Detroit's Temple Street attracting attention from mysterious buyers

[Wesley Mouch]

I was pretty active with the GCP business association when Ilitch moved into the neighborhood, and 25 years can make my memory a little fuzzy. But, as I recall it, the city [[probably through DEGC) fronted most of the cost to Ilitch. The Fox was a great success from day one, and Ilitch paid off his debt rather quickly, but the same deal could have been granted to Forbes, and wasn't.

There's quite a story there. Remember that Ilitch was bringing 4-500 jobs from Farmington Hills to Detroit then. Forbes, bless his heart, was not. Whether you agree with subsidies for jobs or not, you have to agree that the DEGC actually did subsidize jobs here -- not just give money to someone with great ideas.

[gthomas]

If Illitch ever gets to build his arena I think it should go this route, as far as design. I love the new New York Islander Arena rendering plans, of course the Red Wings arena will be better [[I hope). There lease is up pretty soon at the JLA..should here some plans this summer..http://1.cdn.nhle.com/islanders/imag...ht-shot-dl.jpg

[rb336]

all i can say is YUCK! that thing looks like an airport terminal with a gland problem

[gthomas]

LOL!!!! I'ts not that bad.

all i can say is YUCK! that thing looks like an airport terminal with a gland problem

[1953]

I agree...airport terminal. They should build an urban rink, as in one that fits neatly into the block, as the old maple leaf gardens did/does.

[rb336]

I agree...airport terminal. They should build an urban rink, as in one that fits neatly into the block, as the old maple leaf gardens did/does.

I really liked the Old Barn look. It would fit the other sporting venues well

[Gistok]

I really liked the Old Barn look. It would fit the other sporting venues well

The irony is that the "Old Barn" was part of the output genius of Detroit architect C. Howard Crane, who built the Fox, Fillmore/State, Capitol [[DOH), Orchestra Hall, Madison and United Artists Theatres/Buildings.

One thing about Crane was.... unlike many other architects... there was no such thing as a "Crane Style"... his commissions were for the most part very unique and different. A very versatile architect, who never really got the fame he deserved [[outside of Detroit and the United Kingdom, where he moved to in 1930 and built cinema's throughout the UK, as well as London's famed Earls Court Convention Center).

[rb336]

Earls Court kinda looks theatre-esque from the outside

[Gistok]

Earls Court kinda looks theatre-esque from the outside

... until you get an idea of the vastness of what's beyond the theatre looking entranceway....
http://www.engineering-timelines.com...tem.asp?id=894

And here's Earls Court with the later arched annex and hotel. The main entrance is at the NE in this image.
http://olympics.wikia.com/wiki/File:Earls_court.jpg

They plan on using it for some sports in the 2012 Olympics, and later tear the Earls Court complex down for "8,000 flats". But people in London are putting up a lot of resistance over losing all that convention and concert space... especially the concert history in that building....

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

I agree that Crane's work is highly differentiated. Like Sondheim's musicals: the only thing his works have in common is that they are intelligent and project-specific.

As for a new arena. there are pros and cons to both likely locations, Foxtown West or the Temple Street area. It's worth remembering, though, that at either one, the pros vastly outweigh the cons. And it will be beneficial to the current JLA site, so it can be turned into something less East German in its urban sensibilities. Cobo, the apartments, and the Riverwalk could all be improved.

As for the design of the arena, I favor something with a "raw industrial" feel to it; if it could pay homage to the Old Barn on the facade, that would be even better. And I ***FANTASY HERE*** hope Tom Gores wakes up and says, "Hell, my Pistons should be playing downtown" and moves in with the wings.

[Wesley Mouch]

all i can say is YUCK! that thing looks like an airport terminal with a gland problem

Exactly.

And don't you just love those little fake people tossed all over the foreground of the arena. Except for 1 hour before and 15 min after an event -- it'll be tumbleweeds blowing, not people strolling. What on earth except the game would draw them?

[Wesley Mouch]

I agree...airport terminal. They should build an urban rink, as in one that fits neatly into the block, as the old maple leaf gardens did/does.

Transportation hub, like Boston Gardens or Madison Square Garden makes a perfect partner for an arena. Lots of traffic when there's not an event -- then traffic capacity when there is. Me thinks egos prevent this type of thinking now.

[stromberg2]

I like the looks of Indy's arena...

Stromberg2

[BrushStart]

The arena is good, but I see quite a few parking lots in that picture, Stromberg.

[stromberg2]

Just the arena, not the lots.

Stromberg2

[Gistok]

Detroit architect C. Howard Crane's theatre masterpieces were his Detroit and St. Louis Fox Theatres. His hockey barn masterpiece was Olympia. His acoustic masterpiece[[s) were the Deroit Opera House [[1922), Orchestra Hall [[1919) and the Detroit United Artists [[1928).

His convention masterpiece was Earls Court in London.

But his finest office tower was absolutely the Leveque-Lincoln Tower of Columbus OH. It had 47 floors and was as tall as the Penobscot Building. But it had a verticality [[more in tune with the Fisher Bldg.) that had one portion of the tower soar above the rest... check out historic images 3-20 for a masterpiece in Art Deco Skyscraper that Crane created....

http://www.ohiomemory.org/cdm4/resul...s&CISOROOT=all

...but he only ever created one this one soaring skyscraper... what a pity...

What's sad about this commission is that it was going to include a "Palace Theatre".... and that was part of the Keith-Orpheum chain of theatres, that had Thomas Lamb as their regular architect. Lamb's architectural office output until just after this theater was designed was rather tame and uninspiring... and then they went beserk with opulence. But Thomas Lamb's Palace Theatre in C. Howard Crane's Leveque-Lincoln Tower.... just doesn't do Crane's design enough justice...
http://columbus.broadway.com/venues/theaters/capa/