New development on Cass south of Warren?

**1953** · August-26-10, 10:12 AM

Seriously, who is doing the planning in this town? Why do we keep demolishing the great old buildings that shape our communities? Its one thing to demolish a dilapidated building, but another to intentionally empty out and render useless the wonderful buildings that shape our principle commercial districts. This has to stop. Detroit has plenty of vacant land for those who desire green space. Woodward Avenue, if anywhere, should be a thriving commercial hub, with dense, mixed-use developments along its sides for as many miles as it stretches. It is our main street and abuts so much green space its ridiculous! Stop ruining Detroit you thoughtless developers!

**Danny** · August-26-10, 12:21 PM

You said it 1953, I see the SW corner of Woodward ave and Warren to be a desolute brownfield with little or no streetscape and predstrian life. I see it and a white folk's way to make Midtown, a pre-suburban liking. WE WANT NEW STORES AND HOUSING, NOW!

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET!

As Midtown develops into NOTHINGLESS!

Neda, I miss you so.

**canuck** · August-27-10, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by 1953

Seriously, who is doing the planning in this town? Why do we keep demolishing the great old buildings that shape our communities? Its one thing to demolish a dilapidated building, but another to intentionally empty out and render useless the wonderful buildings that shape our principle commercial districts. This has to stop. Detroit has plenty of vacant land for those who desire green space. Woodward Avenue, if anywhere, should be a thriving commercial hub, with dense, mixed-use developments along its sides for as many miles as it stretches. It is our main street and abuts so much green space its ridiculous! Stop ruining Detroit you thoughtless developers!

You hit the nail on the head. I like the idea of integrated green spaces, but this demolition of a really nice stretch of shops in a city appallingly lacking street level activity sucks. The fact a nondescript Subway is left in the scheme is all the more depressing and insulting. Wayne University should lead by example but is instead erasing interesting architecture. Rehab would cost less and
landscaping one of their huge parking lots on another part of campus would surely do more to enhance the area. This nice stretch on Woodward should be helped out, augmented by helping small businesses locate in these buildings instead of being rooted out. Students would be better served, and so would the university. Why cant Wayne state fund that kind of initiative. Why put up bulwarks against the city? There should be sidewalk cafes all around the campus streets. If Burlington Vermont can do it, so can Detroit. Burlington is a gem, it even feels like a rich city because it is filled with people on its major street which was turned into a pedestrian mall. There will always be ample parking anyway, that is never a problem.

**French777** · August-26-10, 02:27 PM

I went to WSU today, to buy my textbooks and they seem to be clearing the land at a relatively good pace.

**lo_to_d** · August-26-10, 08:22 PM

A park at the most important development corner to the University? Completely assanine! Buildings make street corners what they are, corners to urban fabric. Now this corner will look like the SW corner of Mack and Woodward with some landscaping. Further deconstruction and suburbanization of our city. I was starting to be encouraged with WSU planning. Please tell me this is just a place holder for a future project.

**kryptonite** · August-27-10, 08:37 AM

Wayne State campus is vastly improved in comparison to the early 1980's. Then the campus was ugly - many gravel parking lots, the islands on Warren were dirt, no grass, trees were not plentiful, the campus had the appearance of a drab urban hosptial complex. It was not at all attractive.

Adamany and succeeding presidents have admirably addressed the issue of the hideous urban campus syndrome.

Nowadays WSU is much more appealing in terms of the physical campus than 30 years ago. Give them credit for beautifying their properties and for being an asset to the area.

**JJD** · August-27-10, 08:45 AM

From what I heard from a relative working at WSU, they want to tear down subway too, but they have a lease that WSU could not break. Once that lease is up, I am sure Subway will be gone as well. I would actually bet that you won't see any progress on that "Park" until subway is removed as well.
I believe the park is a short term plan while funding and planning for the site's future use are obtained.

**Danny** · August-27-10, 10:20 AM

So they are tearing down 5 buildings for a proposed 'greenfield'! What a waste almost good Warren and Woodward Block. We will get predestrian life but a lack of housing and stores.