New development on Cass south of Warren?

**Cooper** · July-03-10, 03:08 PM

I didn't have a camera with me, so I couldn't grab a photo, but there's a notice on the building just south of Marwil Bookstore for an upcoming City Council meeting to discuss a proposed, 4-story development on the site. Does anyone have more details?

This is the building in question:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=4...,74.58,,0,5.56

**English** · July-03-10, 06:13 PM

The old Christian Science Reading Room... when did they move out?

**detroitbob** · July-03-10, 08:25 PM

5+ years ago.

**Detroit Stylin** · July-03-10, 08:37 PM

[QUOTE=Cooper;160518]I didn't have a camera with me, so I couldn't grab a photo, but there's a notice on the building just south of Marwil Bookstore for an upcoming City Council meeting to discuss a proposed, 4-story development on the site. Does anyone have more details?

This is the building in question:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=4...,74.58,,0,5.56[/QU What is the nature of this development?

**Cooper** · July-05-10, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by Detroit Stylin

What is the nature of this development?

I wish I remembered more details. I'm hoping someone will walk over and snap a photo of the notice. It listed the properties in question and the nature of the development. I think it was mixed-use with ground floor retail.

**Pcm** · July-06-10, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by Cooper

I wish I remembered more details. I'm hoping someone will walk over and snap a photo of the notice. It listed the properties in question and the nature of the development. I think it was mixed-use with ground floor retail.

That's contrary to what's being discussed in the "Deconstruction" thread. Considering that this property happens to be smack dab in the middle of Old Main's "front yard".

Hey, WSU! Whatever you build there, don't do another Studio One Apartments. That thing belongs in Arizona.

Side note, it will be disappointing to see that little building go. It's easy to miss as you're passing by, but it looks cool as hell. Hands down, one of my favorite buildings in midtown.

**kathy2trips** · July-07-10, 01:46 AM

A bit of history here on the sale of first building to WSU and the building of the second structure in the early 60s, here

**Gsgeorge** · July-07-10, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by Pcm

Side note, it will be disappointing to see that little building go. It's easy to miss as you're passing by, but it looks cool as hell. Hands down, one of my favorite buildings in midtown.

What!?! What is going on!?? People are crying about losing the ugly modernist building on Woodward, and now we have others saying their FAVORITE BUILDING IN MIDTOWN, HANDS DOWN is this nondescript "reading room" ugly-as-hell little abandoned craphole... I know my favorite building is the giant, white, windowless, concrete blighted box across from Curl Up & Dye.... That's a real gem.

Whatever happened to our appreciation for REAL architecture? These are precisely the buildings that NEED to be knocked down in Midtown .... Wayne State is playing it smart. There are intelligent people and the UCCA behind them. I really doubt historic structures will continue to see the wrecking ball. On the contrary, Wayne State understands that all the crappy prefab modernist architecture from the 70s-90s in Midtown would better serve the neighborhood by being replaced with something more in line with our better buildings.

My REAL favorite buildings in Midtown: Old Main, Stuberstone, Masonic Temple, Garfield Building, Maccabees Building, DPL, Rackham Hall, all of Ferry Street.... I could go on. Since when are crappy one-story windowless 1970s concrete buildings our 'favorite buildings in Midtown, hands down'? Our standards have really dropped far.

**English** · July-07-10, 09:27 AM

People are always leery of change.

**Pcm** · July-07-10, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

What!?! What is going on!?? People are crying about losing the ugly modernist building on Woodward, and now we have others saying their FAVORITE BUILDING IN MIDTOWN, HANDS DOWN is this nondescript "reading room" ugly-as-hell little abandoned craphole... I know my favorite building is the giant, white, windowless, concrete blighted box across from Curl Up & Dye.... That's a real gem.

Whatever happened to our appreciation for REAL architecture? These are precisely the buildings that NEED to be knocked down in Midtown .... Wayne State is playing it smart. There are intelligent people and the UCCA behind them. I really doubt historic structures will continue to see the wrecking ball. On the contrary, Wayne State understands that all the crappy prefab modernist architecture from the 70s-90s in Midtown would better serve the neighborhood by being replaced with something more in line with our better buildings.

My REAL favorite buildings in Midtown: Old Main, Stuberstone, Masonic Temple, Garfield Building, Maccabees Building, DPL, Rackham Hall, all of Ferry Street.... I could go on. Since when are crappy one-story windowless 1970s concrete buildings our 'favorite buildings in Midtown, hands down'? Our standards have really dropped far.

Perhaps we're referring to two different buildings.

While I can certainly appreciate the architecture of the easy to identify buildings, I appreciate even more the details of Detroit that you must stumble upon.

I have no architectural education or training. Which means, I'm free to find beauty in structures that not everyone else will.

It's too bad that Old Main and the Garfield building will be surrounded by crappy prefab architecture from the 2010's. The old CSRR happens to appear to NOT be from the 70's, but much older. It is short, stocky, and sturdy. I like the way that looks. Sue me.

**Detroitnerd** · July-07-10, 09:40 AM

That reading room was never a very appealing building. But I think maybe where the leeriness comes from is not that it will be replaced by something uglier [[in my opinion, impossible!) but what will the scale of what replaces it be? Seems WSU development is shooting either for large-scale, vertical generica [[the Albuquerque-looking building next to the Whitney, for example; love the scale, hate the Southwestern tones) or "green space." Say what you will about that block between Hancock and Warren, but it's kind of a warren of all sorts of sizes. Which reminds me of what a city probably should look like. That is what will likely be lost, as WSU embarks on building ... what? ... a massive hotel? a parking garage? Pretty soon, you won't be able to see the neighborhood for the institutional architecture ... or that's the sense I get of people's fears.

**casscorridor** · July-07-10, 03:26 PM

I read the sign on the windows of the buildings in question. The notice says the proposal calls for a four-story building with 81 "multi-family residential units" and 3 commercial storefronts. The meeting is 11:00 AM, Wednesday July 14th at the Coleman A. Young Building. I'm guessing there will be renderings there.

Sad to see the small historic building go, maybe they could somehow incorporate into the new structure. Regardless, 81 new units of housing and 3 new storefronts will make a big impact and is a huge improvement to that corner.

**Pcm** · July-10-10, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by Cooper

I'm hoping someone will walk over and snap a photo of the notice.

You probably can't read what it says, but just to prove it is real:

**Warrenite84** · July-12-10, 04:12 PM

The building next door to the Christian Science Reading Room Building, [[with the shredded green awnings), has some mild sandstone decorative trim that looks ok. It too is slated to be demolished and would make a decent sized lot if the whole parcel was developed.

I wouldn't mind if they developed that entire block along Cass, south of Marwil's.

**Pcm** · July-12-10, 05:50 PM

Wait, I thought the Christian Science Reading Room was the older building with limestone and shredded awnings. That is the building with the notice on it.

**Warrenite84** · July-13-10, 04:34 PM

I believe they both have been tagged for removal. I will look again tomorrow to verify.

DetroitDad · July-13-10, 06:53 PM

Well the worst designs were never actually built, as in those with dated and unchangeable designs or those with horrible suburban style setbacks.

Studio One and the Ellington are not perfect, but are a step in the right direction. While, The Woodward Garden Block is even a step beyond those two projects.

PS; Note that I couldn't actually link to the Ellington or Studio One web sites because those sites don't seem to prominently post pictures of the exterior of their buildings anywhere on the site, which I'm sure has nothing to do with their appearance.

**Warrenite84** · July-14-10, 02:23 PM

Yes, they have both have been tagged for demolition and rebuild.

**casscorridor** · July-14-10, 02:39 PM

Speaking of Studio One, when is the next phase of the South University Village slated to start? I heard construction would take place 2010-2011 for a second 5-story building on Canfield Ave.

Anyone hear any updates? rumors?

**Warrenite84** · July-20-10, 03:37 PM

The sandstone trim on the building next to the ex-Christian Science Reading Room is being carefully cut out and removed for reuse. Protective barrier fencing has already gone up and a claw-type wrecker is onsite. Good to see the decorative elements are being removed responsibly for reuse.

**casscorridor** · July-20-10, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by Warrenite84

The sandstone trim on the building next to the ex-Christian Science Reading Room is being carefully cut out and removed for reuse. Protective barrier fencing has already gone up and a claw-type wrecker is onsite. Good to see the decorative elements are being removed responsibly for reuse.

Yes. This is terrific news. I wonder if it will be used for the new building.

**Detroit Stylin** · July-20-10, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by Warrenite84

The sandstone trim on the building next to the ex-Christian Science Reading Room is being carefully cut out and removed for reuse. Protective barrier fencing has already gone up and a claw-type wrecker is onsite. Good to see the decorative elements are being removed responsibly for reuse.

Love.It....

**rjlj** · July-21-10, 10:07 AM

The Green Garage on 2nd will be utilizing the limestone from the Christian Science Reading Room

**buckster1986** · July-26-10, 12:05 PM

These are from last week...sad to see those brick building on Warren go down...they have fence around them now. I remember when I started at Wayne in 2004 that they were closing those.