Broderick Tower Official Thread

[kryptonite]

Trumpeteer - that is a great pic of the Broderick Tower. Look at those beautiful 2nd story windows. Maybe in the near future they will be back.

[Trumpeteer]

This is the 1st picture of the Flaming Embers I've ever seen. What's really cool is that my Dad used to take me there about the time of this picture [[1961) when I was about 9 - 10 years old and believe me that was a real big deal at that age. Since mt Dad worked for United Trucking on Lonyo and didn't make much at all, even $1.19 was a stretch. After a great steak lunch we'd walk down to the TeleNews for whatever documentary/travelogue was playing. In later high school years I worked at the Madison as an usher with a couple of classmates! Remember that theatre well.l

[midwesthostage]

So this isn't quite centered and a little fuzzy; it was taken on my cell phone a week ago from my apartment.

[gthomas]

I LOVE IT!!!!! Come on David Whitney [[W Hotel/Aloft), get on board.

So this isn't quite centered and a little fuzzy; it was taken on my cell phone a week ago from my apartment.

[agrahlma]

So this isn't quite centered and a little fuzzy; it was taken on my cell phone a week ago from my apartment.

So nice to see lights in the building - can't wait until it is finished!

[DinNC]

Thanks for posting the pics. I read about all this stuff going on, but living out of state I don't get to see it until I visit family. I make it a point of mine to go downtown everytime I visit. I look forward to seeing it in person.

[buckster1986]

Visited a few weekends ago. Here are some photographs I took. If there is anything people would like pictures taken of please email me and I will add to the list for my trips down there:

http://wp.me/p11aZb-qj

Vote for us: http://detroit.blogger.cbslocal.com/...oodward-spine/

[animatedmartian]

I'm surprised you didn't catch them when they had cleaned the facade.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...4555881&type=1

[buckster1986]

Headed down to grab dinner tonight..I'll bring my camera along for some new photos.

[buckster1986]

Took a few quick pictures while I was down there last night. You can see them and some others from last year here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...9065726&type=1

http://woodwardpsine.com

[cramerro]

The cleanliness of the stonework at the top is breathtaking - I can't wait until it's done and they clean the street-level up to - this will be such a gem for the gateway to lower woodward!!

[1953]

Does anyone know at what point windows will go in? Also, does anyone know if they plan to unseal and fill with windows the window wells on the Madison Ave-facing side of the building, above the mural?

1953

[Pcm]

Two thoughts:

1. It may sound backwards, but I preferred the pre-cleaned look of the stone of the Broderick. I know, I know...

2. Considering that the side that faces Comerica Park houses the elevators and will never have windows, I think it would look nice if faux windows were used for symmetry and aesthetics. Otherwise, it's either a reeeeaaallly tall blank wall, a whale mural that doesn't make sense in it's environment, or a big-ass banner ad.

[rjlj]

Two thoughts:

1. It may sound backwards, but I preferred the pre-cleaned look of the stone of the Broderick. I know, I know...

2. Considering that the side that faces Comerica Park houses the elevators and will never have windows, I think it would look nice if faux windows were used for symmetry and aesthetics. Otherwise, it's either a reeeeaaallly tall blank wall, a whale mural that doesn't make sense in it's environment, or a big-ass banner ad.

Incorrect, There are 4 windows per floor on the Whale wall side of the building[[with a few exceptions) that will be replaced. Just check the floor plans of the website.

[Gistok]

Two thoughts:

1. It may sound backwards, but I preferred the pre-cleaned look of the stone of the Broderick. I know, I know...

Then you would have loved lower Woodward 25 years ago... all the buildings were covered in soot and grime...

The cleanup of the building show will show it in its' original state... although the top of the building had one of those ulgy rehap done in the mid 20th century, where the "Chippendale Highboy" type top decoration, and the cornice along the top were removed. KDG said that they are not being replaced... too bad...

[1953]

Snapped a shot of the Broderick cleaning project today at lunch; see it here:

http://bit.ly/nmyty8

1953

[andrew.w]

I'm thinking that the exposed brick at the top of the building should be painted. Now that the building has been cleaned, it's so much darker than the rest of the finished materials.

At one point I though it would be nice to face the top of the building in a much simpler cast stone or reinforced fiberglass design just to make it look finished. But I think it would be much better to leave it as it is so that the cornice could be restored in a later project when funds become available, rather than do something that would be hard to reverse.

[rjlj]

I'm thinking that the exposed brick at the top of the building should be painted. Now that the building has been cleaned, it's so much darker than the rest of the finished materials.

At one point I though it would be nice to face the top of the building in a much simpler cast stone or reinforced fiberglass design just to make it look finished. But I think it would be much better to leave it as it is so that the cornice could be restored in a later project when funds become available, rather than do something that would be hard to reverse.

Brick and stone should never be painted.

[andrew.w]

Okay, from an integrity standpoint, painting the brick could be bad for it's longevity. But from an aesthetics standpoint I think we could make an exception here. The brick that is visible at the top of the tower is either a bad patch, or part of the wall which was never meant to be seen. Also, it's not like you can really appreciate the qualities of brick 400 ft in the air anyway. Either way, I think the dark stripe at the top is distracting from the beauty of the rest of the tower, and it would have been nice for the architect or developer to at least devise something to make it look better.

And some brick and stone really is meant to be painted. Think of the White House and the oldest part of the Capitol Building. Both have been painted since their construction because the sandstone out of which they are built is too soft to face the elements by itself. [[Imagine they would also be a shade of medium brown if not painted). Also some brick buildings, particularly from around the time of the civil war, are really soft and must also be continuously maintained with a good protective coat of paint.

Not that I advocate building new buildings out of paint grade brick, just noting a fact about some historic buildings which were painted by design.

[agrahlma]

A few pics from my loft...

[stromberg2]

They really got to finish off the top.

Stromberg2

[drjeff]

Are they going to un-brick the covered windows?

[esp1986]

Are they going to un-brick the covered windows?

Actually, those were never windows... That's the elevator shaft. I believe there are three elevators on that side that will serve the residential part of the building. The south side also has one or two elevators that will service the commercial part of the building.

[Rocko]

If you ride by on the People Mover in the late evening [[6:30-7:30pm) the sun very nicely lights up the interior floors at DPM level allowing you a brief glimpse of the interior. It was cool to see an old Jeweler's painted wall advertisements still visible. Not a bad deal for the 50 cent fare!

[mikeg19]

Actually, those were never windows... That's the elevator shaft. I believe there are three elevators on that side that will serve the residential part of the building. The south side also has one or two elevators that will service the commercial part of the building.

Thank you for shedding light onto that. I've always wondered why they would brick off those gorgeous views. Now it makes sense because the elevators are there!