Hudson's Site Building Thread

[wolverine]

hmm... so will there be ongoing work done during the cold weather seasons?

Generally concrete work doesn’t stop in the winter. It’s just a bit slower if there’s inclement conditions. Temperature isn’t a significant factor because you can deal with the mix and have heated and sheltered forms. It’s just stuff like wind and snow that can slow things down because it creates dangerous conditions.

[Bill Carver]

This is only a drill! More new equipment has appeared. It may have many purposes but so far what we thought would be pile driver is just a drill at the moment. However many of the fine family of toys being used during this project have many purposes. Oh.. and there's concreted being poured now on the north side. Could this be the official start of building things and nearing the end of demolition? I'm sure there's much demolition to go including the big pile of crushed concrete in the middle.

[Bill Carver]

Sorry about the rotated images... they were correctly oriented on my computer. Windows 10 surprise I guess.

[Scottathew]

Sorry about the rotated images... they were correctly oriented on my computer. Windows 10 surprise I guess.

This site rotates the images for some reason. If I open them up in paint and reduce the size by 50%, then it doesn't rotate them. So I always reduce them first before posting.

Great pictures, Bill!

[Gistok]

This site rotates the images for some reason. If I open them up in paint and reduce the size by 50%, then it doesn't rotate them. So I always reduce them first before posting.

Great pictures, Bill!

This rotation problem happens in more places than people realize... Facebook and Flickr can also generate this problem.

You were on the right track [[modify in PAINT)... but used too radical a change. I fix it in PAINT by simply modifying the image by putting an invisible "dot" into the image [[same color as the location of the dot). Save that change, and it modifies the rotation to show the image the correct way.... no image reduction required.

Using a SmartPhone camera, or even regular digital camera... if you rotate how you take the original picture... that causes problems by not rotating it back on your computer... even though the SmartPhone/Camera display of the image appears correct. Even the orientation of the thumbnail of the picture [[on your computer/device) is not the same as when you open/display the image [[unless you make the previously mentioned PAINT modification).

[Scottathew]

Thanks for the tips, Gistok!

[Dexlin]

Looking at the drill, it looks like a drill for auger cast piles. It could be for the new [[+reused) foundation, but it could also just be for the tower crane. Looks like given the site of the hole that it may be for the tower crane. In any case, this is a major step toward construction of course.

Maybe we'll get more details, but I wonder if the north side of the site even needs a new foundation? It may end up that they only need to drive/drill new piles for the tower section and just refreshen the foundation for the mid-rise portion. What was made known for the beginning is that these will structurally be two different buildings rising at different times. The tower, I'm pretty sure if I'm remembering correctly, will rise first, though it'll finish last.

[Atticus]

Looking at the drill, it looks like a drill for auger cast piles. It could be for the new [[+reused) foundation, but it could also just be for the tower crane. Looks like given the site of the hole that it may be for the tower crane. In any case, this is a major step toward construction of course.

Maybe we'll get more details, but I wonder if the north side of the site even needs a new foundation? It may end up that they only need to drive/drill new piles for the tower section and just refreshen the foundation for the mid-rise portion. What was made known for the beginning is that these will structurally be two different buildings rising at different times. The tower, I'm pretty sure if I'm remembering correctly, will rise first, though it'll finish last.

Looking at the floor plans provided in the Crain’s FOIA, the delivery docks and parking access for the whole complex are all in the tower building. If the area around the tower is closed for the entirety [[or the majority) of the tower’s construction, the underground portion of the block building would be inaccessible even if the block structure was completed.

Thus until the tower site is finished enough that these delivery docks can be accessed and used, I think it would be very hard to open the block building.

[Dexlin]

Once the tower is at street level, whatever goes on underground is irrelevant. They will continue whatever work they need to be, but as you say, the garage isn't going to be opened in parts and closed in others.

Anyway, what I was getting at is that the schedule has it that the tower starts construction begins before the construction of the mid-rise. And before both of them the garage is what we're going to be seeing under construction for the first year or so.

[stasu1213]

I wonder will the planned 900 ft height for this building decreases if we got another deep recession or major depression

[gthomas]

A 72 feet spire will make this skyscraper a "super tall"!!!! Dan Gilbert are you reading this? 1,000 ft makes a better statement for the region, hell the world.

[Bill Carver]

This rotation problem happens in more places than people realize... Facebook and Flickr can also generate this problem.

You were on the right track [[modify in PAINT)... but used too radical a change. I fix it in PAINT by simply modifying the image by putting an invisible "dot" into the image [[same color as the location of the dot). Save that change, and it modifies the rotation to show the image the correct way.... no image reduction required.

Using a SmartPhone camera, or even regular digital camera... if you rotate how you take the original picture... that causes problems by not rotating it back on your computer... even though the SmartPhone/Camera display of the image appears correct. Even the orientation of the thumbnail of the picture [[on your computer/device) is not the same as when you open/display the image [[unless you make the previously mentioned PAINT modification).

Thanks for both tips. what's weird is that the picture is right side up in the phone, right side up in photoshop and right side up in my local browser, but flipped to its side on the site. I've never had that happen with an iPhone as the camera. [[Ducking debate soon to come)

Smaller pictures might also be more viewable on this site anyway so I'll do that.

[Gistok]

https://www.howtogeek.com/254830/why...ectly-rotated/

[Atticus]

I wonder will the planned 900 ft height for this building decreases if we got another deep recession or major depression

It probably depends on when. If it started today, definitely I could see it.

However at some point in the not too distant future, construction will reach the point of no return, where it would cost more to change the design and shrink the height than just building it. At that point, any cost savings comes from the interior design, and involves cheaper materials and less fancy interior design elements.

[southen]

It probably depends on when. If it started today, definitely I could see it.

However at some point in the not too distant future, construction will reach the point of no return, where it would cost more to change the design and shrink the height than just building it. At that point, any cost savings comes from the interior design, and involves cheaper materials and less fancy interior design elements.

Personally I don't think Gilbert will reduce anything on the project. Forecasts of a coming recession have been getting louder and louder and they just announced an increase in height and a further diversification of the project by adding two hotels. It would be a pretty bad PR move to announce a larger project just to reduce it not long after. That doesn't strike me as Gilbert's style. If there were any cost saving measures I am guessing you would see it at Monroe Blocks vs. Hudson, but even then I think he wants these two signature projects in the heart of the city no matter what. Future investments or Fail Jail may be impacted by a recession but I would bet money on these being locked in no matter what.

[stasu1213]

The Fisher building and the Book building were to be taller than they are but were limited in height due to the depression

[mtburb]

The Fisher building and the Book building were to be taller than they are but were limited in height due to the depression

According to some calculations I did on the unbuilt Book Tower, it would've risen up to about 930 feet. Had this been built, it still would've been the tallest building in Michigan and the second-tallest in the US half of the Great Lakes outside of Chicago, knocking the Hudson's Tower, even with it's 912-foot height, down to second-tallest in Michigan.

A few years ago I created a Sketchup rendition of the unbuilt Book Tower and it's available here:
https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/mod...ory-Book-Tower

[Gistok]

I was just looking at the tallest building in Los Angeles [[which is also considered the tallest west of the Mississippi River).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilshire_Grand_Center

This building is actually 934 ft. tall with a 166 ft. mast, thus making it 1,100 ft. tall.

The old 800 ft. design Hudson's Tower with what looked like a bottle opener at the top would have looked out of place with a mast... but now the new 912 ft. Hudson's Tower design has a lot of set backs with a flat top, so a mast would no longer look out of place. That could easily take it to over 1,000 ft. And the top of a spire/mast/antenna is how building heights are determined these days.

When you view the downtown LA skyline... the tallest tower [[with mast) looks like the 2nd tallest [[based on top floor height), after the rounded US Bank Tower.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hunterkerhart/35160023003

Even the new 1,776 ft. One World Trade Center in NYC is only 1,368 ft. to the roof, with a 408 ft. mast.

[Honky Tonk]

I was just looking at the tallest building in Los Angeles [[which is also considered the tallest west of the Mississippi River).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilshire_Grand_Center

This building is actually 934 ft. tall with a 166 ft. mast, thus making it 1,100 ft. tall.

The old 800 ft. design Hudson's Tower with what looked like a bottle opener at the top would have looked out of place with a mast... but now the new 912 ft. Hudson's Tower design has a lot of set backs with a flat top, so a mast would no longer look out of place. That could easily take it to over 1,000 ft. And the top of a spire/mast/antenna is how building heights are determined these days.

When you view the downtown LA skyline... the tallest tower [[with mast) looks like the 2nd tallest [[based on top floor height), after the rounded US Bank Tower.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hunterkerhart/35160023003

Even the new 1,776 ft. One World Trade Center in NYC is only 1,368 ft. to the roof, with a 408 ft. mast.

That's quite an erection.

[bust]

I don't understand why it's important to build so high, but then I don't understand the need to wear a ridiculously long tie either. And adding a mast and trying to say it should count is like... oh never mind.

I'd rather they focus on making the building beautiful, and economically viable. And that it contributes toward a beautiful city that is economically healthy.

Stretching a building so tall almost always comes at the expense of the design, the Chrysler building notwithstanding. As to its impact on the developer's bottom line I can't predict. That seems dependent on so many additional factors.

Besides, I'm more interested in its future effect on the city.

I'm excited for the new businesses, jobs, and high-quality residences the new tower will create. It will be incomparably better than a parking lot, of course. And the designs we've seen are so much better than the bunkered dystopia that is the RenCen. It will be much better integrated into the city.

I hope this is a strong catalyst for further development. Probably it will be. But should it be even taller? Is my worry misplaced: by building so high, in an ideal location, with major subsidies, will it capture so much of the high end residential market that it will discourage other developers from targeting it, especially without so many financial advantages?

If the additional floors are for a hotel, fine. Otherwise, I'd rather see a second new building, or a renovation, than for this to grow into a supertall.

In other words, I'd rather be able to brag about a thriving city.

[Gistok]

^^I was just describing how tower height is measured.

To put an antenna on top for no reason is stupid. If it is the highest building in the city and there is a reason for one, fine.

You must have missed the PDF presentation for Detroit City Council. Check out page 6 of 70. The proposed taller tower now includes a HOTEL OF 500,000 sq....

https://crain-platform-cdb-prod.s3.a...ite%20plan.pdf

Your fears about taking up too much of the high end residential may not be justified with the taller tower.

[EGrant]

New rendering! Found it on reddit, with no source beyond that.

That glass looks gorgeous.

[dtowncitylover]

If I find myself looking at the skyline from afar, I try to visual what this is going to look like when they're building it. It's gonna be a fun watching this go up, especially when driving down Woodward south of 696 [[or any of the other spokes but that's the one I use most).

[Scottathew]

Also of interest, look at One Campus Martius behind the left tree. There seems to be some gaps between levels, which would be an odd choice... I won't take too much concern with it, as I think the Hudson tower was what they put thought into for the rendering.

I really like the way the Hudson tower looks here.

[Zads07]

This is absolutely gorgeous. Much much better than the last couple of renderings Bedrock has put out.