Gosh, I remember when the building was brought down but back then I really had very little idea what it meant.

It makes me sad now. I've spent a couple of years in Atlanta, where a once struggling neighborhood has regained its footing, and a building very similar in size, scale, and use to the Hudson's building has found new life:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponce_City_Market
http://www.poncecitymarket.com/home

I love Atlanta, but this kind of project would have been soo much cooler in Detroit.

Cheers.