Plans unveiled for $650M Red Wings arena, entertainment district in Detroit

[Trumpeteer]

So conservative, GOP dominated Cobb Co.
will provide massive tax dollars for a stadium and 60 acres the Braves will own. Sounds like a great trickle up of the publics money once again.

Braves will buy the 60 acres. Now go worry about your own problems out left.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

Braves will buy the 60 acres. Now go worry about your own problems out left.

So what? That only means that tax dollars are all being funneled into the stadium. Its still a massive transfer of tax money to the wealthy owners. But that's fiscal prudence.....

If I buy a lot out there perhaps you can convince the county to pay for half of a McMansion for me? Think of the construction jobs...

[mikeg19]

We could find out today if the plan is finalized. City council would then vote in the next couple of weeks. If that goes through, I wonder how much time until shovels are in the ground?

http://www.freep.com/article/2013121...SS06/312120138

[rb336]

We could find out today if the plan is finalized. City council would then vote in the next couple of weeks. If that goes through, I wonder how much time until shovels are in the ground?

http://www.freep.com/article/2013121...SS06/312120138

My bet is by July

[Gistok]

As we can see by the map overlay...
http://www.freep.com/article/2013121...SS06/312120138

...the 13 story Eddystone and Army Harbor Lights buildings are really only peripherally on the arena footprint. It would probably be too much to ask of the Ilitch's for saving these 2 Louis Kamper designed historic buildings for use as the residential component of their development. Just like the Wolverine Hotel in the Comerica Park development came down for a parking lot, the Ilitch's track record for their scorched earth policy of redevelopment speaks for itself....

However... both the Eddystone and Army Harbor Lights buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places... so any development that involves tearing them down must first go thru a process. Also historic tax credits are available for restoration of buildings on the National Register. But I'm not holding my breath for the Ilitch's to restore these beauties.

The Eddystone was going to be restored as residences [[development to be called the Carleton) until the housing meltdown, and then Ilitch bought the building. Plans were also being developed for the Army Harbor Lights Building.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ed...telDetroit.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pa...telDetroit.jpg

It would be a terrible shame to lose these however... at 13 stories each, losing these historic beauties, would mean more high rise density would be lost in midtown...

[rb336]

I'm kind of hopeful regarding the Eddystone and Park Avenue buildings. I think that, if it would expedite the new construction AND get Olympia Development the tax credits, it would not only be the right thing to do but it would be a better business move to restore them

[innercitydoc]

The Eddystone was going to be restored as residences [[development to be called the Carleton) until the housing meltdown, and then Ilitch bought the building. Plans were also being developed for the Army Harbor Lights Building.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ed...telDetroit.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pa...telDetroit.jpg

The Eddystone was never going to be called the Carlton because the Carlton is a completed renovation that is in Brush Park. That's just an advertizement hanging on the building. I think had renovations took place it would have been called....The Eddystone. On another note, both buildings are coming down when the arena gets built. Mark my words.

[Gistok]

Thanks for the heads up on the Carlton...

I share your pessimism over the Eddystone and Harbor Lights buildings...

[Johnny Detroit]

Coming at 4:15pm

http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/wayne_county/Big-announcement-coming-on-multi-million-dollar-hockey-entertainment-development-in-Detroit

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

So was there a "Big" announcement?

[detroitpride313]

Here was the announcement:

http://www.freep.com/article/2013121...oe-Louis-Arena

[rb336]

I have a RADICAL idea for the new arena. Have a tier of seats right behind the glass, say ten rows or so as general admission seats, NOT season tickets. have the expensive boxes above those. Get the real fans down front instead of the fat cats who don't really give a damn, make it look better on TV

[stasu1213]

The residents of detroit should not have to support the stadium with our tax dollars. The land should be given to Illitch and let him use his own money to fund it

[KJ5]

Amen to the last 2 posts.

[wolverine]

I have a RADICAL idea for the new arena. Have a tier of seats right behind the glass, say ten rows or so as general admission seats, NOT season tickets. have the expensive boxes above those. Get the real fans down front instead of the fat cats who don't really give a damn, make it look better on TV

I like that idea.

[Gistok]

Isn't it a little late to be giving Ilitch land that he already spent the last 10 years buying up??

[ghettopalmetto]

George "Demolition" Jackson was the lead negotiator on this deal? I can only imagine how that went down:

"Hey, Mike! Good buddy! How much would you like this time? Are you sure we can't give more? It is the Christmas season after all *wink wink*. You let me know if you need any more buildings knocked out of the way.

[[Bows graciously, exeunt).

[ThosWolfe]

Why not put the arena right on top of 375? Ilich don't own the air rights, does he?

[Novine]

Ilitch is promising $200 million in "new development". How much of that will be for parking garages?

[Novine]

The rubberstamps at the DDA voted for a plan that would expand the amount of tax revenue they can funnel to Ilitch at the expense of neighborhood services? What a shock.

[313WX]

It's a shame that this won't go behind the Fox Theatre. So much potential there.

[Gistok]

It's a shame that this won't go behind the Fox Theatre. So much potential there.

I agree 100%... but when you have 3 landowners who are not budging, it is just not possible...

[ghettopalmetto]

Ilitch is promising $200 million in "new development". How much of that will be for parking garages?

Is he counting demolition costs in that number?

[Novine]

I'm sure "Demolition" Jackson counts that as "new development".

[WaCoTS]

...aaaaand here comes the demolition talk already:
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20131213/NEWS/131219910/state-would-demolish-joe-louis-under-plan-for-new-hockey-arena
...state-funded, of course.