Hudson's Site Building Thread

**EGrant** · August-31-18, 07:46 AM

People were complaining that the original swooping design was "too modern" or "too edgy" and didn't fit with Detroit, whatever that means.

Can't please everyone. Or anyone.

**Scottathew** · August-31-18, 08:49 AM

I dig the design for the Hudson's site. It's got streetwall, it's modern looking, it seems to have shops facing outward on the ground level, and it's got an 800 foot tower. I don't object to historic building and I think that some of them are very much worth preserving, but when putting something up in 2020, it's probably going to look modern, and that's fine with me.

**O3H** · August-31-18, 02:38 PM

Hopefully - they thoroughly analyzed and investigated the RenCen -
and why it never really went into the stratosphere, financially speaking.

https://www.mackinac.org/V2007-08

The dazzle of major projects — both privately and publicly funded —
OFTEN blinded officials to hard economic facts !!!!!!!

https://www.mackinac.org/22883

IF we continue to plod forward, in a zombie like stupor of idiocy,
then the region deserves all the rewards of that approach.............

**NSortzi** · August-31-18, 03:26 PM

O3H did you have a negative experience with Detroit’s city government today or something? What’s with all these posts highlighting Detroit’s problems? I think we all know there’s still some big problems going on. That stuff doesn’t change overnight. Things are changing slowly but surely.

Only in Detroit do residents take positives and somehow make them negatives, I swear.

**401don** · August-31-18, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by O3H

Hopefully - they thoroughly analyzed and investigated the RenCen -
and why it never really went into the stratosphere, financially speaking.

https://www.mackinac.org/V2007-08

The dazzle of major projects — both privately and publicly funded —
OFTEN blinded officials to hard economic facts !!!!!!!

https://www.mackinac.org/22883

IF we continue to plod forward, in a zombie like stupor of idiocy,
then the region deserves all the rewards of that approach.............

Nobody who is over 40 years old needs to read a ten yr. old study on all the reasons why the Ren Cen failed. Why anyone would think Dan Gilbert would do anything similar with the Hudson site based on all his recent business development downtown is beyond me.

**Danny** · August-31-18, 07:56 PM

Gilbert Tower,

It's a Trump Tower with a kick.

**Dexlin** · August-31-18, 08:56 PM

Originally Posted by O3H

Hopefully - they thoroughly analyzed and investigated the RenCen -
and why it never really went into the stratosphere, financially speaking.

https://www.mackinac.org/V2007-08

The dazzle of major projects — both privately and publicly funded —
OFTEN blinded officials to hard economic facts !!!!!!!

https://www.mackinac.org/22883

IF we continue to plod forward, in a zombie like stupor of idiocy,
then the region deserves all the rewards of that approach.............

At this point, you're just trolling this site, and you need to stop or leave this place, point blank. You are adding nothing constructive and nothing of any worth to this site.

**Mind field** · August-31-18, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by Dexlin

At this point, you're just trolling this site, and you need to stop or leave this place, point blank. You are adding nothing constructive and nothing of any worth to this site.

It's not your place to tell someone to leave a forum that you do not run or manage. People can have opinions that differ from your own and they are just as valid as your own opinion. Attitudes like yours are a huge part of what is wrong with modern society. Complete intolerance for different ideologies than the one you subscribe to. And for the record, I do not agree with O3H's assertion that the Hudson's project will be a money-losing boondoggle or has any similarities to the Renaissance Center besides both being located in downtown Detroit.

Originally Posted by Dexlin

You better find some better words for this one, fella. Because "generic" and "forgettable" ain't it.

Look at projects proposed or built in cities as diverse as Mississauga, Toronto, Dubai, even St. Louis. Ground-breaking architecture that is iconic and instantly a landmark for the city in which it exists. I was hoping for the same kind of iconic ground-breaking architecture for the Hudson's site. Something that would make jaws drop, and be featured in architecture magazines the world over, putting Detroit at the forefront of bold, daring design. Otherworldly architecture. Instead we have an assemblage of boxes, one of the most common forms in architecture. These boxes do nothing to stir the soul. An assemblage of box-like shapes doesn't create an international icon. Now sometimes renderings do a poor job of conveying the final look of a building, and I hope to be pleasantly surprised by the final outcome. I really want to like this building. But I stand by my assertion that it could have been designed to be the talk of the nation, even the world. This building feels "safe" so to speak. That's my opinion and I'm not going to change it.

**bibs** · August-31-18, 10:18 PM

Can anyone tell me if they will use the existing basement walls or will new walls be poured? I assume the concrete floor will be removed when they excavate for the caissons.

**Dexlin** · September-01-18, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by Mind field

That's my opinion and I'm not going to change it.

You do you. I literally don't care, anymore; your opinion beyond your original petulant and immature post is not important to me.

**1953** · September-05-18, 09:54 AM

Personally, I wish the building were built using traditional design, but, in light of the fact that nobody much does that these days, I'll take the current design [[though the original was better). The current design has street wall, height, and a modern look that will contribute to Detroit's ongoing redevelopment.

**idlejosh44** · September-11-18, 10:28 AM

Love this thread please keep the pictures coming if possible. I cant find consistent updates anywhere else.

**Scottathew** · September-11-18, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by idlejosh44

Love this thread please keep the pictures coming if possible. I cant find consistent updates anywhere else.

Well, I was about to get back to work, but after reading your post... I ran over and took a picture!

Here you go:

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**idlejosh44** · September-12-18, 11:34 PM

Thanks! You see it almost every day does it seem like work has slowed now leading up to winter or do you still think its progressing nicely?

**Dexlin** · September-13-18, 03:01 AM

I mean, nothing has slowed and everything is on schedule. There is just less visible work to do. It's easy to see demolition work; it's harder to see things like debris removal and retention wall strengthening.

**Scottathew** · September-13-18, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by idlejosh44

Thanks! You see it almost every day does it seem like work has slowed now leading up to winter or do you still think its progressing nicely?

I'm not a construction expert, but it's been full-speed ahead from my perspective [[from a high floor of the One Campus Martius building). I felt like the tear down was slow to get started, but once they got about 1/4 of the way into it there was more room for more equipment and things really sped up.

They've been cleaning and perhaps doing some kind of reinforcement or water-proofing to the walls. They've also been cleaning up the last of all the rubble.

There's been a crew of 10-20 construction workers every time I go by and a lot of heavy duty equipment.

I now call it "the pit". For the Parks and Rec fans out there: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqZMcvd0yjo

**EGrant** · September-13-18, 01:31 PM

There's some kind of machine that is removing a layer of concrete from the walls. It's also a slow process to push all the rubble to the corner and have an excavator scoop it one at a time into a truck to be hauled away.

"I felllllll intooo the piiiiiit"

**sturge** · September-14-18, 11:04 AM

Yeah I've been hearing the crash of rubble being loaded onto trucks all week now.

**Scottathew** · September-17-18, 04:17 PM

Here's a picture from this afternoon [[9/17), still lots of activity!

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**Scottathew** · October-02-18, 01:45 PM

Here's the latest photo from today. There's an adorable little mini-digger in the bottom left hand corner. I noticed that one of the medium-size yellow digger machines was being taken away from the site this morning. The debris pile is getting smaller and the two final vertical support columns were getting the concrete beat off of them.

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