Quicken Data Center in Corktown

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · May-20-14, 10:02 PM

If I were gay, I would gladly marry Dan Gilbert. Oh, wait a minute...

**mikeg19** · May-21-14, 10:27 AM

I can't believe there is this much scrutiny over a data center....

**Scottathew** · May-21-14, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

I can't believe there is this much scrutiny over a data center....

But the data center is located in an industrial area that USED to be a residential neighborhood.

Therefore the data center should look like a house, be right at the street, have no parking, and will preferably also have first floor retail along with apartments or condos.

Unless these conditions are met, I reject this investment in Detroit. I'd much rather this be built in an industrial area in the suburbs.

**ABetterDetroit** · May-21-14, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

I can't believe there is this much scrutiny over a data center....

I can't believe it either... It's like "You build it just like I think you should or take your tax paying employes and the money you would pay in property taxes and get the hell outa here!"

**emu steve** · May-21-14, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by ABetterDetroit

I can't believe it either... It's like "You build it just like I think you should or take your tax paying employes and the money you would pay in property taxes and get the hell outa here!"

Where I used to work [[a federal department - headquarters) our data center was in a one stop light town in W. Va.

Data centers are total functional. Don't need Starbucks next door.

**Detroitnerd** · May-21-14, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by ABetterDetroit

I can't believe it either... It's like "You build it just like I think you should or take your tax paying employes and the money you would pay in property taxes and get the hell outa here!"

Yeah, um, that's a total caricature of what's going on here. People are offering critiques of the architecture. Naturally, there is a contingent in town that is "speak no evil" when it comes to investment; and they think that any criticism of anything means: We don't want your investment. That's reductive idiocy, OK? Really, all you're trying to do is silence people who make you uncomfortable, not look at the actual criticisms.

Sam Frankel, for instance, fought with the city of Troy for DECADES over his plans for Somerset. He would come up with his plan, Troy would reject it or request modifications, and Frankel would push back, and Troy would rebuff him. This went on for years and years.

And nobody ever shrieked at the mayor of Troy: "You're all like, 'You build it just like I think you should or take your tax paying employes and the money you would pay in property taxes and get the hell outa here!'"

Citizens, communities, and cities all should have some say in what's built in their backyards ... whether in Troy or Corktown ...

**Armin** · May-21-14, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by 48307

But the data center is located in an industrial area that USED to be a residential neighborhood.

Therefore the data center should look like a house, be right at the street, have no parking, and will preferably also have first floor retail along with apartments or condos.

Unless these conditions are met, I reject this investment in Detroit. I'd much rather this be built in an industrial area in the suburbs.

Honestly, WTF is your point that it USED to be a residential area? How long ago was that..30 years? 50 years? 80 years? I honestly dont know, but it wasnt recent and it doesnt matter. That land also USED to be a farm, and it USED to be wilderness before that.

**Detroitnerd** · May-21-14, 12:39 PM

Well, you know ... this neighborhood has a long history of land being contested between residents and businesses. Like a lot of Detroit neighborhoods. And it would seem that's part of this discussion. Forest, farm, not so much though ...

**Scottathew** · May-21-14, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by Armin

Honestly, WTF is your point that it USED to be a residential area? How long ago was that..30 years? 50 years? 80 years? I honestly dont know, but it wasnt recent and it doesnt matter. That land also USED to be a farm, and it USED to be wilderness before that.

Sorry, I should have used my [sarcasm] tags.

**Detroitnerd** · May-21-14, 01:36 PM

I reject all investment in Detroit that doesn't involve ponies ...

**Armin** · May-21-14, 02:07 PM

oh...then that was actually pretty funny.

Originally Posted by 48307

Sorry, I should have used my [sarcasm] tags.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · May-21-14, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Yeah, um, that's a total caricature of what's going on here. People are offering critiques of the architecture. Naturally, there is a contingent in town that is "speak no evil" when it comes to investment; and they think that any criticism of anything means: We don't want your investment. That's reductive idiocy, OK? Really, all you're trying to do is silence people who make you uncomfortable, not look at the actual criticisms.

Sam Frankel, for instance, fought with the city of Troy for DECADES over his plans for Somerset. He would come up with his plan, Troy would reject it or request modifications, and Frankel would push back, and Troy would rebuff him. This went on for years and years.

And nobody ever shrieked at the mayor of Troy: "You're all like, 'You build it just like I think you should or take your tax paying employes and the money you would pay in property taxes and get the hell outa here!'"

Citizens, communities, and cities all should have some say in what's built in their backyards ... whether in Troy or Corktown ...

I think some are reacting to the "critique of the architecture". Its a data center, in what is now an industrial area. It is what it is. For a data center it probably looks better than a lot of others. IMHO, it looks a lot nicer that what it replaced, which was no gem.

**rb336** · May-21-14, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by DetroiterOnTheWestCoast

I think some are reacting to the "critique of the architecture". Its a data center, in what is now an industrial area. It is what it is. For a data center it probably looks better than a lot of others. IMHO, it looks a lot nicer that what it replaced, which was no gem.

That is absolutely true. it will be relatively inexpensive to build, but more importantly, relatively inexpensive to cool

**Scottathew** · May-21-14, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

I reject all investment in Detroit that doesn't involve ponies ...

I attended the most suburban thing possible last weekend... The twins behind me had a 5-year birthday party. They had a bounce house, full petting zoo, and pony rides right in there backyard.

They did not have ponies in south Warren, where I came from.

**ABetterDetroit** · May-21-14, 06:12 PM

When following the news lately and just looking around it is proving that the scales are tipping in Detroits favor, and when the jobs, investment and residents continue to come there will be a HUGE amount of change. All the peeps who like how everything is right now, 5 years ago or 30, 50, 100 years ago, it doesn't matter they are going to be really unhappy. The present pays a honor to the past, but that's about it. For the city to finally accept that fact is going to be the best fucking thing that ever happened here. The kicking and screaming has only just begun.

**detmsp** · May-22-14, 01:23 AM

Originally Posted by DetroiterOnTheWestCoast

For a data center it probably looks better than a lot of others.

THIS. Like I said before, this places is actually going to have windows! That's not something you see on most data centers.

**Scottathew** · May-22-14, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by detmsp

THIS. Like I said before, this places is actually going to have windows! That's not something you see on most data centers.

But what if the windows allow DYes posters to be able to see the color choices used inside!?!?

**jt1** · May-22-14, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by 48307

They did not have ponies in south Warren, where I came from.

Well, I am glad that your move has finally proven that you and your family are truly better than the people living in South Warren. Congratulations.

**jt1** · May-22-14, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by 48307

But what if the windows allow DYes posters to be able to see the color choices used inside!?!?

If the choices are chosen by Gilbert's wife like some of his downtown offices it may be better if the windows are heavily tinted.

**Islandman** · May-22-14, 01:18 PM

I can't believe they are thinking of putting up any windows in any data center. That may keep a lot of companies from leasing space. Auburn hills has a few very large data centers that service Chrysler, EDS, Visa, MC, etc. Also had several Cray supercomputers and a NOC that looks like the war room in War Games, plus armed guards that are very visible. I used to hate having to go out there, but I was the closest employee. These data centers are taking what would be some prime real estate in the hidden valleys off of Squirrel Road.

**Spartan** · May-22-14, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by Islandman

I can't believe they are thinking of putting up any windows in any data center. That may keep a lot of companies from leasing space. Auburn hills has a few very large data centers that service Chrysler, EDS, Visa, MC, etc. Also had several Cray supercomputers and a NOC that looks like the war room in War Games, plus armed guards that are very visible. I used to hate having to go out there, but I was the closest employee. These data centers are taking what would be some prime real estate in the hidden valleys off of Squirrel Road.

If I had to guess, the servers aren't just hanging out along the windows. The windows are probably in offices and hallways, not the server farms themselves.

**mwilbert** · May-22-14, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by Spartan

If I had to guess, the servers aren't just hanging out along the windows. The windows are probably in offices and hallways, not the server farms themselves.

Yes. The article says the space is 66000 sq ft, but the two server rooms are only 10,000 sq ft each. That leaves a lot of other space that needs windows. I strongly suspect that the server rooms themselves will not have windows; I've seen a lot of server rooms with windows [[often covered up in some way), but not in purpose-built space.

**Hypestyles** · May-23-14, 08:04 AM

... so what's the controversy with windows? Does this place plan to have air conditioning? Almost the only other window-free businesses I hear about are casinos and topless bars...

**detmsp** · May-23-14, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

... so what's the controversy with windows? Does this place plan to have air conditioning? Almost the only other window-free businesses I hear about are casinos and topless bars...

LOL it will likely have one of the most powerful air conditioning systems in the city. Your computer gets hot when you use it right? Now imagine a room with thousands upon thousands of computers.

**Gorath** · May-24-14, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

... so what's the controversy with windows? Does this place plan to have air conditioning? Almost the only other window-free businesses I hear about are casinos and topless bars...

The lack of windows is because data centers are built like bunkers. I'll be designed to survive a direct hit from an F5 tornado. Well, not necessarily the whole building, but at a minimum the rooms that the servers are located.

In addition to being one of the most heavily air conditioned buildings in the city it will also be one of the most fireproof.