Plans for the Joe Louis Arena Site

[southen]

Seems like the tower would only be one component of that site? The JLA site is pretty large, I'm wondering if there is more to come on it.

There has to be more at some point. This tower takes up maybe 20-25% of the site. What is strange is to start construction without a fully fleshed out rendering or a site plan.

Given the nature of the site and how it was included in the bankruptcy with some strings attached do we know if they had to start construction by a certain time?

[JonWylie]

There has to be more at some point. This tower takes up maybe 20-25% of the site. What is strange is to start construction without a fully fleshed out rendering or a site plan.

Given the nature of the site and how it was included in the bankruptcy with some strings attached do we know if they had to start construction by a certain time?

At one point I read 5 years, but it'c changed hands so many times I'm not sure if that's still the case.

[K-slice]

Anyone else surprised by the lack of 2BR, or even large 1br apartments proposed for the building? I would think such a prominent location with what will undoubtedly be amazing views in every direction would at least accommodate for a few large penthouse units on the upper floors. This along with the lack of fanfare for such a massive, skyline changing, structure is very strange to me.

"According to plans submitted to the city, the development would feature about 500 studio and one-bedroom apartments. Apartment sizes range from 259 square feet for a studio apartment to 653-772 square feet for a one-bedroom unit."

On a side note, this building should be the biggest boon the DPM has seen since the David Whitney reopened. 500 apartments with a direct connection to a station and walking is basically not an option. Grand Circus Park for example is 10 mins on the DPM or a half hour walk.

[hybridy]

Anyone else surprised by the lack of 2BR, or even large 1br apartments proposed for the building?

I find it odd. Perhaps the developers are targeting corporate rentals/apartment hotel units. I've noticed many of the newer apartment developments downtown list units on Sonder, Frontdesk, etc.

What I find strange is the lack of any public information for a significant project seemingly under construction in the CBD. Wouldn't plans and renderings have to go before Architectural Board or Planning Commission?

[stinkytofu]

I find it odd. Perhaps the developers are targeting corporate rentals/apartment hotel units. I've noticed many of the newer apartment developments downtown list units on Sonder, Frontdesk, etc.

What I find strange is the lack of any public information for a significant project seemingly under construction in the CBD. Wouldn't plans and renderings have to go before Architectural Board or Planning Commission?

Yeah, I'm confused as well. I fully get the site prep, but is it really possible they start going vertical without any renderings actually being released?

[royce]

Drove by there today. A part of the structure is going up.

[mikeg19]

This one is flying under the radar big time. Kinda weird for such a prominent spot on the waterfront. I'm assuming those "generic" looking renders are actually the building design???

Does anyone know if the development actually encompasses the entirety of the JLA site or will there be other ancillary development had on there?

[K-slice]

This one is flying under the radar big time. Kinda weird for such a prominent spot on the waterfront. I'm assuming those "generic" looking renders are actually the building design???

Does anyone know if the development actually encompasses the entirety of the JLA site or will there be other ancillary development had on there?

Speaks to the secluded nature of the site. It's takes effort to reach this location if your on foot downtown, so people aren't just looking at it every day like say The Exchange or Hudson's. Out of sight out of mind.

A building with the footprint of Detroit City Apartments would take up 1/3-1/4 the site, depending on if you factor in the garage at it's base. Certainly room for more to be built, and I always thought a new hotel was a requirement of the land transfer post bankruptcy.

Here's still hoping they connect this area back to downtown with some major Lodge burying. The lead time to remove 375 doesn't inspire hope though.

[K-slice]

https://www.freep.com/story/money/bu...it/9675451002/

A semi-update today. Still no renderings other than this obviously not-final glass cube design.

The views are sure to be amazing, if they're not putting balconies in every unit then they're missing an amazing opportunity.

[southen]

They have also announced a 20 story tower on the northern portion of the site. I am still scratching my head that we haven’t seen a better set of renderings for the apartment tower and a site plan considering they are planning two towers now with much of the site still left for development.

[Dmberko11]

They have also announced a 20 story tower on the northern portion of the site. I am still scratching my head that we haven’t seen a better set of renderings for the apartment tower and a site plan considering they are planning two towers now with much of the site still left for development.

I also heard 750 rooms of hotel is planned. Two hotels in addition to the office tower and residential.

[401don]

I also heard 750 rooms of hotel is planned. Two hotels in addition to the office tower and residential.

I sure wouldn't be building that many hotel rooms until there is evidence that the business/convention business is going to return to pre-pandemic levels.

[southen]

I also heard 750 rooms of hotel is planned. Two hotels in addition to the office tower and residential.

Another tower with the focus of hotel and maybe some residential makes the most sense. The office building caught me off guard though. In terms of a site plan going 20 stories for office, 25 for apartments and 30+ for a hotel would be striking and make the site recognizable.

I think if you see how everything is almost back to normal, aside from everyone coming back to the office, that by the time these buildings are complete we will be almost back to normal. Collectively, and sadly, we have a short memory when it comes to stuff like this and I am sure we will go back to acting like it is a problem that we will encounter in another 100 years.

[stinkytofu]

The office tower makes absolutely no sense right now given the market. Only thing I can think of is possibly the developer already has a primary tenant lined up.

[kuuma]

I read elsewhere of a rumor that there's a plan to extend 2nd Ave down to the waterfront, but super unclear how that would happen with all that concrete chaos they'd have to hop. 3rd Ave seems a better bet but what do i know

There's also the big parking lot between Riverside Towers and JLA – I wonder if that's in the plans here at all.

Really seems like someone's trying to speedrun this development away from the public input, maybe because it's a boring/utilitarian design that people will object to, or maybe cuz there's functionally only two parties to call a "neighbor" to this site [[a self-contained gated community, and Cobo), and the city doesn't feel a need to get any neighborhood input.

[southen]

If memory serves me correctly The Platform owns the lot between the towers and JLA site. I think they touched on developing that years ago but put it on the back burner like many of their other projects.

[mikeg19]

It'd be pretty disappointing if that glass cube is in fact the final design of what will be put up on the waterfront.

[stinkytofu]

It'd be pretty disappointing if that glass cube is in fact the final design of what will be put up on the waterfront.

Honestly, sure I'd like a better design, but I really don't care too much. It's so hidden back there that whatever. It'll just add a little density to the skyline from afar.

[401don]

It'd be pretty disappointing if that glass cube is in fact the final design of what will be put up on the waterfront.

It may not end up being very exciting but this is far from an actual rendering. They still haven't released one and this was just a generic drawing of basically nothing. Whatever the final design, I'm sure it will have a little more to it.

[masterblaster]

I just wish they would widen the Riverwalk where it goes just west of the convention center, it is extremely narrow along that stretch.

Just not enough room for bikes and pedestrians

[DetBill]

I also find the idea of an office tower a little bit confusing considering what’s going on downtown. I walk around downtown every day, and it’s still unbelievably quiet. There is definitely an uptick but it’s absolutely nothing like it used to be, I don’t understand why Gilberts developed all these properties, and continues to develop more, yet he allows 80% of his staff to work at home. Basically, it’s killing downtown, and it seems like the employees drive the bus in this regard. If you don’t get the people back downtown working , it’s not good for viability for not only the buildings but for restaurants, retail, condos/apartments, hotels and other businesses. Yet when you drive out in the suburbs the roads are packed, especially at rush-hour , and the parking lots of most of the office buildings are full. It seems that those employers have made their employees come back to work on site. But downtown seems to not get the message yet. Kind of dangerous if they don’t be careful for future viability. A ton of money has been spent downtown, yet 3/4 the buildings office floors are sitting empty still. I was in the Ren Cen last Thursday and it’s absolutely embarrassing, I couldn’t even enter the building anywhere off of Jefferson, had to walk all the way around to the Marriott entry way to get inside to the CVS store inside, the whole place was like a ghost town, and there was two people in the CVS store. GM also needs to get its act together and get employees back in their offices. If you lock up the whole front entryway from Jefferson obviously you’re majorly discouraging any foot traffic from ever coming in also. They need to get their heads together on this or they gonna turn the downtown into a ghost town again.

[casscorridor]

I also find the idea of an office tower a little bit confusing considering what’s going on downtown. I walk around downtown every day, and it’s still unbelievably quiet. There is definitely an uptick but it’s absolutely nothing like it used to be, I don’t understand why Gilberts developed all these properties, and continues to develop more, yet he allows 80% of his staff to work at home. Basically, it’s killing downtown, and it seems like the employees drive the bus in this regard. If you don’t get the people back downtown working , it’s not good for viability for not only the buildings but for restaurants, retail, condos/apartments, hotels and other businesses. Yet when you drive out in the suburbs the roads are packed, especially at rush-hour , and the parking lots of most of the office buildings are full. It seems that those employers have made their employees come back to work on site. But downtown seems to not get the message yet. Kind of dangerous if they don’t be careful for future viability. A ton of money has been spent downtown, yet 3/4 the buildings office floors are sitting empty still. I was in the Ren Cen last Thursday and it’s absolutely embarrassing, I couldn’t even enter the building anywhere off of Jefferson, had to walk all the way around to the Marriott entry way to get inside to the CVS store inside, the whole place was like a ghost town, and there was two people in the CVS store. GM also needs to get its act together and get employees back in their offices. If you lock up the whole front entryway from Jefferson obviously you’re majorly discouraging any foot traffic from ever coming in also. They need to get their heads together on this or they gonna turn the downtown into a ghost town again.

I agree. It's time to end the ridiculousness and get people back into the office!!

A hybrid model could be reasonable, depending on the workplace, but employees should spend *at least* 3 days in the office per week.

This should also be a reminder that Downtown needs to be more than just offices to be sustainable. The inventory of residential units be increased several times over. But commercial uses still need to form the backbone, because without the offices needed to support the shops and restaurants, no one will want to live there!

[401don]

While this site is cut-off somewhat from downtown, they broke ground on Ralph Wilson Park yesterday. These residences will sit close to what looks like a terrific park.

[Dmberko11]

I agree. It's time to end the ridiculousness and get people back into the office!!

A hybrid model could be reasonable, depending on the workplace, but employees should spend *at least* 3 days in the office per week.

This should also be a reminder that Downtown needs to be more than just offices to be sustainable. The inventory of residential units be increased several times over. But commercial uses still need to form the backbone, because without the offices needed to support the shops and restaurants, no one will want to live there!

Yup. Hybrid models work well. Google here in Austin is 3 days in the office and two WFH. That's reasonable.

[Dmberko11]

Another tower with the focus of hotel and maybe some residential makes the most sense. The office building caught me off guard though. In terms of a site plan going 20 stories for office, 25 for apartments and 30+ for a hotel would be striking and make the site recognizable.

I think if you see how everything is almost back to normal, aside from everyone coming back to the office, that by the time these buildings are complete we will be almost back to normal.

What's going on in Detroit is pretty normal is most big cities. The reluctance to go back to the office. It's especially bad in New York. Where I am now in Austin it's one of the quickest markets to go back to the office. Hopefully Detroit can soon too and we can see new projects spring up and old ones put on hold resume. I'm actually thinking of moving back to the Detroit area because real estate is so expensive where I am it's like California minus the views. Pass. I just wish Detroit woukd axe the damn no fault insurance for goodness sake. Smdh. When I lived in Dearborn heights in 2015 my shitty 2000 Chrysler Sebring was over $200 a month for car insurance and I had good credit and no accidents or tickets.