60 Story Building for Hudson Site? Gilbertville Rumblings Suggest Possibility

**DetroitSoldier** · February-02-17, 07:38 PM

I wonder if any discussion had been had about completing the back of the One Campus Martius building. At this point it seems the building is busting at the seams. I know the building was built with the potential to fill in that wedge in the future. Losing the murals would be a small loss considering the visual appeal of a quality frantage facing the Hudson Block.

**Lowell** · February-02-17, 07:41 PM

Maybe soccer related surprise? New team? New arena? Since that has been in the news.

The answer seems to lean toward Microsoft in this article.

Gilbert announcing new tenant move Friday — Microsoft?
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/local/mic...soft/395827207

**dtowncitylover** · February-02-17, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by ParisianLesion

I always thought it was spelled 'whoop-de-doo'... You learn something new every day...

Not sure if sarcastic or serious. I was typing fast and didn't really care to look up correct spelling of a very colloquial term.

**ABetterDetroit** · February-02-17, 08:10 PM

To be honest with everything that's gone right in the last couple of years and all the balls in the air it would be a let down to have a presser with the Mayor present over 50K sq ft of office that has already been leaking all month. I could be getting greedy but Gilbert himself has raised the bar. I hope for more, a major tenant for Book or Stott fast tracking one of those projects would be really sweet. I did notice guys working on the Stott swing stages a few weeks ago with lights at about 10pm on a Sunday night, thought those where aggressive working hours for January...

**313WX** · February-03-17, 02:15 AM

Honestly though, this Microsoft announcement is probably only the beginning of big things to look forward to over the next few years, provided the Auto Industry doesn't go off the rails [[always the wild card) because of Trump's erraticism.

Crap like this [[which contributed significantly to the last downturn because of the higher oil prices) is certainly not going to help...

US planning additional sanctions on Iran following missile test

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/02/politi...tions-on-iran/

**Dbest** · February-03-17, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Honestly though, this Microsoft announcement is probably only the beginning of big things to look forward to over the next few years, provided the Auto Industry doesn't go off the rails [[always the wild card) because of Trump's erraticism.

Crap like this [[which contributed significantly to the last downturn because of the higher oil prices) is certainly not going to help...

US planning additional sanctions on Iran following missile test

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/02/politi...tions-on-iran/

"As an industry we're excited about working together with the president and his administration on tax policies, on regulation and on trade to really create a renaissance in American manufacturing,"

Ford CEO Mark Fields

**Atticus** · February-04-17, 07:59 AM

anyway....

Does anyone know when Gilbert has to provide his plans for the Hudsons site and begin work on it? Or is the time restriction no longer in place?

**Knocturnal** · February-04-17, 08:43 AM

Until Gilbert receives his desired tax incentives from the state, no shovels will hit the ground. Pretty crazy to think, but he has owned development rights there since 2010.

**southen** · February-09-17, 10:27 PM

Nothing new to report but I did stumble upon this image from December on the Shop Architects instagram account. The caption mentioned all of the models they have but it stood out to me that these were a bunch of different variations of the Hudson's block!

There isn't anything with a tower that is obvious, but the orange "pilon" you can see looks like it may be a tower attached to a smaller model which might indicate a tower.

Either way enjoy dissecting this shot. I know I have.

Name: Screen Shot 2017-02-09 at 10.18.34 PM.jpg
Views: 1964
Size: 68.9 KB

Name: Screen Shot 2017-02-09 at 10.18.34 PM.jpg
Views: 1964
Size: 68.9 KB

**ABetterDetroit** · February-09-17, 11:06 PM

Originally Posted by southen

Nothing new to report but I did stumble upon this image from December on the Shop Architects instagram account. The caption mentioned all of the models they have but it stood out to me that these were a bunch of different variations of the Hudson's block!

There isn't anything with a tower that is obvious, but the orange "pilon" you can see looks like it may be a tower attached to a smaller model which might indicate a tower.

Either way enjoy dissecting this shot. I know I have.

Name: Screen Shot 2017-02-09 at 10.18.34 PM.jpg
Views: 1964
Size: 68.9 KB

The Orange magic marker? I hope it only represents it and not a model so there won't actually be a magic marker shaped tower

**southen** · February-09-17, 11:19 PM

Lmao I thought it was some abstract tower or something. Time to get the eyes checked.

**gumby** · February-10-17, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by southen

Lmao I thought it was some abstract tower or something. Time to get the eyes checked.

Going down to that tower would be the "highlight" of my day.

**Scottathew** · February-10-17, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by southen

Lmao I thought it was some abstract tower or something. Time to get the eyes checked.

Southen,

I have good eyesight and I didn't pick up on it. I had already reproduced the angle of the shot in Google Earth to determine that the orange building wasn't even on the Hudson site.

Then I scrolled down and saw ABetterDetroit's post and face-palmed.

You were not the only one that was fooled.

**Jason** · February-10-17, 04:41 PM

If Frank Ghery can derive his forms from crumpled balls of paper, then why can't SHoP derive theirs from highlighters?

But yeah good find. I think that those models look pretty sensible, at least from what can be seen. I'd guess that the bottom half is offices and the top half, with the terraces and canyons and stuff would be residential. The model sitting outside of the site model, to the left of the compuware building is it, and then there's what seems to be a very similar or identical version inserted into the hudsons site to the right of the compuware building. And then there's a few more in the background that are too hard to see.

**mikeg19** · February-13-17, 07:44 AM

Originally Posted by Jason

If Frank Ghery can derive his forms from crumpled balls of paper, then why can't SHoP derive theirs from highlighters?

Kinda like the architect who thought up that tall slender condo tower in Manhatten was using a trash can as his architectural inspiration? Maybe it's just me, and I understand that architectural design is fluid and can be interpreted in a number of ways, but some of this new school stuff [[Gehry crap) just does nothing for me. I'm personally a fan of the roaring 20's and Art Deco masterpieces, so maybe I won't ever come around to some designs, but I can still appreciate beauty. Gehry and the like to me are garbage.

**1953** · February-13-17, 09:32 AM

I'm with you, mikeg19; give me pre-war architecture anyday!

1953

**hybridy** · February-13-17, 11:11 AM

the orange highlighter is next to David Stott tower. there is a lower rectangular piece directly left of one campus maritus. i can make out a series of 'cuts/voids' that crisscross the model in both horizontal and vertical planes. if difficult with the lighting, but there is a low rectangular model already sitting on hudson's site. looks like a removable piece that could fill hudson's site if sat parallel to woodward. with that style model its clear shop would mock up a number of massing models that would be interchangeable to critique against the larger urban context. no towers in site...though what they do show matches the existing street wall nicely.

**stasu1213** · March-26-17, 09:29 PM

I would love to see Dan Gilbert purchase Eastland Mall and put better stores there

**313WX** · March-26-17, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

I would love to see Dan Gilbert purchase Eastland Mall and put better stores there

Who's going to shop at those better stores?

Grosse Pointers are scared shitless of Eastland while everyone else who lives near the mall is virtually flat broke.

**bust** · March-27-17, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Who's going to shop at those better stores?

Grosse Pointers are scared shitless of Eastland while everyone else who lives near the mall is virtually flat broke.

I agree the future does not look bright at Eastland. And I get what you're saying. But not all Grosse Pointers are so scared [[and not everyone else is so bad off). My older Grosse Pointe parents still shop at Macy's, Target, and Lowe's every now and then. The other stores they liked have closed. They don't go to Eastland as often as they used to, but they'd go more if the shopping were better. It will be sad to lose it, but that particular Macy's has been sub par for a long while.

My hope is shopping will continue to improve on Kercheval and Mack in Grosse Pointe to help replace it. And on other nearby commercial corridors. And that retail downtown will achieve critical mass. It's clear Gilbert wants to get it there. His plans for the Hudson's site could be a big catalyst. My parents go downtown [[and midtown) a few times a month for cultural activities and would probably be happy to shop there too. I certainly would.

Integrated business districts are so much better than isolated shopping malls anyway.

**stasu1213** · March-27-17, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Who's going to shop at those better stores?

Grosse Pointers are scared shitless of Eastland while everyone else who lives near the mall is virtually flat broke.

Wrong bongo. Many people in the area including from the Pointed shop at Macomb Mall which have stores that cater to the low to middle class shopper. Macomb Mall had been revitalized. Eastland could get stores the cater to the average shopper who still have money to shop at middle end stores. I could see Carharrt, Wilson's, Dunham and stores like those opening or reopening in the mall with more security including a Harper Woods Police mini station inside the mall. The Detroit connection to this thread is Eastland still borders Detroit but the troublemakers won't hang out there for the urbane type of stores that draw them would be gone.

**Mind field** · March-27-17, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

I would love to see Dan Gilbert purchase Eastland Mall and put better stores there

What does that have to do with this thread? Don't you think Dan Gilbert has his hands full with his downtown properties, the fail jail site, etc. I mean let's be realistic here. His focus is the city, not the suburbs.

**stasu1213** · March-27-17, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by Mind field

What does that have to do with this thread? Don't you think Dan Gilbert has his hands full with his downtown properties, the fail jail site, etc. I mean let's be realistic here. His focus is the city, not the suburbs.

Maybe someone such as a Dan Gilbert could but the property and turn it back into an open air mall where the stores are not under one roof. Lowe's, Home Depot, Target, and Burlington could stay.