center.

[deja vu]

It could also possibly just be a fatter core, with narrower / deeper rooms in plan. The perspective of the rendering might also make it look chunkier than it really is. Just a guess; I haven't sought out floor plans of this to confirm it.

Regardless, Detroit can stand to have a few more modern, blue-glass boxes. These are a unique-enough phenomenon in Detroit that it still stands out. As opposed to if something like this were built in Chicago, it would be entirely forgettable. There's also a little bit of visual interest happening at the base / ground level.

[DetroitSky]

The upper floors might also have an "L" footprint to give more rooms views of the river. I guess we'll have to wait for more renderings.

[seabee1526]

What are they actually proposing to do with 2nd Ave. down by the riverfront? Somehow connect it to Stevie Y Dr.? I'd like to see some drawings on how they are planning on connecting it all up.

[Velvet_Highground]

Originally Posted by seabee1526

What are they actually proposing to do with 2nd Ave. down by the riverfront? Somehow connect it to Stevie Y Dr.? I'd like to see some drawings on how they are planning on connecting it all up.

“A pedestrian bridge will span over the future 2nd Avenue and provide a direct connection to Huntington Place Convention Center. This important feature will enhance accessibility and convenience for convention-goers and guests alike and allow for truly connected access to the convention center.”

Going by the rendering that appears to be the case. It would seem the loading docks are to be enclosed and or reconfigured as part of a small buildout in the back. This rendering isn’t best tool due to the viewpoint facing away from the meat and potatoes of that part of the project. I’d like to see some sort of draft or renderings there’s so much infrastructure snaking through the area like spaghetti.

It’s hard to imagine exactly what they’re thinking without more context. 2nd can be kept at the height of the current loading dock and have proper clearances for the people mover and Jefferson and the lodge off ramp. I suppose then go down to ground level or a few other configurations. It’s a first step towards a rationalization of the area which isn’t an insignificant project in itself.

[DetroitSky]

Tunnel, Sky Bridge proposed to connect Huntington Place to future hotel

The authority that runs Detroit's Huntington Place convention center has unveiled plans to build a tunnel and Sky Bridge to connect the facility to a future hotel, along with a multi-level parking facility and pedestrian pathways.

The $65-70 million project by the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority and presented to the Detroit Planning Commission during its meeting Thursday would be done in at least two phases and include constructing roadways from Atwater to Congress streets across the Lodge Freeway, while extending Second Avenue to the riverfront to give pedestrians, cyclists and motorists access between properties.

A conceptual site plan also includes building a parking structure that would include 1,000 spaces.

"Where we're at now on this project is we've completed 30% design for the Second Avenue extension across the Lodge Freeway, and we submitted those to Michigan Department of Transportation in November," said Gordon Wilson with Anderson, Eckstein and Westrick, a Shelby Township-based engineering and architectural firm, which presented the conceptual plan on behalf of the convention authority.

[DetroitMan]

More renderings from the community benefits meeting...
watersquare6 by Brandon Dolley, on Flickr

watersquare5 by Brandon Dolley, on Flickr

watersquare4 by Brandon Dolley, on Flickr

watersquare3 by Brandon Dolley, on Flickr

watersquare2 by Brandon Dolley, on Flickr

watersquare1 by Brandon Dolley, on Flickr

[DannyP]

I'm honestly very excited for this project. I think this will have a bigger impact on downtown Detroit than any one project since LCA (Little Caesars Arena). This allows Detroit to realistic compete for mid to large national events. Potential getting Big Ten tournaments and NHL/NBA all star games. Invest Detroit mentioned this will project will drive an additional 100 million dollars of visitor spending in Detroit. I also think its huge for the Riverfront, This will drive another much needed retail/food location on the riverwalk.

-25 Floors, 600 rooms
- 50,000 SF Meeting Space
- 2 restaurants, Lobby Bar and small Cafe/Market
- ~400million investment.
- Reconnect Downtown via 2nd St

Full CBO presentation will additional interior renderings posted here
https://detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm...01.09.2024.pdf

[The-New-Tony-Detroit]

Coming out of my deep-retirement from this forum to ask/hope that there are negotiations happening behind the scenes for a major hotel flag operator to join this project. Adding a Hyatt Regency and/or Hilton flag to what is now a very Marriott/Bonvoy or Casino-centric downtown hotel market (despite the fun and funky newer boutiques) would be great.

I'm also a little sad they aren't aiming for a rooftop element (even if it is a bar and additional meeting/event space). The Detroit skyline, river, and Canada views from the upper floors should be pretty amazing.

[DannyP]

Sterling Group disclosed the building is 302ft in the community benefit documents. Mods please update the title.

"Residences at Water Square is 288’ and the Hotel 302' "

https://detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm..._2.18.2024.pdf

[BrickellBased]

Thanks for sharing - looking forward to watching this progress.

Detroit is starting to realize it's potential. I think it will surprise many people over the next 10 years.

[Innsertnamehere]

This rendering in that PDF shows it as an L-shaped tower which makes a lot more sense:

[DieselXL]

The Hotel being set back further from the water than the residential tower will add a nice layer and depth to the skyline from across the water too. As it stands now with the new tower and the 3 existing river front condo towers already, it was making for a less than desirable " front line " along the river

[seabee1526]

clickondetroit.com/news/local/2024/04/02/new-400m-development-project-set-to-transform-old-joe-louis-arena-to-upscale-hotel/

Downtown Detroit Convention Center Hotelhttp://clickondetroit.com/news/local...upscale-hotel/