New Construction in Corktown, 5th and Fort

DetroitDad · June-09-09, 05:31 PM

Does anyone know what is going on at the block next to John King Books on the entire block bound by Fort St., W. Lafayette Blvd., 5th St., and 6th St.? Construction workers were pouring what appeared to be a small or mid-sized building foundation this morning.

**Gsgeorge** · June-09-09, 05:41 PM

There has been "work" going on at this site for the what seems like a decade. A lot of pushing around dirt and rearranging construction equipment for a long time. Sounds like a shady deal to me.

**DetroitPlanner** · June-09-09, 06:05 PM

Think SMARTly

DetroitDad · June-09-09, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

There has been "work" going on at this site for the what seems like a decade. A lot of pushing around dirt and rearranging construction equipment for a long time. Sounds like a shady deal to me.

No, they are pouring concrete.

DP, I forgot that I heard something about that area mentioned at one of the public transit meetings, interesting.

**Detroit Stylin** · June-09-09, 06:18 PM

Hmmmm....new SMART HQ or terminal which wouldnt make ANY sense right there?

**downtownguy** · June-09-09, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by Detroit Stylin

Hmmmm....new SMART HQ or terminal which wouldnt make ANY sense right there?

Which puts it right next to the Greyhound Terminal. That would make some sense, wouldn't it?

**dcmorrison12** · June-10-09, 05:01 PM

it doesn't make sense because DDOT has a brand new terminal in Downtown Detroit and SMART will be using it. Plus.. the HQ at the Buhl building [[or it is ford... guardian.. one of the three) is waaaaay better of a location.

**313WX** · June-10-09, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by dcmorrison12

it doesn't make sense because DDOT has a brand new terminal in Downtown Detroit and SMART will be using it. Plus.. the HQ at the Buhl building [[or it is ford... guardian.. one of the three) is waaaaay better of a location.

Yeah, it's generally a waste of our money when they could [[at the least) use a consolidated bus terminal.

As for the HQ, if they need more office space, there are several high rises in downtown Detroit that are virtually empty. Why not just lease an existing building instead of spending millions of dollars to construct a new building in an area over-saturated by commercial space.

**detroitcorky** · June-10-09, 07:55 PM

maybe it is the fabulous new gateway to the never to be built federal FBI building just up 6th.

**DetroitPlanner** · June-11-09, 08:32 AM

Its not SMART, though SMART announced a plan for this site back around 2000. MDOT's MITS Center [[traffic counts and cameras, emergency deployment) and the Greyhound station both need more space. SMART will not be moving from their new offices to this site. MDOT is the lead agency as I understand it.

**Detroit Stylin** · June-11-09, 08:51 AM

So Greyhound is expanding as well? And BTW I see a lot of activity over on the old Jefferies East site....whats going on over there?

**DetroitPlanner** · June-11-09, 10:14 AM

Currently MITS has the second floor and Greyhound has the first. I don't know what the configuration will be afterwards, but I do know that MITS will move. It would make sense for SMART to stick with this location for connections with Greyhound. I am not fully up on all details with what the final divisions will be and tried to search for some information on the internet and came up with a real old announcement by SMART, and I do know that MITS is going to be on that site.

Any investment in transportation that emphasises improvements in operations to the road or public transportation is something that I can support. These days I have enough on my plate with my own stuff to go delving deep into stuff I don't need to be involved in.

**leland_palmer** · January-10-10, 07:17 PM

Here is a construction update, the building is pretty huge!

Attachment 4773

Attachment 4774

Attachment 4775

**DetroitZack** · January-10-10, 07:33 PM

I'm glad someone asked, I've driven by this many times and wondered what it is going to be.

MichMatters · January-10-10, 10:57 PM

BTW, MITS stands for the Michigan Intelligent Transportation Systems Center:

The Michigan Intelligent Transportation Systems Center, known as the "MITS Center," is the hub of ITS technology applications at the Michigan Department of Transportation. It is a world-class traffic management center where staff oversees a traffic monitoring system composed of 200 freeway miles instrumented with:

166 Closed Circuit TV Cameras
72 Dynamic Message Signs
2500 Traffic Detectors

An integrated software system includes device control, incident management functions, and ATIS capabilities. A complex hybrid communications system comprising an OC-48 SONET fiber optic ring backbone, 5 microwave communication hubs/towers, 4 node towers on the periphery of the system, more than 135 spread spectrum radio links, and coaxial cable The MITS Center is connected to the Road Commission for Oakland County Traffic Operations Center through a center-to-center link to facilitate areawide management of traffic across jurisdictions.

The system is being expanded to include coverage along I-96 from Novi to the Livingston County line and along I-94 from I-696 to 23 Mile Road. An expansion is also underway to provide motorists with real time information on I-94 and I-69 in St. Clair County regarding conditions at the Blue Water Bridge. These expansions will be operational by the end of 2009.

Anyone know where the current center is located?

**French777** · January-11-10, 06:39 PM

I couldn't find where MITS is on Michigan.gov but that could be for security reasons. Also I do remember seeing this building next to John Kings when I went there in July.

**detroitsgwenivere** · January-11-10, 07:00 PM

They broke ground on the site while i was still enrolled at Wc3, and I asked the construction dudes what the building would be. Their reply was "logistics and storage for MITS." Some of the students and myself were disappointed, I had envisioned a place where students could go to hang out and get some food. There's no kitchen at the downtown campus, only an expensive ass Subway.

**Rocko** · January-14-10, 03:26 PM

At least the setback matches the rest of the buildings along that side of Fort in that area. Hopefully they clean up that stretch of sidewalk when they're all done, too. Good to see this progress.