Hudson's Site Building Thread

**NSortzi** · November-27-18, 03:33 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

Will the Detroit Fire Department be retrained to handle emergencies in areas that are higher than 730 feet? Detroit will have to get more advance updated equipment to handle fires that will possibly occur on the 90th floor or so

It’s only going to be 62 floors, not 90.

**Towne Cluber** · November-27-18, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

Since Detroit doesn't have a 1st class hotel [[i.e. 5* such as a Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, etc) in the entire metro area, I would say not much.

Metro Detroit having one of Top 500 Hotels in the world [[and one of the top in the Midwest) contradicts your assertion. Another one is also currently under construction with at least 2 or 3 planned for Detroit as well.

**401don** · November-27-18, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by Towne Cluber

Metro Detroit having one of Top 500 Hotels in the world [[and one of the top in the Midwest) contradicts your assertion. Another one is also currently under construction with at least 2 or 3 planned for Detroit as well.

Are you talking about the Townsend? A 150 room hotel 20 miles north of the city [[that doesn't even have a pool) hardly qualifies as a world class hotel.

**Towne Cluber** · November-27-18, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

Are you talking about the Townsend? A 150 room hotel 20 miles north of the city [[that doesn't even have a pool) hardly qualifies as a world class hotel.

1. The Townsend is 7 miles north of the city border.

2. You can’t say the entire metro region then only want to cite the city.

3. I’ll take the word of hotel and travel professionals over yours.

**401don** · November-27-18, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by Towne Cluber

1. The Townsend is 7 miles north of the city border.

2. You can’t say the entire metro region then only want to cite the city.

3. I’ll take the word of hotel and travel professionals over yours.

Not saying it's not a nice hotel but can you imagine going to Toronto, New York, Chicago, LA, etc. and asking what's the nicest hotel and they point you to a 150 room hotel not even in a downtown area? No doubt one of the 2 new properties in the Hudson Site will be that hotel.

**Gistok** · November-27-18, 02:20 PM

There are only about 200 5 star hotels in the world... about 3/4 of them in the USA. Only four 5 star hotels in the midwest... all in Chicago. The Townsend is a 2nd tier 4 star hotel.

**casscorridor** · November-27-18, 02:55 PM

Townsend is nice, but it absolutely does not compare with the top tier hotels of the world.

**Towne Cluber** · November-27-18, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

There are only about 200 5 star hotels in the world... about 3/4 of them in the USA. Only four 5 star hotels in the midwest... all in Chicago. The Townsend is a 2nd tier 4 star hotel.

I’d be interested to hear your opinion [[example) of a “first tier 4 star hotel”. It would also be interesting to see how you rank the Book Cadillac.

**NSortzi** · November-27-18, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

Not saying it's not a nice hotel but can you imagine going to Toronto, New York, Chicago, LA, etc. and asking what's the nicest hotel and they point you to a 150 room hotel not even in a downtown area? No doubt one of the 2 new properties in the Hudson Site will be that hotel.

The Townsend is in a downtown area. Downtown Birmingham is probably the highest quality downtown in metro Detroit as well, which better suits the type of guests such a hotel attracts.

**Gistok** · November-27-18, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by Towne Cluber

I’d be interested to hear your opinion [[example) of a “first tier 4 star hotel”. It would also be interesting to see how you rank the Book Cadillac.

Let me reword that... it is a 2nd tier hotel due to its' 4 star ranking.

As to my feelings about the Book Cadillac. It received a lot of damage to its' ornate interior during its' 30+ years of abandonment. But its' ornate plaster ceiling in the lobby [[which survived hidden for 60 years with some holes for hanging the florescent drop ceiling thru it), it was arguably the most beautiful ceiling in the old hotel.... and in 2005 it was summarily ripped out [[without an afterthought) and replaced with a flat plaster ceiling during the so called "restoration". So I have no reason to visit.

**LongGone06** · November-27-18, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by NSortzi

The Townsend is in a downtown area. Downtown Birmingham is probably the highest quality downtown in metro Detroit as well, which better suits the type of guests such a hotel attracts.

No disputing that downtown Birmingham is--in fact--a "downtown" and that it is an attractive destination. I think 401don's point is simply that in many cities [[such as those named in his comment), the top hotels are in the central city. Even with businesses like law firms, you may see a major firm list its offices as, "New York, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Southfield..." There's a certain pride factor to having that office in Detroit.

**EGrant** · November-27-18, 08:13 PM

The Book Cadillac is nice, but it is also very much an average Westin, as far as Westins go.

**drjeff** · November-29-18, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by EGrant

The Book Cadillac is nice, but it is also very much an average Westin, as far as Westins go.

It's nice enough that the Detroit Lions stay there the night before home games [[I don't know about visiting NFL teams) and most visiting NHL teams stay there, as well as many artists who play at the Fox and other nearby theaters. It's weird to me that MLB teams still stay in Birmingham instead of walking distance to the stadium.

**401don** · November-29-18, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by drjeff

It's nice enough that the Detroit Lions stay there the night before home games [[I don't know about visiting NFL teams) and most visiting NHL teams stay there, as well as many artists who play at the Fox and other nearby theaters. It's weird to me that MLB teams still stay in Birmingham instead of walking distance to the stadium.

Even if they were across the street from the stadium players would hop on the team bus. You can be sure the Townsend is offering a real sweetheart deal to keep teams staying there. An MLB team uses about 40 rooms a night. I'm sure if they ever build a full service hotel near the ballpark or LCA teams will move. Whatever happened to the Marriott to be built on Grand Circus Park?

**Towne Cluber** · November-29-18, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

Even if they were across the street from the stadium players would hop on the team bus. You can be sure the Townsend is offering a real sweetheart deal to keep teams staying there. An MLB team uses about 40 rooms a night. I'm sure if they ever build a full service hotel near the ballpark or LCA teams will move. Whatever happened to the Marriott to be built on Grand Circus Park?

A sweetheart deal is doubtful. Unlike other sports, MLB teams usually play a 3-4 game series, which means a team is in town for several days. That translates into a decent amount of free time. Birmingham offers close proximity to the shopping of the nearby Somerset Collection as well as a walk-able community with high-end shopping, restaurants, and a movie theater.

**401don** · November-29-18, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by Towne Cluber

A sweetheart deal is doubtful. Unlike other sports, MLB teams usually play a 3-4 game series, which means a team is in town for several days. That translates into a decent amount of free time. Birmingham offers close proximity to the shopping of the nearby Somerset Collection as well as a walk-able community with high-end shopping, restaurants, and a movie theater.

Seriously? You think today's athletes are walking around and going to the movies? They eat at the park after a night game, crash at the hotel at about 2:00 am, get up at 10:00 or 11:00, play video games in the room for a couple of hours and head to the park by 2:00. Then repeat.

**Towne Cluber** · November-29-18, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

Seriously? You think today's athletes are walking around and going to the movies? They eat at the park after a night game, crash at the hotel at about 2:00 am, get up at 10:00 or 11:00, play video games in the room for a couple of hours and head to the park by 2:00. Then repeat.

Seriously, you're right and 29 MLB teams are wrong? Yup, you're right and my co-worker who spent 20 years in MLB is wrong!

**Dexlin** · November-29-18, 08:23 PM

Got anymore pictures for us 43807? Not that I expect much has changed, but because no one should give a single f%ck about Birmingham as it relates to the construction of the Hudson Tower & Block.

**p1acebo** · November-29-18, 11:01 PM

Originally Posted by Dexlin

Got anymore pictures for us 43807? Not that I expect much has changed, but because no one should give a single f%ck about Birmingham as it relates to the construction of the Hudson Tower & Block.

I second this.

Who cares about what MLB teams do in their free time?

**casscorridor** · November-30-18, 06:46 AM

Originally Posted by NSortzi

The Townsend is in a downtown area. Downtown Birmingham is probably the highest quality downtown in metro Detroit as well, which better suits the type of guests such a hotel attracts.

No, it's a typical upscale suburban downtown that you will find in any major city.

**EGrant** · November-30-18, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by casscorridor

No, it's a typical upscale suburban downtown that you will find in any major city.

But its still the best downtown outside of Detroit, despite the bar being incredibly low.

Anyway, there is more digging going on in the platform portion now. They also seem to be filling in the holes they dug in the concrete on the tower side with dirt.

**Dexlin** · November-30-18, 09:30 PM

It's possible they may be filling in the area around the augered/drilled holes, but it's highly unlikely they are filling in the holes with dirt unless those were just test drills [[soil testing), which doesn't seem likely this late into things.