Lower Wooward Concept Retail Plans

[gthomas]

Im a local entreprenuer who works, live, and play downtown. I walk alot around central/lower woodward area with my dog and cant help but see potential. So Ive been doing some research and notice the wide sidewalks, huge open ground level retail to fit nice but not expensive establishments. I believe if you build, they will come.... so I came up with what will work Downtown as a nice shopping District. I envision a similiar Chicago Mag Mile...small version though. The infrastructure is there and ready for retail and with Light-rail on Woodward. Heres my concept:

• Anchor retail: Marshalls
• Footlocker
• Old Navy
• Walgreens
• Express Men/Women
• Star Theatre
• P.F Chang
• Cheesecake Factory
• T.G.I.Fridays
• Gap
• Apple Store
• other specialty or smaller stores/restaurant.

Woodward Av will become a thriving shopping district, Grand circus Park and Campus Martius Park will be anchor for hang out after shopping and out on the town. Creating a 24hr center....BUILD AND THEY WILL COME!

[EL Jimbo]

PLEASE tell me you are joking, right?

[dtowncitylover]

Oh my gosh.

[Augustiner]

1. Start thread on DetroitYes
2. ???
3. Profit.

[BrushStart]

I think you've pretty much nailed it, I'd reconsider the TGI Fridays, though. I'd rather see a Max & Ermas, as it's a little more upscale.

[Augustiner]

I think you've pretty much nailed it, I'd reconsider the TGI Fridays, though. I'd rather see a Max & Ermas, as it's a little more upscale.

I think it should be an Applebee's, and it should be built inside a life-size replica of the Graf Zeppelin moored to the roof of the Guardian Building.

[Gsgeorge]

What makes this different from Northland, Fairlane, Somerset, Oakland, Fountainwalk, 12 Oaks, or any of the other big malls/chain store strip malls anywhere in the burbs? Or for that matter, anywhere in the US. I feel like everywhere I go I see nothing but Express outlet stores, WalMarts and Cheesecake Factories. Areas that are clones of one another. Total boring nothingness. Why do I always have to have the same ten retailers shoved in my face when I go shopping?

Corporations gave up on Detroit a long time ago and they're not gonna flock back en masse in the way you're proposing. We need to rebuild from the ground up, with home-grown entrepreneurs and locally-owned businesses. A chain anchor here or there is not bad. But I would hate to see Merchant's Row turn into an outdoor Great Lakes Crossing. Ugh...

[tetsua]

They're gonna kick yo ass LOL

[DetroitDad]

Where have you been Gthomas!?

I don't mean to seem rude here, but you've been walking around lower Woodward and coming up with ideas for at least eight years now. What are you doing to actually get anything done?

In the past five years you have seriously suggested:

• A multi level Detroit themed McDonalds
• Ritz Carlton in the Book Tower
• TGI Fridays
• Cheesecake Factory, on multiple occasions
• Hard Rock Hotel
• A gourmet grocer
• A cafe on Capitol Park
• A multi-million dollar loft development on Capitol Park
• Countless high end retail outlets
• Countless aesthetic upgrades

Posted by Gthomas on Sunday, July 01, 2007;

Link: http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/...tml?1178142809

Im wondering if Donald Trump ever consider building here or will he ever consider soon. Im wondering why Detroit seems like the city that never builds up and having their limit of 15-story building to be build. They never tried to go taller or grand. Most major cities right now have at least 4 or more 40-story skyscrapers being build or proposed but we have 5 to 15-story being build and we praising those projects like it has a effect on the city. The tallest building in detroit is the Rencen and its only 70-story or something like that. We need more residential skyscrapers not office towers. Chicago's downtown consist of more residential skyscraper than office towers and they build 80-150 story high buildings..... DETROIT NEEDS TO BUILD UP and fill that skyline up. Im in school now, a Drafting & Urban design major in Architecture and i have about 2 years left and i will be the first to test the market and work on building detroit's first 90-100 story residential skyscraper with a few other 30-50 story building

PS: Augustiner, Coin-O-Matic Laundromat mystery solved. Clearly those items were needed for the Detroit Trump Tower Cheesecake Factory.....

[BrushStart]

I think it should be an Applebee's, and it should be built inside a life-size replica of the Graf Zeppelin moored to the roof of the Guardian Building.

Either that, or it could be a Ruby Tuesday built on the deck of a replica of the Whitestar Line's Titanic that we'll set sail down the river.

[illwill]

Hey,

Gthomas has one very important thing that is correct...Detroit WOULD become a shopping destination. It may be like somerset or someplace in Arizona but people will show.

However, I think most people are thinking "put your money where your mouth is."

[rjlj]

gthomas, your enthusiasm is what Downtown Detroit needs but your vision is way off. If you travel down I-75 headed toward Downtown Detroit, you pass a Footlocker, Marshalls about 4 Walgreens, Express Men/Women, a Star Theatre, a T.G.I.Fridays, and a Gap. Why would suburbanites go downtown for all of these chains while driving past the same stores?

Establish an environment where independent local businesses can start and operate at low costs with no red tape and your business district will thrive.

The chain Subway Restaurant at Grand Circus Park does not keep Detroit on the map by attracting national news coverage like a Slow's restaurant does. Chain stores previously mentioned usually signal the decline of a cool desireable shopping district.

Im a local entreprenuer who works, live, and play downtown. I walk alot around central/lower woodward area with my dog and cant help but see potential. So Ive been doing some research and notice the wide sidewalks, huge open ground level retail to fit nice but not expensive establishments. I believe if you build, they will come.... so I came up with what will work Downtown as a nice shopping District. I envision a similiar Chicago Mag Mile...small version though. The infrastructure is there and ready for retail and with Light-rail on Woodward. Heres my concept:

• Anchor retail: Marshalls
• Footlocker
• Old Navy
• Walgreens
• Express Men/Women
• Star Theatre
• P.F Chang
• Cheesecake Factory
• T.G.I.Fridays
• Gap
• Apple Store
• other specialty or smaller stores/restaurant.

Woodward Av will become a thriving shopping district, Grand circus Park and Campus Martius Park will be anchor for hang out after shopping and out on the town. Creating a 24hr center....BUILD AND THEY WILL COME!

[gthomas]

First off lol...to answer everyones question! If you give the money I will show you how to creat JOBS! thats my concern. Either that or empty storefronts...I dont get some of yalls method of thinking or comments sometimes. To Detroitdad...yes its been five years but im jus a regular citizens who is being under served and voicing my issues. closed mouths dont get fed....also, the difference between malls and downtown shopping is EXPERIENCE! I dont want to look at dywalls with fake plants and that lame mall music. I want to see stunning architecture, breath fresh air, get a breeze or two? ASk any Newyorker or Chicagians "Why they like Downtown shopping" see what answer you get...

[gthomas]

First off...where do yall get that surban folks are the only ones that can SUPPORT retail here. Do your study, Detroiters spend hundreds of millions in the burbs every year. Umm ...1+1=2 ...right?

[gthomas]

I live downtown right along with about 24 of my friends literally. We are tired of traveling far jus to get good products. Why residents down here are being under market...my two cents.

[gthomas]

Most of my friends come in town either for pleasure or business and wants to shop downtown from there hotel or after eating out without getting in the car. *hint hint...70,000 employees downtown and rising, right along with new residentials projects. So all yall telling me if these retail decide to setup shop downtown you will rather go to mall? There a game goin on @ Comerica Park, a show at the Fox etc. nice weather outside guys, ....you want to go to the mall??? NNNNOOOO, I know i wouldnt want to. I will want to stay Downtown...my two cent personally?

[gthomas]

oh and with M-1 rail project soon...thats a economic engine

[DetroitDad]

...closed mouths dont get fed....

Neither do ones that are always talking.

Yes Gthomas, you said all that before. It sounds great. An entrepreneur is someone who has ideas AND is acting on them; a person willing to start a new venture and take full responsibility of the outcome. Simply having great ideas is hardly a step. Most of us have seen Chicago or New York, and understand their appeal.

[DetroitDad]

oh and with M-1 rail project soon...thats a economic engine

Not unless you're able and ready to benefit from it.

[gthomas]

We will not survive off jus local retail..there needs to be a mixture as I stated at the top. Those major retail, PLUS local specialty/small shops. Detroit theme restaurants etc..YOU NEED A ANCHOR to start..have you see downtown lately? Dead afta 5p...Where they do that @!!!??? oh detroit.

[Augustiner]

I live downtown right along with about 24 of my friends literally.

Sounds like an MTV reality show.

[rjlj]

Downtown has been dead after 5 since it's inception because it has always been a business district and not a residential district. Downtown as a residential district is a fairly new concept in Detroit terms.

We will not survive off jus local retail..there needs to be a mixture as I stated at the top. Those major retail, PLUS local specialty/small shops. Detroit theme restaurants etc..YOU NEED A ANCHOR to start..have you see downtown lately? Dead afta 5p...Where they do that @!!!??? oh detroit.

[gthomas]

I have to disagree Detroitdad. If you dont speak up, your issur might to be met..but oh it will heard and if we all stand and say enough is enough ..WE WIN. And i am puting money where my mouth is..Ive jus incorporated our entertainment/ design business and actually expanding into a building on Woodward soon. We are creating jobs and opportunities for many young detroiters now, even relocating some from chicago, dallas and atlanta. Im sayin to KEEP and RETAIN them this will have to be done.

[gthomas]

sorry for alot of typos*..tired.

[DetroitDad]

What about your degree in drafting and urban design?

You can certainly disagree. The ground, jail cells, and welfare lines are full of potential and good intentions. What you meant to do and what you did are two different things.