"Time Square" Idea for The Lafayette Building

[DetroitDad]

I posted this in another thread about the Lafayette Building. I wanted to see what you guys thought of the concept, and depending on what holes you all poke in it, maybe ask what the groups and individuals are who are involved in saving or marketing the building, and present them with the idea and work on a plan with them to get the ball rolling. I would gladly do some of the leg work on something like this.

This is something I have actually been kicking around in my head for awhile now.

I say put up some ad space on the building. Maybe some digital boards similar to Time Square in New York City. They would be visible from Campus Martius, straight down Cadillac Square, all the way to the Millender Center. Even better, have some sort of New Years type ball drop or other holiday gathering in front of the building. Maybe sync it up with the NYC Ball Drop, with screens on the building showing Time Square [[and maybe vice verse if it got big enough here). That would assure a lot of people looking at the ads and should surely fill the ad space.

Money could go to building maintenance, and maybe combine with the saved demolition money, could slowly go to bringing the building up to a more marketable state to developers.

[bike4beer]

I would just hate to have a room at the BC facing a bunch of bright lights.

[DetroitDad]

I would just hate to have a room at the BC facing a bunch of bright lights.

They would be facing Campus Martius, not the Book-Cadillac. The only residential visibility would be at the New Cadillac Square Apartments and Millender Center, everything else is office buildings or parking garages. I agree that both mentioned residential buildings would have to be taken into consideration. It should be noted that both have significant setbacks from the building, and are positioned where the boards shouldn't shine directly into residential windows.

[bike4beer]

Gotcha. Sorry. I like it.

[ScienceFair]

I have heard similar ideas from different sources and I think it makes sense. It's just a matter of cost vs. potential revenues. That and some sort of forethought by the City government, which isn't likely to be found anytime soon.

[bike4beer]

http://tinyurl.com/n2h3k9

[French777]

I really like it!!

[hudkina]

I say we buy the Flatiron building and ship it to Detroit and put it where the Coney Islands currently sit.

[Detroitej72]

I say we buy the Flatiron building and ship it to Detroit and put it where the Coney Islands currently sit.

No way would Detroiters give up their historic coney islands, we would refuse and resist!

[LodgeDodger]

maybe we could also blindfold dick clark, ryan seacrest and Charro and bring them here for new years eve...they will never know the difference...

btw, before Times Square was "Disnefied" it was full of hookers....which Times Square do we want...Hookers or Disney?

Also, Columbus Ohio tried the same thing in their downtown and it looks silly.

Which...hookers or Disney?

[DetroitDad]

Heywood, what would we do with out your zingers? You really add to the discussion, and are truly indispensable.

Is saving the Lafayette Building campaign being headed by Preservation Wayne, or is there another group I should speak with?

[DetroitDad]

From Andy's Blog; http://citybirddetroit.blogspot.com/...hone-call.html

Hi Andy -

Has there been an effort afloat to create a formal, 501[[c)[[3) entity that would serve as a conservancy for the building; something with funding to secure the building, maintain it and create revenue from it. See http://www.therealwaverlyhills.com/ as a morbid, albeit relevant example. As you know, the Stadium Conservancy in Corktown is another example of this happening here. I think CC and the Mayor's office would be much more willing to negotiate if there was a viable plan to perform minimum maintenance on the structure and prep it for future development.

Best -

Matt Clayson, Detroit

I haven't seen any organized effort other than on Facebook, has anything been done yet?

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/1767...221?m=9dc74a6e

[Retroit]

I nominate DetroitDad to head the Save Our Lafayette preservation effort.

[Stosh]

From Andy's Blog; http://citybirddetroit.blogspot.com/...hone-call.html



I haven't seen any organized effort other than on Facebook, has anything been done yet?

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/1767...221?m=9dc74a6e

One has to wonder whether the OTSC, which obviously is currently causeless, could use some of their contributions toward building preservation in Detroit?

[Fnemecek]

Is saving the Lafayette Building campaign being headed by Preservation Wayne, or is there another group I should speak with?

It is PW.

Of course, as someone who has been in on a lot of their meetings, I should disclose that the sign idea is one of many things that are already on their list of ideas. [[Great minds think alike.)

[DetroitDad]

Fnemecek,

Excellent news. I will be contacting them sometime this week asking how we can lend a hand.

[Doma]

I think that this is a great idea, it's so funny that you mentioned it because I kid you not the exact same thought had crossed my mind on numerous occasions.

I posted this in another thread about the Lafayette Building. I wanted to see what you guys thought of the concept, and depending on what holes you all poke in it, maybe ask what the groups and individuals are who are involved in saving or marketing the building, and present them with the idea and work on a plan with them to get the ball rolling. I would gladly do some of the leg work on something like this.

This is something I have actually been kicking around in my head for awhile now.

[detmich]

They would be facing Campus Martius, not the Book-Cadillac. The only residential visibility would be at the New Cadillac Square Apartments and Millender Center, everything else is office buildings or parking garages. I agree that both mentioned residential buildings would have to be taken into consideration. It should be noted that both have significant setbacks from the building, and are positioned where the boards shouldn't shine directly into residential windows.

Everything else is empty.

[bailey]

Everything else is empty.

Perhaps all this time and energy would be better spent addressing that issue?

It's more logical to "adaptively reuse" something if there is an actual "use" in mind. It's great that there are those who want to spend their time saving these buildings, but if in the 10 -15 -20 years it takes to get them rehabbed, the CoD is still awash in empty offices, empty hotels, empty apartments, and failed loft developments...what is the point?

[archytech]

Lets have the ball raise though. Its so depressing to see a ball drop.

[darwinism]

Randall Charlton at TechTown has a waiting list of hungry, driven entrepreneurs that wish to be a part of the new economy. Bizdom U. founded by Dan Gilbert is coaching various young, motivated, intelligent talent. Part of the conditions of the program is to remain in Detroit upon completion of the program.

Why can't the DEGC provide this building, as well as other buildings, for such a cause?

[HazenPingree]

Perhaps all this time and energy would be better spent addressing that issue?

It's more logical to "adaptively reuse" something if there is an actual "use" in mind. It's great that there are those who want to spend their time saving these buildings, but if in the 10 -15 -20 years it takes to get them rehabbed, the CoD is still awash in empty offices, empty hotels, empty apartments, and failed loft developments...what is the point?

What's better, a CBD filled with empty but ornate historic buildings, or a CBD that is actually an empty field strewn with whiskey bottles. That's not really THAT much of an exaggeration. We demolish MUCH more than we build. And none of the major demolishion sites since 1998 have resulted in any development.

[bailey]

And none of the major demolishion sites since 1998 have resulted in any development.

Ok... well, ignoring Comerica and Compuware, and Ford Field and One Kenedy square..... why is that? Why is an empty lot or a parking lot the highest and best use for these properties? Change that and the preservation vs. demolition question goes away.

[detmich]

...none of the major demolishion sites since 1998 have resulted in any development.

And there lies the rub. If no one wants to build new modern offices in downtown, then why would they want to rebuild old obsolete offices in downtown. I understand that preservation efforts give folks with too much time on their hands something to do that makes them feel good, but they all seem to misunderstand when preservation is required and when it works.

Preservation in NY or Chicago or DC is necessary because developers want to destroy existing historically significant viable structures and replace them with new viable structures. That is not the case in Detroit. In Detroit the situation is this- there are many many existing non-viable structures of questionable historical significance that are expensive to keep standing and that often present a danger to the general public. There is no economic reason whatsoever to keep paying for these empty unused structures. There is no near term boom coming to downtown Detroit. Many think that there is not much of a long term boom either. The idea of preservation for preservation's sake, which is what we are witnessing here, is as vapid, vainglorious, and foolish as demolition for demolition's sake.

[ghettopalmetto]

Preservation in NY or Chicago or DC is necessary because developers want to destroy existing historically significant viable structures and replace them with new viable structures. That is not the case in Detroit.

Preservation in DETROIT is necessary because DEGC want to destroy existing historically significant viable structures and replace them with new WEED-FILLED LOTS.

I'll reiterate that unless you're a licensed Professional Engineer, you have no authority to judge whether or not a building represents a danger to the public. So please, spare us the hysteria.