2 New Residential High-Rises to Overlook Comerica Park

[Junjie]

The excuse given was for a loading dock large enough to accommodate entertainers of all scale which was of course complete and utter BS

They also tried to say that it had to come down because terrorism, i.e. because someone could fire into the arena from a tall building next to it.

"The Ilitch's Olympia Development of Michigan contend the former Park Avenue Hotel must be demolished because it is so close to the new arena that it violates Homeland Security protocols followed by the National Hockey League, sources said."

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/2015/01/30/ilitch-plan-save-one-historic-hotel-raze-another/22617217/

First google hit, or you can read various threads on this forum where people argued about it. It was always transparent BS.

[bust]

Anyone else notice this was leaked to the press right before work got started demolishing the historic [[and once beautiful) car dealership? I wonder who was responsible for that attempt at distraction?

Time will tell if the Ilitches truly intend to build the apartments. But we can be sure they intend to demolish the car dealership.

The car dealership dates from 1910 and was originally the United States Motors Building. The DPL has several great photos of it here:

https://digitalcollections.detroitpu...%20Building%29

A protest is planned in front of it Saturday at 2:00:

Stop Demolishing Detroit's History for Surface Parking!
https://www.facebook.com/events/335608636940272/

BTW, Junjie: I totally agree. But I'm still having trouble with your transparent BS metaphor.

[EGrant]

So they had to literally tear down a building because of the threat of terrorism. Did they not see the irony?

[bust]

So they had to literally tear down a building because of the threat of terrorism. Did they not see the irony?

That's funny. In a very tragicomic way.

I suggest the Ilitches tried every argument they thought could stick. They're too cynical to be swayed by the irony.

An even better question: How didn't all the people who bought that argument see the irony?

[CrashDummy]

From the Crain's article:
"The number of residential units is not known, nor is a time frame for construction or precise planned location."

Wow! Thanks Crain's.

For this kind of quality inside scoop, I rate them below Metro Parent Magazine and only slightly above Mark Hall's Facebook page.

[Honky Tonk]

Wow, sarcasm, distrust and calling out of the Ilitches. I guess I was wrong, there's hope for today's youth after all.

[dtowncitylover]

For this kind of quality inside scoop, I rate them below Metro Parent Magazine and only slightly above Mark Hall's Facebook page.

Pure gold! Thank you for the laugh.

[313rd]

"Little Caesars Arena, home of the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings and NBA’s Detroit Pistons, has received SAFETY Act Certification, the highest level of protection awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Managed and operated by Olympia Entertainment, Little Caesars Arena becomes the first combined NHL, NBA and entertainment venue to earn the certification. As part of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, the Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act [[SAFETY) encourages the creation and use of anti-terrorism technologies and practices."


https://facilityexecutive.com/2017/1...certification/

[313rd]

From the Crain's article:
"The number of residential units is not known, nor is a time frame for construction or precise planned location."

Wow! Thanks Crain's.

For this kind of quality inside scoop, I rate them below Metro Parent Magazine and only slightly above Mark Hall's Facebook page.

How would you rate the Freep...by far the worst on reporting
https://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...ts/1076121001/

[Jason]

Crains is generally pretty good. It could very well be that the project isn't far enough along for the developers to have these things settled yet.

[CrashDummy]

How would you rate the Freep...by far the worst on reporting
https://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...ts/1076121001/

Right. The Freep actually followed with an article about the aforementioned Crain's reporting that contained no tangible new information.

So, in terms of useful reporting, the new rankings are as follows:

1) Metro Parent
2) Crain's
3) Free Press
4) @realDonaldTrump
5) Mark Hall's Facebook page

[bust]

Right. The Freep actually followed with an article about the aforementioned Crain's reporting that contained no tangible new information.

And auto-plays a loud, annoying video.

And credits Olympia for its "ambitious bid to spearhead “Detroit's largest residential development initiative in more than 20 years.”" without any mention that in their thirty some years of demolishing Detroit buildings for arenas and parking lots they have never built a single residence. Not one.

Only to follow with clickbait:



And then its own news we can't use:



It's important to stay informed. It's even our duty, for our democracy. But with options like this, it's sad to say: we must seek better information elsewhere.

It's a shame what Detroit's dailies three-days-a-weeklies have become.

[emu steve]

Wow!!!

Couple of my thoughts:

1). The much discussed plans for a hotel next to LCA would be great. Perfect.

2). Replacing Hockeytown, which is really too small [[in terms of height) with a full height building is perfect. Right now Hockeytown is a restaurant/green space to fill a big space which needs something big.

3). Two big residential/hotel towers. Excellent.

4). Lot of small stuff bordering Woodward is very good. Kind of a plaza.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article..._medium=social

[oliverdouglas]

Steve, stop it.

[emu steve]

Steve, stop it.

You guys hate good news. You guys are crazy.

I'm posting a story from Crains which is the best business source for these kind of things for Detroit and S.E. Michigan.

[EGrant]

Is it a Hockeytown Hotel? That would be interesting.

[Chicago48]

You guys hate good news. You guys are crazy.

I'm posting a story from Crains which is the best business source for these kind of things for Detroit and S.E. Michigan.

Ex-detroiter here....a lot of developing downtown and not much out in the neighborhoods.

[Richard]

^ Crains did ask the question.

Can the market support the influx of the thousands of new residential units planned downtown and in its surrounding neighborhoods over the next several years?


People like shiny new things that help pay for the other things,it is up to the residents how the shiny new things fit to benefit the city as a whole.

[Zads07]

Ok Steve, settle down.

We've seen time and again Ilitch promise things and not follow through.

I really don't want to see any new building done until they start to renovate the structures they already own. They announced renovations last year and so far NOTHING has been done.

This is an empty promise and they must be held accountable.

[MrMichigan]

Interesting timing with all of the current backlash against their proposed demos.

[swingline]

Shovels in the ground are about the only thing that will overcome the Ilitch credibility problem when it comes to non-arena/stadium [[subsidized) development. Maps, press releases and even RFP's won't do it. That's what happens after your organization spends 20 years acquiring and demolishing buildings simply to build parking lots.

[southen]

Shovels in the ground are about the only thing that will overcome the Ilitch credibility problem when it comes to non-arena/stadium [[subsidized) development. Maps, press releases and even RFP's won't do it. That's what happens after your organization spends 20 years acquiring and demolishing buildings simply to build parking lots.

Bingo. They were getting a lot of bad press regarding their demolitions so they release vague details and a map from early 2017 on a Sunday. The Illitch’s have mocked up renderings for everything they do or are considering, but nothing but an old map for this? I will believe it when I see it and I have no doubt they are hoping that announcing things like this will distract people from their intentions elsewhere around town.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

If you actually read the article, you might note that Olympia declined to be interviewed by Crains [[guess they didn’t want any questions about any firm plans) and that they admit this is ALL “conceptual.” At this point it’s nothing more than fluff. It’s less of a “Big Story” than is the reveal of a concept car at an auto show. At least toned down versions of concept cars sometimes make it into production.

[emu steve]

If you actually read the article, you might note that Olympia declined to be interviewed by Crains [[guess they didn’t want any questions about any firm plans) and that they admit this is ALL “conceptual.” At this point it’s nothing more than fluff. It’s less of a “Big Story” than is the reveal of a concept car at an auto show. At least toned down versions of concept cars sometimes make it into production.

Respectively, companies don't announce until everything from zoning approvals, financing, constructions schedules are firm.

Typically what happens is that plans are leaked and then folks wait 6 month or a year for things to become finalized.

Same with the Hudson's building right? Didn't they release a series of conceptual drawings, etc. what a year or two before construction began?

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

Respectively, companies don't announce until everything from zoning approvals, financing, constructions schedules are firm.

Typically what happens is that plans are leaked and then folks wait 6 month or a year for things to become finalized.

Same with the Hudson's building right? Didn't they release a series of conceptual drawings, etc. what a year or two before construction began?

The article states the map dates from January 2017. So it’s over a year old, apparently without modification or anything “concrete” [[pun intended). Perhaps they could modify it to show their new planned demolitions of historic structures.