Any updates on Dan gilbert's buildings on Woodward ?

[Detroitdave]

I hate to start a new thread on this subject , but I couldn't find a "quick" search button anywhere convenient on the page.
But if this needs to be moved please do.
My question is, are there any new updates on the Lane Bryant and the other building ? I believe 1520 and 1525?
I'm near there often and see many workers going in and out, but I haven't had a chance to stop and ask what they are working on.
I'm curious what these spaces will be , whatever it is they are working mad crazy on it !
I will be near there today and will ask , if I hear anything I'll give you folks an update !
have a good one !

[chicagoforlife]

I'll be coming to Detroit this summer when the White Sox play there. I'll stay with my family in Taylor and can't wait to see the developments I have been hearing about in Detroit. Last time I was there was in November 2011 and it looked like there was some development going on downtown. Is there any sports bars or anything in that nature ready to open up? I liked the area along Woodward south of Comerica Park all the way to the river. That park in the middle of the street is pretty cool, the one that is right by Hard Rock Cafe. I liked Greektown but like Chicago's Greektown better. Which buildings are these that Dan Gilbert purchased and is redeveloping? I'm trying to learn things about Detroit when before I neglected the city.

[Flintoid]

I'll be coming to Detroit this summer when the White Sox play there. I'll stay with my family in Taylor and can't wait to see the developments I have been hearing about in Detroit. Last time I was there was in November 2011 and it looked like there was some development going on downtown. Is there any sports bars or anything in that nature ready to open up? I liked the area along Woodward south of Comerica Park all the way to the river. That park in the middle of the street is pretty cool, the one that is right by Hard Rock Cafe. I liked Greektown but like Chicago's Greektown better. Which buildings are these that Dan Gilbert purchased and is redeveloping? I'm trying to learn things about Detroit when before I neglected the city.

Here is a comprehensive list of Dan Gilbert's properties: http://bedrockmgt.com/properties.html

Also if you are looking for a source to keep you up to date on developments here check out this site. It's offices are in Corktown and they do great work:http://detroit.curbed.com/

Glad to see you are taking an interest in our city!

[Gistok]

Thanks and welcome to the forum Chicagoforlife!

That park in the middle is Campus Martius. That spot was planned as an open parade ground back when Augustus Woodward created the L'Enfant inspired downtown radiating spoke system of streets and boulevards after Detroit's Great Fire of 1805. It hadn't been called that for nearly the last half century when nearby Kennedy Square was installed. But now that Kennedy Square is gone [[a building took its' place)... they resurrected the Campus Martius square for the Detroit Tricentennial back in 2001. Once the Monroe Block is built up.... it will be a very nice square and park... [[which it already is)... just more so.... and surprisingly intimate for such a public and radiating space...

[chicagoforlife]

Thanks guys. That is the park I was talking about I looked on Google Maps and confirmed it. It's really nice to see someone taking on developments in Detroit. Are there any developments in areas of Detroit that have been neglected? Like for example I remember an area not far from downtown but I can't remember exactly where it was, I was with my cousin who was driving so I wasn't paying attention to where we were. I like seeing developments in areas that have been extremely neglected and I'm sure that Detroit has many of those, Chicago has some as well. It's always nice to see urbanization with buildings coming out to the sidewalks and dense population.

One thing I don't like about Detroit is the sea of surface parking lots downtown, I think a downtown area should be a walkable area without many parking lots, save that for the suburbs. I'm talking like the one's near Comerica Park and north of it a little bit, not sure which neighborhood that is considered but it has a lot of abandoned buildings and just empty lots, I believe it's also west of Woodward.

I don't know awhole lot about Detroit because I don't live there and the times I have been there I've either been with my cousin's like in Sterling Heights or Taylor. I live in a neighborhood on the Southside of Chicago called Canaryville it's not far from where the White Sox play and it's a neat little Irish neighborhood with a dense population. It's depressing to go to Detroit and see the condition of the city, I can imagine it was once a great place and I hope you guys get more people like Dan Gilbert to spur development in your city. I don't like Mike Ilitch, I believe he is a slumlord and lacks a vision to rebuild Detroit just like your current mayor Dave Bing. I know Ilitch is probably more into his sports teams than rebuilding Detroit but one look at the property owners in Detroit I noticed he owns a lot of property.

[Flintoid]

chicagoforlife, besides the neighborhoods of Downtown and Midtown that are seeing major investments, I'd say the most notable example of a once rough neighborhood being revitalized is Corktown. For decades it was known as the neighborhood around Tiger Stadium, and that was no compliment. However in the past 6 years or so, really starting with Slow's BBQ, a ton of new development has gone into the neighborhood. Restaraunts like the Mercury Burger Bar, the Brooklyn St. Local, Le Petit Zinc, and Onassis Coney have opened in the neighborhood. Coffee shop Astro just opened by Slows and another coffee shop, Anthology, is moving into the neighborhood. There are also several developments planned for this year in Corktown including further renovations to Roosevelt Park by the Roosevelt Park Conservancy [[a new non-profit working to redevelop the park), the Detroit Institute of Bagels, an italian restaraunt called Ottava Via, and a few more that I cannot remember. Also formerly vacant or mostly vacant industrial-office buildings have been given new life. One is titled the Ponyride and is owned by Phil Cooley who owns Slows. It's been bought and now houses alot of creative artists and the like. Another building, 2051 Rosa Parks, was bought by a New York couple and is being renovated for offices, and it already includes the offices of both Curbed Detroit and Huffington Post Detroit, as well as Anthology Coffee's future home. If you get a chance, check out Corktown. It probably has the coolest and most grass-roots redevelopment going on in Detroit.

Here's a good website that breaks down Detroit redevelopment by neighborhood and gives you info on the districts as well:http://modeldmedia.com/cities/