Federal Reserve Bank Building

**AGinthe313** · March-12-13, 11:34 AM

From Curbed Detroit: Behold! The future of Detroit's Federal Reserve Bank Building is here. Dan Gilbert added the Fed to his skyscraper stash in early 2012, but this retail-centric rendering is the first new info we've seen. It looks like design duties will be handed to ROSSETTI Architects, whose Downtown work includes the Compuware Building, Greektown Casino, and the garish renovations within the Chase Tower. They'll be in charge of carving out a new glass entrance and extending the tall windows down to ground level. Let us not overlook the Fed's eight-story glass and marble annex, designed by Minoru Yamaski in 1951. Whether or not ROSSETTI will be let loose upon that building is unknown, though ROSSETTI says that new tenants are expected this summer. Also worth noting: Gilbert's all-time favorite shopping destination, Urban Outfitters, has found a spot in yet another Bedrock rendering.

Article Link: http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...-rendering.php

**stinkytofu** · March-12-13, 11:44 AM

Funny enough, I walked by this morning and noticed workers in the building. Progress is definitely starting there...I'm still looking for some workers to show up at the David Whitney...

**gthomas** · March-12-13, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by stinkytofu

Funny enough, I walked by this morning and noticed workers in the building. Progress is definitely starting there...I'm still looking for some workers to show up at the David Whitney...

Ditto! Not to mention, Capitol Park residential project too. Lets get the wheels turning! What ever happen to Gilbert retail plans for the Chase building, extending the ground level out to accommodate retail?

**Jason** · March-12-13, 03:40 PM

The changes to the older portion are bad changes which really screw up the balance and proportion of the facade.

You need the strong horizontal of the black plinth. You also need to break up the tall vertical windows with the spandrels. Without those you end up with a bad facade.

To me this is more than tastefully adapting the building to a different use, it's messing the building up.

I think it's fine that they do whatever they'd like to the main entrance. And to be honest I'm not sure if there are even any structural columns in those spots [[based on the way there's currently a jog in the columns). That part of the building isn't original. The main entrance used to be there, and presumably when Yamasaki's addition was built, it was reconstructed to match the rest of the building [[since the entrance was moved to the new building). I think the part of the cornice that wraps around into the mini plaza was also built when the addition was done.

Here is a photo of the original entrance:

http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...art=;resnum=10

Hopefully they take good care of the Yamasaki portion.

Last night I was reading a book, and in it was a correspondence from Phyllis Lambert who was responsible for choosing the architect for the Seagram Building in NYC. She discussed a small handful of architects and buildings in a handful of cities. Yamasaki was one of the architects, and this building was called out by name as being exemplary. Ultimately she picked Mies van der Rohe and history was made.

Anyway, I think this is a building of architectural and historical significance and should be treated more like a restoration project. It shouldn't be handled so casually.

**Gannon** · March-12-13, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by AGinthe313

From Curbed Detroit:Also worth noting: Gilbert's all-time favorite shopping destination, Urban Outfitters, has found a spot in yet another Bedrock rendering.

He should be so lucky to have his employees shop there or better. Word is the lobby of one of his newest acquisitions is starting to look like Walmart on a bad day. Then again, these poor folks have to work under those ugly-ass funky-bright ceiling lights. They are probably addicted to energy drinks, too.

**Gannon** · March-12-13, 07:06 PM

Someone has to school Dan Gilbert on the place Yamasaki has in history, and the abject failure of other architectural bastardizations worldwide.

**Gistok** · March-12-13, 07:50 PM

It all depends on the architect... I think John Portman's original RenCen design was improved by the GM HQ buildout with the Wintergarten and knockdown of the berms and new entranceway and interior changes. I agree that Yamasaki's work should not be triffled with, but when you look at the long list of Detroit architecture that has had "modifications"... a few windows-to-the-floor don't bother me so much... although I would like to see before and after renderings to make up my mind.

But Daniel Burham, Wirt Rowland, C. Howard Crane and Albert Kahn... just to name a few... have had so many of their buildings "modernized" in the last 3/4 century... that losing the spirit of the original is a strong argument to make....

**Gannon** · March-12-13, 08:15 PM

His first six floors worth of updates at One Woodward already are a lampoon.

How do you honor the original street layout of our fair city? Imprint it on your employee's retinae with hundreds of clever ceiling light fixtures?! I'd bet it is the safe 7.2 square miles, too. Subliminal stuff.

It looks like shit from the street. It has to be hell to work in, I don't care how they rank in the polls...that harsh of light has consequences.

**wolverine** · March-13-13, 01:02 AM

Originally Posted by Gannon

He should be so lucky to have his employees shop there or better. Word is the lobby of one of his newest acquisitions is starting to look like Walmart on a bad day. Then again, these poor folks have to work under those ugly-ass funky-bright ceiling lights. They are probably addicted to energy drinks, too.

I've worked on some more edgy office designs, but the office design i saw in the picture seemed pretty kitsch. The idea of making the office look like the fun place of google is starting to wear off. Usually industrial loft, supermodern-hotel lounge,

**wolverine** · March-13-13, 01:06 AM

Originally Posted by Gannon

He should be so lucky to have his employees shop there or better. Word is the lobby of one of his newest acquisitions is starting to look like Walmart on a bad day. Then again, these poor folks have to work under those ugly-ass funky-bright ceiling lights. They are probably addicted to energy drinks, too.

I've worked on some more edgy office designs, but the office design i saw in the picture seemed pretty kitsch. The idea of making the office look like the fun place of google is starting to wear off. Usually industrial loft, supermodern-hotel lounge, or classic renovation / restoration tend to get more life and appreciation and don't look dated after a few years. I hope the preference for tackiness doesn't spread too far.

**Tanya Hamilton** · March-13-13, 01:17 AM

Downtown and "Midtown" need about 30,000 more full-time residents to make any sort of consistent and realistic retail and political ways possible as of 2013/2014 with the exception of Dan Gilbert and friends who are leveling Illitches dream of parking lots, and Red Wings bars, and doing something others aren't willing to do because he can without city or state money [[renaissance zones excluded) Where's A Taubman when you need him?

**Gannon** · March-13-13, 06:46 AM

I just realized I wasn't very precise...the Walmarting of the lobby is from the new employees who don't shop at Urban Outfitters, and are largely unaware of professional and elevator etiquette. Many of the relatively incensed building veterans now understand the posting of those strange, new building rules...it wasn't for the current lessees...it was for his OWN employees. The Walmarting of 2-5 and 7-10 come from the horrible map-grid lighting that the designer should be forced to wear for the rest of their career. Street Crud, we'll call it.

**Gannon** · March-13-13, 07:32 AM

I think ol' Al has gone undercover boss with the antiques roadshow. The only tell is he parks his $750k motorhome in his mall parking lot at night, instead of Walmart with the rest of the crew. I don't think we'll be seeing him downtown anytime soon.

**Pcm** · March-14-13, 09:34 PM

Preservation Detroit had this to say on their facebook:

"We've just returned home from the Detroit Historic District Commission and we commend its members for their thorough, conscientious work in protecting our city's architectural heritage. While they approved much of the plan for the Federal Reserve Building and the Yamasaki Annex, they denied permission or asked for revisions in several cases of changes to key "character" features of the buildings, particularly with regard to the Yamasaki Annex. We're also grateful to Bedrock for its appreciation for Detroit's historic buildings, its outstanding efforts to bring new life to these buildings, and its willingness to take on the special challenges and rewards of buildings with local historic designations.

PD's President Melanie Markowicz, Yamasaki's colleague Henry Guthard, and a Lawrence Tech professor [[whose name we regrettably don't have) all commented on the historic significance of the buildings and gave input on different aspects of the plan. We encourage our Facebook family to "like" the Detroit Historic District Commission page, peruse their meeting agendas, and join us in attending and commenting at meetings."

**ismoakrack** · March-15-13, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Pcm

Downtown and "Midtown" need about 30,000 more full-time residents to make any sort of consistent and realistic retail and political ways possible as of 2013/2014 with the exception of Dan Gilbert and friends who are leveling Illitches dream of parking lots, and Red Wings bars, and doing something others aren't willing to do because he can without city or state money [[renaissance zones excluded) Where's A Taubman when you need him?"

I attended a Brush Park CDC meeting recently which was attending by the city planning department. They had all these charts and graphs, one of which compared greater downtown Detroit to Center City Philly. Same geographic area, but Detroit has about 30,000 residents whereas Philly has 150,000. Even with 150,000 residents, some of the edges of Center City are ghost-townish. We need way more than another 30,000 to fill in Detroit's gaps.

**Jason** · March-15-13, 12:07 PM

I'm glad that they were able to get some of what they wanted and that bedrock was cooperative. They even got someone who worked with Yamasaki to help review it which is nice.

I'd like to know what they were going to do that they won't be doing now.

**cramerro** · March-15-13, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by Gannon

I just realized I wasn't very precise...the Walmarting of the lobby is from the new employees who don't shop at Urban Outfitters, and are largely unaware of professional and elevator etiquette. Many of the relatively incensed building veterans now understand the posting of those strange, new building rules...it wasn't for the current lessees...it was for his OWN employees. The Walmarting of 2-5 and 7-10 come from the horrible map-grid lighting that the designer should be forced to wear for the rest of their career. Street Crud, we'll call it.

Gannon,

Can you elaborate a bit on what you mean by Walmarting of the lobby? Posting of building rules? Is this in the sterile design of the offices or the rules/behavior of the employees? Thanks.

**detroitbob** · March-16-13, 12:22 AM

When downtown Friday evening I noted that the dropped ceilings from the side entrances [[Cadillac Sq) of the First National Bldg have been removed revealing the original ornamental plaster, gold leafed and polychromed --- surprisingly intact...

**Gistok** · March-16-13, 02:39 AM

Originally Posted by detroitbob

When downtown Friday evening I noted that the dropped ceilings from the side entrances [[Cadillac Sq) of the First National Bldg have been removed revealing the original ornamental plaster, gold leafed and polychromed --- surprisingly intact...

Sigh... when you mention that it reminds me of the lobby of the Book-Cadillac... a very ornate gilded plaster ceiling survived hidden under a drop ceiling survived relatively intact... until it was restored... the ornate plasterwork ripped out, and a flat white ceiling replacing it!

**Gistok** · March-16-13, 02:40 AM

Originally Posted by detroitbob

When downtown Friday evening I noted that the dropped ceilings from the side entrances [[Cadillac Sq) of the First National Bldg have been removed revealing the original ornamental plaster, gold leafed and polychromed --- surprisingly intact...

Sigh... when you mention that it reminds me of the lobby of the Book-Cadillac... a very ornate gilded plaster ceiling hidden under a drop ceiling survived relatively intact... until it was restored... the ornate plasterwork ripped out, and a flat white ceiling replacing it!

**detroitbob** · March-16-13, 03:33 AM

as I remember the parade level of the BC had been pretty much "sher-a-wrecked" back in the 50's redo and I thought very little of the grand lobby was salvageable. Now I'm not saying they are going to restore these areas at the First Natl but they are there and exposed. Going to try to get downtown tomorrow and try to get some pix.

**Gistok** · March-16-13, 10:47 AM

Unlike most of the ceilings in the public rooms, the ceiling of the grand lobby was very much in salvagable condition... it still had nearly 100% of the gold leaf still covering the grillwork... only there were holes put into it at certain spots to put the support rods for the lower drop ceiling into it. They just opted to destroy it... for a simple flat matte white ceiling...

**Lowell** · March-16-13, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by stinkytofu

Funny enough, I walked by this morning and noticed workers in the building. Progress is definitely starting there...I'm still looking for some workers to show up at the David Whitney...

There is a activity there, just not at the hard hat level yet. A friend of mine who owns a sign company was in there last week assessing rooftop signage. He had to climb 20+ stories of steps then a ladder for 2 or 3 more to get there.

**Gannon** · March-17-13, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by cramerro

Gannon,

Can you elaborate a bit on what you mean by Walmarting of the lobby? Posting of building rules? Is this in the sterile design of the offices or the rules/behavior of the employees? Thanks.

I've got a few professional friends who work in the building, and have been around it quite a bit these past few years.

From them, not from direct observation, I've heard the 'caliber' of employees that Dan Gilbert has brought into One Woodward do not seem to be groomed for public business behavior and proper dress...even to the point of disrespecting personal space in elevators. This is not a dig at them, most are regular folk trying to make a living, but moreso against the lack of HR training of people NEW to a workplace...he has responsiblity beyond hiring 10 employees to fight it out for 4 slots, that form of abuse of human resources is brutally ancient and should be illegal. But it makes his 'new jobs' figures look really good to those who worship growth.

The posted rules had some really sophomoric suggestions and restrictions...most who read them felt as if they were created by a high schooler, indeed at least two of the rules must've been plagiarized from an old rule book someone stole! Yes, I'm over-doing it on the accusations, to make a point, the rules were taken originally as an offense to the current lessees...but now that they've witnessed how Gilbert's minions have arrived, it doesn't bode well for expectations of what he'll do with this historic building. Or, by simple extrapolation, the rest of the city he recently bought...because it wasn't just real estate, he acquired more power.

I haven't seen their floors, only HEARD the renovations off-hours, and heard about the rude behavior of the construction workers invading leased and occupied space. Then again, they are construction workers.

But I DO see what they've done to the ceiling from the street, on floors 3-5 and 7-9. The little streetmap emulations might've been a cute idea in concept, but it fails miserably in application. Miserably. Street Crud.

And they've apparently nobody in their architecture/design staff that knows a damn thing about the natural order of things, say like the travel of sunlight throughout the year. Witness the dozens upon dozens of fucked-up shit LITTERING almost all of their windows.

I initially thought it was their 'whiteboard' or flat space for posting public performance charts...since it looked like they were taping up large-format print sheets. But then I saw the collection of UPS and FedEX supplies taped on some...and it became obvious they were desperately trying to quell the sunshine from obscuring their computer screens!

So, yeah, I'm seeing short-sightedness from many angles, I KNOW I'm a relentless critic of the guy. He WAS one of the top-five last-minute suppporters of Kwhyme Kilpatrick a few years ago. Nobody should EVER forget that.

I don't trust him. Not one whit. I want to...he has such potential for good, but that same can effect great evil...even unintentionally. What was Spiderman's mantra? With great power comes great responsibility.

Sincerely,
John

**Gannon** · March-17-13, 10:03 AM

And where did you get STERILE? That is the opposite of what it seems his team has done with their offices...if anything they Pre-Schooled 'em, and I've never seen a sterile preschool.

To me, GARISH seems more a compliment...I need a better word to describe design that is 'nothing anyone has ever done before' without asking why.

Cheers!