It's official! Gilbert locks up redevelopment of old Hudson's site

[Detroit]

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...d-hudsons-site

[tetsua]

I hope something awesome gets built in this site.

[401don]

I'm hoping for a life size mural of the proposal so we can see if we like it before giving the go ahead.

[Detroit]

I hope something awesome gets built in this site.

I agree but I'm worried that it will be some really crazy design. I like more traditional buildings with straight lines but not really boring featureless glass curtain walls either.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

I'm hoping for a life size mural of the proposal so we can see if we like it before giving the go ahead.

I don't think they could build anything there that wouldn't be an improvement over what's there now.

That said, anything that brings a large number of people downtown to work or live is great with me. All the more if the build really adds to the the streetscape and/or skyline.

[Gistok]

If you can't see the whole article... Google "Crain's Detroit Gilbert locks up Hudson's block".

[SyGolden48236]

I'm hoping for a life size mural of the proposal so we can see if we like it before giving the go ahead.

Before "we" give it the go ahead?? Who said, or what makes you think, that you or "we" have any say in the design of the building?

This development will not be based on an internet poll. It will be based on sound business principles and whatever the developer feels will generate the highest return on investment.

[ParisianLesion]

Rough day at work Sy?

I believe don's comment was intended as a humorous reference to Gilbert's penchant for large murals and nothing more.

[Gistok]

The good thing about this monstrosity not being built on the Hudsons block is that it will be very expensive to build such "cutting edge" design in a historic downtown. Especially with the value of property downtown... that and sticking out like a sore thumb.

Having retail up to the curb would help the entire lower Woodward district. Having dead zones like this in between does nothing to promote a retail district [[sure are a lot of people in this rendering).... I remember renderings like this back in the 1970s that showed how all those red monkey bars and a trolley on Washington Blvd. showed a lot of foot traffic [[that never actually showed up).

[canuck]

Before "we" give it the go ahead?? Who said, or what makes you think, that you or "we" have any say in the design of the building?

This development will not be based on an internet poll. It will be based on sound business principles and whatever the developer feels will generate the highest return on investment.

I think 401don just wants a popular survey on the quality of a new design. He is clever enough to know that we won't make à difference in the décision making. Sound business practices are paths paved with good intentions and you know.where that often leads us. Don't try to shut him up. That would be undemocratic and indelicate.

[Gistok]

I know I'm probably in the minority here... but I would love to see 1st floor retail with residential above in a historic pastiche sort of way like this facing Woodward. It would match the rest of street... but just be a more post modern version. Behind this facade they could do what they want in a modern way facing towards Farmer St. But at least with a nice matching streetwall the Woodward side won't look like Godzilla came by and tore the front part off the building....

These images are stitched together from images of new construction in NYC in the last 3 years... these won't be to the liking of the "cutting edge crowd"....

[Junjie]

I'm expecting some significant differences between what we saw in those earlier [[leaked?) renderings and what the final product might look like.

The fact that we know it has a significant residential component also means I'm not too concerned about this being a dead block. At worst, there will be people coming and going throughout the day. Let's wait and see.

[royce]

I hope the final building does not look like the one in the rendering. That building is hideous. Is it meant to extend over Gratiot? Looks like it's going right up against the Compuware Building. Also, don't most people in a building want to be able to see out of it? That Woodward facade, with its upward slope, appears to lack windows. Also, there appears to be a purposely placed hole in the roof. I agree with Gistok that the building in the rendering has no place in a traditional downtown setting

[Honky Tonk]

Rough day at work Sy?

I believe don's comment was intended as a humorous reference to Gilbert's penchant for large murals and nothing more.

Speaking of rough days @ work.....

[mikeg19]

I agree with Gistok that the building in the rendering has no place in a traditional downtown setting

If you're expecting traditional in any way, you're probably going to hate whatever goes up there. DG is swinging for the fences. He's not going to create something that looks like everything else down there. He's going more Guggenheim museum than David Whitney it would seem.

[hybridy]

the city spent $12 million to demolish hudsons and $28M to construct the garage - total investment $40M. wonder how much revenue the city has from parking fees thus far? the city is still $25M in the red and loses all future parking revenue with this deal. how are tax payers not getting screwed?

[1953]

Crain's is now saying the plan is to build a "high-rise," perhaps 20 stories or more...

Here's hoping its either a) exactly as tall as Hudson's or b) 1 story more than the ren cen.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20160426/NEWS/160429865/gilbert-plans-high-rise-on-old-hudsons-site-in-downtown-detroit

[Honky Tonk]

the city spent $12 million to demolish hudsons and $28M to construct the garage - total investment $40M. wonder how much revenue the city has from parking fees thus far? the city is still $25M in the red and loses all future parking revenue with this deal. how are tax payers not getting screwed?

"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain......"

[hybridy]

"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain......"

if i'm financing this thru my taxes i want a say in their designer pick. since zaha has deceased RIP...i vote for Bjarke Ingles...NOT SHOP!

im mean his website is big.dk
his ego almost matches DG's!

http://www.big.dk/
http://time.com/4301248/bjarke-ingels-2016-time-100/

[dtowncitylover]

Also when will the last few paragraphs of any article about this stop being about the history of Hudson's? Seriously, let's move on!

[Bobl]

I'm expecting some significant differences between what we saw in those earlier [[leaked?) renderings and what the final product might look like.

The fact that we know it has a significant residential component also means I'm not too concerned about this being a dead block. At worst, there will be people coming and going throughout the day. Let's wait and see.

Agreed. The conceptual renderings looked ugly to me, but that is unimportant. People living and working downtown is the important thing. I was skeptical a decade ago that anything worthwile would happen there, in my lifetime. Looks like I just might see it happen.

[Mind field]

the city spent $12 million to demolish hudsons and $28M to construct the garage - total investment $40M. wonder how much revenue the city has from parking fees thus far? the city is still $25M in the red and loses all future parking revenue with this deal. how are tax payers not getting screwed?

Maybe the discounted price takes into account the fact that repairs have to be made to prevent flooding on the lowest level. Also consider the revenue the city will capture from at least three different uses the finished product will have [[retail, residential, and possibly office) and the value added to downtown from an architectural showpiece. The site has sat empty for nearly two decades, you don't want to chase away the only viable developer by bitching that he's not paying enough for the property.

[corktownyuppie]

the city spent $12 million to demolish hudsons and $28M to construct the garage - total investment $40M. wonder how much revenue the city has from parking fees thus far? the city is still $25M in the red and loses all future parking revenue with this deal. how are tax payers not getting screwed?

They're going to lose the parking revenue, but here's what they gain:

- Property Tax revenue from the building
- New Income Tax revenue from the people who work there
- Increased Development desirability for all of the downtown, which will bring
- More property and income tax revenue as per above
- As downtown continues to price people out, more people looking at outskirts of greater downtown...more property and income tax revenue, etc.

The importance of anchor tenants cannot be understated. I don't mind the anchor tenant getting a sweetheart deal if it means that we can fill up the remaining vacancies. This is a prime example of that.

[401don]

Full details at 3:00 today:

http://www.freep.com/story/money/bus...bert/83585792/

[tkelly1986]

We may not see renderings today, but what are the chances we hear details? As in, an office tenet for the 250,000 sq feet? [[which would be between 1,000 - 1,500 people). I assume there will be street level retail, but that will not make up the entirety of the commercial square feet.