Roxbury Group Re-Starts Book Caddy Garage Plans, Only Uglier

**Jason** · March-26-14, 05:23 PM

It doesn't have the silly faux historic themeing anymore, and the new design is sensible. But the whole thing is still pretty ridiculous. I know why it is the way it is, but in the future [[or the present for that matter) people are going to wonder how on earth that ended up on such a prominent site.

It's also interesting to me that they're still trying so hard to get that project done, when there's so much land around that it seems like there'd be easier ways to get units built. Detroit's "green zone" has expanded since a decade ago so there are more places to safely put things imo.

**brizee** · March-26-14, 05:47 PM

Cool cool.

Another source with some info on this and another project.

Isn't this the site where a group wanted to put a hotel and the DEGC pretty publically snubbed them?

Also not sure how big the site is but how many stories is 220 apartments?

Lastly some quotes that would be unbelievable if they weren't so believable.

In a surprising change for DDA meetings, Mayor Mike Duggan appeared in person to chair the meeting . Mayors by virtue of their office are the nominal chairs of the DDA, but staffers said the last time a mayor actually appeared for a meeting was several years ago.

After being sworn in as chair, Duggan asked multiple questions of DDA staff and the developers presenting their plans, insisting on full details before vote were taken. Noting that the DDA board had sworn in several new members Wednesday, Duggan insisted on full explanations for everything.
“Ask the questions and we’re all going to be educated together here,” he said to his fellow board members. “I’m probably the slowest one.”
And told that the Village Green project would take at least two years to finish its project including an initial year of city planning and permiting , Duggan urged the DDA staff to work with his administration to shorten that time span.
“This is phenomenal,” Duggan said of the project as he insisted on speed. “I would like to cut out whatever we can cut out on the front end.”

It's sobering just how asleep at the wheel the previous administration was.

**animatedmartian** · March-26-14, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by brizee

Cool cool.

Another source with some info on this and another project.

Isn't this the site where a group wanted to put a hotel and the DEGC pretty publically snubbed them?

Also not sure how big the site is but how many stories is 220 apartments?

Lastly some quotes that would be unbelievable if they weren't so believable.

It's sobering just how asleep at the wheel the previous administration was.

Yea, the previous administration[[s) were pretty lousy when it came to actual urban planning. Most anyone ever seemed to care about is how much money whatever project would generate.

The previous proposal for Stalter had 150 units split between two towers. Although, one [[or maybe both) were on top of a parking podium.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...hilton-site-in

Based on Village Green's other projects, this one is likely going to be more lateral than vertical. At most, probably 10-12 stories but with the whole block completely filled. If the whole block isn't completely filled, then it'd likely be taller.

http://www.villagegreen.com/developm...ion-renovation

Here's a project in the Twin cities that has 198 units [[although some of the units are duplexes, nonetheless, their projects tend to fill up the whole block rather than fill it with height).

http://medialibrarycdn.propertysolut...f86ac9e651.jpg

In the end, it really depends on how they plan the site.