What is going on at Red Wings arena site?

**Rock N Rye** · May-24-17, 12:22 PM

You can see buildings that are supposed to conceal the parking garages are under construction, but will likely be far from complete when the arena opens. The Eddystone will also look like shit for a while.

**Rock N Rye** · May-24-17, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by southen

How much do you want to bet it is a garage?

It could be a gravel parking lot

**1953** · May-24-17, 12:26 PM

Cass is nothing but a concrete wall right now; I do so hope they construct something more engaging.

**Zads07** · May-24-17, 12:37 PM

A 9,500sqft team store and a 19,000sqft District Market, restaurant and bar outside the arena was announced today along with Delaware North SportService as the main food/beverage/etc. provider for the LCA.

Dearborn sausages, Better Made Potato Chips along with Bell's and Founder's were mentioned in the release, so that's actually a nice surprise going local.

http://www.olympiaentertainment.com/...-caesars-arena

**ekleezy** · May-24-17, 12:44 PM

There were some rumors of WSU possibly building student housing near the new business school. Any update on that or thoughts on where that might go if it happens?

**Rock N Rye** · May-24-17, 12:59 PM

They were supposed to build townhouses in front of the concrete wall parts of the garage facing Cass. That doesn't look to be going anywhere either, though. They seem to be more concerned with getting enough parking spaces ready for the arena than they are about the appearance of the buildings surrounding it. The arena itself does look nice.

**emu steve** · May-24-17, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by Rock N Rye

They were supposed to build townhouses in front of the concrete wall parts of the garage facing Cass. That doesn't look to be going anywhere either, though. They seem to be more concerned with getting enough parking spaces ready for the arena than they are about the appearance of the buildings surrounding it. The arena itself does look nice.

That parking garage appears to be a 'work in progress' - no where near complete.

**emu steve** · May-24-17, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by Rock N Rye

You can see buildings that are supposed to conceal the parking garages are under construction, but will likely be far from complete when the arena opens. The Eddystone will also look like shit for a while.

Hopefully the Eddystone will look better after it is worked on, but as I tried to say and say, it is ONE building which does not fit the rest. It stands out like a sorry thumb. Hopefully, in time, it will blend with the rest of the finished project.

Even the Alhambra [[sp?) Apts - red and beige building behind the Eddystone looks like it will fit very nicely once renovated.

As I have also been trying to say, lot of what one sees in this photo will not be completed until 2018.

LOT of work yet to be done. Work does not end Sept 2017.

**southen** · May-24-17, 05:31 PM

The Eddystone is the only authentic historic building in the district and you are complaining? I suppose you prefer Epcot center and the nations pavilion over actually visiting places too.

**emu steve** · May-24-17, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by southen

The Eddystone is the only authentic historic building in the district and you are complaining? I suppose you prefer Epcot center and the nations pavilion over actually visiting places too.

My point has always been, that a big project, of this magnitude needs to be harmonious.

If it had 9 historic buildings and the 10th was modern, the 10th would be like an eye sore.

I'm not making a value judgement about historic or new, but rather a massive new development should not have one building which does not architecturally fit.

I would feel the same way in a historic district that one new building or redesign of a building which is inconsistent with the historic district.

I see historic districts all the time such as Georgetown in D.C. or say Old Towne Alexandria. I appreciate them and would 100% support them maintaining their arch standards.

**Rock N Rye** · May-24-17, 06:40 PM

It's weird that they started the L shaped building in front of the garage and then haven't done anything in months. Seems like they could've had it done by Sept but now looks unlikely. The Eddystone would obviously not look like shit if they redeveloped it like they are supposed to.

**Atticus** · May-24-17, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by Rock N Rye

It's weird that they started the L shaped building in front of the garage and then haven't done anything in months. Seems like they could've had it done by Sept but now looks unlikely. The Eddystone would obviously not look like shit if they redeveloped it like they are supposed to.

Worried about the Eddystone too. The fear is they will find some loophole or legal reason not to have to redevelop it.

As far as the L shape building you refer too, I also wonder if floors 2 and up will be stick built. It would be cheaper, but I hope they don't go that route with the quality of the rest of what they have built.

**southen** · May-24-17, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by emu steve

My point has always been, that a big project, of this magnitude needs to be harmonious.

If it had 9 historic buildings and the 10th was modern, the 10th would be like an eye sore.

I'm not making a value judgement about historic or new, but rather a massive new development should not have one building which does not architecturally fit.

I would feel the same way in a historic district that one new building or redesign of a building which is inconsistent with the historic district.

I see historic districts all the time such as Georgetown in D.C. or say Old Towne Alexandria. I appreciate them and would 100% support them maintaining their arch standards.

I feel like I have to mention this repeatedly, but this isnt Sim City. Real cities have different types of architecture and a city doesn't have to monotonous to have charm. Playing new architecture off of old and vice versa allows for a great appreciation of both. Im not sure what your problem with this building is though, the arena's building typology is an attempt to blend in with buildings of the Eddystone's era.

Why haven't you blasted the new Wayne State school for going more modern instead of the aesthetic of the arena? Where is the outrage over the one super modern portion of the arena? Doesn't that fly against your premise. The new Little Caesars headquarters is a far cry from the Fox or State theaters...

**emu steve** · May-24-17, 07:33 PM

I'm not an architect. I want whatever works. If the LCA blends with Eddystone why are we even having this discussion? Why not hold our fire until the Eddystone is finished?

That said, the Eddystone appears, to me, to be too tall for the rest of the project. LCA was designed not to be a monstrosity by building a substantial proportion below ground.

If the LCA was built like most arenas [[a monstrosity), it would not fit with the town homes across the street. A monstrosity behind the Fox would work.

Quite frankly I don't think there was a SINGLE design which meets all of our requirements. There would be problems regardless. This isn't suburbia with tens of acres of empty land to build whatever.

As one move to the north side of Temple, the buildings are much taller [[e.g., the Masonic, the Americana Hotel next door, etc.).

P.S. I don't know what the aesthetics of the WSU school will be. I can't say it doesn't fit until I see a rendering. The first 'rendering' didn't look like it fit and was criticized here.

**southen** · May-24-17, 07:48 PM

We are having the discussion because YOU said the Eddystone doesn't fit the district. A district that is being built around a structure that has been there since 1924.

Most cities have buildings of varying height. If you look at the photos above in this thread you can see that it is actually at most 4 floors above the roofline of the arena. That kills the harmony of the district for you?

**emu steve** · May-25-17, 04:31 AM

Back to the jpg.

I like the parking garages. I like the hue of the one which appears to be mostly finished. Doesn't look like an eye sore. Rarely do parking structures look appealing, but this one isn't bad.

I assume the one will look similar.

BTW, the arena has a blending of colors which I think makes it look smaller, which is a good thing.

**mikeg19** · May-25-17, 06:22 AM

Looking at the pics, it's hard to imagine that this place will be complete in about 3 months for the Kid Rock concerts, but than again I'm not a construction project manager.

**emu steve** · May-25-17, 06:24 AM

BTW, what I think IS interesting and important to the look of this project for those traveling on Cass are the what two [[?) houses for whom the sellers have not agreed with the Ilitch org.

The sellers are playing a game if you won't agree to X dollars we'll raise it 1M so that it is now X + 1M dollars. How do you like that?

I've seen this kind of gamesmanship fall through in Atlantic City, Washington, etc. where developers ended up building around the holdout land owner.

Am I right that all the other buildings near those two houses have been demolished? They are the only two buildings 'in the way.'

**Maof** · May-25-17, 07:21 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

Looking at the pics, it's hard to imagine that this place will be complete in about 3 months for the Kid Rock concerts, but than again I'm not a construction project manager.

i have several family members/friends working on the site. they've been working 10/12 hour days, both morning and afternoon shifts, 7 days a week.

**EGrant** · May-25-17, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by Maof

i have several family members/friends working on the site. they've been working 10/12 hour days, both morning and afternoon shifts, 7 days a week.

Is that because they are behind, or just standard for a project of this size? I was hoping to not ever have to watch a Pistons game at The Palace...

**SammyS** · May-25-17, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by emu steve

BTW, what I think IS interesting and important to the look of this project for those traveling on Cass are the what two [[?) houses for whom the sellers have not agreed with the Ilitch org.

The sellers are playing a game if you won't agree to X dollars we'll raise it 1M so that it is now X + 1M dollars. How do you like that?

I've seen this kind of gamesmanship fall through in Atlantic City, Washington, etc. where developers ended up building around the holdout land owner.

Am I right that all the other buildings near those two houses have been demolished? They are the only two buildings 'in the way.'

Everything is negotiable and I don't believe Detroit has eminent domain laws. If they did, then developers/council planners/city lawyers would be sending notices out to Crosswind owners.

**emu steve** · May-25-17, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by SammyS

Everything is negotiable and I don't believe Detroit has eminent domain laws. If they did, then developers/council planners/city lawyers would be sending notices out to Crosswind owners.

It should be interesting to see how this works out, whether it delays development or even causes changes to development plans.

As was discussed earlier, no one seems to know what will go behind the WSU biz school building to Cass.

My guess would be TBD: Maybe someone steps forward in the next year or two and wants to put something there. I still think housing at Temple between Park and Cass would work. Think yuppies would love it.

Curious how much demand there would be by WSU bus grad students?

**Rock N Rye** · May-25-17, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by emu steve

BTW, what I think IS interesting and important to the look of this project for those traveling on Cass are the what two [[?) houses for whom the sellers have not agreed with the Ilitch org.

The sellers are playing a game if you won't agree to X dollars we'll raise it 1M so that it is now X + 1M dollars. How do you like that?

I've seen this kind of gamesmanship fall through in Atlantic City, Washington, etc. where developers ended up building around the holdout land owner.

Am I right that all the other buildings near those two houses have been demolished? They are the only two buildings 'in the way.'

I think the 2 Ilitch buildings north of those houses, facing Temple, are still there. Seems like they can build around them, and they don't look too bad from the front. The building southwest of Cass and Henry is probably going to creep out a lot more people on Cass than those houses.

**Maof** · May-25-17, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by EGrant

Is that because they are behind, or just standard for a project of this size? I was hoping to not ever have to watch a Pistons game at The Palace...

lol...i'm sure, in many cases, it is. with the pistons going in last minute, many changes had to be made. and, rumor has it, don cherry wasn't too happy with the press box so that had to be torn out and redone. "can't see the damn ice".

**CrashDummy** · May-25-17, 02:12 PM

This map is about a year or so old, but it seems to be pretty spot on for what is supposed to be finished this year. The cleared area west of the business school and the rest of the blue buildings are scheduled to be completed next year, so they should theoretically be started pretty soon, especially since framing on the business school and LCP headquarters is nearing completion. The building immediately west of the SoB does not look like a parking garage, but who knows. The one across Temple could be, though.

One interesting thing about this map, though, is that the Eddystone seems to have a twin at the north end of the block and possibly a triplet in between them [[block 9). The building west of those on Cass might possibly be a parking garage, at least in part. That would make sense if the Eddystone is turned into a residential complex and for the fact that it looks like there is a driveway leading into it.