Yes, this is a very intelligently designed large project. It, wisely, takes all of the other sports and entertainment venues and connects [[to) them. It integrates housing, retail, office, etc. as part of a 'master plan' to build out from downtown and connect more fully with Midtown.

I have mentioned on the Brewster / Wheeler project that we are seeing some real 'green shoots' for housing east of Woodward. There are at least two announced significant housing developments and the rumored hotel [[near Ford Field).

As such, all of what Ilitch is doing makes PERFECT sense as to what that area north of Fisher [[West of Woodward) needs:

Something very, very large. It literally defines that area as entertainment/commercial and leaves the East of Woodward as residential.

How this is 'smart' development and even the successful Verizon Center and Nationals Park, were not.

Verizon Center used to be a parking lot and haven for drug dealers. Up go the Verizon Center and is spurs development.

Nationals Park area was worse. Out of sight, out of mind strip clubs, chop shops, light industrial etc. All of a sudden market forces seeing the blight removed [[for the stadium) and they buy up property like crazy and start building housing and commercial office space.

Where the arena project is SMART DEVELOPMENT is that it isn't willy nilly [[sp) development. All of the pieces integrate into what is already existing south of the Fisher and what is to be near the arena.