Woodward Gardens Apartment and Theater Project Soars in Midtown [Pics]

[Detroitnerd]

No, actually Cass Corridor is only about 15-25% of Midtown. Midtown is the area between the 4 freeways... the Cass Corridor was NEVER such a large area... just a subset of that area.

I have not seen any official map of "Midtown," which adds to my skepticism about the propriety of using it to describe a neighborhood. Like my joker friend, I wonder if it's just a tool to soften the connotations of Cass Corridor, which is an actual historical name with a reason for existing.

I can defend the logic of calling that area Cass Corridor. I can easily defend the logic of the "Medical Center" and "Cultural Center" and "university area" and "New Center" and "Brush Park," but "Midtown" seems to be more an idea than an actual place with hard boundaries.

For instance, is there an official map -- with hard boundaries -- of "Midtown"?

The Detroit Medical Center, Brush Park, the Museum District and all the areas east and north of the East Ferry Historic District... were NEVER part of the Cass Corridor.

Agreed, as my recent explanation to you of what the Cass parcel was and why the neighborhood has that name would seem to prove.

I'm amused that my skepticism of Midtown, Inc.'s purposes and practices elicits such a strong reaction from you. I have nothing in particular against Sue Mosey or the people who are trying to rebrand that part of town. I do have a fondness and affection for the old-timers who are resisting that rebranding, though. I admit, I'm not a huge fan of marketing.

But, as an amateur historian, and a fan of Detroit, I may be more likely than others to judge a description of a neighborhood by its boundaries. Cass Corridor has very hard boundaries. You can see it in the way intersections are off-beam by yards on Cass and Third. You can see the parcel clearly from the air. It has charm and interest and history. Is it wrong to appreciate that? To even bring it up?

[Honky Tonk]

I'm the only black man in my apartment building here in Midtown, do I have to say who else live in this building [[Whites and foreigners)? All I see is white people [[Nothings wrong with it), even it all the businesses in Midtown have mostly white people patronizing and working there. Rent constantly going up every year, I wont be able to afford it in coming years. Will have to look north of New Center soon..

Go East, young man.

[French777]

Here is the Palmer Development Rendering and Woodward/Willis. I have no info on when W/W development or Palmer/John R. Development are set to begin construction.

[ismoakrack]

This is the only one i could find:
http://midtowndetroitinc.org/develop...pment-projects

Go to page 16 and scroll down.

[Gistok]

DN... my reaction to Midtown scepticism is more related to Django's expletive than your correct description.

I've heard so many old timers on this forum deriding the term Midtown... and use the Cass Corridor nomenclature... which is technically apples and oranges from a geography perspective.

The "Midtown" zip code map... includes even the Fox Theatre.... and points west of the Lodge...
http://www.zipmap.net/Michigan/Wayne.../Z_Midtown.htm

And the Midtown map includes 6 separate quadrants...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midtown_Detroit

What is amusing to me about Midtown... is that it encompasses some of the most successful parts of the city... development wise... and parts of the worst [[the lower Cass area).

I think that combining the separate enclaves and rebranding it was a successful endeavor... and as we can see... 2 of the 6 areas of Midtown still have the term "Cass" included as part of the area.

But there are those "Bohemians" on this board that still prefer the old name... whatever...

[gthomas]

Here is the Palmer Development Rendering and Woodward/Willis. I have no info on when W/W development or Palmer/John R. Development are set to begin construction.

Thanks for this, I like the Woodward/Willis building, keeping the street wall and adding more retail, LOVE it! Midtown can use about 50 more of these type of infill projects.

[Detroitnerd]

DN... my reaction to Midtown scepticism is more related to Django's expletive than your correct description.

I've heard so many old timers on this forum deriding the term Midtown... and use the Cass Corridor nomenclature... which is technically apples and oranges from a geography perspective.

The "Midtown" zip code map... includes even the Fox Theatre.... and points west of the Lodge...
http://www.zipmap.net/Michigan/Wayne.../Z_Midtown.htm

And the Midtown map includes 6 separate quadrants...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midtown_Detroit

What is amusing to me about Midtown... is that it encompasses some of the most successful parts of the city... development wise... and parts of the worst [[the lower Cass area).

I think that combining the separate enclaves and rebranding it was a successful endeavor... and as we can see... 2 of the 6 areas of Midtown still have the term "Cass" included as part of the area.

But there are those "Bohemians" on this board that still prefer the old name... whatever...

Thanks for the maps, Gistok. It's an interesting discussion, and though I have my biases, I'll try to leave them out of it. That said, I always had affection for the ragtag neighborhood known as the Co'do', and likely always will.

Just for laughs, maybe I'll erect a billboard at the corner of Park and Sproat reading, "WELCOME TO MIDTOWN."

[detroitsgwenivere]

This Corridor topic definitely deserves it's own thread, if I'm gonna rant about it... Midtown, about as creative as ACMEtown. Glad the developers are actually building real midrise on that space, though. Will make for a picturesque streetwall if we're lucky.

[Danny]

I'm glad that midtown is growing the thriving than any other Detroit ghettohood in Detroit.

[Brian1979]

The Cass Corridor is a small part of Midtown, the areas like Brush Park, the Medical Center and such have never been a part of the Cass Corridor. So why would we call the entire Midtown area by the name of Cass Corridor when it represents a small area of the neighborhood?

[hudkina]

The Midtown name has been in use for nearly 20 years. It has "historical' roots in the fact that you have a massive two square mile chunk of land that is essentially an island surrounded by freeways that sits between the two major office centers of the city. You don't think someone would come along and name this neighborhood?

And the boundaries for Midtown are about as firm as you can get. I-75 to the South and East, M-10 to the West, and I-94 to the North. How could it be made any clearer?

[bibs]

I moved 10 hours aways so I really appreciate the pic and the update on development in the D.

[royce]

I saw an article about this development on "Curbed Detroit." The website for Woodward Gardens is not up-to-date. I tried calling one of the phone numbers on the site but it kept ringing. I also would like to inquire about the floor plans and prices of the apartments, but nothing was available. I'm also curious as to whether or not there will be access to the parking structure for tenants. Other than that, it's a nice develoment.

[hybridy]

im underwhelmed with the rendering for the final product.

[IMG]http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...ps760eda6c.png[/IMG]

[IMG]hhttp://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...ps760eda6c.png/IMG]

[DetroitPlanner]

im underwhelmed with the rendering for the final product.

I've seen a lot worse.

[Gistok]

Well at least we get an intact streetwall and an old/new mix... Don't care for the colors on the corner building... but then I agree, it could be worse.

Another 1,300 seats added to Detroit's Theatre District is nice...

[gthomas]

To continue intact streetwalls along Woodward with guaranteed retail and residential above will create a nice dense walkable strip in Midtown. I have this example of what I vision on Woodward and Warren. This could work, thought it was nice [[More Midwest/Detroit style of architecture preferred) :http://the305.com/2013/01/15/walmart.../#.UUYOSN2PWjg Midtown, Miami.

[Shollin]

What? That's crazy! Why aren't they building this out in Warren where they just lost 300 jobs!

Warren isn't 50% vacant and doesn't need to pay people to live there.

[stasu1213]

When in the hell is Woodward going to be repaved. The street going past this site is in terrible shape. It is a shame that the main throroughfare in the city is almost undrivable

[DetroitPlanner]

When in the hell is Woodward going to be repaved. The street going past this site is in terrible shape. It is a shame that the main throroughfare in the city is almost undrivable

A reconstruction is being coordinated with the M-1 rail project. It should have been completed by now, but there was too much bickering going on over the mode and length of the transit component.

[Zug]

A reconstruction is being coordinated with the M-1 rail project. It should have been completed by now, but there was too much bickering going on over the mode and length of the transit component.

This is what I heard. I am looking forward to a nice street paving. A very nice road can make an area look much nicer.

[detroit12]

ghettohood? smh that's all you can contribute to the discussion? Please tell me you don't live in midtown. The city definitely can do without people like you

[detroit12]

Detroit isn't 50% vacant either. You couldn't pay me to live in trashy Warren

[Bobl]

Not to threadjack, interrupt, change the subject, or whatever: Is anything happening to my old haunt, Forest Arms?

[wolverine]

I'm the only black man in my apartment building here in Midtown, do I have to say who else live in this building [[Whites and foreigners)? All I see is white people [[Nothings wrong with it), even it all the businesses in Midtown have mostly white people patronizing and working there. Rent constantly going up every year, I wont be able to afford it in coming years. Will have to look north of New Center soon..

But that's something you had to expect. I'm only saying that because I'm going through the same thing. Except in my case its a severe housing shortage.