Deja Vu 'The Griswold' project is back on.

**subsidized** · November-13-13, 04:31 PM

The proposed apartments atop the parking garage adjacent the Book Caddy might happen after all. Maybe now they can get some retail on that ground level after all these years.

http://www.dbusiness.com/daily-news/Annual-2013/Exclusive-New-Apartments-Proposed-Behind-the-Westin-Book-Cadillac-Detroit/#comments

**401don** · November-13-13, 04:49 PM

Sounds good but 'excellent' views of Belle Isle & Canada is a stretch. The selling point is location downtown.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · November-13-13, 05:00 PM

I hope it does fly. I liked the floorplans of the original design [[not that I am shopping for a space that expensive).

**Gistok** · November-13-13, 05:11 PM

This is quite a difference from the elegant almost Beaux Arts original design that would have really nicely complemented the Book Cadillac.

Now the remodeled architectural rendering will be a continuation of the parking deck below... but with glass... and no architectural interest....

... unless you're a disciple of Le Corbusier's "less is more" mantra....

**subsidized** · November-13-13, 05:19 PM

I didn't even notice that. Is this the original design?

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · November-13-13, 05:26 PM

Looks like the original design.

**Gistok** · November-13-13, 05:28 PM

Yes, thanks subsidized... that one is a nicer look... but I guess we're gonna get what we're gonna get....

**gumby** · November-13-13, 05:49 PM

I like the new one better. Awesome that this is finally happening.

**rb336** · November-13-13, 06:23 PM

I like a mansard roof

**Lowell** · November-13-13, 06:50 PM

That's good to hear. I had heard the rumor a couple of weeks ago but downtown is so abuzz with such chatter one never knows what to make of them, other than our old standby, "Skipper's Rule".

The whole Capitol Park area is scheduled to be entirely transformed with project management funds already in play. Then there's that $8.5 million Stott Building...

**Gistok** · November-13-13, 06:55 PM

It appears that the old rendering had 6 floors [[one in the mansard roof) with setbacks and balconies.

The new rendering has 4 floors with no setbacks and no balconies.

**gthomas** · November-13-13, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by subsidized

The proposed apartments atop the parking garage adjacent the Book Caddy might happen after all. Maybe now they can get some retail on that ground level after all these years.

http://www.dbusiness.com/daily-news/Annual-2013/Exclusive-New-Apartments-Proposed-Behind-the-Westin-Book-Cadillac-Detroit/#comments

I have always wondered why no retailer has jumped on that location? I can see a BD's Grill, TGIFridays or/and Outback Steakhouse. Those ground-floor columns might have scared off potential retailers?

**401don** · November-13-13, 07:39 PM

Originally Posted by gthomas

I have always wondered why no retailer has jumped on that location? I can see a BD's Grill, TGIFridays or/and Outback Steakhouse. Those ground-floor columns might have scared off potential retailers?

The last thing 24 Grille needs is a similar restaurant next door.

**gthomas** · November-13-13, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

The last thing 24 Grille needs is a similar restaurant next door.

How are they similar? You have to dress casual to damn near "black tie" to enter 24 Grille. The restaurants I've mentioned caters to a relax crowd. And what do expect when more restaurants come downtown, which will be soon? We need more competitions, more options. Step up your game, or get out of business...downtown will gain another 30-40 more restaurants in a couple years, so do you think we don't need any more restaurants? That's silly..

**DetroitPlanner** · November-13-13, 09:29 PM

Dang and here I thought the Smut bar was moving down Woodward!

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · November-13-13, 09:59 PM

I think bars and restaurant openings are accelerating downtown, and they will outpace other retail establishments for the next several years. And a higher density of them is starting to and will further bring/keep people downtown. People make trips to Ann Arbor and Birmingham and Royal Oak to go out to eat or drink, even without a specific place in mind. That will come here, too.

**Danny** · November-13-13, 10:04 PM

Would the Kraemer Construction Group tear down the existinting parking deck so they can rebuild the parking deck with some Apts?

We should see. THANK YOU DAN GILBERT. The Trump of Gilberttown Detroit.

**Gistok** · November-14-13, 12:19 AM

Originally Posted by Danny

Would the Kraemer Construction Group tear down the existinting parking deck so they can rebuild the parking deck with some Apts?

We should see. THANK YOU DAN GILBERT. The Trump of Gilberttown Detroit.

No Danny that will NOT happen. Originally the Roxbury Group paid an extra $1 million plus in money so that the parking deck could handle apartments on top of it. Then we had the mortgage meltdown of a few years ago, and they backed out of their original plans for the apartments on top... saying only that it was a future option.

So now they are following thru on their original plans... just a different look to the apartments on top.

**rjlj** · November-14-13, 12:30 AM

Either you didn't even bother to read the article or reading and comprehension is not important to you. What does Gilbert have to do with the article? You may want to look up what Kraemer actually does.

Originally Posted by Danny

Would the Kraemer Construction Group tear down the existinting parking deck so they can rebuild the parking deck with some Apts?

We should see. THANK YOU DAN GILBERT. The Trump of Gilberttown Detroit.

**illwill** · November-14-13, 01:02 AM

Detroit is once again developing into such a beautiful and vibrant city. I never in my life thought I'd see such things happening. Very fun!

**48202** · November-14-13, 08:41 AM

I also like the original rendering better, particularly the recessed balconies.

The mansard roof would be barely visible from the ground, though. That rendering is drawn from the viewpoint of a bird flying at the height of the 11th floor.

**DetroitPlanner** · November-14-13, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by illwill

Detroit is once again developing into such a beautiful and vibrant city. I never in my life thought I'd see such things happening. Very fun!

Go to the neighborhood of your choice. You will feel different.

**Gistok** · November-14-13, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by 48202

I also like the original rendering better, particularly the recessed balconies.

The mansard roof would be barely visible from the ground, though. That rendering is drawn from the viewpoint of a bird flying at the height of the 11th floor.

Maybe in the new renderings... if they did something a little bit more interesting with the 2 end pavilion type tops that are just a little taller than the rest of the top floor.

This might have been a gesture toward the architectural corners of the Book-Cadillac... but the result is not very satisfactory. It has the unfortunate resemblence to the corner entrance blockiness of a CVS or a Rite-Aid... where the least architectural emphasis possible was used...

**rbdetsport** · November-14-13, 10:05 AM

In regards to the ground floor retail.. I have this slight feeling that Roxbury was holding off on leasing the space due to the fact that they needed some space for a motor lobby [[mailboxes and such) and other amenities for these apartments. It seems like it was always the plan to bring the project back based on it being labeled as "Phase 2" on their website all these years.

**rbdetsport** · November-14-13, 10:07 AM

Also, with the design.. I like how in the old rendering, the elevator shaft continues to the top of the building. In the new rendering, it clearly shows that the apartments were an afterthought.