Monroe Block Development

**Danny** · October-26-18, 08:48 AM

The Delta City Building Project is in full swing. And Gilbert head of OCP Quicken Loans is leading the way.

**Danny** · December-13-18, 05:22 PM

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Loyal as a puppy!

**Bradley** · March-20-19, 11:19 PM

We'll be posing updates from on the ground and from above as real construction gets going on Instagram, Facebook, Minds, and more in coming weeks and months. It should be fun.

**Danny** · October-10-21, 04:32 PM

Take a look at this.... A Delta City dream for Campus Martius.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUuPLvLrCyE

**Danny** · March-10-23, 10:45 AM

For you OCP Bedrock!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUuPLvLrCyE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6097tKyFJso

**royce** · March-08-23, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by hybridy

interesting. speaks a lot to 1001 woodward. a reinterpreted twin!

I guess I'm not a Dan Gilbert new building fan. This is as hideous as the new plan. I still think residential should go at the corners of Cadillac Square, Woodward, and Monroe. The National Theatre/food hall could be the lower part of a residential tower that extends from Cadillac Tower, along Monroe, and all the way around to Farmer Street. A multi-story attached garage would go in the middle/back, accessed from Farmer. Put the people at the center of Campus Martius, not way in the back along Monroe and Randolph.

**hybridy** · March-08-23, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by royce

I guess I'm not a Dan Gilbert new building fan. This is as hideous as the new plan.

Why are you commenting on a post from 2016? This rendering is WAY out of date and was never officially proposed.

**royce** · March-08-23, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by hybridy

Why are you commenting on a post from 2016? This rendering is WAY out of date and was never officially proposed.

They just came out with a new rendering and details about the phasing. So, there had to be an official rendering before this. I thought this was it.

BTW, what's up with the phasing description. If you have a Phase One, then the next step is Phase Two. If you have a Phase A, then the next step is Phase B. How is it that Gilbert and company are saying Phase A1 and Phase A2 and then a Phase B? Just seems like there shouldn't be a Phase A2 if you have a Phase B. So this new Monroe Block development should go from Phases 1,2, and 3 or Phases A, B, and C.

**ndavies** · November-30-16, 01:27 PM

I actually see the reverse commuting declining. I can't see many young people being able to afford the rent downtown. [[on top of high taxes and high insurance.) The market is completely out of whack. The new high end projects announced aren't going to reduce rents until they've oversupplied the market.

**Mackinaw** · November-30-16, 01:39 PM

I'd be thrilled with a building that resembles that rendering, and doubly thrilled if the Pochelon is redeveloped.

**1953** · November-30-16, 03:08 PM

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**1953** · November-30-16, 03:10 PM

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**dtowncitylover** · November-30-16, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by 1953

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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.

**EGrant** · November-30-16, 03:18 PM

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

**1953** · November-30-16, 03:25 PM

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

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**EastsideAl** · November-30-16, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by 1953

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.

**Zads07** · November-30-16, 04:27 PM

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.

**EastsideAl** · November-30-16, 04:52 PM

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.

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**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · November-30-16, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

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

**Atticus** · November-30-16, 06:07 PM

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.

**EGrant** · November-30-16, 04:34 PM

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Two additional renderings from Ian Thibodeau.

**EastsideAl** · November-30-16, 04:40 PM

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.

**MSUguy** · November-30-16, 05:20 PM

**SpartanDawg** · November-30-16, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by MSUguy

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.

**TTime** · November-30-16, 07:42 PM

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.