Midtown Professional Plaza Building

**gthomas** · July-28-13, 06:05 PM

The Professional Plaza building is [[known) to be demolished soon, replaced with new construction [[5-story office building). I walk pass this everyday and felled in love with the layout and presence on Woodward. It will be great as Midtowns "premiere" hotel.

The tower portion will be the hotel and the smaller building next to it could be a conference hall space/ballroom and/or restaurant, bar, retail..etc? The front plaza can be re-figured and feature better landscaping/water feature of some sort [[outdoor seating)? The driveway will lead up the the hotel used for valet or cab stands. Have reasonable rates for families/students or doctors/nurse visting DMC and/or Wayne State University.

Sad that one day soon, this building will be torn down. I will just restore/renovate it, modernize it. Wouldn't be more cost-effective than tearing it down and replacing it with new construction? It's not the prettiest building but it give Midtown a little "height" and the iconic "hammer", which is not functioning now. I will also replace that surface parking lot behind it and add a two story parking garage with ground floor retail along John R. st. What's your thought on this, I will find the source of which I've seen this and post more information.

**gthomas** · July-28-13, 06:18 PM

Here's the image with the "hammer".

**Gistok** · July-28-13, 06:33 PM

Going from 12 stories down to 5 stories is not an improvement...

gthomas, your comments are ambiguous... is it going to be an office building AND a hotel or just a hotel??

Also the original photo is quite old, and still shows the old 1880's [[now replaced) Gothic style Harper Hospital in red in the background. That was where Harry Houdini died...

**gthomas** · July-28-13, 06:40 PM

My [[personal dream) idea is to be a hotel, but [[in real life) it will be office.

**TexasT** · July-28-13, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by gthomas

I drove by that building today and thought about how ugly it is and hoped it would be torn down. I will miss the hammer [[perhaps it can be salvaged?) but the shorter building is awful and too far from the street. I am hoping for some street wall and not another set-off building.

**mwilbert** · July-28-13, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Going from 12 stories down to 5 stories is not an improvement...

In general no, but most of that site isn't 12 stories. Most of it doesn't appear to be one story. You could easily put a five story building on that site that would be much better.

I am a big fan of the hammer though.

**48202** · July-28-13, 07:22 PM

Gthomas:

Does the owner of this building know about your plan to demolish it and replace it with a 5 story building?

**gthomas** · July-28-13, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by 48202

Gthomas:

Does the owner of this building know about your plan to demolish it and replace it with a 5 story building?

Idiot, when did I say that "I" will demolish it? I said, I read from sources that it be demolished. A difference..No? I clearly stated that I've read that it will be a 5-story office building and when I find the information/article, I will post it.

**48202** · July-28-13, 08:00 PM

I look forward to seeing this information/article when you find and post it.

**royce** · July-28-13, 10:10 PM

Well, whatever happens it would be nice if they created a northern street and a southern street along the complex to create more pedestrian and car traffic to get to and from John R Street. On the north side there is a pedestrian walkway that looks like it is rarely used. It would be improved if they put in a one way street starting at Woodward. On the south side a two way street could go in. I also agree that a large parking deck should go in the middle of the site, but I would like to see town/row houses surround the parking deck on the north, west, and east sides, with town/row houses coming up close to the sidewalk on John R with a just a mild setback. Retail could exist on the ground floor of the Woodward side of whatever building would be built. Also, a few town/row houses could go on Woodward north of the new northern street. Currently, there is a green space for the apartment complex next door that no one seems to use.

**rjlj** · July-28-13, 10:46 PM

Good riddance. Can't wait to see this place gone.

Originally Posted by gthomas

The Professional Plaza building is [[known) to be demolished soon, replaced with new construction [[5-story office building). I walk pass this everyday and felled in love with the layout and presence on Woodward. It will be great as Midtowns "premiere" hotel.

The tower portion will be the hotel and the smaller building next to it could be a conference hall space/ballroom and/or restaurant, bar, retail..etc? The front plaza can be re-figured and feature better landscaping/water feature of some sort [[outdoor seating)? The driveway will lead up the the hotel used for valet or cab stands. Have reasonable rates for families/students or doctors/nurse visting DMC and/or Wayne State University.

Sad that one day soon, this building will be torn down. I will just restore/renovate it, modernize it. Wouldn't be more cost-effective than tearing it down and replacing it with new construction? It's not the prettiest building but it give Midtown a little "height" and the iconic "hammer", which is not functioning now. I will also replace that surface parking lot behind it and add a two story parking garage with ground floor retail along John R. st. What's your thought on this, I will find the source of which I've seen this and post more information.

**DetroitPlanner** · July-29-13, 07:48 AM

I kind of like it. It reminds me of Toronto. Granted Toronto has a bunch of gawd awful buildings...... I guess the other Midtown hotels are worried!

**gthomas** · November-13-13, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by 48202

Gthomas:

Does the owner of this building know about your plan to demolish it and replace it with a 5 story building?

I love proven people wrong on this site!!! Ya'll gone listen to me one day, I do know what I'm talking about before things hit the news. I know A LOT of inside people...check my credentials.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...demolition.php

**SpartanDawg** · November-13-13, 06:15 PM

I am EXTREMELY glad they are demolishing that two story building ... ugliest frickin thing on woodward through midtown and downtown...

the hammer and nail high-rise... it would've been cool if somebody with a whole lot of money rehabbed it into something like a boutique hotel... but I ain't mad that it's biting the dust too... they're both eye sores at this point and i'm glad to see new developments take their place... also I did hear from people that have seen the plans that yes.. these new buildings WILL be built up against woodward.. street wall will be there folks

**Jason** · November-13-13, 06:34 PM

I don't really get it.

Why spend the money to demolish it, and then spend more money to replace it with something smaller? I could imagine demolishing the shorter building and replacing it with a taller building, but I don't see how you'd be worse off renovating the tower.

**MSUguy** · November-13-13, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by Jason

I don't really get it.

Why spend the money to demolish it, and then spend more money to replace it with something smaller? I could imagine demolishing the shorter building and replacing it with a taller building, but I don't see how you'd be worse off renovating the tower.

I agree, it's not prettiest building and it would've been nice if it was built to the street. But it's still a perfectly fine building this project seems like a big waste of money.

**gthomas** · November-13-13, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by SpartanDawg

I am EXTREMELY glad they are demolishing that two story building ... ugliest frickin thing on woodward through midtown and downtown...

the hammer and nail high-rise... it would've been cool if somebody with a whole lot of money rehabbed it into something like a boutique hotel... but I ain't mad that it's biting the dust too... they're both eye sores at this point and i'm glad to see new developments take their place... also I did hear from people that have seen the plans that yes.. these new buildings WILL be built up against woodward.. street wall will be there folks

I agree, a boutique hotel would of been GREAT! It's a premiere location and does Midtown have a hotel? It could of been renovated and configured a little bit, maybe an outdoor pool and courtyard with a parking garage on the John R. side with retail.

**DetroitPlanner** · November-13-13, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by SpartanDawg

I am EXTREMELY glad they are demolishing that two story building ... ugliest frickin thing on woodward through midtown and downtown...

the hammer and nail high-rise... it would've been cool if somebody with a whole lot of money rehabbed it into something like a boutique hotel... but I ain't mad that it's biting the dust too... they're both eye sores at this point and i'm glad to see new developments take their place... also I did hear from people that have seen the plans that yes.. these new buildings WILL be built up against woodward.. street wall will be there folks

The new Whole Foods is way uglier than this place.

**gvidas** · November-13-13, 10:47 PM

The building is kind of ugly, but I would love to see the hammer-and-nail neon repaired and relocated.

I guess it's too modern for any historical tax credits, and too huge for an office wall.

Too bad, since that style of sign is a very viable candidate for restoration.

**48202** · November-14-13, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by gthomas

I love proven people wrong on this site!!! Ya'll gone listen to me one day, I do know what I'm talking about before things hit the news. I know A LOT of inside people...check my credentials.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...demolition.php

Thank you for the link, Gthomas.

The article says a letter was sent to nearby residents in May. Guess 48202 isn't nearby enough.

**DetroitPlanner** · November-14-13, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by gvidas

The building is kind of ugly, but I would love to see the hammer-and-nail neon repaired and relocated.

I guess it's too modern for any historical tax credits, and too huge for an office wall.

Too bad, since that style of sign is a very viable candidate for restoration.

Snyder axed the historic tax credits with his first budget. Good luck on using them for future projects.

**WaCoTS** · November-14-13, 09:28 AM

i bet if someone waved several grand in the owners' face they could get the hammer & nail neons....

might look good on the side of Stott, no?

no?

lol

**royce** · November-14-13, 09:49 AM

What I would like to see is a new street north of the tower that opens up to John R [[currently there's a pedestrian lane that doesn't appear to be used much). I would also like to see most of the green space just north of the tower used for a residential tower. I know that that land is owned by the apartment building there, but that's a nice chunk of land along a major city thoroughfare not being used effectively. Finally, a parking structure behind the proposed new development could open the door for residential along John R. I would love to see a townhouse development along John R. With Whole Foods nearby, the DMC, the DSO, and other amenities, that would be a good spot, in my opinion, to put residential.

**Zug** · November-14-13, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Jason

I don't really get it.

Why spend the money to demolish it, and then spend more money to replace it with something smaller? I could imagine demolishing the shorter building and replacing it with a taller building, but I don't see how you'd be worse off renovating the tower.

Without knowing the plans we don't know if this will be true. A 4 story building covering the entire current site + the space up to Woodward may actually be more usable space.

Granted, I'm all about building high-rises/skyscrapers when feasible. But I won't cry about this one since it sounds like it will be replaced with something more urban.

**DetroitPlanner** · November-14-13, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by Zug

Granted, I'm all about building high-rises/skyscrapers when feasible. But I won't cry about this one since it sounds like it will be replaced with something more urban.

Looks pretty urban to me as it is:
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=midto...2,50.85,,0,2.3

Yes there is space behind it that could be better utilized. Yes there is a slight set-back but it is nothing like you would find at a suburban Walgreen's.