Orleans Landing Project

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

Glad to see this is finally moving along. The time between announcement and groundbreaking can be painfully long

[JDKeepsmiling]

Let's stay on task, folks.

Good to hear about the dirt movement.

Asking this forum to stay on task is like asking my 5 year old to stand still... not going to happen.

[Dbest]

I hope this project goes well for McCormack Baron Salazar and they are motivated to take on other projects.

[Bham1982]

Glad to see this is finally moving along. The time between announcement and groundbreaking can be painfully long

The developers need to wrangle tens of millions in subsidies from the sucker taxpayers. The state, which supposedly has no money for roads, is happy to give away buckets of money for "urban redevelopment" projects like hockey stadiums and housing for transients.

I could build and make money on luxury condos in Highland Park or River Rouge or Brightmoor; I just need the state to provide an appropriate subsidy.

[downtownguy]

Orleans Landing is the first new construction of market-rate residential units on the east riverfront in the last quarter-century, according to a news release.

Orleans Landing is just breaking ground, yet Water's Edge in Harbortown is getting close to completion. So, how do they think they're first?

[animatedmartian]

Orleans Landing is just breaking ground, yet Water's Edge in Harbortown is getting close to completion. So, how do they think they're first?

Market rate =/= luxury. Harbortown is considered luxury residential. The difference is that market rate housing typically offers the most basic amenities whereas luxury housing typically includes a number of amenities both in the residential units and as apart of the property.

[mwilbert]

Market rate =/= luxury. Harbortown is considered luxury residential. The difference is that market rate housing typically offers the most basic amenities whereas luxury housing typically includes a number of amenities both in the residential units and as apart of the property.

I don't think so. It is true that "luxury", though often misapplied, means more than average amenities of one kind or another, but "market rate" means that the rent is set by the market, as opposed to housing that has some kind of rent restriction or affordability constraint on it. Most luxury housing is market-rate, but not vice-versa.

[Dbest]

http://www.mlive.com/business/detroi...art_river_home

[illwill]

http://www.mlive.com/business/detroi...art_river_home

Does anyone know of anyone planning to move into these developments?

[mikeg19]

I don;t know why they needed to fill in all the space in the aerial renderings. If you weren't familiar with the project, you'd be under the impression they are building on 40-50 blocks on the riverfront, when in reality it's about five. A bit misleading, but it's kinda cool to see what could be in the future someday.

[Hypestyles]

Does anyone know of anyone planning to move into these developments?

so is there a website where you can submit an application? Or maybe that's coming when the development is closer to being finished?

[det]

Not sure why they are building a 2-3 story complex right on the riverfront....

This is prime space to build a high rise or at least something taller. Who comes up with these ideas? I understand a lower-scale project NOT on the riverfront.

[ndavies]

Not sure why they are building a 2-3 story complex right on the riverfront....

This is prime space to build a high rise or at least something taller. Who comes up with these ideas? I understand a lower-scale project NOT on the riverfront.

By stepping the developments, placing shorter building on the riverfront and taller building behind, You get far more units with water views.

[rondinjp]

Not sure why they are building a 2-3 story complex right on the riverfront....

This is prime space to build a high rise or at least something taller. Who comes up with these ideas? I understand a lower-scale project NOT on the riverfront.

I actually disagree. I actually like that they are doing small 2-3 story buildings near the water with the taller buildings set back further. This is very similar to areas in Boston and New Orleans.

[mikeg19]

Also to consider, the market is not supporting [[but close to) huge new towers on the riverfront. These guys are dumping $65M to build up to 20 new low rise buildings and cover 5 blocks. I'll take the infill over one new 9 story tower that covers an 1/8th of the area. When new construction dictates taller buildings are economically feasible, they will happen.

[southen]

Success of this development will lead to larger and taller projects. I like the urban space they are looking to create, but most of the land being used is for surface parking. Eventually, if things go according to plan, it won't make sense to dedicate so much space to surface parking and you will see denser and more substantial developments. I am hoping this jumpstarts GM and gets them moving on their riverfront plans.

[mikeg19]

I am hoping this jumpstarts GM and gets them moving on their riverfront plans.

Which are what? Lot's of false starts, rumors, mysterious rendering showing massive development on their east riverfront property are about all we know of their plans. I've never seen anything so much as a solid proposal floated by them. Has there ever been an official "this is our plan" stated by GM? Or just the typical "we see retail and housing development taking place"?

[southen]

There have been several renderings for the parcel closest to the promenade but I dont think there has been anything "solid." In the very least they have made their intentions known for the area, it is just a matter of having the will to do it.

[mikeg19]

There have been several renderings for the parcel closest to the promenade but I dont think there has been anything "solid." In the very least they have made their intentions known for the area, it is just a matter of having the will to do it.

Ahhh. Gotcha. I had never seen anything more then a few renderings of potential development. But that as from some time ago.

[animatedmartian]

There have been several renderings for the parcel closest to the promenade but I dont think there has been anything "solid." In the very least they have made their intentions known for the area, it is just a matter of having the will to do it.

They got as far as having financing and developers for the project and pretty much ready to start construction. But you can't really start construction when the entire country falls into recession.

[Mackinaw]

On which project/parcel? I recall renderings. Didn't know it was a-go at any point.

Residential demand downtown is unquestionably higher now than pre-2008, so one would expect to have heard at least an announcement by now. In other words, if they were that close 6-7 years ago, why hasn't it been picked up again?

[animatedmartian]

On which project/parcel? I recall renderings. Didn't know it was a-go at any point.

Residential demand downtown is unquestionably higher now than pre-2008, so one would expect to have heard at least an announcement by now. In other words, if they were that close 6-7 years ago, why hasn't it been picked up again?

What was planned then were condos. Most residential being built now are rentals. Pre-recession, credit was easy and everyone could buy $300K condos even with bad credit. Post-recession, that practice came to a halt and now seemingly only people with near perfect credit or enough cash saved up can buy a condo. Not a good economy for any developer trying to sell condos. There's really only a handful of cities in the country where condo sales are back to pre-recession levels [[Miami, NYC, etc).

Rentals are the safer choice for developers because you generally just depend on month-to-month revenue to cover the costs. The downside is that rent would have to be pretty expensive for Detroit to get the exact same projects [[quality, size, etc.) that were being proposed several years ago. That's not to say GM could still have something built along the waterfront, but it wouldn't likely be the same project from several years ago.

Here is the project GM was supporting:

http://www.renshorecondos.com/district.html

What would have been 'coming soon':

http://www.built-form.net/work/mixed...use/index.html

Press release from 2007:

http://jalopnik.com/270893/gm-buildi...-on-cars-later

[casscorridor]

go to any growing city and you will find dozens if not hundreds of buildings like these under construction or recently built while Detroit struggles to get a small handful of these buildings built, even along the beautiful riverwalk! one day the riverfront will be a very upscale area, and we will look back with confusion as to why it was neglected for so many decades.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

Nice to see that Orleans Landing is indeed humming along.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...ction.php#more

[royce]

Success of this development will lead to larger and taller projects. I like the urban space they are looking to create, but most of the land being used is for surface parking. Eventually, if things go according to plan, it won't make sense to dedicate so much space to surface parking and you will see denser and more substantial developments. I am hoping this jumpstarts GM and gets them moving on their riverfront plans.

GM and the city have a golden opportunity to build some underground parking on all of those surface parking lots before any buildings go up. That would alleviate much of the need for surface parking lots in that area.