WSU to build $93 million biotech hub

[Gistok]

WSU is not exactly a whiz at streetwall architecture... look at the University Towers near The Whitney Restaurant.... no streetwall for any street with that tower...

[Detroitnerd]

WSU is not exactly a whiz at streetwall architecture... look at the University Towers near The Whitney Restaurant.... no streetwall for any street with that tower...

Yeah. I don't understand WSU's priorities. They want to be an urban research university. Yet they apparently want their new addition to look like a Kohl's?

[Pcm]

For what it's worth, Preservation Detroit said on their FB wall that they have contacted Wayne State about the demo of the ABEI building. Also, sign the petition!

http://www.change.org/petitions/wayn...-a-parking-lot

[downtownguy]

For what it's worth, Preservation Detroit said on their FB wall that they have contacted Wayne State about the demo of the ABEI building.

When was that posted, Pcm? I'd like to add my comment to their FB page, but I don't see the post. I'm having a hard time adjusting to the new FB format.

[Richard]

My thinking is that they are going to do what are are going to do and already have the new building plans drawn up,worse case scenario would be to push to incorporate the existing facade into the new building,meet them halfway,it is not uncommon for cities to issue demolition permits for historic buildings but requiring that the street front remains. But that would require a bit of creativity.

[Pcm]

When was that posted, Pcm? I'd like to add my comment to their FB page, but I don't see the post. I'm having a hard time adjusting to the new FB format.

This was posted on Tuesday. The best way to wade through the muck of Facebook's new design is to click the Highlight button, right in the center of the page, then click "Posts by Others". See photo.

[downtownguy]

This was posted on Tuesday. The best way to wade through the muck of Facebook's new design is to click the Highlight button, right in the center of the page, then click "Posts by Others". See photo.

Whaddya know? Thanks for the tip. Actually, the problem was I was looking on the Preservation Detroit site, not Preservation Wayne. Facebook sucks when you change names or merge. There's no way to carry your "likes" and posts over to a new site.

[Pcm]

Curbed Detroit has a writeup today of a super cool loft in the Graphic Arts lofts, next door to the American Beauty building. There's a couple of shots with the AB outside the window.

I bet if you asked the dweller of this apartment [[formerly Architect Marc Couillais, the space is for rent now) if he'd prefer a parking lot outside his window, I'm sure he'd say no.

Also, sign the petition to save the American Beauty building:

http://www.change.org/petitions/wayn...urface-parking

[Pcm]

Wayne State looks to bridge research and entrepreneurs with new bio-tech building

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Once planned to be the TechTwo small business incubator, the old Dalgleish Cadillac building in New Center is now set to become the future home of Wayne State University's Multidisciplinary Biomedical Research Building.

The university plans to begin renovating the former Cadillac dealership's 196,500 gross square feet in size into a research center shared by researchers from both the university and Henry Ford Health System this year. The new $93 million facility will also be a hot spot for entrepreneurs from the TechTown business accelerator across the street looking to commercialize new bio-technologies developed there.

"This is the most exciting thing I have been involved with in a while," says Allan Gilmour, president of Wayne State University. This is the biggest development project Wayne State has taken on in its existence. It is about 50 percent more expensive than the $66.6 million College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences building, which held the record until this project.

The Multidisciplinary Biomedical Research Building will house Wayne State University programs in cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity, systems biology, bioinformatics and computational biology, behavioral translational science and biomedical engineering. Henry Ford Health System will move its bone and joint center and motion analysis lab into the building.

The building will provide enough laboratory space for Wayne State University to support 48 principal investigators and their teams. It will house approximately 425 workers when it become fully operational.

The project scope will renovate and re-purpose the 127,700 gross square feet of existing space in the Albert Kahn-designed building. It will also build an additional 75,000 gross square feet of a new companion building fronting Woodward Avenue and raze the adjacent American Beauty and Iron Works building. The demolition is set to begin in July and construction will start in November. The university expects to complete the project by 2015.

Source: Allan Gilmour, president of Wayne State University
Writer: Jon Zemke

http://www.modeldmedia.com/devnews/w...ing042412.aspx

[Pcm]

http://www.change.org/petitions/wayn...urface-parking

We're approaching the 150 signature mark on the petition to stop the demolition of the American Beauty building. Thanks for your support, and pass it along!