Google Maps now allows you to explore downtown Detroit at 45-degrees

Unique perspective: Google Maps now allows you to explore downtown Detroit at 45-degrees

By Jonathan Oosting | MLive.com

Google Maps, one of the next-best things to exploring Detroit in real life, just got better.

At some point in the last month, the search giant added 45-degree imagery for the Motor City that essentially renders downtown in three dimensions ala Google Earth. Zoom in close enough, and the view shifts to show the Renaissance Center rising above the Detroit River and casting shadows over East Jefferson.

I noticed it this weekend as I was comparing historic photos of the St. Regis to the contemporary, expanded hotel in the New Center. Mesmerized by the Sim City-like presentation, I spent the next hour exploring the city from a vantage point rarely afforded the average onlooker.

Continued at:

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in...ogle_maps.html

Really neat, thanks for the link...

I followed it up to Wayne State and it is interesting to look around there at that angle, too.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by begingri

By Jonathan Oosting | MLive.com

Google Maps, one of the next-best things to exploring Detroit in real life, just got better.

At some point in the last month, the search giant added 45-degree imagery for the Motor City that essentially renders downtown in three dimensions ala Google Earth. Zoom in close enough, and the view shifts to show the Renaissance Center rising above the Detroit River and casting shadows over East Jefferson.

---

Bing Maps has been doing that for a few years. They call it Bird's Eye View and it covers most of the city, not just downtown. The writer is getting carried away by saying it's three dimentions -- it's not -- but I often use Bird's Eye View to get a good overview of a neighborhood that neither satellite view or street view can give you.

And up to date as well. The Lafayette Building is no longer with us even virtually. Now the urban garden is shown.
http://i42.tinypic.com/256cvv5.gif

Very cool! I've been screwing around with it for 20 minutes. Google maps has come a long way in the past 6 years that I've been outta the loop.

I've been messing around with it for a little while, wow there are a lot of vacant lots in downtown Detroit. What is the ugly glass building that sits between Woodward and the Guardian Building? Looks like a total eyesore.

From the size of the pipes running over the alley, it looks like a structure heating/cooling equipment for the Guardian [[with some office space in the front). It's been there for 30 years. Could be worse; they wanted to turn it into a 50-foot-high billboard.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brian1979

I've been messing around with it for a little while, wow there are a lot of vacant lots in downtown Detroit. What is the ugly glass building that sits between Woodward and the Guardian Building? Looks like a total eyesore.

---

It's an office building. At some point they put the Guardian Building's mechanical equipment there, instead of putting it on the roof of the Guardian Building itself. It's empty though, but since it's linked to the Guardian Building it hasn't been demolished. Around 2005ish there was an idea to demolish it and build a parking garage but obviously it didn't get very far.

The building is super narrow. When Woodward was widened, it would have been easy to understand that Chase Tower and One Woodward Avenue would take up the entire blocks, but I don't know what they were expecting to happen on this site, because the Guardian Building wouldn't get demolished, but then you'd just have a little sliver of a site for a new building.

I'd rather they keep it than turn it into another parking garage. In a fantasy scenario, it'd be cool if they could turn it into a podium for the Guardian Building. Grand entrance and all, in similar fashion to the rest of the tower. :D

I used to not like the building at all, but now I don't think it's all that bad. It has neat curved brick planters, and I like the way there are a few steps separating the sidewalk from the area right next to the building.

I've noticed it before just never ventured to find out what it was but when I was looking at the Guardian Building on Google Earth it dawned on me that the building was there. I love the way the Guardian Building looks, it's one of my favorite buildings in Detroit along with the First National, Penobscot and Fisher buildings.

Something I've never noticed was this Victorian style house that seemed to survive modern development.

Attachment 11638

It's on John R and Eliot Street. I don't think it's a museum or anything. Is it just protected like most of the other homes in Midtown? :confused:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by animatedmartian

Something I've never noticed was this Victorian style house that seemed to survive modern development.

It's on John R and Eliot Street. I don't think it's a museum or anything. Is it just protected like most of the other homes in Midtown? :confused:

---

Not sure the story on this one but I've always hated hated that little section of Midtown. Wishing it wasn't all demolished for an anti-urban fortress. Look at the overhead pictures from 1949, you'll see what I am talking about, "Midtown" and the rest of the central city were very dense, like Philadelphia levels. Eventually, most of this density was been obliterated [[most prominently Lafayette/Elmwood parks, Corktown light-industrial park, Medical Center and the WSU athletic fields). One major exception is the "North Cass" area, north of Alexandrine, where an urban "feel" has been successfully retained and the area is now reviving [[see Willis st). Wish Detroit had more areas like this [[dense/not demolished), it would be much easier to redevelop.