West of Cobo / Joe Louis Area Redux

**subsidized** · October-11-15, 11:33 AM

Supposedly the Red Wings are playing their final season at 'The Joe', and when they start in the new arena, Joe Louis Arena is to be torn down with developing rights given to a creditor as per the bankruptcy ruling. It seems like an opportune time to make the area more pedestrian friendly and somehow... somehow connect it to the rest of downtown.

I'd imagine the Joe Louis garage and it's funnel tunnels would be demolished eliminating the need for a dedicated exit from the lodge. I know the people in the Riverfront Towers probably use that exit so maybe some reconfiguration is needed.

West Riverfront Park had a big year drawing thousands of concert goers to the area. If the city plans continued use of the site, I think that area might be a good place for some new bars/ restaurants.

Anybody else have any ideas?

**hybridy** · October-11-15, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by subsidized

Supposedly the Red Wings are playing their final season at 'The Joe', and when they start in the new arena, Joe Louis Arena is to be torn down with developing rights given to a creditor as per the bankruptcy ruling. It seems like an opportune time to make the area more pedestrian friendly and somehow... somehow connect it to the rest of downtown.

I'd imagine the Joe Louis garage and it's funnel tunnels would be demolished eliminating the need for a dedicated exit from the lodge. I know the people in the Riverfront Towers probably use that exit so maybe some reconfiguration is needed.

West Riverfront Park had a big year drawing thousands of concert goers to the area. If the city plans continued use of the site, I think that area might be a good place for some new bars/ restaurants.

Anybody else have any ideas?

I believe the intention is to develop high rise mixed use towers with residential and hotel.

**Zads07** · October-11-15, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by subsidized

Supposedly the Red Wings are playing their final season at 'The Joe', and when they start in the new arena, Joe Louis Arena is to be torn down with developing rights given to a creditor as per the bankruptcy ruling. It seems like an opportune time to make the area more pedestrian friendly and somehow... somehow connect it to the rest of downtown.

I'd imagine the Joe Louis garage and it's funnel tunnels would be demolished eliminating the need for a dedicated exit from the lodge. I know the people in the Riverfront Towers probably use that exit so maybe some reconfiguration is needed.

West Riverfront Park had a big year drawing thousands of concert goers to the area. If the city plans continued use of the site, I think that area might be a good place for some new bars/ restaurants.

Anybody else have any ideas?

Not to nitpick, but the Wings have another season after this one in the Joe still. They won't be playing in the new arena until the 2017-18 season.

But I do agree, it would be perfect timing to sort of reconfigure the area around the Joe once demolished.

**Jason** · October-11-15, 02:13 PM

In order to make Jefferson pedestrian friendly you'd have to demolish the Joe's garage and Riverfront Tower's garage. Then you'd have to build buildings in the garages' places, and then rebuild the garages, plus more parking space, somewhere else.

Let's say you did that. The area still has gigantic blocks that make real pedestrian movement difficult, and in order to reduce the block size you'd have to demolish/modify the community college. To the east you still have cobo and the freeway mess. And to the west you still have the giant post office.

So I think that location is isolated and nearly impossible to fix.

imo it would be better to put something there that takes advantage of the pros of the sites and isn't too affected by the cons of the site.

Honestly I think a giant public parking garage would work well there. It has easy access to the freeway and Jefferson, and it has a people mover stop. It could be one of the go to "going downtown? park here!" garages, or it could be used by office workers like cobo's roof is.

It's still a good spot for cobo to expand to, but it seems like with the renovations the expansion talks have died down, and who knows what Detroit's convention space needs will be in 30 years.

The problem with a hotel and conference space in that location is that it's assumed to be convenient for convention goers, but in reality it's not. You could probably get to the main part of cobo on Washington faster from the Book Cadillac than you could from the Joe. I also think that people who are staying at downtown hotels expect to be able to conveniently walk to other places downtown and I think that location doesn't really do that.

Back when cobo and the freeways were being built that entire area of the riverfront back there was rail yards, and the master plan had that area has industrial, which for the most part, it still is. Hindsight is 20/20.

**subsidized** · October-11-15, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by Zads07

Not to nitpick, but the Wings have another season after this one in the Joe still. They won't be playing in the new arena until the 2017-18 season.

Indeed, my bad.

**Hypestyles** · October-11-15, 03:16 PM

the planning should be carefully done but not delayed for years on end.

**douglasm** · October-11-15, 03:55 PM

It would be the perfect place to tie up the D&C steamships on their winter layup......

**mikeg19** · October-12-15, 05:49 AM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

the planning should be carefully done but not delayed for years on end.

Unfortunately, I'm assuming that will be just the case. The only thing that gives me some hope is that the land belongs to a creditor who wants to make money, not the City where they'll let it languish for a decade [[Tiger Stadium site anyone?).

I'm also going to assume that due to the arena's location along the riverfront, so close to CoBo, as well as the Riverfront Condos and a main traffic artery, the Joe will be torn down via wrecking ball/crane as was Tiger Stadium. Also considering its a very tight site to work on unlike Tiger Stadium, demo and site cleanup will take much longer.

**Mackinaw** · October-12-15, 11:42 AM

I agree that it's a bit isolated Jason, but disagree that we have to throw our hands up an just make it all a parking garage. I think the grid can be reestablished and connectivity to the CBD can be easily had via West Congress and Atwater/Yzerman Drive. Heck there is probably a way to get a bike lane going under Cobo, and any future Jefferson Avenue light rail or BRT would and should have a dedicated lane and could be a simple way to link the future West-of-Joe to the rest of downtown.

I am thinking a Battery Park City type setup, but better. A few distinctive highrises with excellent downtown/water views, on the street grid, with plenty of retail and some townhouse-style development below, and distinctive waterfront park space, would be wildly successful. Mix of for-rent and condo. The area is large enough to be its own district within downtown, and close enough to the financial district to attract people who generally wish to live downtown [[provided good pedestrian access and traffic-calming measures are taken as the grid is reestablished, per above).

Go big on this area!

**mikeg19** · October-12-15, 12:56 PM

Cap the Lodge. Then you can extend 2nd/3rd streets for the grid.

Also, making Jefferson under COBO walkable is a must. Not sure how to do it, but if you can have something incorporated under there that is something like the Dequindre Cut, I think that connectivity would go a long way to getting rid of that closed off atmosphere.

**Warrenite84** · October-18-15, 10:10 AM

You still have the Riverwalk in that area. I cannot see 2nd or 3d extended, but the parking garage along Jefferson opposite the river to 8th st. can be redeveloped. Certainly a master plan with low and mid rises in this area with residential/tourist/dining nightlife type developments would help anchor this area to downtown with the People Mover nearby.