What is going on at Red Wings arena site?

[Dbest]

No, I'm not conflicted. I'm just saying that:

1. The arena district is not going to be the God-send that some [[including you, emu steve) think will be a kickstarter to saving downtown Detroit. It's going to be a hockey arena, with enormous parking garages and maybe a few blocks of restaurants, bars, small offices and retail. See also: Columbus.

I would not be surprised if it were designed to be psychologically cordoned-off from the rest of downtown, as the primary goal of this project is to make money for Olympia [[not revitalize the rest of downtown). In fact, I expect this area to function more like a suburban subdivision or shopping center than an urban neighborhood.

2. For the length of time that these properties sat vacant [[and all the destruction that was necessary to create these vacant lots), one questions whether or not Detroit would be better off had the properties been developed instead of sat-upon by their owner.

3. Same goes for your comment regarding the Hudson's site. By the time a new building opens, it will have only been 18 years since that building was speculatively demolished "to spur renaissance in downtown". Totally worth it, right? Never mind that redevelopment has taken place *everywhere but* this lot--you know, in those "old obsolete dinosaur" buildings that our old friend Rasputin wanted to tear down so many times over.

4. There is nothing "architecturally significant" about the new arena. And regardless of what the media says, odds are that a new building on the Hudson's site will not be architecturally significant, either. I mean, what are they going to do--add a ton of pointless cantilevers and clad it in glass, like every other architecture firm on earth does? Oooooh--how revolutionary! This, like much modern architecture, will at best be a high-concept sculpture that fails to act as a reasonably-performing building.

"Decide how the storefronts will interact with Woodward"? It's laughable. You put the damn storefronts right at the edge of the sidewalk, and then add your artistic embellishments--you know, architecture. I didn't realize that fundamental concepts of design required so many meetings.

The saddest part is that Detroit has gone well out of its way--and spent millions of dollars--to DEMOLISH ACTUAL SIGNIFICANT ARCHITECTURAL ICONS. So please, spare me the crap.

And yeah--Dan Gilbert [[as much as I admire the development he's doing)--the guy who wanted a public sculpture of dice and casino chips in downtown Cleveland--is the one who's going to insist on a world-class design for the Hudson's site. I'll believe it when I see it.

This was a great post....

[MSUguy]

Another thing, am I supposed to be excited about the Lil Sleaze headquarters and residences that are across the street and not in this massively subsidized "district"? Why do people keep acting like its part of the stadium deal?

Because it is part of the stadium deal? All those areas are part of the "district".

[emu steve]

I assume 'the district' was created for tax purposes. Otherwise, who cares about a block out by Temple and say 4th... There are many, many more important blocks and areas in Detroit.

The idea is to foster more development and redevelopment of areas within the contiguous areas of F.F., Comerica, new arena, Masonic, etc.

[belleislerunner]

So glad the eyesore will soon be gone.

Looking like Columbus [[Short North) or DC [[Chinatown) will be light years ahead of what it looks like now. Embrace change. Embrace city life, city living.

Bring on the yuccies!

[ghettopalmetto]

So glad the eyesore will soon be gone.

Looking like Columbus [[Short North) or DC [[Chinatown) will be light years ahead of what it looks like now. Embrace change. Embrace city life, city living.

Embrace the bland chain restaurants!

[belleislerunner]

Man if a Rosa Mexicano, a Noodles & Company, a Chipotle and a Pinkberry all opened up downtown - I'd be in heaven. What more could we need?

Oh and a Jamba Juice. Drool...

[Hypestyles]

There's a newly arrived postcard from Councilman Gabe Leland [[district 7): Arena District Jobs Fair to be held Wednesday, June 17th, at Don Bosco Hall in Detroit: 19321 W. Chicago, 48228. Time: 9 a.m. - 3 pm. further updates at www.districtdetroit.com

[emu steve]

Stumbled across this: http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...n-lot.php#more

Guess wealth is being created. What would that have been listed for 10 years ago? OR maybe a better question is: What will it be worth in 10 years????

Bigger question: IF someone buys that property, what will they do with it?

[[BTW, I assume once someone gets north of Sproat, Ilitch Holdings don't own much land and I assume none between Temple and Charlotte. Is that correct?).

Going to be fascinating watching 'the market' play out for land between Sproat/Charlotte and Woodward/Cass.

[canuck]

Man if a Rosa Mexicano, a Noodles & Company, a Chipotle and a Pinkberry all opened up downtown - I'd be in heaven. What more could we need?

Oh and a Jamba Juice. Drool...

Ghettopalmetto / Embrace the bland chain restaurants!

How about bringing in a new chain like Java the Hut, or better still; a Pasta Prime, or Wacko Taco to add to the mix.

[detroitbob]

Stumbled across this: http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...n-lot.php#more

Guess wealth is being created. What would that have been listed for 10 years ago? OR maybe a better question is: What will it be worth in 10 years????

Bigger question: IF someone buys that property, what will they do with it?

[[BTW, I assume once someone gets north of Sproat, Ilitch Holdings don't own much land and I assume none between Temple and Charlotte. Is that correct?).

Going to be fascinating watching 'the market' play out for land between Sproat/Charlotte and Woodward/Cass.

Two significant buildings remain on Park between Charlotte and Temple, a delightful little row house on the east side of Park and the wonderful Alhambra Apartments. The Alhambra could be a show stopping exterior restoration. I some of the interior that could be salvaged. Pictures were posted a while back at

http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/thread/2454813/Double-the-apartment-double-the-ruins/

This buildings restored exterior would rival similar restorations in Chicago and Philadelphia. A company with the word "systems" as part of its name worries me,,,sounds like a parking lot company I believe owns the property. I am not sure if the Cass/Park/Peterborough historic district extends this far down to Temple St.

[emu steve]

Two significant buildings remain on Park between Charlotte and Temple, a delightful little row house on the east side of Park and the wonderful Alhambra Apartments. The Alhambra could be a show stopping exterior restoration. I some of the interior that could be salvaged. Pictures were posted a while back at

http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/thread/2454813/Double-the-apartment-double-the-ruins/

This buildings restored exterior would rival similar restorations in Chicago and Philadelphia. A company with the word "systems" as part of its name worries me,,,sounds like a parking lot company I believe owns the property. I am not sure if the Cass/Park/Peterborough historic district extends this far down to Temple St.

Thanks.

I hope this building can be saved and it fits along with the American Hotel.

I suspect that multi-family housing along Temple would be a good possibility. I don't see anyone trying to do anything else [[e.g., office space) on that street between say Park and Cass.

Temple is important as it will have a lot of arena traffic [[as will Cass and obviously Woodward). It would be nice if is redeveloped and looks decent. It shouldn't be a forlorn area come fall 2017.

[emu steve]

Does this explain where the loading dock will be vis-a-vis the Park Ave.?

Will the access to the loading dock be off Clifford right through that site [[as the site is somewhat land locked by land at Clifford and Sibley not owned by Ilitch Holding or by a Detroit city entity).

Curious if the loading dock could have been redesigned if that land [[Clifford and Sibley) was available to work with?

Just speculating...

[SpartanDawg]

http://redwings.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=106102


slick new renderings released. as well as a pretty awesome idea of what the inside will look like

[Zads07]

So I guess we can all now go see what things will look like on a miniature scale too, at Comerica Park.

One of the most defeating things in this video to me, other than seeing the Park Avenue no longer there is this screenshot of the arena.



You can clearly see they'll be naming the arena after a sponsor. I alway enjoyed that the Joe was called Joe Louis Arena, no corporate sponsors, obviously named by the city, but it just felt more real. Now the new arena will just be another corporate named arena. Sad.

[corrycannon]

The glass-enclosed concourse looks even better in these renders.

I also like the fact they included the district Detroit in the preview center. I've heard Wilson interviewed a few times and he always mentions the 45 blocks of downtown Detroit, so it doesn't look like this "District" idea was just smoke and mirrors to build an arena.

[corrycannon]

Drone footage of the construction site from 6.24.15
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBLN8UOACUk

Foundation work begins this week
http://www.districtdetroit.com/news/...-detroit-arena

[emu steve]

The glass-enclosed concourse looks even better in these renders.

I also like the fact they included the district Detroit in the preview center. I've heard Wilson interviewed a few times and he always mentions the 45 blocks of downtown Detroit, so it doesn't look like this "District" idea was just smoke and mirrors to build an arena.

I liked the comment about 150 - 200 events per year. That's pretty aggressive number without the Pistons.

One hundred fifty at the arena, say 90 at Comerica and 20 - 25 at Ford Field puts the total at say 260+.

And a good thing: If one looks at the MLB and NHL schedules back to back they cover the entire 52 weeks of the year.

There isn't one week of the year where they where either the Tigers or Wings or Lions do not play.

As was mentioned earlier in this thread, if the Pistons move to the arena, "April in the D" could be Tigers, Wings and Pistons all playing at the same time [[April) in the same sports and entertainment district.

[subsidized]

And get a look at all that development beyond the arena... oh wait.... never mind.

[southen]

Imagine if the money put into creating the "Preview Center" had been put towards rehabbing and mothballing his properties...

[emu steve]

And get a look at all that development beyond the arena... oh wait.... never mind.

Actually the model is very instructive and realistic.

To me it shows:

1). The arena blocks including the Eddystone, adjacent north.

2). Shows what appears to be a hotel at the corner of Henry and Woodward.

3). Does not show any development, other than the Eddystone, north of Sproat. I believe Ilitch Holdings owns land to Temple there. I hope for an office building at Woodward/Sproat as a buffer.

4). It does not show any development west of Cass/north of the Fisher. Ilitch Holdings owns probably less than two blocks there. What will happen there will be up to the private market to sort out who owns what and who wants to develop whatever they want to develop.

5). It does shows buildings near Comerica and the Fox. Residential and office buildings mentioned many times in this thread.

6). It shows nothing behind the Fox but that is no surprise. That is a dead area with limited appeal.

[SpartanDawg]

http://www.wxyz.com/news/sneak-peek-...nment-district

biggest thing i'm excited about.. they're building two buildings on each side of the i-75 bridge on woodward as you can see in the picture below

another thing you can see in the video is the new apartment buildings going in front of comerica! and thankfully they are NOT closing off Montclam st. to woodward, it is going to have a bridge built over it!!

also looks like they have more apartments planned on the other parking lot in front of comerica! great stuff for downtown

[emu steve]

Excellent, the model showing residential buildings in front of Comerica with the walkway access to Comerica [[from Woodward), the new Fox office building and a new residential [[?) building in the outfield peering into the stadium.

This is what the Ilitches have promised and their model shows it...

[Mackinaw]

Nice to see the lot coverage at least promised. Woodward will have a nice enclosed feel if it all happens, in part because of what will happen with the bridge, as Dawg points out. That said, I don't think the proposed apartment buildings next to Comerica reach an appropriate height. They could be triple what's being shown.

Who owns the empty parking lot beyond rightfield? Between Adams and Madison? That needs to be our wrigleyville [[asap). The rendering in the screenshot has something built on it [[also not tall enough). Is it Ilitch?

Has anyone ever taken the Tigers post-game survey [[they email it to you the day after the game if you purchase tickets online or on stubhub)? It asks about parking and your "sense of security upon leaving" about 10 times. I find it hilarious and so indicative of Olympia's priorities heretofore. I told them to stop asking about parking, in response. Haha.

[emu steve]

Who owns the empty parking lot beyond rightfield? Between Adams and Madison? That needs to be our wrigleyville [[asap). The rendering in the screenshot has something built on it [[also not tall enough). Is it Ilitch?

Unless I'm wrong, that is the building [[don't know if residential/commercial) with Wrigley-style seating on top that they promised to build... I believe I see it in the model behind sections 103 - 105. Isn't that surface parking now??

[Mackinaw]

Definitely parking now, and, according to some old photography I have seen, parking for much of the 20th century [[though surrounded on adjacent blocks by lots of buildings that were demo'd)