Monroe Block Development

[EGrant]

In the article it said they haven't even hired an architect. These are purely conceptual. I counted about 30 stories anyway.

[1953]

I think they should just put it all back the way it was...

[dtowncitylover]

National Theater Attachment 32174

The use of the National Theatre facade as a gate type structure is not that bad. The inside, from what I hear is beyond fixing but the facade must be preserved and that's a cool way to save it.

[Zads07]

Very impressed with the designs. I would like to see the National saved but if it is so bad inside, saving the facade for an arch design is a great way to keep at least a piece of the historic structure.

Sad that the Pochelon Building could be demolished because of this construction. Would be great to see that saved.

[EGrant]

Two additional renderings from Ian Thibodeau.

[EastsideAl]

It would be a real shame to have to do that to the National. Particularly after the city stood in the way of anyone interested in the place for so long. Even if no one wants to save the theater [[or build a new one behind that beautiful facade, as has been done for lesser theaters in other cities) I would certainly hope that more of the facade could be saved than is shown in that "gate" rendering.

In its heyday:


In fact, instead of tearing it down, why not bring back the big clown sign? That oughta bring 'em flowing in again.

[EastsideAl]

Here is a rare photo of the 1000 Farmer building at the corner of Farmer and Bates when it was FTD headquarters, before the law firm remodeled it and sprayed all that white stuff onto it in the '70s. You can see the motif of the pointed arches carried over from the older Pochelon Building next door, and the Pochelon/L. Bemb florists' greenhouses on top, along with some interesting trees.

[EastsideAl]

I think they should just put it all back the way it was...

Ahhh, the Cadillac Square [[aka Real Estate Exchange) Building. What a beautiful building it was too. Yet another lesson in the perils of tearing down buildings just to get "old stuff" out of the way. Only to replace them with... nothing.

You'd think we learned that lesson well enough in this city, with all the voids we created, but 33 years later we did the same thing to the Lafayette Building.

[MSUguy]

[SpartanDawg]

this is REALLY promising. i love the space and courtyards between the buildings. ESPECIALLY LOVE THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BUILD UP TO THE STREETWALL FACING CAMPUS MARTIUS PARK.. they're going to shape the office building to the awkward block layout.. thank god.. i remember the meridian office tower that was proposed a few years ago was sitting awkwardly in it.. this is much better.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

Here is a rare photo of the 1000 Farmer building at the corner of Farmer and Bates when it was FTD headquarters, before the law firm remodeled it and sprayed all that white stuff onto it in the '70s. You can see the motif of the pointed arches carried over from the older Pochelon Building next door, and the Pochelon/L. Bemb florists' greenhouses on top, along with some interesting trees.

I think it would be criminal to tear down either of the existing buildings.

[Atticus]

Based on their master plan-phase 2, I don't see why the FTD buildings couldn't be included and repurposed. It appears they are replacing these structures with other residential structures. Including the old FTD structures in the plan would add some contrast to the modern architecture. Otherwise, I love the plan.

I don't even mind that the old National Theatre is being preserved as an arch. It should be noted though that the sightlines don't work such that the arch would frame the old county building in the distance, as shown in their images. Even if you relocated "the arch", you still wouldn't get that line of sight to work. Cool idea though.

[TTime]

A few more years of the occasional 15 or 20 story building and before we know it Detroit will give Grand Rapids a real run for their money as the premier downtown area in Michigan...well unless Ann Arbor keeps growing the way they have.

[jmarie]

http://www.deadlinedetroit.com/artic...s#.WD67-fnQchc

What is Gilbert going to do? Woo people from Chicago and Cleveland to Detroit?

He is out of room now, so building needs to start ASAP.
That article last week said that they were considering moving people back out to the suburbs. A friend of mine who works for Title Source told me today that they have set up conference tables all around her area for people to use as temporary desks because they have no room. And they still have open positions, so who knows where they will go. It sounds like DG better get building and fast.

[Mackinaw]

Big fan of the conceptual shape, size, and materials. 1953 as much as I wish we had what was there before, the shape and size of this is in many ways a postmodern reinterpretation of what was there in terms of scale. Perhaps that is fitting, especially since we damn well know that we cannot re-create what was there with any integrity.

HAVING SAID THAT: we CAN keep what history still exists, thus, I call on Preservation Detroit and the many big personalities we have at the grassroots level these days to communicate with Bedrock to ensure that [[1) the entire National facade is saved, and [[2) the Pochelon's 6-story component is rehabilitated. If necessary, this will need to be taken up with City Council. I do not believe that the Pochelon is part of a Historic District [[does anyone have a list of CoD Historic District's handy? I cannot find one online though I remember seeing one in the past).

[Newdetroit]

Looks nice

[archfan]

Here is the photo to which I think you're referring, of the building when it housed Pochelon's florist establishment. The shop was named L. Bemb Floral Co., after his mother, Louise Bemb, who started the business as a flower stall in the old Central Market in Cadillac Square after her immigration from Germany.

http://historicdetroit.org/galleries/pochelon-building-old-photos/

Thanks, Al, for all the information. I hope the Pochelon and FTD buildings can be saved. The low rise buildings shown in the Monroe block rendering give me hope that they can be incorporated.

[EGrant]

Thank GOODNESS that awful, suburban mess from Meridian fell through. What a waste of potential that would have been.

[Lowell]

Another atrium pic from Bedrock...

[Detroitdave]

Does anyone have any pictures of what was On the Monroe block before the parking lot?
Of can you direct me to a Link ?
thank you

[Atticus]

I would guess that the reason for the demolition of the FTD buildings and National Theater bldg [[beyond that the latter may be beyond repair), is to accommodate a proposed underground parking garage.

If you are going to build an underground garage, it makes logistical and business sense to span it across both blocks, similar to how the Grand Circus Park garage is under two blocks. You also want to maximize the footprint of the garage without cutouts, which is what keeping the FTD and Theatre buildings would do.

For that reason, I would hope they could keep the facade at least of the FTD buildings, even if they have to tear down the building to build the garage under that site. I really believe the facade would provide a nice contrast to the more modern architecture, and help avoid the superblock effect.

[dtowncitylover]

Does anyone have any pictures of what was On the Monroe block before the parking lot?
Of can you direct me to a Link ?
thank you

I believe this block in the picture was up until the 1980s. Such a shame to lose it...

I'm also reading about it my Newspapers.com account. I wasn't alive back then, so I don't know much about it though I should. I'm beginning to think it's probably a tie for the greatest loss of a building or set of buildings lost in Detroit. Old City Hall is the other. Most of these buildings dated back before the Civil War. They all gave Monroe a good streetwall, though they were small, and potential today would be massive.

https://digitalcollections.detroitpu...ndora%3A159252

[Detroitdave]

Thank you , looks like those building fronted Monroe st.
So , I use to work in Cadillac tower, so at the edge of the building is now a street, according to that picture there was no street there? I'm assuming it was added after they tore down those buildings to the east ?

I believe this block in the picture was up until the 1980s. Such a shame to lose it...

I'm also reading about it my Newspapers.com account. I wasn't alive back then, so I don't know much about it though I should. I'm beginning to think it's probably a tie for the greatest loss of a building or set of buildings lost in Detroit. Old City Hall is the other. Most of these buildings dated back before the Civil War. They all gave Monroe a good streetwall, though they were small, and potential today would be massive.

https://digitalcollections.detroitpu...ndora%3A159252

[southen]

You are confusing the tower in the photos with Cadillac. In the photo in this thread Cadillac Tower has yet to be built and will eventually appear next to the 10 story building on the right part of the frame.

[southen]

Here is a photo to show what im talking about.