University of Michigan Construction Redux

[ccbatson]

Nah...tall buildings, businesses, services are the lifeblood of any community so long as they are accomplished via the ambitions and endeavours of motivated and free individuals. Public owned properties and institutions tend to fall into decay even when the resources to maintain them are readily available...Why? The owner of an item of value has a selfish interest in maintaining, or growing it. Public properties have no real owners invested in the success of said property, so, over time, they fall away, or, they get propped up by unreasonable amounts of taxpayer money and become nice looking empty shells with no character, and no life.

[1KielsonDrive]

Thanks Ziggy. I appreciate your sentiments and knowledge. I hope you'll continue to post. You seem to know and care about A2. Pay little attention to the Bats, his postings are without much thought, any feeling or concern. His rantings are those of an ideologue. We keep trying to bring him along to the world of caring and thoughtful conversation, left, right or middle. He keeps posting meaningless ditties to hear him/her/it/self talk. Hey Bats, join the human race. I'll attend a DetroitYes gathering if you will. I'd love to meet you if you are, in fact, an actual human being.

[1KielsonDrive]

Zig, maybe you could point out the location or a description of the KaiserFrazier home. I walk, ride, bike Barton Driive occasionally and I've worked at Barton Hills CC. I like the area and I'd be interested in knowing more of it's history. Do you know the location of Harry Bennett's former home? I've been to his former home on Grosse Ile. How about the home of William Clay Ford Jr? I saw him weaving around downtown last night, alone and on foot. My friends insist he was bombed. Whatever. Do you know about the ultra modern white house, on the hill, overlooking Barton Pond? It has a security gate and winding path with modern light posts. Anything you care to post is appreciated. Thanks.

[ziggyselbin]

Barton hills was originally built by Detroit edison for executives to live. The orginal house at Barton hills of the pres of det edison is on corrie road all the way up on the left. It is hidden but if you look hard enough you will see it.


Here is the Kaiser house


http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...105_1106009596


The Bennett castle is on Geddes east of dixboro. The only way to see it is from the river. One would think that the history ch would do a feature on the house. I think it is ironic that the meanest felonious thug assoc with fomoco was from of all places ann arbor

[1KielsonDrive]

I took photos along Barton and Barton Shores yesterday evening. I decided to start walking/jogging along the pond and finish at Ferry Field track. I'll post them later. The big, ultra-modern home up on the hilltop is plainly visible at local.live.com [[bing maps). Just follow Barton past Underdown and Corrie Roads until you see the huge, white, circular building overlooking Barton Drive and the pond. Try the birds eye view to get a dramatic effect. I was only able to get a few shots of it through the tree cover. It's gigantic and looks more like an office complex than a home. At least from space.

[1KielsonDrive]

For Wolverine and Ziggy. The Commons and the house on Barton Shores. Another photo to follow.

[1KielsonDrive]

I'll try again. The Commons.

[1KielsonDrive]

660 Barton Shores is David Brandon's home and also the home of the David Brandon Foundation, as in David Brandon, formerly of Domino's Pizza. I found some great aerial views at Zillow.com.

[wolverine]

I was never aware of that house. I had only started exploring more of Ann Arbor's non-student residential areas toward the end of grad school.

I look forward to more pictures. It's difficult for me to get pics since I've moved to Chicago. I'm hoping to make it back for a few football games where I'll get to experience Michigan Stadium in its final phase of construction.

[ccbatson]

If you want to see a real campus [[not a mish mash of campus and city)...head over to East Lansing/MSU.

[1KielsonDrive]

CC, you're hilarious! Probably not intentionally so. The rumours about you being a doctor are true. You're a veterinarian. And you gradgitated from Mooo U.

[1KielsonDrive]

Friends of mine own a house across the road from the Brandon Residence/Foundation. They're on the pond. They bought the home about 5 or 6 years ago and have just completed remodeling. It's a beautiful, stone house with a turret, stone retaining walls, extensive landscaping and the remnants of a formal garden. It was in disrepair and is now a 'showcase' home.

[wolverine]

If you want to see a real campus [[not a mish mash of campus and city)...head over to East Lansing/MSU.

MSU has a gorgeous campus, that I can agree. But I prefer Michigan's more urban campus. The mish mash is what makes it interesting and is one of the attractive features for out of state students. What I wish EL would take care of is a row of vacant buildings that border the campus on Grand River. I heard they are being demolished and replaced by a new development.

[1KielsonDrive]

Yes, I've always liked EL. As part of my trek to Lewiston and northern Michigan, I enjoyed stopping in EL and bicycling around campus. In the 90's, I stopped in Lansing to watch construction of the Lugnuts park and later to watch games. Spartan Stadium is always a riot - unless you're with a loud, partisan Michigan crowd, in which case it became dangerous. But never as bad as the 'Snake Pit' in that city in Ohio. I used to get high in the 'pines' by Munn Arena, back in college days. They'd occasionally have concerts at Old College Field, not to mention the MSU Open Air Festival of the late 60's. You could enter a dorm complex at MSU on a friday, drink all the beer, smoke all the dope, eat all the food and have all the sex you wanted and not see daylight until monday [[it was a big deal in my days. It probably occurs regularly now). Those complexes are huge. The Coral Gables, The Stables, Mothers were all geat rock venues. I don't know if this still applies; MSU was the largest single campus in the USA in terms of area and student population.

[1KielsonDrive]

Another Commons photo.

[ziggyselbin]

I have mixed feelings about that addition. I believe I read somewhere that the dorms i.e Lloyd and Mosher/Jordan were meant to mimic the Dakota's on central pk; and they do. This addition blots that out. Now if we see the Dakota's put up a similar thing..........

[1KielsonDrive]

Ziggy, I hear what you're saying. I think the addition is attractive, but crowds that area and blocks views. The view of the complex when driving along Washtenaw, pre- addition, was a classic Ann Arbor, UoM Campus, view. Looking across the athetic fields gave the area a spacious, roomy feel. The dorm complex in the background appeared to be classic University. I understand UoM may have problems locating new buildings and additions, but much of campus and town is begining to look like a tall, imposing skyline. Ann Arbor shouldn't look like a 'big' city. A2 needs to retain it's small, mid-west town, atmosphere. I have a few more photos of that Washtenaw corridor, taken on that same day, I'll post later.

[ccbatson]

Yep, they are being "taken care of"...but not on the taxpayer's dime....private property ad private development/redevelopment of campus...Hooray for MSU.

[wolverine]

Yep, they are being "taken care of"...but not on the taxpayer's dime....private property ad private development/redevelopment of campus...Hooray for MSU.

Not true, most of the combined properties were purchased by the DDA with State of Michigan Economic Development Corporation Funds. The City of East Lansing purchased the rest for a future parking garage. BTW, while taxpayers foot the bill for securing the land and cleanup, the owner putting up the building is behind on their taxes. Don't drag MSU's name into this, they have nothing to do with this project and its financial insecurity.

Funny thing is why do I know this, and you just make stuff up?

[ccbatson]

"Most"? Which in particular? These properties are off campus.

[1KielsonDrive]

Oh Bats, do you ever make any sense? You're truly a 'cut and paster'. If you ever string together a couple of words or sentences that make sense, you'll have everyone here at DY in a state of shock.

[1KielsonDrive]

Washtenaw Avenue looking north through the 'canyon'.

[1KielsonDrive]

Washtenaw northbound from South U to the Huron bend.

[wolverine]

"Most"? Which in particular? These properties are off campus.

All the properties are off campus, but a portion of it went to the city of EL. The rest was acquired by the DDA for redevelopment. Here's your fact sheet explaining brownfield redevelopment and the TIF to publicly finance this project.

http://www.cityofeastlansing.com/Hom.../CityCenterII/

I have nothing against this method of financing since the area will benefit from this development after its completion. Hopefully the link above will provide a better understanding.


1Kielson, isn't amazing how that area has built up? 6 years ago, most of it was a huge construction site. The BioMed research building was just foundations. I barely recall what used to be there. Parking? It's nice to finally see Palmer Field enclosed by buildings, the way it should be. BTW, are you aware Couzens Hall will undergo a $49 million renovation next year? The historical appearances will retained. Most of the windows [[though relatively new) will be removed and replaced by more attractive, energy efficient ones.

Basically U of M has been rehabbing most of its dorms these past few years to be sure they provide the highest standards in student living. I was blown away by the Mosher Jordan renovation, the interior is beautiful. When I lived in Couzens, the building was in excellent condition. The tile and drywall in the rooms of the original building was practically brand new, so I'm curious of what the improvements will be like. Apparently the architecture firm intends to update existing bathrooms into “spa-like facilities," with the regents replying "as long as the fixtures are water efficient." Whatever the case, complete updates to the buildings infrastructure and restoration of historical appearance will keep this building around for many years to come.

[ccbatson]

I didn't know that....if true [[and you are correct) East Lansing just lost a big measure of respect.