New rendering of the Crowne Plaza Hotel [[former Ponch. Hotel) WOW!

**gthomas** · January-10-13, 04:48 PM

I found a preliminary rendering of the renovated Crowne Plaza Hotel. I don't know if the finalized facade will be pink, but this is what the drive aisle and canopy will look like.

This rendering is courtesy of Stephen Berry Architectural Design out of Youngstown, Ohio. The canopy is being done by Tensile Structure Systems out of Baltimore.

**Eber Brock Ward** · January-10-13, 04:50 PM

For contrast:

IMO, that'd be one helluva way to update a dinosaur.

**gthomas** · January-10-13, 05:17 PM

Gilbert fever color schemes are taking over downtown, I was walking a round downtown lastnight and notice about 5 floors in the One Woodward building with his "color" schemes painted differently on each floor already. With Aloft Hotel soon to start renovations on the David Whitney too, we will see alot more crazy, bright colors and signs throughout downtown. This is "eye popping" alright..

**jw101** · January-10-13, 05:56 PM

Awesome... just awesome. Do you now when it is scheduled to open?

**401don** · January-10-13, 06:00 PM

If that's valet parking, there's not a lot of room there. It's going to back up on Jefferson when it's busy.

**rbdetsport** · January-10-13, 07:04 PM

Look what brought out the "traffic engineer". As a real transportation engineer, if there is something that has more positives then negatives to make a development work, then the design works. Plain and simple.

**stinkytofu** · January-10-13, 07:15 PM

Did Windsor trade places with Tijuana?

**Jason** · January-10-13, 07:53 PM

I wonder which will end up costing more, the rendering, or the pink paint?

**gthomas** · January-10-13, 08:29 PM

Is that a outdoor pool or tennis court atop of the shorter part of the building?

**DetroitPlanner** · January-10-13, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by stinkytofu

Did Windsor trade places with Tijuana?

LOL!! Good one. I wonder if anyone else gets it?

**Jimaz** · January-10-13, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Originally Posted by stinkytofu

Did Windsor trade places with Tijuana?

LOL!! Good one. I wonder if anyone else gets it?

Yeah. The Mexican flag.

**Scottathew** · January-10-13, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

Yeah. The Mexican flag.

Oh dear, I didn't notice...

**Honky Tonk** · January-10-13, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by gthomas

Is that a outdoor pool or tennis court atop of the shorter part of the building?

Looks like a giant panty liner hanging off of the front.

**gthomas** · January-10-13, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by Eber Brock Ward

For contrast:

IMO, that'd be one helluva way to update a dinosaur.

It will be nice if they can put their name atop of the Hotel, I don't know if it's planned or not?

**southen** · January-10-13, 11:17 PM

a better street level presence would be nice but thats pretty awful looking.

**jtf1972** · January-11-13, 01:35 AM

Where's the People Mover?

**DetroitPlanner** · January-11-13, 05:46 AM

Originally Posted by jtf1972

Where's the People Mover?

It is a rendering. The people mover is quite frankly ugly. They left it out.

**Dexlin** · January-11-13, 07:18 AM

Yeah, "Wow!", all right. "Wow" as in that that purple is absolutely hideous. But, so long as the hotel is up and running, again, I really couldn't care less.

**Trumpeteer** · January-11-13, 08:08 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

If that's valet parking, there's not a lot of room there. It's going to back up on Jefferson when it's busy.

Go down Jefferson to the Courtyard and you'll find a far smaller valet/check in and it never seems to be a problem.

**Honky Tonk** · January-11-13, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

If that's valet parking, there's not a lot of room there. It's going to back up on Jefferson when it's busy.

I thought I remember, when the Ponch was open, pick-up & drop off were on Larned street.

**cman710** · January-11-13, 09:48 AM

Did anyone else note that the car at the front of the rendering is a BMW? While this is not a big deal, I would think a Detroit-conscious architect might use a Cadillac, particularly since it is right across the street from the auto show!

**Ststannies** · January-11-13, 09:57 AM

In April of 2012 they were still talking about Mexican hotel developer Gabriel Ruiz redeveloping this old hotel into a Crowne Plaza but, In January 2013 it's still closed.

**MSUguy** · January-11-13, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by jw101

Awesome... just awesome. Do you now when it is scheduled to open?

Idk, but it's not even listed yet under Crowne Plaza's new hotel listings so it's probably going be awhile.

**cramerro** · January-11-13, 10:43 AM

The pink/purple is for reals, it is already on certain surfaces all the way around the property. The front pull-up area is in reality bigger than it looks, they havfe it all excavated right now. In addition, it is along Jefferson after the Lodge Fwy breaks away, so the traffic is local, and the Larned entrance looks to still be open as well.

They have been doing a LOT of work there on a daily basis for months now. All new mechanical HVAC systems along the east side, the new entrance, work on the roof, and lots of window work are visible from the outside.

They are probably 1/3 of the way done with replacing the windows... the new ones are more of a greenish/clear tint shown in the rendering compared to the old darker brown/black tinted windows. This week they are installing a full-sized building ad for the auto show on the Cobo-facing side for the Ford Transit Connect [[I think). FULL SIZE... all 20+ stories... its HUGE.

I'll see if the rain clears up I'll go snap a few pics.

**downtownguy** · January-11-13, 10:49 AM

I like it. I think it looks better than the pink former Ritz Carlton. I think it also works well with the color of the window glass. I just hope the color holds up after exposure to the elements.