Major COBO Renovations Announced This Morning

[kryptonite]

tkelly, if I understand you correctly I think that is exactly what is being planned for the Atwater side of Cobo, exterior walls will be replaced with glass facades and an atrium opening to the riverfront will be created where some ballroom space currently exists. Here is the video again, it shows a pretty good graphic about the focus on the waterfront in the future Cobo as opposed to the current window views that are so-so. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmemuWq1IeU

It looks like it will be very impressive when done and will be similar to the RenCen's Winter garden space, another project that was done to focus attention on the riverfront rather than just backing up buildings to that side and using the riverfront for loading docks, etc.

[tkelly1986]

Actually I was hoping they'd completely remove the part of Cobo above Atwater and have the building start on the north side of the street [[no cover over Atwater).

[MSUguy]

Cobo Gets High Marks

It’s Cobo Arena—exposed!
Walls of the former downtown concert venue and one-time home of the Pistons have been opened up as Cobo Center’s nearly $300 million renovation continues.
Also new—results of a customer survey which shows changes at the facility since the Regional Authority hired a management company are paying off in customer satisfaction.
Clients such as the Detroit Auto Dealers Association say Food and Beverage satisfaction is at 90 percent, up from 79 percent compared to the first quarter in 2011.

http://detroit2020.com/2012/04/16/cobo-gets-high-marks/

[downtownguy]

"Windows not walls" is the takeaway from the video linked at the bottom of that article. If it looks half as good as it does in the video, Cobo is gonna look great! It's nice to see they're doing what GM did with the Wintergarden at the Ren Cen and showing off the river. I especially liked the views from within the Cobo Arena banquet rooms.

[Prespa]

I got a few shots of construction going on at Cobo Arena taken from the People Mover yesterday.

[wolverine]

Looks spectacular all open like that.

[superduperman]

Renovation Porn.....

[313rd]

Yesterday from the Riverwalk.

[MSUguy]

Detroit's new and improved Cobo Center is almost ready for its close-up.

On Thursday, Cobo officials showed off the new riverside atrium entrance, a 16,000-square-foot, three-story glass-enclosed space that promises to become one of Detroit's new ceremonial venues.

Still filled with construction workers and equipment, the atrium entrance will be tidied up for the North American International Auto Show in January, then closed off again for its finishing touches.

"It gives us a magnificent point of entry that the facility never had before," Patrick Bero, CEO of the Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority, told reporters on a hard-hat media tour. "It gives us spectacular views of the Detroit River and the Windsor skyline."

The new riverside entrance and atrium is part of the years-long renovations of Cobo undertaken by the regional authority, which took over management of the center from the City of Detroit in 2009.

http://www.freep.com/article/2012122...text|FRONTPAGE

[mikeg19]

I haven't been to the Auto Show in 5 or 6 years, but I'll go down this year to check this out. Looks like it's coming along nicely.

[Knightmessenger]

you know, I kinda wish the atrium was wider. It seems squeezed in between Cobo Arena and the part that overhangs Atwater.
Still a great improvement.

[Gistok]

you know, I kinda wish the atrium was wider. It seems squeezed in between Cobo Arena and the part that overhangs Atwater.
Still a great improvement.

It doesn't look squeezed in?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmemuWq1IeU

[I <3 DET]

Cobo Arena progress. 1-26-13