New tallest building in Detroit (Hudson: rent, new construction, contractors)

[Retroit]

Just heard on the news (WJR) that Dan Gilbert is going to build a skyscraper taller than the RenCen. No links yet.

It must be this (from March): http://www.freep.com/story/money/bus...ance/98641776/

I have to laugh at this article. It's all about how difficult it is to build in a dowtown area due to parking and construction trailers. Hmmm...other cities do it all the time. Is Detroit really that out of touch?

[Coldjensens]

It is difficult to build in most cities due to limited lay-down and delivery area, crane locations, traffic,etc. You frequently have to employ just on time delivery of materials and equipment, have a complex elevator/lift use schedule, and some clever ideas. Then one supplier or subcontractor messes up or simply refuses to follow the plan and everything comes apart and has to be re-done. Usually you have to assign your best people to projects in a city.

Detroit is not as tight as other cities because there is some open space, many roads are broad and traffic is not bad at all. I think the footings/foundation for this building are already in, if so, the hardest part is done. Hopefully they laid in utilities when they put in Q line.

I do not know who i building this building (not us ) but it takes a good project manager to build something big in a city. Your planning and organization needs to be nearly perfect. Contractors lose their tails with some frequency when building in cities due to logistics problems.

[Retroit]

You raised the point of the foundation. I'm wondering if the foundation for a building the size of the Hudson building can be reused for this new building? It seems to me like the bigger the building, the more substantial a foundation is needed.

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by Retroit

You raised the point of the foundation. I'm wondering if the foundation for a building the size of the Hudson building can be reused for this new building? It seems to me like the bigger the building, the more substantial a foundation is needed.

Not necessarily. It depends on the structure of the ground underneath as well as the actual shape of the building.

In general, any modern major high rise is going to have foundations that extend to bedrock, the most solid rock underground. Depending on the region, the bedrock can be hundreds of feet underground or sometimes exist at ground level. In Detroit, bedrock is about 110 to 120 something feet below the surface of which Dan Gilbert's high rise will extend down to. The original Hudson's Building had foundations that were only 40 feet deep.

The Hudson's was also wider than it was tall, so most of the weight of the building could be spread out over a greater area not requiring as deep foundations. Gilbert's tower is relatively thin but very tall which means a lot of weight over a small footprint. Therefore, the Hudson's original foundations (which they mostly removed after demolition by the way) wouldn't be able to support Gilbert's high rise.

[jaynarie]

I believe the current footings and underground parking structure have to be redone. If I remember correctly, I do not think they were designed to build that large of a building.
I know a few people who currently rent a monthly spot in the Premier Parking garage and they haven't heard anything to my knowledge. That is a lot of people who are going to have to find alternate parking.

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by jaynarie

I believe the current footings and underground parking structure have to be redone. If I remember correctly, I do not think they were designed to build that large of a building.
I know a few people who currently rent a monthly spot in the Premier Parking garage and they haven't heard anything to my knowledge. That is a lot of people who are going to have to find alternate parking.

At the very least, they have until December to do so because that's when they're supposed to start work on it. It might end up being sooner.

[MS313]

The city approved the new tallest building in Michigan, but there's some good news and bad news. The bad news is the building design has changed, to be more bland. The good news? the height has changed, it's going to be Detroit's first 800ft tower... so I am happy about that although I'm pissed about the new design.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by MS313

The city approved the new tallest building in Michigan, but there's some good news and bad news. The bad news is the building design has changed, to be more bland. The good news? the height has changed, it's going to be Detroit's first 800ft tower... so I am happy about that although I'm pissed about the new design.

For the most part, out sociecty only knows how to build glass rectangles nowdyas. You will see all sorts of neato design on paper, but after budgeting and value engineering, you will get another glass rectangle, then another, and yet another. At least Detroit has some nicer architecture to break up the forest of glass boxes.. Newer citiies with wall to wall glass rectangles tend to look really awful. Not sure if it is lazy uncreative architects, cheapo developers, regulations, but they have rarely built anything worth looking at in the past 40 years. There are soem exceptions once in a while, but they are rare

[MS313]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

For the most part, out sociecty only knows how to build glass rectangles nowdyas. You will see all sorts of neato design on paper, but after budgeting and value engineering, you will get another glass rectangle, then another, and yet another. At least Detroit has some nicer architecture to break up the forest of glass boxes.. Newer citiies with wall to wall glass rectangles tend to look really awful. Not sure if it is lazy uncreative architects, cheapo developers, regulations, but they have rarely built anything worth looking at in the past 40 years. There are soem exceptions once in a while, but they are rare

Yea America as a whole is getting boring af, I seen pictures of already built skyscrapers in cities overseas and by American standards, those cities look like their about 100 years into the future with some of their buildings. I knew it was going to be a glass tower but I didn't mind it because it was a nice curvy glass building, now? just another tall building. It won't even stand out 5 years after it's built because there will probably be a few more glass buildings built by then.

It's funny I just read a article yesterday from the Chicago Tribune talking about how Chicago is losing it's architectural reputation because most of the new construction is boring. As a person who always loved tall buildings as a kid it's kind of sad.

Here's the pic of the new rendering. More good news it will have a observation deck.

[Coldjensens]

It will get blander yet. This is still in the dreaming phase. By the time VE is done, it will have all the grace and beauty of the Greektown Casino. Even the Butt Ugly Compuware building has some style to it. They made an attempt. A failed attempt, but at least they tried. Now we are moving on to no style whatsoever.

We are in danger of turning the Paris of the West into Houston.

(Where is the vomit emoji).