Major Downtown/Midtown/Corktown Developments! (Detroit, Grand Rapids: radio, basement, locations)

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by Geo-Aggie

Nah, Detroit developed differently from cities like NYC, Boston, SF, and to a point even Chicago - these cities were restricted by geography (bays, rivers, lakes) where Detroit has the river on the south but then essentially extends to infinity going in every other direction. Because of this there was no need to spend a lot and build up, when we could instead spend a little and build out.

Unfortunately this also lead to the decline of Detroit as there was no end to how far out we could go. Your 1890s home in Core City only has 2 bedrooms? Just move out to a 3 bedroom pad in New Center! Oh, your 1910's home in New center isn't set up for a car and modern electricity? No problem - head to Bagley! Ah, but your 1930s home in Bagley isn't optimally laid out for the post-war lifestyle? Berkley is developing, why not build a new place there! Ah, I see your 1950s Berkley home has a smaller lot and an detached garage, why not move to Troy where you can park your cars inside your house and never use an icky public park because your backyard is the size of one! Your Troy colonial doesn't have a great room or a built in eating nook? Rochester Hills is a good town.. and it just goes on and on, which is why I'm a huge advocate against no developing places like Lyon, Milford, Oakland, etc. Other cities were restricted by geography and urban planning and in some ways less optimal transit systems (go figure, the motor vehicle contributed to the demise of the motor city..), so they built up, or bulldozed and upgraded - but not in Detroit. In Detroit we just keep moving on to the next new thing.

The other thing is some of those cities boomed a lot earlier than Detroit. When Chicago crossed 1 million residents, Detroit was still under 120,000. There were actually still a number of other Midwestern cities larger than Detroit at the time and most Midwestern cities aren't limited by geography.

In fact, the interesting thing with Detroit's early 1900s boom is that it nearly coincided with the apparent starting growth of some Sun Belt cities, most closely with that of Los Angeles. Not too many cities in the Rust Belt followed the same trend. Of course, Detroit diverged from the trend of Sun Belt cities post 60s and began to decline.

It is probably more accurate that Detroit wasn't as dense as other cities because motor vehicle usage made suburban expansion more widespread, but as far as why Detroit didn't have as many high rises is slightly different, I believe.

Fact is, manufacturing companies don't build high rises. Most downtown high rises in any city are populated with law firms, banks, administrative offices, etc. For example, GM is a global company yet the Ren Cen is really the only major high rise they have. Everything else under GM is either a factory or large campus for testing and development. Bank of America? There's at least one high rises in every major US city with their name on it. Detroit had some notable banks and indeed most of the tallest built were by banks or other financial institutions during the 1920s. However, there were a ton more car companies only they build factories, not high rises. And GM is an exception because it's so insanely large as a manufacturing company.

[MS313]

Originally Posted by Indentured Servant

I think the main reason that cities have skyscrapers is for prestige and ego. Yes, in land locked super dense areas like Manhattan and San Fran, that is what made sense. Chicago just did not want to be in the shadow of NYC and wanted to compete with their skyline and to have the tallest building. Detroit just seemed to never have a vision.....at least not its business leaders. Now......fortunately there are business leaders who have a vision for Detroit and you can see the difference that makes.

Yeah Detroit for decades never even attempted to compete nor do anything impressive. Hell, everything Detroit and it's suburbs have now is no thanks at all to the local government. Unlike Chicago where even when it's declining they still have a vision.

Battlehouse Tower cheats. It has a big spike on top to make it taller than it really is. (Of courste it is probably not 22' of spike).

Why doesMbile do with a tower of that size? Is there some company based there?

Those spires on top are really getting out of control (like the one in NYC that's now taller than the Sears tower only because of the spire). It won't be long before the "tallest" building in the world is a 5 story building in Kalamazoo with a spire that stretches halfway to the space station.

[brodie734]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Battlehouse Tower cheats. It has a big spike on top to make it taller than it really is. (Of courste it is probably not 22' of spike).

Why doesMbile do with a tower of that size? Is there some company based there?

It houses pretty much all of the businesses in the city. It's a one size fits all thing.

I actually quite like Battlehouse Tower and would welcome something similar architecturally... it is modern but draws so much influence from mid-century skyscrapers like the ESB and Chrysler Building that it would look perfect in our skyline.

[usroute10]

New Hostel for Midtown

The below 1924 Arts & Crafts-influenced apartment building, across the street from the Masonic Temple, will be re-developed into a 60-room hostel with restaurant/bar space on the ground level



http://detroit.curbed.com/2017/3/13/...-cass-corridor

[Coldjensens]

Interesting to see the Q line doing practice runs today. I was wondering if it would shut down when it snowed.

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Interesting to see the Q line doing practice runs today. I was wondering if it would shut down when it snowed.

Nope. It's going to operate in all weather. Though if it snowed hard enough and everything else downtown was shut down then yea most likely the QLine would shut down too or at least have limited service for the day.

[usernameunavailable]

Originally Posted by animatedmartian

Nope. It's going to operate in all weather. Though if it snowed hard enough and everything else downtown was shut down then yea most likely the QLine would shut down too or at least have limited service for the day.

When is the QLine scheduled to open?

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by usernameunavailable

When is the QLine scheduled to open?

Passenger service will start May 12th.

[MS313]

I always thought Greektown needed something similar to this.
Bar-arcade combo coming to Downtown Detroit this spring

Developer made add 6 stories on top of the First Independence Bank and also wants to replicate "The Belt" in another alleyway
Developer explores building six floors atop two-story Downtown Detroit building | MLive.com
Developer looks to replicate 'The Belt' in another Detroit alleyway | MLive.com

[usroute10]

‘Selden Innovation Corridor’ planned for Midtown street

A plan to transform a block of Selden in Midtown Detroit into a corridor that offers low-cost space for entrepreneurs as well as residential and retail space got a boost Tuesday. The project, called “Selden Innovation Corridor,” would feature new restaurants and a manufacturing space by luxury-goods maker Shinola. Also, a 2-story addition to the top of the building will house apartments

‘Selden Innovation Corridor’ planned for Midtown street

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