Rosa Parks Transit Center Almost Ready

The sails have been hoisted and the maiden voyage is set for July 14th with a grand opening celebration.

Hygienic Dress League

Coming soon to the Charlevoix Building?

Tricentennial Park Extension

Things are looking good at the wetlands extension between Rivard Plaza and the Harbor. This just might end up being my favorite section of the RiverWalk.

Lafayette Building Next to Fall

The 1923 C. Howard Crane designed Lafayette Building could meet the wrecking ball within the next two weeks thanks to a unanimous vote by the Detroit Downtown Development Authority. Detroit-based Adamo Demolition Company will eliminate the historic building for a fee of $1,445,888. The building will be replaced by a "pocket park" of grass and shrubbery.

Red Bull Air Race: Windsor 2009 Practice Session

Hockeytown Throw-Down (Pre-Game)

New Use for Franklin Furniture Building

The Thompson Education Foundation and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan recently announced funding for a 94,000 square-foot high school tied to the University Prep Science and Math Middle School in Detroit. The Albert Kahn designed Franklin Furniture building in Rivertown will be renovated to house the high school in time for the 2010-2011 school year.

The building as it looks today.

Click over to Model D for the rendering.

West On Bagley

Historical photo from Virtual Motor City

July, 2004

June, 2009

Rosa Parks Transit Center Sails=Fail

The first of the Transit Center's canopies went up this week and it has already been shredded by the high winds and rain from Wednesday night's thunderstorms. The center is already behind schedule and over budget. One can only guess how much this failure is going to set the project back.

Hot Fudge Detroit has the coverage.

Beyond Greektown

Shield's Pizza to Abandon Detroit Again?

Over two and a half years ago Shield's Pizza announced their return to the city after an absence of two decades. Work began in the lobby of the Kales building, but as the months went by, numerous opening day announcements went unmet.

In June of 2008 Owner Paul Andoni addressed the delays. Apparently, construction stalled due to an issue with the exhaust ventilation that necessitated the installation of a 19-story shaft to the roof. At that time it Andoni stated that the restaurant would open by mid-September.

Nearly a year later, it is apparent that no further work has been done on the restaurant. At the begining of April the site was in the same unfinished state that it had been when Andoni made his most recent proclimation. A sign on the door states "construction has been haulted." It remains to be seen if Shield's will ever return to downtown Detroit.