Seems to be alot of demolition on Grand River lately.

[brizee]

Building across from the GAR castle is being torn down as we speak.

Another 2/3 story building at 2764 GR came down last month. I thought it was maybe scrappers due to how shady the operation looked, but there's a for sale sign on the property.

Curious why it's so urgent they had to come down. When I went to HS ten years ago there were at least still some buildings along that stretch of Grand River. Like the Chin Tiki from 8 Mile. Closed down they looked better than a cement lot.

Probably just more parking. It's funny how actual new construction/remodeling can be announced but take months/years.

But when it comes to parking lots these owners go at it like they''ve been sniffing cocaine with a Viagra chaser.

[Gistok]

Ummmm... maybe you were on vacation when this was announced for the DTE owned property on Grand River....

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...WS/130709965/#

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Another thing to note about buildings getting demo'd: if a property can't/won't realistically be renovated, it is much more attractive to buyers as a vacant lot. With so much real estate being sold downtown & midtown, and with announced big projects underway, I think we will see the acceleration of clearing land by people looking to sell. Mostly a good thing.

[nain rouge]

I'm going to refrain politeness here and say that those mock-ups look like shit. Its look like Capitol Park! Why Detroit's urban planners think these open concrete deserts are so awesome is completely beyond me. To me, it just adds to the desolate Detroit vibe. It's Hart Plaza pt. 2, pt. 3, pt. 4 - ad infinitum!

One of the great things about New York is how green it looks, and that includes the city's parks, which resemble forests from overhead. In contrast, Capitol Park looks like a giant frying pan from overhead, fit maybe for Spartan Stores' Jolly Green Giant.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

Yeah, Nain, I have to partially agree. Capitol Park is pretty cemented, and not very green. I do think though, that it is a gigantic improvement over before. And I think many people are pushing for more green in the city. The [[I assume) abandoned reno ideas for Hart Plaza included a substantial amount of new green space. I have a feeling that some people might think that lawn means higher maintenance needs, which I don't think needs to be true. In NY, many parks [[Hudson River Park, among others) use more trees, shrubs & wildflowers than grass. I wonder if the Detroit Parks Dept employs plant specialists? I've thought for a longtime that Detroit's parks should contract out plant maintenance to MSU students as a college project. They would be innovative and get real-world experience.

[stasu1213]

Yeah, Nain, I have to partially agree. Capitol Park is pretty cemented, and not very green. I do think though, that it is a gigantic improvement over before. And I think many people are pushing for more green in the city. The [[I assume) abandoned reno ideas for Hart Plaza included a substantial amount of new green space. I have a feeling that some people might think that lawn means higher maintenance needs, which I don't think needs to be true. In NY, many parks [[Hudson River Park, among others) use more trees, shrubs & wildflowers than grass. I wonder if the Detroit Parks Dept employs plant specialists? I've thought for a longtime that Detroit's parks should contract out plant maintenance to MSU students as a college project. They would be innovative and get real-world experience.

I would rather see a mixture of green rolling hills and one to two level building along Grand River from downtown to Greenfield.