Are there any new plans for the Pontchartrain Hotel building?

**401don** · February-10-12, 12:42 PM

[QUOTE=gnome;302905]In my opinion:

- The outdoor pool is maybe the worse place to swim in North America as it has all the charm of a mobile dunk tank set up in a WalMart parking lot.

The outdoor pool disappeared and was replaced with a small indoor one during the last renovation which means it was probably used about twice before the hotel closed.

**gnome** · February-10-12, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

The outdoor pool disappeared and was replaced with a small indoor one during the last renovation which means it was probably used about twice before the hotel closed.

Thanks for clearing up my failing memory.

**softailrider** · February-10-12, 07:24 PM

[QUOTE=401don;302911]

Originally Posted by gnome

In my opinion:

- The outdoor pool is maybe the worse place to swim in North America as it has all the charm of a mobile dunk tank set up in a WalMart parking lot.

The outdoor pool disappeared and was replaced with a small indoor one during the last renovation which means it was probably used about twice before the hotel closed.

It was replaced with a very nice indoor pool setup with exercise facilities. That was the only part of that renovation that I was sort-of impressed with.

From what I understand, that hotel was busy most weekends. It seemed to be popular with partying young adults.

**narnarnar** · February-13-12, 04:55 PM

Maybe I'm in the minority but I like that Kennedy-era architecture. I hope that the hotel opens again.

**southofbloor** · March-13-12, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by narnarnar

Maybe I'm in the minority but I like that Kennedy-era architecture. I hope that the hotel opens again.

Amen - nice building from an under-appreciated era. Hart Plaza and its associated modernist bits like this are unique and amazing - worth keeping.

What's with the fixation on demolition in Detroit? Buildings are flexible - fix it, get a fantastic local designer to overhaul it where it needs to be altered to make it better, and build on the good stuff you already have. What distinguishes Detroit from all the other economically struggling cities out there is that it is a beautiful city of great architecture - but i don't think Detroiters generally realize how good a lot of their buildings are.

No economy in the near future is going to be able to afford to rebuild the quality of what you already have. Seems like it might be wise to stabilize what you have in places that are viable until there is a user ready to take it on.

Growing up across the river I always liked the jagged shiny profile of this thing across the water - it is really Kennedy era space race.