Saturday, January 30, 2010
Winter at the William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor
The extension to the former Tricentennial State Park and Harbor is now open.
North Woodward Garden Block Development (Updated)
Restoration and redevelopment are speeding along on the west side of Woodward between Mack and Warren. The C. Howard Crane designed Garden Theater (1912) will be returned to is original use as a theater and the Blue Moon Building will be renovated to house a restaurant. Gone are several blighted buildings on the block. A new, three-story building containing retail and commercial space as well as a 300-space parking garage will rise to take their place.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Caille Brothers Building
In 1888 the Caille Brothers invented and patented coin-slot devices which resulted in establishment of penny arcades. The brothers moved from Saginaw to Detroit in 1895 and worked out of this factory to establish their slot machine empire. 500 people worked there and it was the largest plant in the world for manufacture of coin controlled machines. Later they expanded their product line to include other items such as marine motors, scales, and the conveyor belts used in grocery stores. The Caille Brothers Company maintained branch offices in New York, Chicago and Paris. The Building has been transformed into phase two of the Lofts at New Amsterdam.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
71 Garfield
Garfield Manor at 71 Garfield has been converted into combined housing and studio space for artists. It will contain 20 residential units and 20 studios. The complex is green. Geothermal, solar and wind and water retention systems will reduce net energy consumption and the waste stream to near zero.
*Note* Please ignore the color differences in the brick. I'm not sure how much the difference is from clean up or from my exposure.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Whitewash
Rather than doing any substantial work on Film Exchange Building, the owner decided to dump a few hundred gallons of white paint on the building and call it a day.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Piquette Square
Work is wrapping up on Piquette Square, a 150-unit, four-story, mixed-use development being built on the site of the Studebaker Factory in Milwaukee-Junction. The building will provide housing for homeless veterans and supportive services, as well as ground floor commercial space.
The Studebaker site after the factory was destroyed by fire in June, 2005.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Huntington Hotel Fire Aftermath
Fire destroyed this five-story building in Midtown on New Year's Eve. Three people died in the blaze which was caused by a drunken man who used a lit piece of paper to light a cigarette.
Buildings of Detroit has some footage of the fire.
Well Played Mr. Moroun! Well Played!
Land sale may complicate plans for bridge
JOHN GALLAGHER
Detroit Free Press
Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel (Matty) Moroun has acquired a big parcel of land in southwest Detroit in a move that could complicate plans to build a rival bridge project there.
Moroun’s Central Transport has purchased the former Yellow Freight truck terminal at 7701 W. Jefferson, Moroun spokesman Phil Frame said today....
The approach ramps for the planned Detroit River International Crossing bridge project between Windsor and Detroit would cross one corner of the parcel. DRIC is a joint project by the governments of Michigan, Ontario, the United States and Canada to build a new publicly owned bridge from Detroit’s Delray district to Windsor....
JOHN GALLAGHER
Detroit Free Press
Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel (Matty) Moroun has acquired a big parcel of land in southwest Detroit in a move that could complicate plans to build a rival bridge project there.
Moroun’s Central Transport has purchased the former Yellow Freight truck terminal at 7701 W. Jefferson, Moroun spokesman Phil Frame said today....
The approach ramps for the planned Detroit River International Crossing bridge project between Windsor and Detroit would cross one corner of the parcel. DRIC is a joint project by the governments of Michigan, Ontario, the United States and Canada to build a new publicly owned bridge from Detroit’s Delray district to Windsor....
Mr. Moroun's latest acquisition.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Brush Park Failure: 269 Winder
Another Crosswinds Fail
May, 2004
September, 2004
December, 2004
August, 2005
October, 2005
February, 2009
January, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Hip City Failure: 281 Erskine
The people bringing us Brush Park Village North and The Mack @ Brush Park planted their flag on this property in 2007 and it's all been down hill since. From the rendering, it looks like they have been letting nature do all of their demo work for them.
September, 2004
May, 2007
November, 2007
August, 2009
September, 2004
May, 2007
November, 2007
August, 2009
January, 2010