Detroit Professional Plaza [[hammer and nail building) Demo begins

**downtownguy** · January-24-14, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by Crew

There are plans to save the Hammer and Nail but I have no idea why. That neon sign was installed maybe 10 years ago when the carpenter's union had offices in the building. It is not historic and not original to the building. It was cheap and cheesy and never worked as intended. It's funny because the carpenter's union did a remarkable job renovating the top two floors of the building while do almost no maintenance to the rest of the structure. Whole Foods looked at wrapping a store around the outside of the building bringing the footprint of the building out to Woodward but couldn't make the numbers work.

Perhaps because people have become attached to it? Can you explain the Uniroyal Tire on I-94?

**Chinman** · January-24-14, 10:31 PM

i remember it from the middle 90's when i hung out at the majestic, blue moon and others. that puts it at least 19 years minimum.

**SpartanDawg** · April-04-14, 09:53 AM

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looks like the little plaza is gonna be coming down soon-ish... and hopefully the hammer and nail building gets salvaged

they're ripping down the comerica bank sign

**Gistok** · December-12-14, 01:04 AM

Anything new on the Hammer & Nail building? Last I checked it is still standing, while work is going on next door for the new professional building.

Much as this 12 story building is very dated... a 12 story building in fairly decent looking [[from the outside) condition would offer some stupendous views of Midtown and Downtown, as residential or commercial space.

Just as we would hate to lose the Eddystone and Park Ave. hotels, even the loss of this building is a blow to what makes Midtown so cool... a hodgepodge of midrise buildings of different styles.

**animatedmartian** · December-12-14, 08:17 AM

The Hammer and Nail building is being redeveloped by a group independent of Wayne State Physician's group. No word on what's planned or what the current status of the building is, but it seems like if they were going to demolish it, they would have already done so at this point.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...in-midtown.php

**Gistok** · December-12-14, 04:41 PM

Thanks animatedmartian.... I agree with the folly in tearing down a perfectly usable tall building for a much shorter one... This much older CURBED article agrees....

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

With the vast size of the parking lot behind this property... it could easily hold a parking structure for both building developments... and have leftover space for other development.

**SpartanDawg** · December-12-14, 04:56 PM

Definitely looks like hammer and nail is going to be redeveloped and NOT demolished. They were doing work in the basement for a while, and seems like they have made the foundations stronger. and they have been clearing out garbage and debris out of it for a few months now.

I agree they have some great views from the top of it. Apartments would be really nice, especially with all those windows.

**Mackinaw** · December-12-14, 06:31 PM

Wow, this is some positive news. I hope your analysis is correct, guys. A new building plus a revitalized mid-rise-- big step up for that block.

The most recent Curbed reporting on the mid-rise was more glum, anticipating a demo.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · December-12-14, 07:50 PM

If the "Hammer and Nail" does in fact live to see another day, it will have hung on just long enough to not be seen as tacky and obsolete, but instead be appreciated for the period building that it is.

**Mackinaw** · December-13-14, 10:50 AM

Sometimes there is just no justification for the waste of resources that a demolition entails. If it stays, let it be a lesson in that regard.

I dislike most late 20th century design, and others agree, but that doesn't mean it should obliterated. The positive alternative, for buildings with redeeming value [[in their height or use of space) is to improve it and optimize it. Here, that would entail an exterior sprucing up, perhaps, addition of ground floor retail, and perhaps a residential conversion. The wild card is often asbestos and interior design and construction flaws that could be harmful. If that is not present here or can be affordably eradicated, then I say go for it.

**Gistok** · December-13-14, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by Mackinaw

The wild card is often asbestos and interior design and construction flaws that could be harmful. If that is not present here or can be affordably eradicated, then I say go for it.

Actually that has already been done. When the initial plan was to just tear this building down, they had contractors go into every floor and remove the Asbestos and other harmful materials... hence the "blue tentacles" comments in this Curbed article...

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...tion-nears.php

They had separate blue dumpster chutes attached to each floor to do this. So when we see plywood covering some of the windows... that's where the dumpster chutes were located [[one per floor on different sides of the building). So this interior gutting in preparation for demolition, had the unexpected benefit of likely making it more marketable for rehab!!

**Mackinaw** · December-13-14, 12:06 PM

I sure hope our analysis is the correct one.

**Gistok** · December-13-14, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by Mackinaw

I sure hope our analysis is the correct one.

Although we have nothing concrete to go by.... if that building wasn't given another chance... it would have come down before all the prep work for the physicians building got started. Now the proximity to the new building site makes demolition more problematic.

**313rd** · December-13-14, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Anything new on the Hammer & Nail building? Last I checked it is still standing, while work is going on next door for the new professional building.

Much as this 12 story building is very dated... a 12 story building in fairly decent looking [[from the outside) condition would offer some stupendous views of Midtown and Downtown, as residential or commercial space.

Just as we would hate to lose the Eddystone and Park Ave. hotels, even the loss of this building is a blow to what makes Midtown so cool... a hodgepodge of midrise buildings of different styles.

Looking Towards Downtown
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**Gistok** · December-13-14, 03:36 PM

Thanks for the image 313rd!! With a million dollar view like that, it had always baffled me why this building should have come down. Thanks to some savvy business people, it may just stay put. Great place to watch the Thanksgiving Parade.... or just watch the world go by on Detroit's Main Street.

Plus only 1 1/2 blocks from the M1... MLK Station, and directly across the street from Orchestra Hall [[The Max) and the DMC HQ [[Orchestra Place)... I bet if this becomes a residential tower, its' new name will reflect the hall's proximity...

Also, imagine the dream residence if you're a doctor or nurse... a 1-2 block walk to work at the DMC hospitals.

**SpartanDawg** · December-13-14, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by 313rd

Looking Towards Downtown
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holy crap that is BEAUTIFUL. definitely trumps the views the Park Shelton has just because of it's proximity to downtown.

**ABetterDetroit** · December-16-14, 12:03 AM

If this building has the bones it certainly would be a prime canadate from its location and views to go all residential. Elevators, new curtain walls and build out apartments come cheap when you don't have to put the foundation in, hang steel and put the concrete on the floors. Location location location.... M-1. I think that is the plan there just lining up the ducks.

**Gistok** · December-16-14, 03:33 AM

OK... now that it appears that this building may indeed be rescued from a needless demo... I have a question about what I perceive to be another needless demo... namely the 2 tower complex formerly known as Executive Plaza between 6th St. and the Lodge Fwy. The towers are about 22 stories and 11 stories tall. Are they in such horrible condition that they NEED to come down... or are they like the Hammer & Nail building... just [[almost) coming down because they're ugly?

Again this complex is near downtown, and with the demand for residential... couldn't this make a decent conversion to residential... what with so much of the 2 towers that can be reused??

From what I gather, the demise of these two buildings for a depressingly low bunker for the FBI on 5 blocks... that is not happening, so these buildings are still here... for now.

**royce** · December-16-14, 04:01 AM

Glad to see that the tower is staying. I would love to see that patch of green space to the north of the tower developed into townhouses. The apartment building currently owns that space and uses it for its residence, but a good portion of it could be developed for townhouses, either traditional looking brownstones or a Mies van der Rohe looking development. All that green space right on Woodward is so out of place, especially since it's not a public space like a park.

**animatedmartian** · December-16-14, 07:06 AM

Originally Posted by Gistok

OK... now that it appears that this building may indeed be rescued from a needless demo... I have a question about what I perceive to be another needless demo... namely the 2 tower complex formerly known as Executive Plaza between 6th St. and the Lodge Fwy. The towers are about 22 stories and 11 stories tall. Are they in such horrible condition that they NEED to come down... or are they like the Hammer & Nail building... just [[almost) coming down because they're ugly?

Again this complex is near downtown, and with the demand for residential... couldn't this make a decent conversion to residential... what with so much of the 2 towers that can be reused??

From what I gather, the demise of these two buildings for a depressingly low bunker for the FBI on 5 blocks... that is not happening, so these buildings are still here... for now.

Most modern office buildings are configured entirely differently than modern residential housing and converting them is often a more monumental task than with historical buildings [[mostly because older buildings aren't that big to begin with).

Hammer and Nail gets away with it because it's somewhat small but Executive Plaza could only be doable if Detroit had an entirely better economy. It simply would be an expensive project no matter the condition of the the building, though certainly the worse the conditions the more expensive the project.

**JoeGeds** · December-16-14, 07:27 AM

As of right now, there is no notification to demolish submitted, so it's going to stay up at least for the next couple of weeks. That can change, though. They are removing the asbestos - and a lot of it. Over 4500 linear feet [[probably pipe wrap) and 150,000 sq. feet [[prob. ceiling tile/floor tile) is being removed, among other things such as fire stop, mastic, duct wrap, etc. FTR, the blue tentacles mentioned in an earlier post was to provide ventilation for a broken water pipe clean-up effort - not to remove asbestos.

**Shai_Hulud** · December-16-14, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by Gistok

OK... now that it appears that this building may indeed be rescued from a needless demo... I have a question about what I perceive to be another needless demo... namely the 2 tower complex formerly known as Executive Plaza between 6th St. and the Lodge Fwy. The towers are about 22 stories and 11 stories tall. Are they in such horrible condition that they NEED to come down... or are they like the Hammer & Nail building... just [[almost) coming down because they're ugly?

Again this complex is near downtown, and with the demand for residential... couldn't this make a decent conversion to residential... what with so much of the 2 towers that can be reused??

From what I gather, the demise of these two buildings for a depressingly low bunker for the FBI on 5 blocks... that is not happening, so these buildings are still here... for now.

Wow, didn't know it was up for demo. It's out of the way for commercial, but a residential conversion would be awesome for the area.

**brizee** · January-21-15, 12:54 AM

http://www.freep.com/story/money/bus...roit/22076915/

Slowly, ever so slowly, this place is pulling it's head out of it's ass.

The article didn't mention anything about government subsidies.

This preservation thing is making it's way up Woodward.

Imagine in a couple of years when this hits Highland Park and beyond...

**Dbest** · January-21-15, 06:13 AM

From the article:

"The architectural restoration will feature an all-new glass facade as well as restoration of the exterior masonry and the grounds surrounding the building."

Exciting stuff...

**stinkytofu** · January-21-15, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by brizee

http://www.freep.com/story/money/bus...roit/22076915/

Slowly, ever so slowly, this place is pulling it's head out of it's ass.

The article didn't mention anything about government subsidies.

This preservation thing is making it's way up Woodward.

Imagine in a couple of years when this hits Highland Park and beyond...

Well, it did mention it is working with the MEDC for funding...which I would imagine would basically be a government subsidy.

Nonetheless, I don't care. Yay to development...love it.