Boutique Hotel At Former Firehouse Site Washington/Larned

[jj84]

Why? It's directly across the street. It's not like they have to cross 5 lanes of Jefferson.

When you go to conventions it is annoying to go outside when you're going to work - you need to take a coat, an umbrella or get hot, walk in the snow. It becomes a hassle to deal with - check coat, carry stuff, get salt and slush all over your pants and shoes. It's little things like that make a bigger difference than most people realize. Washington is also 5 lanes there but that's not the issue - 5 lanes or 2 lanes it's all the same conventioneers in bad climates don't want to go outside.

[DetroitPlanner]

When you go to conventions it is annoying to go outside when you're going to work - you need to take a coat, an umbrella or get hot, walk in the snow. It becomes a hassle to deal with - check coat, carry stuff, get salt and slush all over your pants and shoes. It's little things like that make a bigger difference than most people realize. Washington is also 5 lanes there but that's not the issue - 5 lanes or 2 lanes it's all the same conventioneers in bad climates don't want to go outside.

For the few days of inclement weather the exorbitant cost hardly seems worth it. Besides. Most advocates frown on separating pedestrian traffic as it takes people off of the street.

I would suggest reading the works of William H Whyte or the crank James H Kunstler [[despite being a crank, he does have some good points).

[jj84]

For the few days of inclement weather the exorbitant cost hardly seems worth it. Besides. Most advocates frown on separating pedestrian traffic as it takes people off of the street.

I would suggest reading the works of William H Whyte or the crank James H Kunstler [[despite being a crank, he does have some good points).

People that are going to the convention are not people that are going to walk around at that point. Possibly later that night they would. They are going to work and have a mission as they are going to work. I'm for people walking around, and think the bridge that connected the Greektown Casino Parking lot to the Casino was one of the worst things that happened to Greektown.

Getting to Cobo for them is work, the easier you can make that the more likely they are going to go out to explore the city after. If they walk out of Cobo and it's cold they are likely to just stay at their hotel after they are done working. I'm not going back out in the cold to explore, I'll just stay here.

There is a reason why so many convention centers have hotels attached - it is a great selling point of the hotel and venue.

[downtownguy]

Getting to Cobo for them is work, the easier you can make that the more likely they are going to go out to explore the city after. If they walk out of Cobo and it's cold they are likely to just stay at their hotel after they are done working. I'm not going back out in the cold to explore, I'll just stay here.

Do you think this will keep conventions from booking Detroit? As it is, this, along with the Pontch, are the closest to Cobo, and that proximity gives them a leg up over all other hotels downtown. Coming from any other hotel, they will be far more exposed to the elements than here.

[jj84]

It will stop a few of them from booking here, what it really stops is the repeat conferences. In the Convention world it is usually very little things that can make the difference.

Asbestos is a great fire retardant. eliminates the ability for something to burn, and eliminates the human that might start the fire!

It would be cheaper to build a skywalk from the ponch to Cobo. Though it would probably be cheaper to demo the Pontchartrain and start from scratch.

[Gistok]

It would be cheaper to build a skywalk from the ponch to Cobo. Though it would probably be cheaper to demo the Pontchartrain and start from scratch.

Don't know how you got that idea about demo... since much of the rehab on the hotel is already done.

And the 1980s Cobo "Tetris" expansion was built with a skywalk to the hotel in mind. There is a spot in an upper level of Cobo that just requires the wall to Washington Blvd. to be removed... as well as the building of a skybridge across Washington Blvd. over to the Crowne Plaza. The walkway would likely be at the tennis court/track level of the hotel, thus cutting the outdoor space in half [[doorways along that part of the route could reconnect the 2 areas). So the skybridge would only need support beams between the edge of the hotel platform [[not tower)... and Cobo.

The outdoor plaza area of the Crowne Plaza would be the spot for future expansion if it is ever needed. At one time there were talks of a 2nd 400 room tower expansion along Washington Blvd. But that never happened.

[stinkytofu]

Don't know how you got that idea about demo... since much of the rehab on the hotel is already done.

And the 1980s Cobo "Tetris" expansion was built with a skywalk to the hotel in mind. There is a spot in an upper level of Cobo that just requires the wall to Washington Blvd. to be removed... as well as the building of a skybridge across Washington Blvd. over to the Crowne Plaza. The walkway would likely be at the tennis court/track level of the hotel, thus cutting the outdoor space in half [[doorways along that part of the route could reconnect the 2 areas). So the skybridge would only need support beams between the edge of the hotel platform [[not tower)... and Cobo.

The outdoor plaza area of the Crowne Plaza would be the spot for future expansion if it is ever needed. At one time there were talks of a 2nd 400 room tower expansion along Washington Blvd. But that never happened.

Speaking of which they have rehabbed the plaza and it's looking quite nice. The pale concrete [[?) that crept along Washington is now gone and it is all brick. It also looks like they are landscaping the plaza itself...but it is above street level and I can't get a good view yet. This project is looking better and better by the day.