Major expansion and renovation of Huntington Place planned

[Airforceguy]

This would be huge for Detroit. The plan calls for making the area around Huntington Place more pedestrian friendly and increasing access to the riverfront. What has me excited the most is the proposed extension of 2nd Street.
Huntington Place could get a pedestrian-friendly makeover — including riverfront access

A large expansion of the Huntington Place convention center in downtown Detroit — including a new venue for parties and an adjustment of a nearby road — is planned as a result of bills passed in the Legislature's abbreviated lame-duck session.
A key executive says part of the overall vision includes extending Second Avenue south to the Detroit River, adding more parking and remodeling of the facility's east side. There's also the potential for a 30,000- to 60,000-square-foot new ballroom.


The overall effort could make the area — a complex cobweb of infrastructure that is uninviting to pedestrians — more conducive to a big hotel development that would attract more convention business to the city.


Claude Molinari, president and CEO of Visit Detroit, said conversations are ongoing with Detroit-based The Sterling Group, which is developing the former Joe Louis Arena site, on incorporating new hotel connected to Huntington Place into the mix.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-e...ention-demands

[Gistok]

Well it's good that they are getting rid of that monstrosity of tubes and connectors on the west side of Cobo... er Huntington Place... as well as some expansion.

But that area will continue to be a pedestrians no-mans land. What purpose does it serve to walk in that area that a ride on the People Mover to the Joe Louis Station wouldn't handle better? Huntington Place is a BIG building to get around, from the outside...

[401don]

What is the purpose of a new ballroom? I thought the arena was basically just a ballroom now?

[sirrealone]

What is the purpose of a new ballroom?

To throw more balls.

[mikeg19]

I'm not gonna nitpick [[too much) since these are all just preliminary at this juncture, but why another ballroom? I thought the whole deal with trying to wrangle more convention business to Detroit solely centered around A) needing more floor space to handle the largest conventions and B) more hotel rooms to accommodate them.

I'm glad to hear they are engaged with the JLA site operator. If they are truly thinking of expansion, integrating that site into the convention center with an large attached hotel should finally give Detroit one of those last items that convention planners are looking for. Plus this announcement might give that 2nd Fort Pontchartrain hotel tower some additional steam to get built.

[DannyP]

The article states they already turn away business due to having the one ballroom already booked

An additional ballroom is critical, he said, because the convention center has to turn away business when the current ballroom is booked.

[softailrider]

What is the purpose of a new ballroom? I thought the arena was basically just a ballroom now?

Well, you need a ball room when you throw a big gala, with a full orchestra so people have room to dance and do other things that happen at galas.

[stasu1213]

The area south of Jefferson from The Huntington Place to the post office need a major restructuring especially behind Wayne County Community College. The John C Lodge Larned exit ramp going through the area helped making that area a no man's land.