David Whitney Building Renovation [Now Open for Business]

**Flintoid** · April-27-13, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by AGinthe313

Has there been any recent developments or news on the Capitol Park project [[Farwell, United Way Building, etc.)?

I have a buddy working for the development company doing this project and they plan to start construction in June.

**Eber Brock Ward** · September-25-13, 09:05 AM

Thanks for the pics Lowell. And...

Originally Posted by Flintoid

I have a buddy working for the development company doing this project and they plan to start construction in June.

Can we just assume that these buildings are stalled or dead at this point? June passed almost three months ago.

**rjlj** · September-25-13, 09:25 AM

Stalled or dead my ass. Do you think the pictures of people on scaffolding from yesterday was doctored? You don't see a giant trash chute on the side of the building. Demo work needs to happen before construction can start. I am pretty sure a lot of the soft work had to be completed and paid for once the financing was closed. Financing closed in March of this year, do you think all the materials, workers, equipment were on hand that same day? Do you think the people in charge of the project have not worked every day on this project since they purchased the property in 2011? Hundreds of hours of work happens before hammer hits nail on any project like this. Normal course of action.

**401don** · September-25-13, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by rjlj

Stalled or dead my ass. Do you think the pictures of people on scaffolding from yesterday was doctored? You don't see a giant trash chute on the side of the building. Demo work needs to happen before construction can start. I am pretty sure a lot of the soft work had to be completed and paid for once the financing was closed. Financing closed in March of this year, do you think all the materials, workers, equipment were on hand that same day? Do you think the people in charge of the project have not worked every day on this project since they purchased the property in 2011? Hundreds of hours of work happens before hammer hits nail on any project like this. Normal course of action.

They are referring to the Capitol Park project.

**stinkytofu** · September-25-13, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by rjlj

Stalled or dead my ass. Do you think the pictures of people on scaffolding from yesterday was doctored? You don't see a giant trash chute on the side of the building. Demo work needs to happen before construction can start. I am pretty sure a lot of the soft work had to be completed and paid for once the financing was closed. Financing closed in March of this year, do you think all the materials, workers, equipment were on hand that same day? Do you think the people in charge of the project have not worked every day on this project since they purchased the property in 2011? Hundreds of hours of work happens before hammer hits nail on any project like this. Normal course of action.

I'm sorry, but I always chuckle when someone gets all angry on here despite completely misinterpreting what another person said.

**AuburnSpeedster** · April-27-13, 02:36 PM

It's great to finally see signs that work is starting!!

**French777** · April-27-13, 03:19 PM

They went up this week, and with them blocking off a lane of traffic on Washington Blvd. Hopefully, we'll see some serious work begin soon!

**Lowell** · September-24-13, 02:10 PM

Update Images:
September 24, 2013
Repair of Exterior Brickwork Proceeds:

**mikeg19** · September-25-13, 06:40 AM

Is the interior work simultaneously going on, or are they just working on the outside at this point? I haven't seen/heard anything regarding that as of yet. Anyone have any details on that?

**restoretheroar** · September-25-13, 01:33 PM

still no exterior lighting on the Broderick as promised.

**stinkytofu** · September-25-13, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by restoretheroar

still no exterior lighting on the Broderick as promised.

Hate to say it, but the Broderick is a disappointment. No exterior lighting, the south side was never power washed, the fake wall on Woodward that should be office/retail space, the restaurants seemingly in endless purgatory...and the interior is honestly quite cheap/dated looking. I'm thrilled it's an occupied building, but disappointed in the end product.

**mikeg19** · September-26-13, 06:35 AM

Originally Posted by stinkytofu

Hate to say it, but the Broderick is a disappointment. No exterior lighting, the south side was never power washed, the fake wall on Woodward that should be office/retail space, the restaurants seemingly in endless purgatory...and the interior is honestly quite cheap/dated looking. I'm thrilled it's an occupied building, but disappointed in the end product.

Agreed to some extent. I haven't seen the interior so I don't know, but the promised restaurants and commercial space on the lower levels should have been occupied by now. With the buying frenzy going on down there, you'd have thought that they couldn't wait to get those spaces opened up to bring in excess income. The exterior lighting I'm not as worried about, but I would like to see it happen sooner than later. Any kind of accent lighting to bring out a buildings features, IMO, makes it look so much better. I'm hoping they have plants to use it on the Whitney when it's finished as well.

**DetroitPlanner** · September-26-13, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

Agreed to some extent. I haven't seen the interior so I don't know, but the promised restaurants and commercial space on the lower levels should have been occupied by now. With the buying frenzy going on down there, you'd have thought that they couldn't wait to get those spaces opened up to bring in excess income. The exterior lighting I'm not as worried about, but I would like to see it happen sooner than later. Any kind of accent lighting to bring out a buildings features, IMO, makes it look so much better. I'm hoping they have plants to use it on the Whitney when it's finished as well.

Automation Alley is moving into much of the vacant commercial space.
http://www.automationalley.com/a2_nw...000000FBwUWEA1

**Eber Brock Ward** · September-26-13, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Automation Alley is moving into much of the vacant commercial space.
http://www.automationalley.com/a2_nw...000000FBwUWEA1

Yup, and Grand Circus just moved into another 15,000 square feet of space:
http://www.modeldmedia.com/devnews/g...ckopening.aspx

**hortonz** · September-26-13, 06:59 AM

Originally Posted by stinkytofu

Hate to say it, but the Broderick is a disappointment. No exterior lighting, the south side was never power washed, the fake wall on Woodward that should be office/retail space, the restaurants seemingly in endless purgatory...and the interior is honestly quite cheap/dated looking. I'm thrilled it's an occupied building, but disappointed in the end product.

Another typical Detroit naysayer turning a positive development into a negative commentary on the city. Heck I am jealous when I look at all the great new developments going on in the D and compare them to the complete lack of new investment happening in downtown Windsor, unless you call that multi-million dollar white elephant going up next to the art gallery a positive development. In which case you'd be as big of an idiot as our mayor and city council.

**stinkytofu** · September-26-13, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by hortonz

Another typical Detroit naysayer turning a positive development into a negative commentary on the city.

You are so ignorant. I'm about as much of a Detroit cheerleader as possible, but felt the need to mention my constructive criticism of this particular development as the end product has a lot more potential than is currently being displayed. Most of my disappointment is quite fixable. Get a clue, chief.

**cramerro** · September-25-13, 01:40 PM

To clarify, there IS a giant trash chute [[on the Whitney). It's on the right edge of Lowell's last update picture... like a terra cotta red color. I know it is in use... when I went and watched TF4 filming a few days during lunch, there would be giant rumbles like explosions, when there was no action going on [[it was batches of materials being thrown 20 floors down the metal chute, about 1/2 block away). They also were doing some MAJOR excavation on the Washington Blvd side in June-July, down several floors worth in the sidewalk, probably a 20x20 foot hole. Not sure what for, but it was more than just removing some bricks.

**Lowell** · September-26-13, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by cramerro

To clarify, there IS a giant trash chute [[on the Whitney). It's on the right edge of Lowell's last update picture... like a terra cotta red color. I know it is in use... when I went and watched TF4 filming a few days during lunch, there would be giant rumbles like explosions, when there was no action going on [[it was batches of materials being thrown 20 floors down the metal chute, about 1/2 block away). They also were doing some MAJOR excavation on the Washington Blvd side in June-July, down several floors worth in the sidewalk, probably a 20x20 foot hole. Not sure what for, but it was more than just removing some bricks.

Workers at the Whitney have been permitted to park on the Statler footprint which was left cleanly gravel paved and fenced following demolition of the Transformers 4 set. To give you an idea of the scale of the effort, there has to be 50-60 cars parked there daily.

As mentioned by Cramerro the rumble of debris going down the metal chute as been almost non stop for several weeks. Worker have been abundantly visible on, in and atop the structure. This IS happening.

**royce** · September-25-13, 07:05 PM

So, what are they going to put up on the outside of the Whitney if they are currently removing bricks, new bricks or granite? Seems like returning the building to its pre-modernization look is a grandiose plan, but an unnecessary
cost. Well, if they've got the money to do it, then who am I took question things.

**davewindsor** · September-25-13, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by royce

So, what are they going to put up on the outside of the Whitney if they are currently removing bricks, new bricks or granite? Seems like returning the building to its pre-modernization look is a grandiose plan, but an unnecessary
cost. Well, if they've got the money to do it, then who am I took question things.

Of course it will be the original look. Large buildings like this don't get rehabbed in this city without government subsidies, grants and tax abatements. If they don't keep the facade as close to original as realistically possible, what's their basis to get all that free government money.

BTW, they've already received $8.5m in state grants for restoring it back in January on a building the Roxbury group bought for $3.3m. http://www.freep.com/article/20130123/BUSINESS/130123093/Whitney-Building-gets-8-5M-in-state-grants-for-renovation?odyssey=nav|head

**rjlj** · September-25-13, 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by royce

So, what are they going to put up on the outside of the Whitney if they are currently removing bricks, new bricks or granite? Seems like returning the building to its pre-modernization look is a grandiose plan, but an unnecessary
cost. Well, if they've got the money to do it, then who am I took question things.

Here is a rendering, this should work.

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**Gistok** · September-25-13, 08:28 PM

From the look on the right.... to the look on the left...

http://www.historicdetroit.org/galle...ing-artifacts/

**Gistok** · September-25-13, 09:54 PM

The link doesn't work rjlj...

**stinkytofu** · September-26-13, 11:43 AM

I've always been hopeful that the ground floor restaurants...Le Cave and Broderick Grill?...would also have some outdoor seating along Woodward. I really hope that happens.

**Eber Brock Ward** · September-26-13, 01:57 PM

Okay, but anything on Cap Park or can we assume that's dead?

I was looking forward to that three-for more than any other project, what with the new Gilbert one and the place where the seniors got a year's notice, my fav place in the city would come further back to life in a major way.