What is going on at Red Wings arena site?

[emu steve]

Amazing progress in such a short amount of time.

BTW, non-Detroiters looking at the photo ask: "Where's the snow?" [[was the video photo shopped? ).

After last year's winter, construction workers on these projects, including M-1, have to be happy.

[emu steve]

Psyche!

Different topic, but I agree here too.

Stadia are voids between events. Residents are needed to provide life day round. And an impetus for businesses besides those catering to brief stadia events.

Stadia. I'll hold my tongue.

Yes, Comerica is dead when it isn't within the 6-hour window of a game [[say 5 - 11 p.m. for a night game).

Kind of as I've posted before, this project seems to have a good mix: Arena with maybe 150 events per year, presumably mostly evening, though. Several hundred residential units. WSU's Ilitch School of Business. Hotel. Plus, of course, nearby Comerica which offers some daytime events, especially during April, Thursdays, Sundays, etc. [[Some folks will park for Tiger games by Henry).

As we've discussed before, that area will be 'crazy' in April [[April in the D) with the Tigers playing day games and the Wings at night.

I think one of my most consistent points has been that the arena and Comerica build upon each other. They will share parking. Foot traffic from Comerica will extend to Henry. People attending arena events will park south of the Fisher and cross the Fisher at [[Clifford, Woodward and hopefully Park).

It should keep the entire area full of foot traffic whenever there are events at Comerica or the arena.

[mikeg19]

If you can tell me that the arena will have something going on for half a calendar year, I'd say that's pretty good. If eventually they lure the Pistons there, and say were up to 200 nights/days a year it's being utilized, I'd think that's above the norm for most stadiums.

Amazing progress though. To think some people were questioning the construction timeline last fall, it looks like they are now in hyperdrive throwing this thing up.

[emu steve]

I'm going O/T, sorry if anyone is unhappy.

Here is an article on a basketball practice facility/events center in Washington, D.C. broken ground today, I believe. [[practice facility for the Wizards. Home of the D.C. WNBA team).

It has a LOT of interesting things to chew on:

1). D.C. is paying more than 90% of the costs. The remainder is being put up by the Wizards en lieu of rent. Compare that to what is happening in Detroit with the Ilitch arena.

2). The new arena/events center is on the 'campus' of St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Congress Heights neighborhood of S.E. Washington, D.C.

D.C. is betting BIG that they get a lot of spin off development from it. If not, the Wizards got a nice present from the city with little in return.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...mepage%2Fstory

[emu steve]

In case anyone is curious about the borrowing for the arena here it is:

http://www.freep.com/story/money/bus...rena/80863720/

"Comerica also was the underwriter of $200 million in bonds to help cover the arena's private-sector costs. Olympia Development is to pay $11.5 million annually to pay off those bonds. The project's public-sector bond issue was for $250 million."

[emu steve]

Twelve hours a day x 6 days a week = lot of progress. Lot of wages.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/spo...rena/80950530/

[mikeg19]

That's a lot of OT. Must be nice paychecks for those guys working on it.

[emu steve]

This will be great if it happens [[per Crains):

"Mum’s still the word from Meijer Inc. on new Detroit locations.
We’ve reported here at Crain’s in the last year that the Walker-based retailer is considering a new store along Jefferson Avenue between I-375 and Grosse Pointe Park, as well as ongoing discussions between Meijer and Olympia Development of Michigan for a new store in theDistrict Detroit project. "

[emu steve]

Detnews has an article on new downtown hotels. This one is listed 350 - 400 rooms and open fall 2017. Details due soon.

I'll try to get the link.

edit: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/bus...otel/81783568/

[mikeg19]

Detnews has an article on new downtown hotels. This one is listed 350 - 400 rooms and open fall 2017. Details due soon.

I'll try to get the link.

edit: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/bus...otel/81783568/

300-400 rooms isn't terrible large in terms of height for that site I think. You could knock that out in a 10-12 story building. I thought there was also going to be some rental/condo stuff there too. Guess we will need to wait for an official announcement.

[401don]

For the article to state a 300-400 room hotel at the Joe Louis Arena site is "in the works" is a bit of a stretch. Nothing concrete has been proposed. It will be 2020 before the site is cleared and then it may end up being condos, a Cobo expansion or nothing.

[emu steve]

Y

300-400 rooms isn't terrible large in terms of height for that site I think. You could knock that out in a 10-12 story building. I thought there was also going to be some rental/condo stuff there too. Guess we will need to wait for an official announcement.

I thought the idea is that the the building shouldn't be too tall.

the idea is that the arena district wouldn't have monster buildings.

I believe this is consistent with it.

[mikeg19]

Y

I thought the idea is that the the building shouldn't be too tall.

the idea is that the arena district wouldn't have monster buildings.

I believe this is consistent with it.

At the JLA site Steve, not the District Detroit.

[emu steve]

At the JLA site Steve, not the District Detroit.

distrct Detroit, too.

the idea is that it is outside of downtown: try to keep heights moderate.

Crosswinds is townhomes. The lofts, etc. near the arena will not be tall. The WSU Business school won't be a monster.

I see it as a "blend" between the big heights south of the Fisher blending to lower heights north of the Fisher.

[mikeg19]

distrct Detroit, too.

Steve, yes I understand that. I was referring to the earlier conversation regarding the JLA site having high rises.

[Gistok]

Mikeg19.... the 350-400 room hotel listed in the Free Press IS the arena hotel. Then there's a discussion about a potential 300+ room hotel on the site of JLA...

As for height... Midtown always had its' share of taller buildings.... the 17 Story Macabee's Building, the 13 story former Mackenzie Hall at WSU [[sadly demolished), Masonic Temple, the 13 story Eddystone and former Park Ave Hotel, the 12 story Hammer & Nail Building, Parkcrest Hotel, etc. In fact it was the mix of higher and lower buildings in Midtown that gave it its' charm. Just having a bunch of 4-5 story buildings around the arena does little to add to that charm... save for the Eddystone. Otherwise it would look little different from a suburban office park... sans the arena.

[mikeg19]

http://www.mlive.com/business/detroi...art_river_home

Up Up and away...

[401don]

http://www.mlive.com/business/detroi...art_river_homeUp Up and away...

Should be retractable. Outdoor games are all the rage.

[SetecX]

Hey everyone. Been a bit since I posted here but I still been making updates to the blog. Now I am offering videos in 4k resolution AND interactive 360 degree panoramas.

Check it out: http://wingsarena.tumblr.com

[MrChrome]

Hey everyone. Been a bit since I posted here but I still been making updates to the blog. Now I am offering videos in 4k resolution AND interactive 360 degree panoramas.

Check it out: http://wingsarena.tumblr.com

That panorama is awesome! Thanks for posting.

[Wheels]

Mikeg19.... the 350-400 room hotel listed in the Free Press IS the arena hotel. Then there's a discussion about a potential 300+ room hotel on the site of JLA...

As for height... Midtown always had its' share of taller buildings.... the 17 Story Macabee's Building, the 13 story former Mackenzie Hall at WSU [[sadly demolished), Masonic Temple, the 13 story Eddystone and former Park Ave Hotel, the 12 story Hammer & Nail Building, Parkcrest Hotel, etc. In fact it was the mix of higher and lower buildings in Midtown that gave it its' charm. Just having a bunch of 4-5 story buildings around the arena does little to add to that charm... save for the Eddystone. Otherwise it would look little different from a suburban office park... sans the arena.

I think the people of Paris and most large Cities in Europe would disagree.

[Bham1982]

I think the people of Paris and most large Cities in Europe would disagree.

Paris has a crapload of highrises; far more than any U.S. city outside NYC.

The issue isn't building height, it's building design and urban context.

[dtowncitylover]

Paris has a crapload of highrises; far more than any U.S. city outside NYC.

The issue isn't building height, it's building design and urban context.

Paris does not have any highrises. La Defense does but that's located in Courbevoie.

[Bham1982]

Paris does not have any highrises. La Defense does but that's located in Courbevoie.

Paris proper has tons of highrises, and Paris periphery has even more.

Here's a list of Paris highrises in the city proper-
http://www.emporis.com/statistics/ta...3/paris-france

La Defense, the biggest cluster, is outside the city proper, but is still Paris.

[Gistok]

I think the people of Paris and most large Cities in Europe would disagree.

I've been to Paris twice.... and what Mike Ilitch has planned for along Detroit's main street does in no way compare to the Beaux Arts, Belle Epoque, or Art Moderne buildings along the Champs Elysees.... it would compare more to what you would find at 13 Mile and Northwestern....