Groundbreaking set for large downtown project next to Campus Martius — again

**Airforceguy** · April-08-25, 02:21 PM

second time the charm...

A groundbreaking ceremony is set for April 17 for the Cosm project in downtown Detroit adjacent to the Rocket Companies Inc. [[NYSE: RKT) headquarters in the One Campus Martius building near Campus Martius Park [[see you there, perhaps?). Folks from Dan Gilbert’s Bedrock LLC real estate company and others officially said Monday they are kicking off construction on the Cosm live sports video dome and entertainment venue that’s slated to be part of what is now referred to as The Development at Cadillac Square [[née Monroe Blocks) project.

The déjà vu is because this is actually the second groundbreaking event for the 3.66-acre site. The first was in December 2018. The Cosm space — totaling 65,000 square feet with an 87-foot 12K+ LED dome and an adjacent high-resolution LED wall — is an anchor of the long-delayed development that’s required to kick off construction by May 1, per an extension granted by the Downtown Development Authority last year. Detroit architecture firm Rossetti Inc. is designing the space, which is looking to open as early as 2026.

In an interview Tuesday morning, Bedrock CEO Kofi Bonner said more details on the broader plans for the site will be shared in the coming months.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-e...-project-april

**Danny** · April-08-25, 04:25 PM

Oh no! Get rid of it!

**Henry Whalley** · April-08-25, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

Oh no! Get rid of it!

The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism

Dumb and Dumber - Sad. Vomit scene.

**stasu1213** · April-08-25, 06:12 PM

I don't know why opening dates are set when nothings fets completed and open on time in Detroit. Hudson's Block pushed back 7 months. Ralph Wilson Park, 6 months, Emagine theatre, never happened, etc.

**Gistok** · April-08-25, 06:29 PM

It looks like one of those butt-ugly 1950s veneers that some historic downtown buildings had taken down in the last dozen years to restore the original facades. And the color of it has all the elegance of Cheez-Wiz.

A bone jarring composition next to the classic facade of the Cadillac Tower.

What are they going to do with the National Theatre facade??

**ABetterDetroit** · April-08-25, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

It looks like one of those butt-ugly 1950s veneers that some historic downtown buildings had taken down in the last dozen years to restore the original facades. And the color of it has all the elegance of Cheez-Wiz.

A bone jarring composition next to the classic facade of the Cadillac Tower.

What are they going to do with the National Theatre facade??

I am not implying that the Cosm in L.A. or Dallas is good looking in anyway but compared to those 2 Detroits sure looks like it is going to be butt ugly.

https://www.cosm.com/dallas

**Lowell** · April-09-25, 08:25 AM

While I agree with all this thread's architectural cops on the design, let's not overlook the foot traffic this venue is sure to attract that will aid the retail and restaurant endeavors that are essential to downtown's continuing recovery.

**Danny** · April-09-25, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

While I agree with all this thread's architectural cops on the design, let's not overlook the foot traffic this venue is sure to attract that will aid the retail and restaurant endeavors that are essential to downtown's continuing recovery.

Mr. Boileau

I will dislike the COSM Sports Entertainment Complex in Gilberttown Detroit because is a two-level pile of nothingness. Even most Citizens of Detroit hated the ideal and want to get rid of it. I will only accept the COSM Sports Entertainment Complex if there is a skyscraper under there. The Campus Martius Project is meant to bring more skyscrapers filled with office space and retail to the heart of Detroit. Not to put a small level complex and people will not enjoy. Once the COSM complex is completed. It's going to look like a mixture of Downtown Pontiac's Phoenix Center and G.M.'s Autoworld in Flint combined. It will be a total disaster for Dan Gilbert's vision for company. The Detroit City Council must put a stop this folly project immediately.

Knock it off Gilbert and take Kofi Bonner with you.

**Kathleen** · April-09-25, 08:43 AM

Local architecture firm ROSETTI was selected for this project!

https://www.cosm.com/news/cosm-annou...tainment-venue

**Danny** · April-09-25, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by ABetterDetroit

I am not implying that the Cosm in L.A. or Dallas is good looking in anyway but compared to those 2 Detroits sure looks like it is going to be butt ugly.

https://www.cosm.com/dallas

I agree in protest.

**Danny** · April-09-25, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by Kathleen

Local architecture firm ROSETTI was selected for this project!

https://www.cosm.com/news/cosm-annou...tainment-venue

I see the building. This is so horrible.

**Danny** · April-09-25, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

I don't know why opening dates are set when nothings fets completed and open on time in Detroit. Hudson's Block pushed back 7 months. Ralph Wilson Park, 6 months, Emagine theatre, never happened, etc.

An Emagine Theater in Detroit is not going to happen due to space for parking and other riff-raffs from the ghetto might tear the theater up. Unless you have tight security measures in place.

**mikeg19** · April-09-25, 12:00 PM

I don't hate the idea at all, it actually looks like something a lot of the younger crowd would populate rather than attending an actual game. Though I can think of about 12 other better suited locations in the CBD for this to get plopped down on.

**Redesigned83** · April-09-25, 01:02 PM

The LA one isn't bad actually, but it fits the LA look. This one does look a bit dated for a downtown area.

**Henry Whalley** · April-09-25, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

It looks like one of those butt-ugly 1950s veneers that some historic downtown buildings had taken down in the last dozen years to restore the original facades. And the color of it has all the elegance of Cheez-Wiz.

Agreed, it's atrocious... Dumb and Dumber - Sad. Vomit scene.

**401don** · April-09-25, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

It looks like one of those butt-ugly 1950s veneers that some historic downtown buildings had taken down in the last dozen years to restore the original facades. And the color of it has all the elegance of Cheez-Wiz.

A bone jarring composition next to the classic facade of the Cadillac Tower.

What are they going to do with the National Theatre facade??

On the bright side it will probably have so many led lights you won't even notice the color.

**Satiricalivory** · April-09-25, 06:46 PM

Update...

https://www.yahoo.com/news/final-details-laid-gilberts-next-225233229.html

This is embarrassing and a horrible use for the most prime piece of land in downtown. Do they plan for the market to be a temporary building? Because WTF.

**JK313** · April-09-25, 07:13 PM

What a joke. A couple of low rises and a surface parking lot in the middle of the cbd?

**mwilbert** · April-09-25, 07:34 PM

I generally give Gilbert the benefit of the doubt; he's done a lot of good things, but this is underwhelming and quite unattractive. I imagine it's just hard to get a larger project to pencil out under current conditions--neither the downtown residential nor retail nor office market seem all that robust--so if you build a bigger structure what else do you add to it besides the basic entertainment space?

That wouldn't stop them from making it better looking though.

**stinkytofu** · April-09-25, 08:06 PM

This is total trash. Embarrassing even brought this to the public.

Gilbert has lost a ton of goodwill from me over the last few years.

**rbdetsport** · April-09-25, 08:09 PM

This sucks so much. This is a waste of the most prime site in the entire region. There is no reason why the city should be allowing a 2-story building, and SURFACE PARKING, on this site. It was never ever the plan. What a fall from grace, from that amazing architectural design in 2018 from Schmidt Hammer Lassen to this junk. I am so sad about this, and I wish there was something we could do.

**Atticus** · April-09-25, 09:16 PM

The design for the whole block sucks.

My only positive take away is that they aren’t constructing anything of “long term value” on the Campus Martius block, which hopefully means in 25 years or so everything proposed here can easily be demolished for a real project like what was proposed in 2018.

Placeholder project. That’s the best spin I can give it.

**Gistok** · April-09-25, 09:18 PM

This isn't much different than the previous iteration of the site, in terms of the lowrise buildings facing Cadillac Square. Now instead of any highrise at all there a surface parking lot... that suck, but with post pandemic work-at-home, what high rise could go there? A empty lot still has future potential.

The theatre is being replace by COSM, which in the link provided by Satiricalivory, look a little better than the Cheez-Whiz orange abomination.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/final-det...lVw945by3t_KTi

The other lowrise, planned Market Hall, which is still planned for the part of the block touching Campus Martius looks a lot better than the earlier design.

There is a footnote in the above article that mentions the National Theatre facade [that lies disassembled and stored on the 2nd Monroe block]. It says...

"The Modified Development Plan does not make any changes to the Phase Two program or to the Developer's obligation regarding the National Theatre facade as set forth in the Term Sheet."

What the heck does that mean, now that it won't be a Cadillac Blvd. facing theatre entrance?

**Danny** · April-09-25, 09:23 PM

Then let's protest against COSM Entertainment Complex and Dan Gilbert and keep it away from Downton Detroit. Rally to the Detroit City Council and spread the word to the hoods to scrap the project.

**DetBill** · April-09-25, 10:52 PM

it really is an ugly design. It looks so dated, who in the world thought of this ?…. it doesn’t even begin to blend in with the surroundings. I think it looks better as an open area now compared to this atrocity. I always have to laugh at these groundbreaking ceremonies, I remember the huge one in 2018 with the enormous tent with hundreds of people inside all celebrating and bragging, and being overwhelmed by the Monroe Blocks , and all these glorious speeches by Mr. Gilberts in charge employees, complementing themselves and touting the beauty of the complex to be built. It turned out to be nothing but a bunch of hot air. He must’ve spent a fortune on that. He has done some fabulous things for downtown but lately I don’t know , these projects are uninspiring, and ill-conceived. What happened to the smart people that he had revitalizing and improving downtown ? I thought the façade of the theater previously there and dismantled was supposed to be the star entryway for the next project. Unbelievably disappointing, and I don’t think it’s going to attract good crowds for downtown by any means.