Little Caesars to Build 8 Story Downtown HQ

**stinkytofu** · December-10-14, 11:34 AM

http://www.freep.com/story/money/bus...alsh/20184917/

Nice.

**SpartanDawg** · December-10-14, 11:40 AM

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Oh wow. The architecture actually really compliments the Fox and Fillmore too! should make people happy!

This is awesome news!

[[Although the giant little caesars logo is a bit much) still overall i'm ecstatic!

**emu steve** · December-11-14, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by SpartanDawg

Oh wow. The architecture actually really compliments the Fox and Fillmore too! should make people happy!

This is awesome news!

[[Although the giant little caesars logo is a bit much) still overall i'm ecstatic!

I agree. I can not think of a better building for that location and a better job of architectural harmony.

Putting the wrong building there would be an eyesore.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · December-11-14, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by emu steve

I agree. I can not think of a better building for that location and a better job of architectural harmony.

Putting the wrong building there would be an eyesore.

And for once not everyone is complaining about a bland cookie-cutter design, which is notable in and of itself.

**Gistok** · December-11-14, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by DetroiterOnTheWestCoast

And for once not everyone is complaining about a bland cookie-cutter design, which is notable in and of itself.

Agreed.... this may not please the "innovative" crowd...but I can live with this design. I do like the nod to C. Howard Crane's original Fox Building design... and when people see this historic touch, they will know immediately that this is part of the Fox complex.

As for the setback... yes it does appear to have one. That may have been deliberate. Perhaps when Chuck Forbes sold Mike Ilitch the Fox Building and this parcel... a stipulation may have been included to never build a building that would block the side windows of the Francis Palms Building... and this design appears to satisfy that caveat...

**mikeg19** · December-10-14, 11:44 AM

I guess this is a nice step in the right direction from Illitch and Co. Too bad they couldn't rehab a building in their catalog, say, the Detroit Life Building on the other end of Columbia street. But oh well.

**Spartan** · December-10-14, 11:53 AM

It's always bothered me a bit that there weren't any Little Caesar's downtown. Glad they're putting up a flagship store as part of this.

**bailey** · December-10-14, 12:05 PM

Nice to see a proposal for in-fill on a parking lot. This being Illitch/olympia...I'll believe it's actually getting built when construction starts.

**mikeg19** · December-10-14, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

Nice to see a proposal for in-fill on a parking lot. This being Illitch/olympia...I'll believe it's actually getting built when construction starts.

It's smoke and mirrors. They're gonna put this up and knock down the Eddystone and Harbor Light. Then then can say they have turned parking lots into usable, taxable space.

**bailey** · December-10-14, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

It's smoke and mirrors. They're gonna put this up and knock down the Eddystone and Harbor Light. Then then can say they have turned parking lots into usable, taxable space.

If past is prologue, the only thing we'll get is today's proposal to build, some pretty drawings, AND the demo of the Eddystone and the Harbor Light.

**rjlj** · December-10-14, 12:51 PM

More like an excuse to tear down the Hotel Blenheim building.

Originally Posted by mikeg19

It's smoke and mirrors. They're gonna put this up and knock down the Eddystone and Harbor Light. Then then can say they have turned parking lots into usable, taxable space.

**Detroit** · December-10-14, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

Nice to see a proposal for in-fill on a parking lot. This being Illitch/olympia...I'll believe it's actually getting built when construction starts.

They wouldn't have pulled all their employees out of work from Downtown and bussed in their employees from Farmington Hills for the announcement and celebration afterwards if it was not going to happen. This is the real deal. It is happening.

**professorscott** · December-10-14, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by Spartan

It's always bothered me a bit that there weren't any Little Caesar's downtown. Glad they're putting up a flagship store as part of this.

When the Ilitch family first began operating the Fox Theater after its renovation was completed, they operated a sit-down, upscale pizza restaurant in the storefront just to the north, for quite some time. So really they are bringing pizza back to the neighborhood; it was there for a while. I don't recall when it closed, or if they said why.

Good news!

**stinkytofu** · December-10-14, 01:41 PM

Are they really going to put a giant Little Caesars logo on top of the Fox? That would be awful.

**SpartanDawg** · December-10-14, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by stinkytofu

Are they really going to put a giant Little Caesars logo on top of the Fox? That would be awful.

holy moly i didn't see that. there is NO way, i repeat NO way the city council can let that happen...

**bailey** · December-10-14, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by SpartanDawg

holy moly i didn't see that. there is NO way, i repeat NO way the city council can let that happen...

Is it really any worse than the F O X spire that dwarfs it by comparison? It's the corporate logo of the company that owns the building.

**Wesley Mouch** · December-10-14, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by stinkytofu

Are they really going to put a giant Little Caesars logo on top of the Fox? That would be awful.

Do you think Times Square is awful? I personally am not so fond of the design, but the idea of making one visual building by re-creating a Fox Building column on the left to match the column on the right -- both with a relatively little logo does make sense and looks ok.

**Jimaz** · December-10-14, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by stinkytofu

Are they really going to put a giant Little Caesars logo on top of the Fox? That would be awful.

Where did you find that picture? The article showed only a truncated version of it. I searched but could only find a photo of the picture you posted.

Edit: Ah! Crain's

**Wesley Mouch** · December-11-14, 02:36 AM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

Where did you find that picture? The article showed only a truncated version of it. I searched but could only find a photo of the picture you posted.

Edit: Ah! Crain's

Note the Caesar logo on the SW corner of the new office building. Suggests that there may be an effort to address Columbia & the west.

Is there any indication about the dear Blenheim Apts? Wouldn't be a great loss, but it does make the block 'mixed use'.

**Gistok** · December-10-14, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by professorscott

When the Ilitch family first began operating the Fox Theater after its renovation was completed, they operated a sit-down, upscale pizza restaurant in the storefront just to the north, for quite some time. So really they are bringing pizza back to the neighborhood; it was there for a while. I don't recall when it closed, or if they said why.

Good news!

That was IIRC... American Pizza Cafe [[or some name like that)... and it closed for the same reason that all the restaurants in the Fox Building and Comerica Park McDonalds closed... lack of foot traffic during off game/theatre days. With Ilitch wiping out so many potential residential buildings [[Wolverine Hotel, YWCA) for parking lots... there's little foot traffic due to a sea of parking in the area.

**scooter** · December-11-14, 11:06 AM

there was a little casears in the Milliner Center for years, it mite still be there, didnt have the $5.00 pizza though

**Mackinaw** · December-10-14, 12:25 PM

Perfect spot for some infill. Applause. Now let's see about the empty blocks across Woodward and across Park from here.

As to Eddystone et al., I hope that our elected officials and others will put their foot down. They can choose to control things here and lot let the Illitches tear them down [[assuming this is or becomes their intention). I am looking at the Council and all preservation stakeholders to be our champions here.

**dmike76** · December-10-14, 12:32 PM

I agree with Detroit. It is happening. I'm glad to see that Illitch is finally moving on some of these properties. I still think that a lot of his recent development plans are smoke and mirrors, but I am encouraged by this.

**emu steve** · December-11-14, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by dmike76

I agree with Detroit. It is happening. I'm glad to see that Illitch is finally moving on some of these properties. I still think that a lot of his recent development plans are smoke and mirrors, but I am encouraged by this.

I assume the arena and this building will be the first two projects to see shovels in the ground.

Anyone venture a guess what would be the 3rd new building in the Ilitch development plans?

**Detroit** · December-15-14, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by emu steve

I assume the arena and this building will be the first two projects to see shovels in the ground.

Anyone venture a guess what would be the 3rd new building in the Ilitch development plans?

I am going to guess that they may announce the two buildings that will be built across the street from the Fox on the surface lots between the Fox and Comerica...