Is Dan Gilbert Too Tacky?

[antongast]

The issue of whether or not Dan Gilbert's building renovations are tacky is relatively trivial in the scheme of things, but I think some of the posts in this thread are symptomatic of a much bigger problem with how we in Detroit view our city. We were built up very quickly through the largesse of a very small number of very large corporations, and then were smacked down again just as hard by those same corporations and corporate bosses. With Big Auto having all but disowned the city proper, we've turned into a population of blue-collar Midwestern ronin, constantly searching for a new corporate boss to make things right again. Gilbert, so to speak, is the Boss Du Jour, and everyone in Official Detroit is scared to death of uttering so much as one critical word about the man or his company lest he decide to up and leave us too. In short, we've got ourselves a bit of a self esteem problem when it comes to rich businessmen, and I don't think it's conducive to healthy conversations about who we want to be as a city and where we want to go in the future, and I also don't think it's conducive to good public policies and effective management of city government. Heck, it's probably not even conducive to "economic development" and "job creation" and all that sort of thing.

[Trumpeteer]

Then shut up and spend some MONEY and you'll have a voice in how you "want to be as a city". I'm sick to SHIT of this apparent disdain for anyone who's successful and spends their money in this case to make a shit city come back to life. You also don't have a CLUE as to successful economic development and job creation. Do ya think that maybe by bringing in thousands of employees into fromerly empty buildings that it might cause other employers to think..."hey downtown Detroit isn't so bad after all". Make an investment in the city and you can join the "rich businessmen". Just Damn!

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

I like the M@dison interior. As for the Qube, not so sure. But I do think "Qube" is a cute name for the building.

In typically poor journalism, the article states that the building was "originally" named the Chase Tower. That will be news to many here on forum.

[Jason]

Chase Tower wasn't empty when Dan Gilbert bought it. And the building's official name is still Chase Tower and Chase is still a major tenant. Regardless of that, I think it's great that he's moving employees downtown and investing in the buildings. And I think everyone is happy about that.

He's also trying to change Detroit's image from what it is, to an attractive place to work and do business and live. And as a place where smart creative people create quality, innovative products and services [[he even started that venture capital thing for web based entrepreneurs). And I think everyone is happy about that too.

So for the last 5+ years he's been telling anyone that would listen about all these plans, and what the new Detroit will be like.

And now everyone gets to see what the new Detroit looks like. Onlookers might wonder if Detroit has changed. The response is "nope, Detroit is still as clueless as ever." Because while some Detroiters might think Spice Girls themed cubicle farms are the future, the rest of the world doesn't.

[canuck]

Of course it has elements of daycare deco [[great new tag) and it is cheesy, but there is a statement made about being bold and young, which shows a sense of enterprise. I think the city needs more of the same kinds of playful elements in exterior spaces. I can easily imagine monumental playground sculptures in or near downtown, maybe not Campus Martius, but parts of the Riverfront.

And color is not a punishment in and of itself. I'm pretty sure they had a good reason for breaking the mold when they moved their staff to the CBD into these buildings.

I just hope he has better designs on the Hudson block. His project's inclusion of an oversized parking on the lower part probably had to do with his desire to get rid of the surface lots in the city. I will give him that. This certainly helps density in the CBD. In a sense, I would like him to lead by continuing to reuse and rehab existing buildings before any new stuff goes up. I would like him to push for small business clusters on the street in the many kickass properties downtown.

[canuck]

[QUOTE=Jason;311107
And now everyone gets to see what the new Detroit looks like. Onlookers might wonder if Detroit has changed. The response is "nope, Detroit is still as clueless as ever." Because while some Detroiters might think Spice Girls themed cubicle farms are the future, the rest of the world doesn't.[/QUOTE]


It may not be to everyone's taste, but I wouldnt be worried about what he rest of the world makes of cosmetic changes to interior design. There are plenty of High rent cities in the world where office space is cramped, forbidding and unimaginative. You can sample some crappier design in NYC, Paris, London or Tokyo.

[erikd]

Maybe "Daycare Deco" will catch on as a new interior design fashion statement....

After all when Philip Johnson first designed his "Chippendale Highboy" AT&T HQ in NYC back in the 1980s... mainstream architects were appalled... little did they know then that he practically invented "Post Modern" architecture.

While I don't personally care for Gilbert's color palette, it's nothing that a coat of paint can't reverse in the future. It's changes to the outsides of buildings that causes more grief to our architectural legacy, than some "veneer" on the inside.

I agree with Gistok. Some of Gilbert's interiors are not to my taste, but it is just paint, carpet, and furniture, nothing permanent. Gilbert hasn't done anything offensive or incorrect with his building exteriors, and the exterior renderings that he recently showcased for the 1500 block of Woodward look fantastic. Gilbert's style seems to be a vision of classic exteriors and storefronts, with bold [[sometimes ugly) modern interior decorations.

As long as Gilbert is giving us quality building renovations with beautiful exteriors and storefront retail, I can deal with gaudy carpet and paint in the upstairs offices.

[mikeg19]

I must agree with most of you on here. I'll take full over vacant on any day, and how someone else wants to spend their money really isn't my business. I'll also say that if I worked in a building with that interior, I'd probably develop some sort of epilepsy. Not my taste. It's like they saw what Google's offices did and said lets multiply that by 1,000. But as long as he doesn't turn the facade into some sort of aesthetic monstrosity COUGH* Cadillac Centre COUGH* I'll be happy.

[downtownguy]

In typically poor journalism, the article states that the building was "originally" named the Chase Tower. That will be news to many here on forum.

I noticed that, too. "Formerly the Chase Tower, not "originally."

I walked by the "former" Chase Tower today and no matter how much I squinted, there was no way I could see any of the bold interiors on the upper floors. So, for those that think the design is so bad, it's not likely you'll ever see it, unless you happen to have business up there.

[Gannon]

I didn't realize we were dissin' Mrs. Gilbert with all this!

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/des...-detroit/1546/


I sure hope she's good at other things...


Cheers

[Gistok]

Although I too am not a big fan of Daycare Deco, my distaste for it isn't as bad as it was when I first saw it. Perhaps Mr. Gilbert got some color and design ideas from the building next door [[you can see "The Cube" thru the window)...

[poobert]

Although I too am not a big fan of Daycare Deco, my distaste for it isn't as bad as it was when I first saw it. Perhaps Mr. Gilbert got some color and design ideas from the building next door [[you can see "The Cube" thru the window)...

Why can't we just do anything even remotely similar to that anymore?

[ordinary]

Illitch certainly knows how to open up interior space! His taste may be considered a bit bland, in simple dark grey with white piping, but when it comes to letting the air in his renovations of these classic buildings is unprecedented!

Very well written.

[Detroitnerd]

REFLECT POORLY??? What the fuck is worse, a design that doesn't meet your criteria or an EMPTY buidling??? And the "misfortune" of working in this hideous building??? Go back to art school and don't venture out into reality.

Ah, yes. Another shout from the "at least we got sumptin" school of thought. I know it well. You wouldn't happen to be from metro Detroit, would you?

[mikeg19]

Why can't we just do anything even remotely similar to that anymore?

The price tag. That kind of craftsmanship just doesn't exist anymore for a reasonable price on such a large scale. Of all the buildings I love around the world for their architecture, probably 90% of them were built before 1950. It's just a whole different animal now.

[Detroitnerd]

I thought Gilbert was born in Detroit.....?

Wrong thread. Please delete ...

[antongast]

Has anyone seen Dan Gilbert's birth certificate? I have it on good authority that he's a Kenyan from Kenya who espouses Kenyan socialism.

[canuck]

Has anyone seen Dan Gilbert's birth certificate? I have it on good authority that he's a Kenyan from Kenya who espouses Kenyan socialism.

At least the missus aint Melissa Gilbert. You might be looking at a whole lot of doilys and granny furniture in da Qube. Maybe a spitoon or two, come to think of it. The Little House on the Prairie School of Interiors.

[gumby]

Ah, yes. Another shout from the "at least we got sumptin" school of thought. I know it well. You wouldn't happen to be from metro Detroit, would you?

And another shout from "I wanna tell that guy how to spend his money" school of thought. Once again, when you pony up your millions of dollars then you can play interior designer.

[Richard]

And all I am saying is next time you put up millions of dollars then you can have the say.

Actually you guys did put up the 200 mil to make it happen so I guess personal opinions are fair game.

[Gistok]

Actually you guys did put up the 200 mil to make it happen so I guess personal opinions are fair game.

Has this been confirmed? Or does that money only count towards a new HQ??

[Scottathew]

Ah, yes. Another shout from the "at least we got sumptin" school of thought. I know it well. You wouldn't happen to be from metro Detroit, would you?

I still don't understand why it matters. He's kept the outside of the building the same. The only thing that doesn't meet your standards are some of the floors that only his employees will see.

In fact, the only change you'll notice is more bodies out at lunchtime in the park and folks buying things at local businesses. In fact, many new businesses are opening up in response to all the jobs that Gilbert and others have moved down.

So yes, we have something. And even if you don't like it, it doesn't matter, because you don't have to go up there. And on the off chance that you're one of his employees and you don't like it, then if it matters that much seek alternate employment.

[noise]

Ah, yes. Another shout from the "at least we got sumptin" school of thought. I know it well. You wouldn't happen to be from metro Detroit, would you?

Any other school of thought would ignore the fact that you're talking about Detroit. This isn't a thriving, successful city in comparison, unfortunately.

[bartock]

Any other school of thought would ignore the fact that you're talking about Detroit. This isn't a thriving, successful city in comparison, unfortunately.

Nobody in a thriving, successful city would give a flying fuck what someone did to the INSIDE of a building they bought.

[Gannon]

I still don't understand why it matters. He's kept the outside of the building the same, so far. The only thing that doesn't meet your standards are some of the floors that only his employees will see.

Fixed it for you.

I'm still waiting for any photoshop junkies to Gilbertize the icons of the city, so you can see what I'm warning about. Might as well Gilbertize the Qube's exterior, too...because, mark my words, if we don't stem this in its infancy...


Cheers!