Glass and Steel

Cobo Center

Fail Jail on the Clock

A decision on what to do with Wayne County's financial albatross is expected next week.

Z-Shots

Dan Gilbert's first new build within the city of Detroit is showing noticeable progress along the site's Broadway frontage. Curbed Detroit has speculated that Iron Chef Michael Symon has been targeted to open up a B Spot burger joint inside the Z.

Transformers

Crews are working at the Statler site to transform the area near Grand Circus Park into a Hong Kong street set for the filming of Transformers 4.  Cameras are scheduled to roll on June 19.

New Wayne County Jail - Not So Fast

Word came out today that the Wayne County has initiated discussions with Dan Gilbert's Rock Ventures, exploring the possibility of the company purchasing the new Wayne County Jail construction site from the county. This comes after the county has already spent over $100 million on the partially built jail.

A Grand Opening

Whole Foods Detroit has set its grand opening for June 5, 2013.  WXYZ's Detroit 20/20 has a preview.

Nouveau Ruins?

A certain never completed Brush Park development was found exposed to the elements last month.  Construction began in 2007, but the site sits abandoned today having never been occupied.  How long will it be before it is reclaimed by nature?

Whole Foods - Midtown

Opening Spring, 2013

Cobo Phase III

Infill

With the completion of the redeveolpment of the David Broderick Tower, the owners have finally filled the gap between the tower and the neighboring building.  The adjacent restaurant space had collapsed in 2008 and was used as a staging area during the Broderick's conversion to apartments.

Skinned

The walls are going up on The Auburn.

Back to Nature

This well intended but ill-conceived homestead, which was constructed in 2008, has been reclaimed by the St. Aubin-Chene Prairie.

The Auburn

Work has started on the latest addition to Midtown.  The Auburn,  named after the car company that once had a dealership on the site, is a mixed use development that will add 58 market rate rental units and 9,000 square feet of retail to the corner of Canfield and Cass this fall.

Jeffries East Becomes Cornerstone Estates

The low-rise Jefferies East housing project was torn down in 2008.  Work proceeds on the site today as it continues its transformation into Cornerstone Estates, a 180-unit mixed-income affordable housing rental development.

Cobo Center Recap

A look back at the 25,000 a square foot addition to the rear of Wayne Hall that was completed in time for the 2012 North American International Autoshow.

Little House on the Urban Prairie

I spotted this house under construction in 2008. It was built just east of Eastern Market by two graduates of the master's program at the Cranbook Academy of Art as part of their thesis project on affordable single family housing. The 900 Square foot home had a budget of $60,000 and was constructed using cinder blocks and a rubber-coated roof.

Nothing Special at Capitol Park

The reconstruction of Capitol Park is complete and I will have to agree with the majority opinion, it is nothing special.  I was underwhelmed by the design when I walked through it last week.  The one thing that it did have going for it was the lack a homeless people milling about.  If the new park is to become a catalyst for the regeneration of that section of downtown, as intended, that is an important first step.

Port Authority Terminal Almost Ready to Weigh Anchor

The Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority Public Dock and Passenger Terminal will debut next month. Final preparations are underway and the first cruise ship is set to dock in July.

Detroit Port Authority Terminal

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.