  Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 1882 Registered: 07-2004 |
I make it down to the riverfront about once a week. I find the pace of development to be too slow. I know there was a recent story on the @Water development and the Riverwalk continues on its pace. However, I haven't seen any work concerning infrastructure upgrades. I haven't seen any announcements about housing north of Atwater Street. Understand, my concern has nothing to do with the Uniroyal site, Chene East, or Chene West. There are blocks of nothing between Atwater and Jefferson east of Rivard and west of Jos. Campau. Much of this land should still be in the hands of the city since it was bought up to use for the initial but failed riverfront casino area. What's taking so long to move this area forward? Is it simply because of the economy or the city budget deficit? Atlanta has redeveloped a former steel mill site called Atlantic Station(www.atlanticstation.com) which is includes townhouses, a movie complex, corporate businesses, and an IKEA. There clearly was a master plan to develop this former steel site. However, with our riverfront development, everything at this point appears to be piecemeal. Is riverfront development moving too slow for you or is it moving at an acceptable pace? How do you feel? (Message edited by royce on November 11, 2006) (Message edited by royce on November 11, 2006) | ||
French777 Member Username: French777 Post Number: 25 Registered: 10-2006 |
Yeah i think it is moving too slow but i live in the Burbs so i only get down their like 1once a month | ||
Jasoncw Member Username: Jasoncw Post Number: 280 Registered: 07-2005 |
I personally think everything goes to slow, but I think the reason this is going so slow is because of how big and complicated it is. They're not just making one building, they're making a bunch of them, and then they're all planned to work together So I think just that makes things more complex and longer to do. | ||
Taj920 Member Username: Taj920 Post Number: 149 Registered: 01-2004 |
Re-development in the city isn't like throwing up another walgreen's on Hall Road. | ||
Dtown1 Member Username: Dtown1 Post Number: 515 Registered: 08-2006 |
I disagree, thats the only development in the city I've been seeing. That and the strip malls and an occasional bank. Nothing that is major though. Those things are thrown up every single day in city limits of Detroit and basically some of the largest development I've seen besides the casinos. | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 28 Registered: 10-2006 |
Not sure exactly how to put this, but the slower it goes the better, to a certain extent. Nobody wants it to be half-ass. Also, since they aren't 'cookie cutter' type projects they take time. Some might think that any development in Detroit is good, but this is the riverfront! It should take a long time to get everything worked out and done correctly. | ||
Dtown1 Member Username: Dtown1 Post Number: 518 Registered: 08-2006 |
How long will that be. Will it be before Armageddon??????? or the year 2050 (not comparing or combining the two) | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 30 Registered: 10-2006 |
Well basically, every community/neighbrohood/distric t should have its own resolve/solutions for its area. Therefore, any urban design/planning/architecture/ development project would ideally be unique. This area and these sites are some of the most different from the ordinary. Therefore, they will probably take longer than most other projects might. Not sure how long it will take for the Chene Park Riverfront area up to Jefferson down to the Ren Cen and over to River Place for it to be done, but I would venture a guess of 20 years. | ||
Fishtoes2000 Member Username: Fishtoes2000 Post Number: 145 Registered: 06-2005 |
Developed trails take time. Michigan's first rail-trail, the Paint Creek Trail, took 10 years. It's been six years since the initial planning started for Clinton River Trail and Macomb Orchard Trails -- neither are completed. And given the complexity of the Riverfront project, it's moving much faster than I would have imagined. | ||
Jasoncw Member Username: Jasoncw Post Number: 283 Registered: 07-2005 |
We're talking about GM's riverfront developement, not the Dequindre Cut trail. | ||
Rocket_city Member Username: Rocket_city Post Number: 132 Registered: 04-2006 |
Imagine being among the first to sign the papers for a condo at the Ellington. As someone who is expecting to move in there (not me...others), you have to wonder if this is a one-man job and WTF is taking so long to get tenants moved in. | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 1885 Registered: 07-2004 |
Jasoncw, I'm talking about the GM development and everything east to River Place on Jos. Campau. | ||
Jasoncw Member Username: Jasoncw Post Number: 285 Registered: 07-2005 |
Yeah, I was telling Fishtoes2000 that. | ||
Dds Member Username: Dds Post Number: 17 Registered: 10-2006 |
Actually, It's not the Riverfront development (or lack thereof) that bothers me. It's the fact that there are numerous neighborhoods that will never be developed, or never benefit from the current development. Does everybody really believe that luxury condos downtown will eventually lead to new housing being built in the surreal war-like areas surrounding City Airport? (or other areas in the same shape for that matter) | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 349 Registered: 04-2006 |
Its the economy. GM is not exactly in build mode right now. With all the layoffs it would not surprise me if they start looking for sub-leases for the RenCen space they currently have. GM is not in a position to do much besides its core business. They are even selling off its stakeholder status some of its more profitable divisions such as GMAC. | ||
Archy Member Username: Archy Post Number: 27 Registered: 07-2004 |
The other sites in the bricktown/rivertown area that are owned by the city will go out for proposals as soon as Chene East, West, and Atwater North and South begin to take shape. The DDA wants something in the ground to promote to other developers. I have also heard that many of the funds to redevelop the infrastructure will come from the land costs of the currently proposed projects. This could become quite a booming area. | ||
Dds Member Username: Dds Post Number: 18 Registered: 10-2006 |
Bricktown and Rivertown are two different areas, aren't they? My understanding was that Bricktown is where Flood's and BCBSM are located. | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 1887 Registered: 07-2004 |
True, Dds, but that doesn't deflect from the insightful information. | ||
Irish_mafia Member Username: Irish_mafia Post Number: 656 Registered: 10-2003 |
Yes | ||
Archy Member Username: Archy Post Number: 28 Registered: 07-2004 |
Yes I agree I meant to say btw bricktown and rivertown...or whats now known as the East riverfront...sorry for the confusion. | ||
Bvos Member Username: Bvos Post Number: 2073 Registered: 10-2003 |
If you think things are going slow, put your money where your mouth is and invest some of your own money in the projects. As stated above, these are incredibly complicated real estate deals. Many of them have multiple layers of tax incentives and government regulated grants to make them work. This means a bit of extra time is needed to break ground, but the wait will be well worth it. There's a reason a strip mall can go up within a matter of months and a truly unique project can take a few years to open. | ||
Erikd Member Username: Erikd Post Number: 761 Registered: 10-2003 |
There has been much progress on the riverfront over the last 2 years. The Riverwalk section behind the RenCen opened two years ago. Demolition of the 3 cement silos started just a year ago, and the construction through these areas has moved pretty quickly. The Riverwalk has been completed up to Rivard, and the next section will be open within a few months. There has also been much infrastructure work done over the last couple years. The area from the RenCen to Rivard, and the Riverfront to Franklin, has been completely overhauled with new water and sewer lines, new streetlights, new sidewalks, and new streets. Clearing the sites and upgrading the infrastructure are the first steps towards the riverfront redevelopment. The new residential/commercial/office buildings are the next step. It is unrealistic to expect high-end projects to happen before the land is cleared and the infrastructure is upgraded. Nobody is going to build a new luxury condo tower next to a pair of cement silos, surrounded with potholed streets and burned-out streetlights. | ||
Dds Member Username: Dds Post Number: 21 Registered: 10-2006 |
I didn't think trying to make the details clear detracted from any information. Sorry. | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 1892 Registered: 07-2004 |
Ericd, the infrastructure work you discussed is for GMs planned development. However, what about infrastructure upgrades east of Rivard, especially in the areas that the city clearly owns? | ||
Apbest Member Username: Apbest Post Number: 275 Registered: 03-2006 |
my guess is that will probably come along as the other developments get further towards breaking ground like Brush Park, didnt recieve its major infrastructure overhaul until now despite the development that occured before | ||
Tetsua Member Username: Tetsua Post Number: 881 Registered: 01-2004 |
Well, shovels are not yet in the ground but here's some updates in riverfront news. http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs .dll/article?AID=/20061115/NEW S99/61115022 http://www.crainsdetroit.com/a pps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/2006 1115/REG/311150008/1039/FREE |
