It is absolutely amazing and wonderful what is going in Capitol Park. Several projects are in progress simultaneously and the whole place is buzzing with activity. Here's a little taste from yesterday.

The gateway to the triangular-shaped Capitol Park, whose trees can be seen to the right, is to the park's south, at Michigan Avenue. Long-in-coming condos sprout atop the Griswold parking structure and near completion. It sets the tone for the flurry of activity below. Behind it, the kick off renovation for this area, the grand Cadillac Hotel, gleams in the midday sun. It opened in 2008 after decades of abandonment with total interior ruin.



Action at the north end. A micro apartment building is being tinker-toyed together. It will be 13 stories high and is being created to accommodate lower income techies for nearby Quicken Loans. To the right, on Grand River, the Kresge Building has a dump chute indicating work. Beyond it is seen the orange corner of the soon-to-be-converted Shinola boutique hotel. Across the street to the right reno continues on a building whose name I don't know. It is interesting to note that all buildings in the background were vacant and decaying in recent decades. All have been or are being revived, most stunningly the furthest back skyscrapers of the Whitney Building and the Broderick Tower.



Work is proceeding on the magnificent Stott Building, although it appears to be largely exterior work at this time. This is one of the crown jewels of Detroit architecture that received severe damage while it was being held for speculation.



Construction stages likewise adorn the Farwell Building on its front and side.



Stevens Mason, Michigan's first guv and who is interned in the park, has been there through all the changes. How good he must feel to see his resting place change from a derelict bus transfer point surrounded by decaying buildings to its new magnificence. Behind him rises the glistening newly renovated The Albert apartments, named after its architect Albert Kahn. I notice that Sy Thai, the successful Thai restaurant in the Auburn Building at Cass and Alexandrine, is another 'coming soon' in the Albert.



I'm befuddled as to why the park grounds are being torn up and what it will become in its new form. Maybe there is discussion on this that I am missing? The park has not been redone that long ago. It didn't look that bad. It did have a bit of a 'keep moving' feel to it as seen in the anti-bum napping bench in the Farwell pic above.