The Hole in Downtown no one Talks About

[K-slice]

Often mention on this site are the large voids in downtown dedicated to surface parking lots. I think we're all pretty familiar with the the Monroe Blocks, Ilitch's parking lot desert, GMs giant empty lots on the riverfront, and the fail jail site... However there is another one, very prominently positioned, that I've never heard mentioned, but that I shake my head at daily on my stroll past.

I'm talking about the massive parking lots roughly bordered by Cass, Lafayette, the Coney Islands, and Michigan.

These are very centrally located, more so than any of the others except the Monroe Blocks, and also truly a vestige of "old Detroit". Most of the lots have no fancy gates, decorative fences, or landscaping to speak of. Just cracked asphalt lots and chains handing from bent poles to separate the cars from pedestrians.

Aside from the Lafayette Building, what stood on these lots? It's clear from the 1949 areal shots that much of this area was built.

Why is this area ignored for development? Seems like a prime location to start building on.

[1953]

There's a fair bit of surface parking that serves the federal court in that part of downtown. With the institutional users to the west [[DTE, DPD, etc.) and some garages and lots to the south, and nothing of note to the north, there doesn't seem to be much development pressure in that area.

I think that area was a mix of low and mid-rise office and commercial users, many of which don't exist anymore [[RL Polk, a big pool hall, etc.). But, its also been pretty full of lots since probably the 30's or before. If its going to change, I think it'll happen much like Capitol Park, where investment interest starts to peak and then everyone rushes in to gobble stuff up.

1953

[ShadowSoarer]

What is more frustrating is even in recent times we have buildings in Downtown being demolished for surface parking lots like the Gateway Center Building in that area. If I remember correctly a few years ago the Saturday Night Building near that area got demolished a few years back for a surface parking lot for 12 parking spots. Meanwhile it takes forever to build in Detroit.

Detroit is so quick to demolish buildings but it takes so long to get off the ground. Like how the CODA Detroit demolished the building in Brush Park around this time last year but is still not off the ground yet. Another example of many is the developers behind the Glass Mural Building in Midtown demolished that mural building in Eastern Market pretty quickly a few years back, but is still a vacant lot today.

Anyways hopefully this proposed land value tax will help reduce surface lots Downtown. Have doubts that we’ll see any tangible results but hopefully it will help reduce some property taxes. Sorry for the rant.

[royce]

^Where was the Gateway Center Building?

[stasu1213]

Historical buildings are being demolished to reportedly make way for a new structure or condo but tge lot end up being surfaced parking. That trend started in the late 80s with the Minroe Block demolition. Promises and renderings of developments proposed for that block but after 35 years what do we get? A Midway outdoor skating and basketball courts.

[ShadowSoarer]

^Where was the Gateway Center Building?

1101 Washington Blvd, across the street from The Westin Book Cadillac.

[expatriate]

Add to that the sad state of the Broadhead Naval Armory on East Jefferson near the Belle Isle Bridge. The Parade Company apparently had grand plans for it but it has languished and nothing appears to be going on there beside homeless encampments.

[stasu1213]

One disappointing issue was the razing of the Elias Brothers on Jefferson and East Grand Blvd to make way for a development that never hlcane. Contractors get the nod to raze historical landmarks just for a few coins for developments that probably were not meant to be. It's probably just an opportunity for someone other inside to to purchase the land to either make it a lot for personal revenue or to sell the lot to millionaires for profit