Police HQ?

[SammyS]

Heard a rumor that the land on Woodward in Brush Park between Alfred and Edmond will be the new Detroit Police HQ. Can anyone confirm?

Also heard that the First Presbyterian church on the corner has been sold for $5M. No word on what's to become of that site.

[Gistok]

To answer your first question... not even remotely going to happen. The city took over the former MGM temporary casino building, and gave it a $60 million makeover for the new Detroit Public Safety [[Police) HQ....

http://www.valsparcoilextrusion.com/...-headquarters/

As for your 2nd question. Yes it went on sale for $4.85 million back in May of this year, and there were several parties interested. The historic Richardsonian Romanesque church [[1891) is on the National and State Historic Registers of Historic Places....

http://www.mlive.com/business/index....troit_hot.html

Check out the slide show. This church would make a great conversion to a hotel.... with the church being the grand lobby, and public spaces. I doubt it would be torn down.

[SammyS]

Thanks. Yeah, didn't think it was large enough for that.

[emu steve]

Some may think this is a brain dead idea, or an idea too difficult to pull off, but would it be possible to expand the Cornerstone townhomes by a builder getting that partial block [[fronting Woodward) and building more townhomes?

Legally it would be probably very complicated in terms of what it does to the associations finances, declarations, etc. etc.

Maybe more townhomes along Woodward and also along Alfred between Woodward and John R in the same block as the existing townhomes.

Cornerstone Phase II?

I assume there would be a good market for them.

[southen]

Oh perhaps we should strive to do better than the homes already fronting Woodward there.

[gumby]

Oh perhaps we should strive to do better than the homes already fronting Woodward there.

Yes, please no more of those hideous cookie cutter cornerstone town homes. Leave that shit for suburbia.

[emu steve]

Yes, please no more of those hideous cookie cutter cornerstone town homes. Leave that shit for suburbia.

I understand that folks don't like the design of the town homes, but WHAT can be done with that small parcel fronting Woodward [[between Alfred and Edmund), including parking for the residence? The parcel isn't deep at all.

What can be done with the frontage on Alfred between Woodward and John R?

[southen]

It's not that small of a parcel and you are assuming a developer wouldn't bury parking or build on top of it...

[SammyS]

This site would be too valuable for just a parking structure so I would think developers are likely eyeing it out for low rise apartments like the ones on Winder. Alernatively, it would make a great pre-game entertainment joint....not that LCA doesn't already provide that

[emu steve]

It's not that small of a parcel and you are assuming a developer wouldn't bury parking or build on top of it...

I agree with you.

After looking and re-looking at the parcel I too think that there could be some underground parking for a mid-rise apartment building. The builder would have to be creative to design something which meshes with the town homes, seminary, and the arena across the street. I would think a mid-rise would fit well with the arena across the street and the town homes.

Not everyone would pay top dollar to live directly across from an arena, but I think some would. Yet, for someone working in downtown, Midtown, or New Center they might pay big bucks for a 5 - 10 minute streetcar commute to work. Beats an hour, any day.

High end apartments with an underground parking space might fly in a neighborhood where selling prices and rental prices are rising significantly.

[southen]

With City Modern just a block away and with the school of business having a more modern look any structure on this site wouldn't have to adhere to any particular architectural style. Personally I would like to see something go in with a retail/parking pedestal and a tower in the 10-20 story range. The views from that location would be fantastic and unless someone bulldozes the townhomes that view won't be changing anytime soon.

[SammyS]

^^
I'll allow a visit by the wrecking ball for $1M. Now convince 200+ others.

[Jason]

The site is about 150 feet deep, not including the alley.

The Ellington at Mack and Woodward is about 70 feet deep. So the site would still have enough space for a full aisle of landscaped parking lot, which I think would be enough for the ground floor commercial space.

So I'm guessing you could put a two story commercial building on the site without much trouble.

[emu steve]

The site is about 150 feet deep, not including the alley.

The Ellington at Mack and Woodward is about 70 feet deep. So the site would still have enough space for a full aisle of landscaped parking lot, which I think would be enough for the ground floor commercial space.

So I'm guessing you could put a two story commercial building on the site without much trouble.

Excellent.

I would like to see Gilbert acquire the site and build it.

Why Gilbert? Because he has City Modern so he has a vested interest in what happens in the immediate neighborhood esp. on Woodward.

He could/would control the architecture for both projects and that has to be a good thing.

In Gilbert we trust.