James Kunstler gives a virtual tour of Detroit

[Joseph C. Krause]

I use The Boll every week and find it to be a good facility, but the design is really silly.

Outside, it presents blank walls or fences on all sides except at the corner of John R and Broadway. It treats the street behind it as an alley, it has tropical wood on the facade that can't withstand a Michigan Winter and is deteriorating rapidly. A water spout drains directly onto Broadway, causing a permanent ice sheet all Winter. Though the entrance is near the corner, one must walk around a long fence, then backtrack, to enter from Broadway.

Inside, it is apparent that measures were made to make this a "green" building -- low-impact or recycled materials etc. Why then build cavernous spaces that must be heated? This seems to defeat the spirit of the other "green" attributes. The automatic drinking fountains and toilets malfunction comically. The main counter is backlit by very bright florescent lights, turning anybody working there into a silhouette.

The "green" aspects, the services provided, the reasonably lengthy hours kept, the staff, and the positive impact on the community are all fantastic. But that building sure needed more attentive design.

[Zacha341]

I gather the Boll is the YMCA or whatever right? Why is it called the Boll? Well I am very paranoid about falling so your tell of ice is for sure a turn off. Should they "catch" a lawsuit of two that problem will be solved.

When "downtown" I want the building entrance to be fast access. I don't want to walk far looking for it, exposing myself to getting robbed or pestered. I've had problems before I don't want a repeat of.

Entrance options sounds like stupid "cute" planning in general.

And what's up with the wood decor as you describe it? That was bad contracting, as any good contractor would never use indoor delicate woods in Michigan outdoors? Or maybe it was the cheap route as agreed to by all parties.....

I use The Boll every week and find it to be a good facility, but the design is really silly.

Outside, it presents blank walls or fences on all sides except at the corner of John R and Broadway. It treats the street behind it as an alley, it has tropical wood on the facade that can't withstand a Michigan Winter and is deteriorating rapidly. A water spout drains directly onto Broadway, causing a permanent ice sheet all Winter. Though the entrance is near the corner, one must walk around a long fence, then backtrack, to enter from Broadway.

Inside, it is apparent that measures were made to make this a "green" building -- low-impact or recycled materials etc. Why then build cavernous spaces that must be heated? This seems to defeat the spirit of the other "green" attributes. The automatic drinking fountains and toilets malfunction comically. The main counter is backlit by very bright florescent lights, turning anybody working there into a silhouette.

The "green" aspects, the services provided, the reasonably lengthy hours kept, the staff, and the positive impact on the community are all fantastic. But that building sure needed more attentive design.