Plans for the Joe Louis Arena Site
Sorry if we have a thread on this subject. It has been discussed on and off ever since LCA became a possibility.
Lot of detail in this article and unless my recollections are faulty, a lot of detail in this article is different than previous articles.
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...ext/100230572/
The basic fact is still the same: The site was committed to the company which guaranteed Detrot's bonds.
What seems different is what might go up there.
Originally thought another hotel. Now, something else very likely.
This should be an interesting story to follow over say the next 12 to 18 months as plans develop as as it prepares to meet the wrecking ball this fall.
From what I read in the article and the little I know of urban theory [[rivers, expressways, railroad tracks, etc. can really divide communities as natural or man made barriers) and in this case the presence of the expressways and Cobo make this site tough to re-integrate into the downtown.
I suspect decisions made on this site will have a huge impact on future development along the west riverfront.
My two cents: The best development would be residential and residential-related commercial building adjacent to the Riverfront Towers. It could extend housing to Cobo and hopefully more residential development westward to west riverfront park.
That is the only development which makes sense to me.