Quote Originally Posted by Dexlin View Post
Does anyone remember the year that all of the streets around the McNamara Federal Building were cordoned off creating a dead zone? You've got 1st and Howard closed off immediately around the building so that Howard doesn't meet Cass and 1st doesn't meet Michigan. Abbot doesn't fully reach 1st, and then 1st south of Howard is closed off nearly halfway down the block.

It really f%cks up auto and pedestrian circulation in the area, and makes sure nothing ever develops around it. Honestly, in most cities, they'd just have the existing bollards around the fed buildings. Kind of fascinating that WDIV is kind of right in the middle of this weird black hole.
It's not so much the lack of circulation that bothers me [[and I'm a transportation engineer, that's saying something), but the fact that they don't take care of the area. Planters on multiple sides of the building have had significant damage for years, and the area along the south side of the building is a whole hot mess...i actually had to file a blight complaint about garbage and illegal dumping in the sidewalk area a few years back. they have picnic tables/outdoor seating on the south side as well, but they're clearly an afterthought that were thrown out there 15 years ago.

As with the federal courthouse down the street, GSA needs to become a better community steward of this property.