Deconstruction at Woodward + Warren

**Rocko** · July-06-10, 09:54 PM

Of the middle building?

It look as thought they plan on saving the facade of the building, at least the first floor facade. That's alright with me, I kinda like the plain arches.

**Gistok** · July-07-10, 12:10 AM

Thanks for the nice early 20th century image of the Albert Kahn designed Goodrich Building. Now compare the side view of that old image with the way the side of the building looks today.... Notice that the arches aren't all the same size?? [[sorry I don't have an image available...)

In the mid 1930s widening of Woodward, it looks like they took out a part of the building parallel to Woodward, and moved the facade back.

**casscorridor** · July-07-10, 03:34 PM

can anyone confirm exactly what the plans are for those blocks??

I do remember seeing a master plan with that corner as a park!!! I remember being disgusted, like are they insane? Why not turn the lawn in front of the Rackham Memorial or the DIA or the DPL into a park? We need urban fabric!!! Another park is not what we need when the ones we have are barely used [[pocket park next to Hillberry, pocket park next to the Welcome Center). Not to mention a lot of the lawns inside the main campus are empty most of the time.

But I have also heard from multiple people about a conference center/hotel plan which would be far superior to a lame, empty park.

I also heard that all the buildings along West Warren up to the strip with Marwill will be destroyed. Not sure why, as those buildings look perfectly fine. Also, not sure how Subway will work into this plan. It seems to be the only place open on that entire corner.

**wolverine** · July-07-10, 04:06 PM

Just opened up the 2020 master plan. It shows the Goodrich building remaining with some new proposed buildings on the other side. Buildings on Hancock will remain as well. It does not show any green space for this block. Areas for future green space are clearly defined in the plan.

**Gsgeorge** · July-07-10, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by wolverine

Just opened up the 2020 master plan. It shows the Goodrich building remaining with some new proposed buildings on the other side. Buildings on Hancock will remain as well. It does not show any green space for this block. Areas for future green space are clearly defined in the plan.

Thanks for the tip. A quick Google search revealed:

http://www.facilities.wayne.edu/mp/2020mp.htm

**theDonmymind** · July-07-10, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by kathy2trips

WSU Publishing could move into a steel and glass crackerbox a heartbeat. That's not too comforting. The fact that this is a Albert Kahn structure is more of a relief, as his work has considerably more support for preservation than most architects. This photo was from the 1918 AIA Architectural Record, so that building is at least that old.

More to that building that just the WSU publishing. The DDI [[Developmental Disabilities Institute) occupies a portion of the building, and the remainder is fully filled by psychology research space. These spaces would be fairly difficult to move in any quick way, and are still actively used, so no worries on that building coming down, at least in the near future.
In regards to the structural stability of the buildings being torn down currently, they may have been worse than appeared. The Simons building [[formerly goodrich) had an issue last year with parts of the ceiling falling in - the issue [[as told by the workers) was that when woodward was widened, part of the front of the building was chopped off. This led to the roof drainage being constructed poorly when rebuilt post-widening, and the problem had never been noticed. It might be that the same issue affected the other buildings, and without them being very occupied in the last 6-10 years, could have gotten fairly bad.
I too had heard the hotel/conference center idea. I had heard that it is the eventual plan, given how many conferences and people the school bring in that they house at the inn on ferry or st. regis, but they were waiting until the economy improves to move forward. All rumor mill, but seems to be a fairly wide rumor.
From the board of governors website for wayne, and what has been said to those working in the Simon's building, all of the Woodward facing part of the block, minus Simon's will be gone. Subway is staying, but just for a few more years until lease is up. The old English and Psychology buildings will be demoed, but all of the one story section where the potato place, marwells etc. will be kept, as will the former christian science reading room, blimpies, the apartment building next to blimpies, and the old aclu building.

**kathy2trips** · July-08-10, 01:54 AM

Originally Posted by theDonmymind

....when woodward was widened, part of the front of the building was chopped off........but all of the one story section where the potato place, marwells etc. will be kept, as will the former christian science reading room, blimpies, the apartment building next to blimpies, and the old aclu building.

Hey! Just like Gistok said! Reminding us that not everything vintage was necessarily built, or in this case repaired, correctly. They should be able to afford to fix that..I just sent my alumni dues in.

If you're a mid-century fan and into the circa 1961 [[former) Christian Science Reading Room, the other thread that's discussing this is the Cass/Warren construction thread, here: http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthread.php?t=6169

In all honesty, it's a lovely early 60s novelty building, but miserably out of place where it is. It wouldn't be to hard to relocate it, it's so small.

And...what's the address of the "old ACLU" building? I'm not sure I know which one you mean.

**theDonmymind** · July-08-10, 01:50 PM

Yea - comparing the old picture of Simon's [[goodrich) with current ones, it looks like about 4 "arches" worth of building got chopped in the widening - pretty substantial!
Here is a bing link via tinyurl - hopefully it works correctly - to the former aclu building, prior to their move down woodward by the fine arts:
http://tinyurl.com/2e2xsa4
Heading down Hancock further towards cass, the gray building - the former WSU public safety building - is already gone as well with the lot filled in and leveled.

**kathy2trips** · July-08-10, 08:42 PM

Comparing a Google map image @ 40 W. Hancock and the 1918 AIA photo, you can see the Goodrich Tire Building went from 10 equal arches to 7 and a little strip after the first two.

I've read about "surgery" being performed on old buildings more than once back then, in Detroit and elsewhere. Slicing off part of a building built today...not gonna happen. Good bones on that one.

**Gistok** · July-08-10, 11:50 PM

Kathy, one of the most dramatic building changes during the 1930s Woodward widening program was the 1915 [[C. Howard Crane) built Majestic Theatre. It originally had a Venetian Gothic front [[1st image), then when they lopped off the front and lobby, it went to a jazzy Art Deco look [[2nd pic), but today suffers from a further rehab and removal of the theatre marquee [[3rd pic)... although the colorful metal panels are still intact....

In the 30s when they widened Woodward, from downtown [[Grand Circus Park) until the Garfield Building in midtown the widening required a face-ectomy on buildings on the east side of Woodward. But since the Garfield Building was where the planners for the Woodward widening had their home offices, that building was spared and the widening curved to take its' toll on the buildings on the west side of Woodward.

**Zacha341** · July-09-10, 02:24 AM

Wonderful shots. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Gistok

Kathy, one of the most dramatic building changes during the 1930s Woodward widening program was the 1915 [[C. Howard Crane) built Majestic Theatre. It originally had a Venetian Gothic front [[1st image), then when they lopped off the front and lobby, it went to a jazzy Art Deco look [[2nd pic), but today suffers from a further rehab and removal of the theatre marquee [[3rd pic)... although the colorful metal panels are still intact....

In the 30s when they widened Woodward, from downtown [[Grand Circus Park) until the Garfield Building in midtown the widening required a face-ectomy on buildings on the east side of Woodward. But since the Garfield Building was where the planners for the Woodward widening had their home offices, that building was spared and the widening curved to take its' toll on the buildings on the west side of Woodward.

**Whitehouse** · July-09-10, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Thanks for the nice early 20th century image of the Albert Kahn designed Goodrich Building. Now compare the side view of that old image with the way the side of the building looks today.... Notice that the arches aren't all the same size?? [[sorry I don't have an image available...)

In the mid 1930s widening of Woodward, it looks like they took out a part of the building parallel to Woodward, and moved the facade back.

Seems the Hancock side has had major redesign work done. After the first two arches there's an interuption which was not present in the original version of that building. And that side also lost quite a lot of dept, seeing that it is missing two more arches. Regardless, the remodelling was done in the spirit of Kahn, so to speak. Indeed it looks like the Woodward facade was moved back. I would not have known it has happened without this proof. Did they move the Woodward facade incuding the first two Hancock arches?

Thank you Bing "streetview"! "I guess "Streetview" is a Google copyright but anyway....)

**Gsgeorge** · July-09-10, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by Whitehouse

Seems the Hancock side has had major redesign work done. After the first two arches there's an interuption which was not present in the original version of that building. And that side also lost quite a lot of dept, seeing that it is missing two more arches. Regardless, the remodelling was done in the spirit of Kahn, so to speak. Indeed it looks like the Woodward facade was moved back. I would not have known it has happened without this proof.

Thank you Bing "streetview"! "I guess "Streetview" is a Google copyright but anyway....)

That's amazing. Can you imagine a project of that size today, from Adams to Grand Boulevard?

**Zacha341** · July-09-10, 09:58 AM

Incredible! The change in the arch [[upper and lower) is significant and had to be hard to do I'd think. THANKS for the pics.

Originally Posted by Whitehouse

Seems the Hancock side has had major redesign work done. After the first two arches there's an interuption which was not present in the original version of that building. And that side also lost quite a lot of dept, seeing that it is missing two more arches. Regardless, the remodelling was done in the spirit of Kahn, so to speak. Indeed it looks like the Woodward facade was moved back. I would not have known it has happened without this proof.

Thank you Bing "streetview"! "I guess "Streetview" is a Google copyright but anyway....)

**Whitehouse** · July-09-10, 11:49 AM

And it looks like the streetcar tracks are still in place! Just paved over with asphalt. This is opposite the Kahn designed building.

The building torn down where Domino's used to be won't be missed very I guess.

Speaking of the Garfield building, Gistok, they really did an excellent job opposite that building.

Now it's a construction site...

...and now people are living there.

**kathy2trips** · October-19-10, 04:43 PM

Looks like it was built in the 50s, doesn't it?

**Ststannies** · October-25-10, 12:47 PM

Here's the inside scoop.

**Ststannies** · October-25-10, 12:58 PM

First of all, most of the space that's coming down has been vacant for some time and those buildings were nothing notable from an architectural standpoint...so they weren't worth saving. The University plans to put up a high-rise and high-visibilty building that will have restaurant and retail spaces on the first 2 floors around a sky-lit atruim. The portion of the buildiung facing Warren will have 12 additional floors devoted to a hotel and, current plans are for the Woorward side to be topped with 28 additional floors of apartments. The development will also include a parking deck in the back for the residences and hotel guests. From my perspective as a native and current Detroit resident and WSU graduate, the university should be thanked for taking on such an active role in redeveloping its campus and the are around it. The resurrenction of lower Cass Ave would never have happened without the uniiveristy being there to anchor it all. Thak you Wayne State!!!!

**Pcm** · October-25-10, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by Ststannies

The University plans to put up a high-rise and high-visibilty building that will have restaurant and retail spaces on the first 2 floors around a sky-lit atruim. The portion of the buildiung facing Warren will have 12 additional floors devoted to a hotel and, current plans are for the Woorward side to be topped with 28 additional floors of apartments. The development will also include a parking deck in the back for the residences and hotel guests.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

That will never happen.

**Hypestyles** · October-25-10, 02:19 PM

The Subway shop looks very lonely, now..

PS- what happens to all the debris? Was there asbestos in these older buildings..

**ptero** · October-25-10, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

The Subway shop looks very lonely, now..

PS- what happens to all the debris? Was there asbestos in these older buildings..

Said debris is now available on all sammiches at Subway...

**English** · October-25-10, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by Ststannies

First of all, most of the space that's coming down has been vacant for some time and those buildings were nothing notable from an architectural standpoint...so they weren't worth saving. The University plans to put up a high-rise and high-visibilty building that will have restaurant and retail spaces on the first 2 floors around a sky-lit atruim. The portion of the buildiung facing Warren will have 12 additional floors devoted to a hotel and, current plans are for the Woorward side to be topped with 28 additional floors of apartments. The development will also include a parking deck in the back for the residences and hotel guests. From my perspective as a native and current Detroit resident and WSU graduate, the university should be thanked for taking on such an active role in redeveloping its campus and the are around it. The resurrenction of lower Cass Ave would never have happened without the uniiveristy being there to anchor it all. Thak you Wayne State!!!!

'

As much as I'd like this to be true, I'd wait to see who the new president will be before signing up for hotel and dinner reservations. So much will depend upon his or her vision for WSU. Adamany was the president who focused on WSU earning Research I status, and Reid's focus was development and expansion of the campus to the north and the south, turning into a residential school. Noren's was the medical school and the DMC. We'll have to see which direction the new ship is sailing.

**313WX** · October-25-10, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by Ststannies

First of all, most of the space that's coming down has been vacant for some time and those buildings were nothing notable from an architectural standpoint...so they weren't worth saving. The University plans to put up a high-rise and high-visibilty building that will have restaurant and retail spaces on the first 2 floors around a sky-lit atruim. The portion of the buildiung facing Warren will have 12 additional floors devoted to a hotel and, current plans are for the Woorward side to be topped with 28 additional floors of apartments. The development will also include a parking deck in the back for the residences and hotel guests. From my perspective as a native and current Detroit resident and WSU graduate, the university should be thanked for taking on such an active role in redeveloping its campus and the are around it. The resurrenction of lower Cass Ave would never have happened without the uniiveristy being there to anchor it all. Thak you Wayne State!!!!

So let me get this straight, we have about 5 or more vacant 30 story buildings in downtown Detroit proper, several hotels across the city closing and in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the great depression WSU is going to build a brand new 40 story mixed use building after all the other proposals similar to it fell through BEFORE the economy crashed.

Surely you jest!!!

I might have believed you if the 12 story hotel wasn't included and the apartments were more like 10 stories.

**Jason** · October-26-10, 01:43 AM

It sounds like the 12 story hotel and 28 story apartment portions are separate with a 2 story atrium/retail base in between, but still, even 30 stories seems unbelievable to me.

But if they did it I think it would work. WSU probably has enough visitors that it could keep a small hotel filled. For the residential, their efforts to get on campus residents, plus the general demand for apartments, and its location, could probably fill it up. But the building would get filled up at the expense of other hotels and apartments.

Ravine · October-26-10, 03:43 AM

Originally Posted by Hans57

So, the university has finally decided to start tearing down the structure at Woodward and Warren. I heard a while back this was proposed to be an auditorium of sorts. Anybody hear about this?

I'm three months late, with this note, but that is not "deconstruction," the word you used in your thread-title. That is destruction or demolition, but not deconstruction. Using "deconstruction" there may look all intelligentsiatical, but it is a bloated mis-use.

Sorry. It's my job. I'm just slow on the trigger.