Chemical Bank [Now TCF Bank] to move their headquarters to Detroit

**Gistok** · January-20-20, 04:19 PM

Wow... I can understand the lousy use of space for so much parking ramp versus using an elevator. Unfortunately having an elevator parking garage would really cause a traffic jam up outside the building when the employees enter the complex in the morning, as well as a queued up waiting period at 5PM when workers leave to go home. This space really is unsuitable for parking.

Also, the side of the first floor facing Elizabeth St. is a proverbial dead zone. The north side of the street is taken up mainly by the huge auditorium of the Fillmore, thus rendering much of W. Elizabeth unusable as retail. All 3 of the cross streets between Woodward and Park Avenue [[Elizabeth, Columbia and Montcalm) have issues with the bulk of theatres hindering pedestrian friendly space, and cutting off Woodward from Park. Columbia seems to be the widest, and makes the Ilitch planned retail space an ideal street for connecting Woodward and Park, pedestrian wise. One of the few things the Ilitches appear to be doing right.

**Zads07** · January-22-20, 08:19 PM

Folks that complain here about a parking garage on this site instead of a parking lot are a bit out of bounds in my opinion.

But that's what makes this forum great, multiple opinions.

We can disagree, but can't we all be happy there's not a building being destroyed and a surface lot put up in place? This is absolutely progress.

**Metro25** · January-23-20, 09:17 PM

The parking sucks but it's gonna be covered in glass so it won't be very noticeable.

**JonWylie** · January-24-20, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by Zads07

Folks that complain here about a parking garage on this site instead of a parking lot are a bit out of bounds in my opinion.

But that's what makes this forum great, multiple opinions.

We can disagree, but can't we all be happy there's not a building being destroyed and a surface lot put up in place? This is absolutely progress.

I'm 100% happy about TCF building here, but the fact that they are permanently lending nearly half the building to parking stinks a little. It just indicates that developers have no faith that people will live within walking distance or take other forms of transportation.

**masterblaster** · January-24-20, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by Jason

Like, they say it has ground floor retail but if you look at the main rendering you can see the layout of the parking garage and the garage entrances on Elizabeth. It's hard to tell for sure but based on that and then based on the rendering of the ground floor, I think the elevator lobby and small lounge in the rendering is the entirety of the "ground floor retail". The parking garage is taking up the rest of the space.

Originally Posted by Gistok

Wow... I can understand the lousy use of space for so much parking ramp versus using an elevator. Unfortunately having an elevator parking garage would really cause a traffic jam up outside the building when the employees enter the complex in the morning, as well as a queued up waiting period at 5PM when workers leave to go home. This space really is unsuitable for parking.

Also, the side of the first floor facing Elizabeth St. is a proverbial dead zone. The north side of the street is taken up mainly by the huge auditorium of the Fillmore, thus rendering much of W. Elizabeth unusable as retail. All 3 of the cross streets between Woodward and Park Avenue [[Elizabeth, Columbia and Montcalm) have issues with the bulk of theatres hindering pedestrian friendly space, and cutting off Woodward from Park. Columbia seems to be the widest, and makes the Ilitch planned retail space an ideal street for connecting Woodward and Park, pedestrian wise. One of the few things the Ilitches appear to be doing right.

In post #121, page 8 of the linked pdf displays the "North Elevation" drawing shows 3 storefronts to the right [[or west) of the parking garage entrance. What I find disappointing, however, is that Woodward frontage will only have a entrance lobby, no retail/restaurant space. Hopefully, they will at least have a branch of the bank on the Woodward frontage.

**JK313** · January-24-20, 03:19 PM

According to the architect’s website, the Woodward frontage will have “collaboration zones”. No mention of a bank branch.

**Luke09** · January-25-20, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by Zads07

Folks that complain here about a parking garage on this site instead of a parking lot are a bit out of bounds in my opinion.

But that's what makes this forum great, multiple opinions.

We can disagree, but can't we all be happy there's not a building being destroyed and a surface lot put up in place? This is absolutely progress.

I agree, plus if the bank expands or housing becomes a huge demand there, the parking levels can be converted. There are dozens of companies that specialize in repurposing parking garages, but in that location parking makes more sense, at this time.

**MrChrome** · February-06-20, 01:15 PM

Looks like they want right from demolition into foundation work on this one. You can see it, here:

http://www.earthcam.net/projects/ili...ittlecaesar_tl

**angry_fred** · February-06-20, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by MrChrome

Looks like they want right from demolition into foundation work on this one. You can see it, here:

http://www.earthcam.net/projects/ili...ittlecaesar_tl

Wow. I get the feeling this one will go up quick. No searching for tenants, no basement, no crazy engineering [[lots of other buildings this height) and no crazy deep caissons from a former building like Hudson's.

**MrChrome** · July-29-20, 01:43 PM

Walked by today. Looks like the tower crane base is on site.

**Satiricalivory** · July-29-20, 05:36 PM

Makes me think about when the last time downtown Detroit had 3 or more tower cranes up at once, I assume when the ren cen was built?

**MrChrome** · August-11-20, 02:02 PM

Today they are assembling the tower crane.

**Dmberko11** · August-11-20, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by Satiricalivory

Makes me think about when the last time downtown Detroit had 3 or more tower cranes up at once, I assume when the ren cen was built?

Gotta love it. Where I live [[Austin) the crane is the official city bird!

Glad Detroit is finally getting some. TCF will be such a nice addition to downtown. Not a huge HQ but just the fact that another bank is downtown is great. I still bemoan that Comerica left Detroit for stupid Dallas. Oh well....😒

**mikeg19** · August-12-20, 09:30 AM

It'd be nice if there was a cam to watch the progress.

**rjlj** · August-14-20, 11:22 AM

Seattle around 50 cranes up and it has been that way for years. I think I heard that they now put a limit on the number allowed up at one time.

Originally Posted by Dmberko11

Gotta love it. Where I live [[Austin) the crane is the official city bird!

Glad Detroit is finally getting some. TCF will be such a nice addition to downtown. Not a huge HQ but just the fact that another bank is downtown is great. I still bemoan that Comerica left Detroit for stupid Dallas. Oh well....😒

**NSortzi** · August-14-20, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by rjlj

Seattle around 50 cranes up and it has been that way for years. I think I heard that they now put a limit on the number allowed up at one time.

Yeah, it’s like that in plenty of other cities around the world, but I don’t think anyone on this Detroit forum cares what’s happening in other cities.

**Dmberko11** · August-14-20, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by rjlj

Seattle around 50 cranes up and it has been that way for years. I think I heard that they now put a limit on the number allowed up at one time.

That’s absurd. Austin is close to that too, or they will be. They have 44 towers of 300 feet or higher in all phases of construction at the moment. Yeah, I know people in this forum don’t give a hoot about other cities. That’s not why they come here. Sorry for the digression.

As impressive as the construction is in miami, Seattle, San Francisco, Atlanta, so on and so forth, Detroit is my hometown. I’ll always root for its continued comeback. Buildings don’t really define a city either. They’re nice? But it’s really the people that count.

**Gistok** · August-14-20, 07:12 PM

I wonder how many of those towers will be empty for many years... now that "work from home" became a necessity. Granted people will probably have to make a showing [[once the pandemic is over) at their offices, but will all the new office space be necessary if the future only demands showing up 1 or 2 days a week? We don't know what the future will bring when this is all over. I bet that more than a few banks might be nervous!

Also... what if the Covid-19 vaccine is like the flu vaccine... meaning it will mutate and require a new vaccine every year. People's perception about public transport in those "newly congested" cities may make taking a car more of a desirable option. I am just speculating here....

**ABetterDetroit** · August-14-20, 08:12 PM

Getting back on topic, the ‘Chemical’ in the thread title is a bit dated these days. How about a DetroitYES! cheap plug for TCF Bank?

**Satiricalivory** · August-14-20, 08:26 PM

Is the crane up? Anybody got pics?

**Dmberko11** · August-14-20, 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by Satiricalivory

Is the crane up? Anybody got pics?

They were delivering crane parts to the site last I heard. Maybe it’s up now? Anyone?!

**Dmberko11** · August-14-20, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

I wonder how many of those towers will be empty for many years... now that "work from home" became a necessity. Granted people will probably have to make a showing [[once the pandemic is over) at their offices, but will all the new office space be necessary if the future only demands showing up 1 or 2 days a week? We don't know what the future will bring when this is all over. I bet that more than a few banks might be nervous!

Also... what if the Covid-19 vaccine is like the flu vaccine... meaning it will mutate and require a new vaccine every year. People's perception about public transport in those "newly congested" cities may make taking a car more of a desirable option. I am just speculating here....

You are correct. I think WFH and this prolonged pandemic that won’t go away anytime soon....that will DEFINITELY influence the office market. Indeed [[the job site) here in Austin bailed on their lease of a giant 600 footer that’s more than halfway complete that was to be their HQ in downtown. I am willing to bet it has to do with the trend of work from home and diminishing demand for clocking in at the office like the good old days. Scary times we live in.
I think you touched on something else important too. Public transit. With fears of viruses spreading in spaces like that more and more will hang onto their personal cars. They’re about to pass a massive transit plan here that includes a subway and light rail. I know that’d be sweet if they did that in Detroit and had light rail to metro airport and Ann Arbor but maybe that’s not such a good idea now after all. At least y’all have great highways! The motor city will never have bad traffic because of that and I envy you every day I’m stuck in traffic comparable to LA.

And yes!! Change the name of the thread to TCF 😂 chemical bank is so vogue now...

**Dmberko11** · August-14-20, 09:31 PM

https://www.skyscrapercity.com/threa...post-169338038

**stinkytofu** · August-14-20, 11:22 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

I wonder how many of those towers will be empty for many years... now that "work from home" became a necessity. Granted people will probably have to make a showing [[once the pandemic is over) at their offices, but will all the new office space be necessary if the future only demands showing up 1 or 2 days a week? We don't know what the future will bring when this is all over. I bet that more than a few banks might be nervous!

Also... what if the Covid-19 vaccine is like the flu vaccine... meaning it will mutate and require a new vaccine every year. People's perception about public transport in those "newly congested" cities may make taking a car more of a desirable option. I am just speculating here....

Fully agree. Downtowns across the country are going to see significant longterm negative ramifications. WFH certainly feels like it'll stick in some form. Could see many offices saying 2/3 days in office and the other days from home.

Restaurant scene will certainly be hurt and have to imagine a quite significant decrease in office space demand. I know the progress is slow, but if I'm honest I'm surprised Hudson's site isn't dark. If I was Bedrock I'd want to wait a year or so and see what the future holds.

**JonWylie** · August-15-20, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by stinkytofu

Fully agree. Downtowns across the country are going to see significant longterm negative ramifications. WFH certainly feels like it'll stick in some form. Could see many offices saying 2/3 days in office and the other days from home.

Restaurant scene will certainly be hurt and have to imagine a quite significant decrease in office space demand. I know the progress is slow, but if I'm honest I'm surprised Hudson's site isn't dark. If I was Bedrock I'd want to wait a year or so and see what the future holds.

For the size, the Hudson has very little office space. Really the only new office space that has come online in the past few years is the OCM expansion, so I don't think the vacancy rates of downtown will be too big of an issue. Even if we get some WFH, I don't see companies downsizing office space too much because they will want to room for spacing people out who do come in.