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

**401don** · March-26-14, 03:27 PM

What happened to the original design matching the existing architecture? This new rendering is terrible.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140326/BIZ03/303260081/Developers-unveil-two-downtown-building-proposals

**Gistok** · March-26-14, 03:39 PM

Want to let them know how you feel???

info@roxburygroup.com

**iheartthed** · March-26-14, 03:47 PM

Perfect subject line. It looks like they plan to build it with Legos.

**animatedmartian** · March-26-14, 03:48 PM

The recession happened. The original proposal was for luxury apartments that would compliment Westin Book Cadillac. But as of now, out of the 67 luxury residences at Westin Book Cadillac, only half of them have been sold. The chances of Roxbury being able to make money with their original proposal is pretty slim to none until the luxury market in Detroit picks back up.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · March-26-14, 04:16 PM

I don't have any objection to a change in the plans, as animatedmartian points out, times are different. Downtown may have a lot more demand from young professionals than weathy older people, rendering the change necessary. And I don't mind a different look to the apartments than the rest of the structure. That said, that is an unattractive addition. Hopefully, that is a quickie rendering and not a final design. I wonder how many units it will have. Anyone know? I think the old design, I know it has been quite a few years now, was 80 units in 8 stories. But I could be wrong. I think it would be cool if they had a fireman's pole that ran from the top floor, through the parking structure, down to a giant pillow on the ground floor. I would definitely look into buying there if they did.

**CrashDummy** · March-26-14, 04:42 PM

Here we go with the renderings again. First thing: I don't believe that is going to be the actual color. It's probably just to easier distinguish between the proposed new construction and the existing building.

Second thing: It looks like there are some exterior finishes still to be determined [[such as a roof). Since this is new construction, they aren't really relevant to this DDA proposal at this stage as they would be if this was a historic renovation.

Every time I find myself getting worked up about one of these renderings, I think back to the "egg shaped" dome that we were supposed to have built next to Comerica park and how much better that one eventually turned out to be.

**Gistok** · March-26-14, 04:43 PM

The current design is the 3rd rendering... so no it's not a quickie...

Here is the original design #1... reminiscent of the Belle Epoche...

http://detroit.curbed.com/tags/roxbury-group

And here is design #2 of last year, not as good, but at least it respected the architecture of the parking deck beneath it...

http://roxburygroup.com/projects/the_griswold.html

And now we have design #3...

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...ding-proposals

Horrible, just horrible...

**Spartan** · March-26-14, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

The current design is the 3rd rendering... so no it's not a quickie...

Here is the original design #1... reminiscent of the Belle Epoche...

http://detroit.curbed.com/tags/roxbury-group

And here is design #2 of last year, not as good, but at least it respected the architecture of the parking deck beneath it...

http://roxburygroup.com/projects/the_griswold.html

And now we have design #3...

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...ding-proposals

Horrible, just horrible...

Ugh, that is awful looking

**animatedmartian** · March-26-14, 05:05 PM

I don't think it's bad by itself, but yea it doesn't really fit with the parking garage. It looks like it'd be better being built along Woodward in Midtown.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · March-26-14, 05:05 PM

By quickie I didn't mean they just sat down, sketched it, and released it. Only that the current rendering might only have general design specs, not finalized building specs. The third rendering does not indicate that plans for materials, unit configuration, or colors are finalized. It might be a finalized drawing, but it conceivably might look somewhat different when in the end. Let's hope. But, I'll take more tenants living in an ugly new building downtown than not having them at all.

**Gistok** · March-26-14, 05:10 PM

Good point about the midtown connection... it does look very similar to the Lawrence Technical University's building scheduled for Midtown. What's with the big boxy overhanging windows [[as also seen in the Midtown building). Do architects ever stop copying each other?

**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.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · March-26-14, 05:44 PM

I haven't seen any updates on the other, more important part of the News story - Village Green's proposal about the Statler site. Is there such a proposal?

**401don** · March-26-14, 05:46 PM

Oh well, at least the building is enhanced by all that ground floor retail.

**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.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · March-26-14, 06:04 PM

Another instance where I'm impressed with Duggan. He goes to the meeting, takes charge, asks questions and seems committed to speeding up the timeline. How......sensible.

**hybridy** · March-26-14, 06:10 PM

i harassed my kdg source thinking they did it [[auburn anyone?). its not theirs...so who designed it?

**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.

**animatedmartian** · March-26-14, 06:23 PM

And just as I finish editing that post, whaddaya know. 6-stories. I guess 10 would have been a little generous.

http://cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.d...st-development

http://cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.d...W=600&Border=0

**wolverine** · March-26-14, 06:50 PM

The marriage of a fairly uninspiring modern design atop a new garage pretending to be classical architecture is not good design. Glad there seems to be consensus that the design should be reconsidered and it's not just my personal opinion.

As someone pointed out, on its own the residential would be ok, but not stuck atop this garage which I personality think is an ugly stepchild of the gorgeous Book Caddilac.

Actually, I have nothing good to say. I'm still bitter about the people's outfitting co being demolished.

**DetroitPlanner** · March-26-14, 06:54 PM

Is that cantilevered or am I seeing things? In any case I agree. It is pretty ugly. Just think what gets built is typically uglier than the rendering!

**Gistok** · March-26-14, 08:36 PM

The worse news is that this will likely be seen from Capitol Park...

Yes... DetroitPlanner it does appear to be cantilevered over the sidewalk and parking structure... so much for clean lines of architecture...

**CrashDummy** · March-26-14, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Yes... DetroitPlanner it does appear to be cantilevered over the sidewalk and parking structure... so much for clean lines of architecture...

No, DetroitPlanner, it is not cantilevered. But apparently you're not the only one seeing things. It is kind of an optical illusion, but looking at the corners you can clearly see it is flush with the parking garage on the Michigan and Griswold sides.

**Gistok** · March-26-14, 09:54 PM

Well there also appears to be an open floor between the top of the parking structure and the first apartments floor... just not sure if it's open throughout, or just at the Michigan Ave. side. And there appear to be balconies cantelevered at the corner.

**aq7588** · March-26-14, 09:58 PM

The Book Cadillac is about 80% sold.

Originally Posted by animatedmartian

The recession happened. The original proposal was for luxury apartments that would compliment Westin Book Cadillac. But as of now, out of the 67 luxury residences at Westin Book Cadillac, only half of them have been sold. The chances of Roxbury being able to make money with their original proposal is pretty slim to none until the luxury market in Detroit picks back up.