What to replace Joe Louis Arena once demolished?

[gthomas]

I was thinking of some plans to replace the "soon-to-be" demolished Red Wing Arena. An aquarium came across my mind, maybe another riverfront addition..a Plaza similar the Rivard Plaza, or how about an official "Convention Center Hotel", connecting with COBO Hall.

I know everyone wants the Pontch [[Crown Plaza) Hotel to be the official Convention Hotel, but I will like to see a Hotel to replace The Joe. That will look beautiful driving south towards downtown on M-10 [[Lodge Fwy) before heading under COBO hall, coming out to Jefferson Ave. It should be called "Hyatt Place @ COBO Center Hotel".

Here's some Convention Hotel examples of what I can see replacing "The Joe":

Cleveland, OH :http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/inde...opic=28381.210



San Diego, CA: The 30-story Bayfront Convention Center Hotel

[DetroitPlanner]

How about some greenspace or a nice addition to Cobo?

[Sehv313]

How about some greenspace or a nice addition to Cobo?

We already have plenty of green space, a nice addition to cobo would be nice.

[Gistok]

It will be nothing except a future addition to Cobo Center. They have no other direction in which to expand.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

I think it is most important in whatever is done with the site that they successfully integrate it with the area to the North. Finding a way to make it attractively walkable to Jefferson and Congress is crucial. It is so bunker and fortress-like now, with fences and freeways and tubes and cement everywhere. Physically accomplishing that will be difficult, but I hope they can do it. I doubt Cobo will seek to expand again in the next 10 years. Whatever goes there, some additional green space, and good connection between the riverwalk, the neighborhood and the existing Cobo Center, PM Station and riverfront apartments could make it a nice little riverfront nook.

[401don]

The last thing the city needs is another 500 hotel rooms. Despite the statements that it's a valuable riverfront location it is so isolated it will be the last piece of riverfront property to be developed and we all know how long it has taken to develop the rest of the riverfront.

[Honky Tonk]

What to replace Joe Louis Arena once demolished?

[DetroitPlanner]

What to replace Joe Louis Arena once demolished?

Why even tear it down? Just turn it into the world's biggest!

[gthomas]

The last thing the city needs is another 500 hotel rooms. Despite the statements that it's a valuable riverfront location it is so isolated it will be the last piece of riverfront property to be developed and we all know how long it has taken to develop the rest of the riverfront.

Add residential and office space to it, decrease the hotel rooms to 150-230 rooms/suites, with 80 or so luxury apartments and Class-A office space with ground-floor retail along W. Jefferson and the Riverfront. A Bubble Gump Shrimp restaurant will be a nice fit at the edge of the river. Add a nice outdoor water feature....

[mikeg19]

I could see an expansion of Cobo Hall on the first 2-3 ground floors. That's the only logical way to ever expand Cobo again. But on top of that it'd be nice to see a high rise residential development. So ideally I'd like to see that. Another hotel? No way in hell.

[Bham1982]

An empty lot for the next 50 years, eventually filled in by a massively taxpayer subsidized project of dubious economic value.

[southen]

it has to be a cobo expansion, its just whether or not they incorporate anything else into it. would be nice to see some residential on the site and on the parking lot across the street.

[ghettopalmetto]

A surface lot with V.I.P valet parking, with direct helicopter shuttle service to the Ilitch Parkingplex [[subsidized by DEGC to promote economic redevelopment, of course).

[rb336]

First off, those hotels kinda remind me of the Pontch, which I have heard will eventually connect via tunnel to Cobo.

I don't want to see something tall just for the sake of having something tall. Maybe a Michigan Expo Center featuring exposition of made-in-Michigan goods. Possibly some sort of Can-Am trade center. those would enhance Cobo and benefit the state. Possibly expand Cobo into either of those spaces as well.

[Jason]

It's lame but it should probably be a parking lot, until it's time to expand cobo.


If cobo won't need expanding then it would make sense to put something there that would benefit from being very accessible to downtown [[because of the people mover) but not actually in the thick of things.

So I think residential in the spirit of riverfront towers would work. Out of the way, and right on the river, but still incredibly convenient access to downtown via the people mover.


And whatever the case, the tubes need to be reworked so that they actually go somewhere.

[gthomas]

Here's some examples of Convention Center expansions:

San Diego, CA: http://robot6.comicbookresources.com...ention-center/



McCormick Place in Chicago, IL: http://www.epsteinglobal.com/Project..._Center_1.html


If we're going for 2-3 story addition this is geared towards what I will like to see replacing The Joe. I hope it's pedestrian friendly and easily accessible to the riverfront and W. Jefferson. My other concern is how to cover up the expose rear of Cobo Hall and will their be plans to redesign M-10 exit ramps, that weird [[ugly) tunnel and concrete mess back there. This will be interesting..

[rb336]

yes to Sandy Eggo, meh to McCormick Place

[ghettopalmetto]

Given:

1. The overall state of the convention industry.
2. Cobo will never compete with the McCormicks, Javitses, Orlandos and Las Vegases of the world, and
3. Cobo is used for one big show a year

I'd like to see the Joe Louis site become a green space along the riverfront, connecting to the existing Riverwalk. This would effectively extend the Riverwalk to Riverfront Towers and WCCC, and help connect them to the remainder of downtown.

In an ideal world, the habitrail tubes would be demolished and the Lodge would be boulevarded at least south of Michigan Ave, with street-level pedestrian crossings added, so that the river can be accessed from Second and Third Streets.

[401don]

Maybe we should just put up a big ferris wheel. That seems to be the trend. It would give people a reason to visit the site, have great riverfront views and keep the land available for a future Cobo expansion. It could have a Motown/motor city theme and be guarded by Robocop!.

[gthomas]

In an ideal world, the habitrail tubes would be demolished and the Lodge would be boulevarded at least south of Michigan Ave, with street-level pedestrian crossings added, so that the river can be accessed from Second and Third Streets.

I kinda agree with this, I can see a boulevard just south of Michigan Ave, opening up to Second and Third streets. Will love to see some pedestrian activity in the area with shops and restaurants. I do feel that a residential tower is feasible there too, can we have both worlds?

[Detroitnerd]

Wouldn't be a bad spot for a downtown train station...

[RO_Resident]

A surface lot with V.I.P valet parking, with direct helicopter shuttle service to the Ilitch Parkingplex [[subsidized by DEGC to promote economic redevelopment, of course).

What is Cobo going to do with two heliports?
http://www.greatcirclemapper.net/en/...-heliport.html

From the looks of it, the pad hasn't been used in a long time. Access is closed during construction.
https://www.google.com/maps/preview#...!2m1!1e3&fid=7

[DetroitPlanner]

Redundant edit: same as what RO posted. Google map of site.

Ilitch does not own Joe Louis, he is a tenant. If the building goes, so does his rights.

[DetroitPlanner]

Given:

1. The overall state of the convention industry.
2. Cobo will never compete with the McCormicks, Javitses, Orlandos and Las Vegases of the world, and
3. Cobo is used for one big show a year

I'd like to see the Joe Louis site become a green space along the riverfront, connecting to the existing Riverwalk. This would effectively extend the Riverwalk to Riverfront Towers and WCCC, and help connect them to the remainder of downtown.

In an ideal world, the habitrail tubes would be demolished and the Lodge would be boulevarded at least south of Michigan Ave, with street-level pedestrian crossings added, so that the river can be accessed from Second and Third Streets.

I see a lot of shuttle buses going to the parking garage. Anyone have any figures on how many parkers actually use the DPM to get to work? How about a count of Riverfront West residents? I can't see getting rid of the tubes unless there is no use for them. My dad was on the DPW crew that built them. This was my sandbox in 1978-79.

The Lodge already is a BLVD S of Michigan. Limited access sure, but it still counts as a blvd. How would you get Jefferson under Cobo with your proposal?

[jaytheory]

Georgetown harbor would be nice