Scaffolding Going UP at One Woodward-Place Yer Bets

**Gannon** · April-19-13, 09:09 AM

Well, horror of horrors...perhaps...but they are building scaffolding on at least two sides of One Woodward now.

Inquiring minds want to know.

And have some fun with this.

Is it regular mainenance?

Or something sinister?

How badly is Dan Gilbert going to abuse this historic building?!

Or is he just giving it a good cleaning?

What's happening with the scaffolding...

Since it is an unknown, I really want to give him a 50-50 chance of doing the right thing. But the odds still start at 60-40 that he's going to screw something up enough for us to complain about and/or cheerlead at length!

That would be 60% chance of something complaint-worthy. So, what does that make the 'odds'...3/2 is the ratio...where are the actuaries and odds-makers? Dan, you don't get to play.

Cheers

**401don** · April-19-13, 10:01 AM

I'm guessing it's just playground equipment for the tourists to play on while waiting for the new Jefferson crossing.

**Eber Brock Ward** · April-19-13, 10:16 AM

It's a boring building with historical value. He'd have to add something to screw it up.

Adding stuff costs $. It makes no sense to add stuff and screw it up.

I think the building is safe.

**gnome** · April-19-13, 10:23 AM

I would guess it will be a smoker's lounge. Those Quicken folk are heavy puffers.

**hortonz** · April-19-13, 03:15 PM

Dear Dan Gilbert: the old post office building in downtown Windsor is up for sale. I'll bet the feds would let you have it real cheap since the Conservatives hate Windsor as much as Republicans hate Detroit.

**grumpyoldlady** · April-20-13, 01:22 AM

It is about time for the building to be sandblasted again. I worked there when it was done in the 70's. Even with the plastic the put over the scaffolding, there was sand all over for blocks around.

**Gannon** · April-20-13, 08:07 AM

Oh great.

The smokers will just think it is a huge ashtray for them, then.

And, I'm sure some of Dan's 'design' team are planning a beach for afternoon playtime...after they dye it pink or Quicken Red or something otherwise anti-nature.

**Scottathew** · April-20-13, 09:28 AM

LOL, I love seeing people pissing and moaning about someone investing money in Detroit.

People hate "the man" for letting Detroit go so far down, but then when a guy comes in, buys buildings, and renovates them the same people piss and moan that they don't like the wall colors.

I'll agree with you guys on the smoking though, it's pretty disgusting. I was walking with my daughter on Monroe between Farmer and Woodward and people are discarding their cigarette butts directly onto the sidewalk and into the storm drain.

**downtownguy** · April-20-13, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by 48091

I'll agree with you guys on the smoking though, it's pretty disgusting. I was walking with my daughter on Monroe between Farmer and Woodward and people are discarding their cigarette butts directly onto the sidewalk and into the storm drain.

They should come up with a deposit on cigarette butts like there is on bottles and cans.

**hortonz** · April-20-13, 12:41 PM

The worst thing Gilbert could do to One Woodward is sandblast the exterior. It would clean up the building's appearance but in the long run sandblasting would damage the exterior surfaces and cause them to deteriorate quickly. They tried the same thing on a heritage building here in Windsor and after a few years the damage caused by exposure to the elements caused the brick work to deteriorate and crumble.

**Jimaz** · April-20-13, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by hortonz

The worst thing Gilbert could do to One Woodward is sandblast the exterior. It would clean up the building's appearance but in the long run sandblasting would damage the exterior surfaces and cause them to deteriorate quickly. They tried the same thing on a heritage building here in Windsor and after a few years the damage caused by exposure to the elements caused the brick work to deteriorate and crumble.

I read the same thing about powerwashing concrete. Apparently it opens up small pores on the surface into larger pores that accelerate deterioration from ice and salt.

Also I read that if dry ice is used when sandblasting, there won't be any residue because it just evaporates into CO₂. Pretty clever, that.

**Gannon** · April-20-13, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by hortonz

The worst thing Gilbert could do to One Woodward is sandblast the exterior. It would clean up the building's appearance but in the long run sandblasting would damage the exterior surfaces and cause them to deteriorate quickly. They tried the same thing on a heritage building here in Windsor and after a few years the damage caused by exposure to the elements caused the brick work to deteriorate and crumble.

Not sure what the entire building is made of, but the first couple of floors and entire lobby, including the floor of the perimeter outside, is white marble. I don't think sandblasting has the same negative effect on that.

Sounds like it was done before...

**wolverine** · April-20-13, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by 48091

LOL, I love seeing people pissing and moaning about someone investing money in Detroit.

I love how people on this site speculate when scaffolding goes up. i mean there's places that are downtown that SHOULD have scaffolding around them because of facade deterioration.

**mikefmich** · April-21-13, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by 48091

LOL, I love seeing people pissing and moaning about someone investing money in Detroit.

People hate "the man" for letting Detroit go so far down, but then when a guy comes in, buys buildings, and renovates them the same people piss and moan that they don't like the wall colors.

.

Thank you 48091. Never ceases to amaze.
Y'all who are always finding fault with Gilbert, et. al, could you let me know how many millions you've put into Detroit in the last 5 yrs?

**Gannon** · April-22-13, 12:57 AM

Originally Posted by mikefmich

Thank you 48091. Never ceases to amaze.
Y'all who are always finding fault with Gilbert, et. al, could you let me know how many millions you've put into Detroit in the last 5 yrs?

Oh, you have to have money to have an opinion now?! What's next, you have to own property to get a vote?

And, does having millions somehow allow one to escape criticism of one's public actions and effects?!

Perhaps we should give ol' selfish Matty a pass then. AND, the Illitches and Fords are rendered untouchable. Nothing they create can have any stench. Ever.

Right. Kiss my ass. Some of the earliest money Gilbert spent in town was trying to keep the most openly corrupt mayor in Detroit's recent history in office.

**old guy** · April-22-13, 01:11 AM

This forum is if nothing else, informative and unique. Gotta love it.

**French777** · April-22-13, 10:58 AM

Name: One Woodward.jpg
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Took this Today. Also, the fountain out front is working as well. Not sure if it always was, or a recent improvement.

**Gistok** · April-22-13, 11:33 AM

Thanks French777... looks very nicely cleaned up!

So Gannon... I think your "sinister odds" were a little off... more like 80-20%...

**mikeg19** · April-22-13, 11:44 AM

My god. Is that what it really looks like cleaned?!?!?!? That's a hell of a difference. Looking nice.

**subsidized** · April-22-13, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by French777

Took this Today. Also, the fountain out front is working as well. Not sure if it always was, or a recent improvement.

I saw them cleaning that section one night a few weeks ago. I could be wrong but they seemed to be powerwashing it, not sandblasting.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · April-22-13, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

My god. Is that what it really looks like cleaned?!?!?!? That's a hell of a difference. Looking nice.

That section is so WHITE! JoAnn Watson might claim its part of a suburban takeover.

**EastsideAl** · April-22-13, 02:55 PM

That's what the building looked like when new, all those years ago. Nice to hear that the once-controversial fountain is running again too.

**tielerh11** · April-22-13, 07:13 PM

I'll bet he's just going to clean it square by square like that, until it looks like a checkerboard and matches his cheese grater up the street

**downtownguy** · April-22-13, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by tielerh11

I'll bet he's just going to clean it square by square like that, until it looks like a checkerboard and matches his cheese grater up the street

That's tacky.

**Gistok** · April-23-13, 01:02 AM

Originally Posted by tielerh11

I'll bet he's just going to clean it square by square like that, until it looks like a checkerboard and matches his cheese grater up the street

It's not as though he built the Chase Tower... NBD did circa 1960. So any questioning that it's "dated" doesn't fall onto Gilbert, but to the former bank that merged its' self into oblivion...