Monroe Block Development

[masterblaster]

I am totally fine with this update. We don't need to be rushing to build massive office towers post-pandemic, and the success of the drive-in and other stuff going on in the parking lot there now proved a desire for entertainment. Bedrock has a pretty good track record of hosting events and "activations" that people truly enjoy, so I doubt this would be anything like that Fort Street food hall [[which was too far off the beaten path anyway).

It's a design that fits Detroit, not a design that wants to make Detroit something else. Scaling down to a midrise is a much better fit than a high-rise right now anyway.

This is a bizarre statement. The Fort Street food hall is 2 blocks from Campus Martius. It was across the street from the original Penobscot Building.

They key to both the food halls and retail is lots of nearby residents with solid incomes.

And the greater downtown area has a growing population with incomes exceeding 'solid'. The food halls I highlighted in Hartford and Minneapolis are not in particularly wealthy neighborhoods. They are in Hispanic immigrant-heavy areas [[see the restaurant line-up here).

Detroit already has a successful mini-market hall in Midtown, but a big one right downtown will be a great attraction. One is also planned for Eastern Market.

I’m 65. I’ve given up hope for living to see the Monroe Block redeveloped. I’m not expecting to live to 95. I’ve already been waiting since 1982 when I looked out at it from my office in the First National Building.

In 1982, the original 19th century buildings were still there. They were demolished in 1990. Lowell's Fabulous Ruins of Detroit has a photo of the old block:

https://www.detroityes.com/downtown/21monroe.php