Capitol Park work

**Rocko** · September-27-09, 10:34 PM

Drove by Capitol Park the other day and noticed construction fences are up around the perimeter. Also noticed several trees and park lights with pink paint near the bases, probably for removal. Hope to see this project get rolling soon [[there still time to move the recently cleaned up Merrill Fountain there, me thinks...)

Also noticed several crews out actively redoing sidewalks along Griswold, Washington Blvd, Grand River, and other CBD streets. Nice to see the investment.

DetroitDad · September-27-09, 10:48 PM

There was actually some big assembly going on in there today. Anyone know what was going on?

**Warrenite84** · September-28-09, 07:15 AM

From what I have read they are supposed to relocate the statue and burial plot of Michigan's first govenor who is buried there. [[the site of Michigan's first capitol building).

Has any plans concerning the park been made public?

Here is the latest picture I have of the park. Statue and burial plot are out of view at the bottom right . http://www.flickr.com/photos/gab482/3908549612/sizes/o/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gab482/3907771241/sizes/o/

**stromberg2** · September-28-09, 01:24 PM

What's up with the ghost car in the second picture?

Stromberg2

**ndavies** · September-28-09, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by stromberg2

What's up with the ghost car in the second picture?

Stromberg2

2 pictures merged to make one.

**DetroitZack** · September-28-09, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by Warrenite84

From what I have read they are supposed to relocate the statue and burial plot of Michigan's first govenor who is buried there. [[the site of Michigan's first capitol building).

Has any plans concerning the park been made public?

Here is the latest picture I have of the park. Statue and burial plot are out of view at the bottom right . http://www.flickr.com/photos/gab482/3908549612/sizes/o/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gab482/3907771241/sizes/o/

Yes

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090...00371/1001/BIZ

**rb336** · September-28-09, 03:48 PM

any idea what company is doing the work?

**Rocko** · September-29-09, 10:06 AM

Are all those trees in the park dead? Or are they just a variety that looses its leaves very early in the fall? Nice photos, Warrenite, thanks for sharing.

**DetroitHabitater** · September-29-09, 12:34 PM

Is it just me or does the rendering look barely different from the existing park? I guess a million dollars doesn't go as far as it used to.

**gnome** · September-29-09, 01:21 PM

Rocko, I think the dead trees are honey locust trees. Favorites with urban planners do to their small leaves [[fall clean-up is nil) and their roots don't lift sidewalks. I think they are sun lovers and CP doesn't have much of that to spare. Maybe one to Urban Planning brains around here can tell you more about them.

The strange looking trees [[ the ones that look like pipe-cleaners with leaves) are ginkgo trees. In a nutshell, they're over 200 million yrs old. An evolutionary missing link between conifers and deciduous trees. My only advice is to never plant a female ginkgo, their fruit smells like a cross between vomit and the worse thing you can imagine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginkgo

**DetroitZack** · January-22-10, 11:16 AM

This sign must of been put up recently. I am pretty excited about future development of the buildings around Capitol Park.

**buildingsofdetroit** · January-22-10, 11:26 AM

Stevens T. Mason's statue is gone, too. Maybe they're trying to get all the pigeon schitt off him before they relocate him.

**rjlj** · January-22-10, 12:21 PM

If the rendering is accurate, I have to say the design is mediocre at best. The design creates a nicer place to pass through and that is pretty much it. The design does not promote a social environment. Also, with this area being a historical area, the light fixtures shown are modern and do not match with any other fictures in the city. From other renderings, the Mason statue will be haphazardly placed along the Griswold sidwalk. I feel the city has blown a chance to make this park really stand out and draw people to the area. At least capitol was spelled correctly.

**Rocko** · January-22-10, 03:15 PM

I too think the design is less than stellar, although, given how the city has maintained the older style lamp posts in the part currently, I don't think modern park lighting will be too bad. It seems like if the park had some kind of central feature, it would give it more of the stop and stay atmosphere rather than just a pretty place to walk through. Again, I think this would be a great place for a water feature such as the Merrill Fountain. I think Campus Martius has been really successful in part because of the water feature and little trough "water walls" which flow throughout.

Glad to see they're at least preserving those hundred year old trees in the south end. This seems like it could be a cool spot for hot dog vendors to hang out once it's all done. I see that Detroit Public Lighting is listed under Architects on the sign. What do you say we keep all the lights on and functional, eh guys? In addition to Stevens T. Mason, I wonder if any other sculpture/statues will be placed here?

Bearinabox · January-22-10, 03:18 PM

Hopefully they find a way to discourage the dope dealers and mental cases from stopping and staying.

**esp1986** · January-22-10, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by Bearinabox

Hopefully they find a way to discourage the dope dealers and mental cases from stopping and staying.

Hopefully that will change when the state finishes the buildings in Capitol Park that they are planning to renovate.

**Lt. Dan Bassett** · January-22-10, 04:23 PM

boy gov is out getting a buff job from Venus. Stevens T. Mason's bones have moved alot since he went toes up. He must be a restless soul. I dig boy gov partly because he has that Lord Byron dandified look. I wonder if he was a horndog in his day.
FYI -- noticed a tax forclosure/seisure from Wojtowicz tacked on the Farwell a month or so ago. Maybe someone will step up to make it more than a squab drop.

**buildingsofdetroit** · January-22-10, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by Lt. Dan Bassett

FYI -- noticed a tax forclosure/seisure from Wojtowicz tacked on the Farwell a month or so ago. Maybe someone will step up to make it more than a squab drop.

State bought the Farwell in October.
From the Freep at that time:
"The State of Michigan's Land Bank Fast Track Authority is planning to spend $3.3 million to buy the vacant and dilapidated Farwell Building at 1249 Griswold as part of what could become a widespread redevelopment of downtown Detroit's Capitol Park district.A legal notice published Friday said the money will come from federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Cleveland-based developer John Ferchill, owner of the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel, said Friday he has looked at the building and would like to redevelop it. But he said any attempt would face multiple difficulties in today's depressed real estate market.
The purchase price may raise some eyebrows. Although listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the eight-story Farwell Building has stood vacant for more than 20 years and has been stripped and vandalized. It has been cited over the years for violations that include falling glass and mortar.
The building is tax delinquent, with its owners owing $23,887.11 in back taxes from 2007 and 2008, according to the Wayne County treasurer's online tax records.
Michael Higgins, an officer of the Farwell Corp., the private partnership that owns the building, said Friday he has been negotiating with an unnamed third party through a broker but was surprised to learn the buyer would be the state land bank.
Of the unpaid property taxes, Higgins said, "Those will be paid off, obviously."

**wolverine** · January-22-10, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by buildingsofdetroit

State bought the Farwell in October.
From the Freep at that time:
"The State of Michigan's Land Bank Fast Track Authority is planning to spend $3.3 million to buy the vacant and dilapidated Farwell Building at 1249 Griswold as part of what could become a widespread redevelopment of downtown Detroit's Capitol Park district.A legal notice published Friday said the money will come from federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Cleveland-based developer John Ferchill, owner of the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel, said Friday he has looked at the building and would like to redevelop it. But he said any attempt would face multiple difficulties in today's depressed real estate market.
The purchase price may raise some eyebrows. Although listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the eight-story Farwell Building has stood vacant for more than 20 years and has been stripped and vandalized. It has been cited over the years for violations that include falling glass and mortar.
The building is tax delinquent, with its owners owing $23,887.11 in back taxes from 2007 and 2008, according to the Wayne County treasurer's online tax records.
Michael Higgins, an officer of the Farwell Corp., the private partnership that owns the building, said Friday he has been negotiating with an unnamed third party through a broker but was surprised to learn the buyer would be the state land bank.
Of the unpaid property taxes, Higgins said, "Those will be paid off, obviously."

The information on the Farwell being stripped and vandalized is somewhat exaggerated. Vandalism is relatively minor, and the building maintains all its interior finishes. There's freep research for you....

**French777** · January-23-10, 10:26 AM

I really hope these improvements spur more development in the area.

**Rocko** · March-16-10, 12:05 AM

I drove by Capitol Park this past Friday and saw them out digging up sidewalks along the Shelby side. I wonder if they're actually starting to work on the park or if it was for some other project? Has anyone else been down there lately with an update?

**buildingsofdetroit** · March-16-10, 12:17 AM

Originally Posted by wolverine

The information on the Farwell being stripped and vandalized is somewhat exaggerated. Vandalism is relatively minor, and the building maintains all its interior finishes. There's freep research for you....

Not to defend the Freep, but I wouldn't dispute that. Have you been in there, Wolvy? Sounds like you have, but that place is definitely stripped. The Tiffany chandeliers in the lobby are gone. The ornate elevator doors are gone. Many of the railings in the rotunda are gone. The piping is gone. The fixtures are gone. Vandalism-wise, you have broken windows all over the place. Graffiti. Far and away the worst damage to the building, however, are the open windows and skylights, but the Farwell has DEFINITELY been stripped and vandalized.

**Russix** · March-16-10, 02:32 AM

http://www.modeldmedia.com/features/...k03152010.aspx

**Rocko** · March-16-10, 09:44 PM

The Model D photographer must have been downtown taking their photos around the same time I was down there. In their second photo, the aerial of the park, you can see a backhoe going to work on the sidewalk in the upper right of the photo where Shelby joins Griswold. This is the work that I'm not sure if is part of the actual Capitol Park work, or just sidewalk replacement.