  Stephenvb Member Username: Stephenvb Post Number: 32 Registered: 02-2006 |
I had the opportunity to tour the construction site last week and snapped a few photos. It was dark, and I'm not a professional photographer, but I'm sure quite a few of you will appreciate just how much has changed on the inside of the building. The scope of this renovation is humbling. Visit Critical Detroit to view the photos. | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 1023 Registered: 10-2006 |
Thanks! It's always great to see stuff as it is happening. I loved that piece of the cornice work in the 11th photo. Also FYI the 19th photo's description says "Times Square" but it is actually Capitol Park that you are looking at... | ||
Tkelly1986 Member Username: Tkelly1986 Post Number: 294 Registered: 01-2004 |
wow, that was completely gutted....nothing was left it seems. | ||
Esp Member Username: Esp Post Number: 63 Registered: 09-2005 |
Are they recreating the interior? | ||
Scs100 Member Username: Scs100 Post Number: 1038 Registered: 12-2006 |
From what I have seen and remember, they are trying to recreate the interior. | ||
Alexei289 Member Username: Alexei289 Post Number: 1303 Registered: 11-2004 |
atleast if their goin to do it... they might as well do it right... nobody is goin to care if its new or old plaster.. as long as it looks the same... Personally im not a fan of black mold... | ||
Hans57 Member Username: Hans57 Post Number: 124 Registered: 05-2006 |
I can't wait to see the Italian Garden with my very own eyes. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 2785 Registered: 02-2005 |
This renovation is truly inspiring. | ||
Scs100 Member Username: Scs100 Post Number: 1040 Registered: 12-2006 |
I have to remember to tag it in a photo as the "World's Largest Restoration Project" | ||
Stephenvb Member Username: Stephenvb Post Number: 33 Registered: 02-2006 |
Sorry about the incorrect reference to Times Square. It's been fixed. This project really is inspiring. I never walked through before the renovation, but walking through now, you'll notice several hundred steel plates on each floor. The steel contractors spent the first several months putting plates down (and anchoring them) over all the holes in the floor. When you think about the logistics for completing just this task on all 28 floors, you get a sense for the enormous hurdles in dealing with this project. I personally applaud the developers dedication and especially all the contractor's efforts in seeing this project through after seeing what I saw last week. | ||
Eric_c Member Username: Eric_c Post Number: 977 Registered: 11-2003 |
Not to nit-pick, but if it's easy to make a change, "View up Griswold" should actually be "View up State". Thanks for sharing. | ||
Stephenvb Member Username: Stephenvb Post Number: 34 Registered: 02-2006 |
No problem. Thanks for pointing out my errors. I'd rather have the information correct. | ||
Catman_dude Member Username: Catman_dude Post Number: 142 Registered: 03-2006 |
It seems like the sub-basements were under water at one time...so much rust. Are they going to re-do the basement and sub-basements? It'd be nice to clean the walls and spray paint a couple of coats of white paint down there. | ||
Stephenvb Member Username: Stephenvb Post Number: 35 Registered: 02-2006 |
One of the guys I was with had been in the building earlier (under auspicious terms) and said that the entire sub basement 2 was under water. He could see the equipment, which looked like shipwrecks, under water. While we were there, demolition crews were torching one of the units. I presume they all will be removed. | ||
Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie Post Number: 982 Registered: 11-2003 |
Tkelly1986 wrote, "wow, that was completely gutted....nothing was left it seems." Some significant stuff (parts of original decorative ceilings, hunks of detailed walls) were actually left, but was all removed during the renovation. It was too damaged to repair, or too expensive. | ||
Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie Post Number: 983 Registered: 11-2003 |
Oops. I should have said, "Some significant stuff...WAS actually left." Considering that I've corrected other forum members on their grammar, I have to be careful to apply the same standards to myself! | ||
Wolverine Member Username: Wolverine Post Number: 324 Registered: 04-2004 |
These were some excellent photos. The images of the mechanical room are shocking. Renovating that, I'd have no clue where to start. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 4347 Registered: 08-2004 |
The Italian Garden and Grand Ballroom will be restored to some semblence of their 1924 interior. The main lobby will probably have some 1924 restorations, such as hopefully the ornate plaster ceiling that survived to this day above the drop ceilings of the 1950's renovations. Other public spaces, such as the opulent Venetian Dining Room (modernized in late 1930's) will probably not be restored to their original appearance. But we'll wait and see... But a lot of ornate plasterwork will be included in the restorations of the public spaces. There are several companies around the country (such as Conrad Schimitt Studios) that specialize in ornate theatre and church restorations, that can recreate these spaces. | ||
Mallory Member Username: Mallory Post Number: 115 Registered: 05-2006 |
Incredible pictures. As one of the naysayers when the project was first announced, my size 11.5 foot is firmly entrenched in my mouth. Seriously, thank you for the updates. As a former Detroiter who still takes great pride in the city I grew up in, I am in awe of this project and can't wait for other companies to start following suit. | ||
Dan Member Username: Dan Post Number: 1402 Registered: 10-2003 |
Unfortunately the Italian Garden will not have the cool glass ceiling with lights that changed with time of day. | ||
Stephenvb Member Username: Stephenvb Post Number: 36 Registered: 02-2006 |
I also got my hands on a 20 minute video from a 2002 contractor walk-thru. This video is incredible as it shows the pre-renovation condition (in 2002). Does anybody have any tips for converting a Windows Media (.wmv) file into flash video (.flv) on a Mac? | ||
Michmeister Member Username: Michmeister Post Number: 190 Registered: 10-2006 |
Awesome pics, fellah, I would like to see a beginning to end documentary on such an overwhelming project.Is something like that being done? Would have been a good idea for the discovery channel. | ||
Ericsprague Member Username: Ericsprague Post Number: 11 Registered: 02-2006 |
This would help you view a .wmv on a Mac, but I'm not sure if it can create a .flv. http://www.microsoft.com/mac/o therproducts/otherproducts.asp x?pid=windowsmedia | ||
Rrl Member Username: Rrl Post Number: 825 Registered: 12-2003 |
Thanks for sharing man, good stuff. A couple observations: in picture 28 of the Italian Garden, the original floor seems to still be intact. I would assume it's beyond reuse, but able to be replicated? in picture 14 of new utilities rough-in, I'm a little surprised they're using PVC stacks rather than cast-iron. It was my understanding that multi-story commercial work will not allow PVC (for off-gasing in fire conditions), and for sound sake I wouldn't think you would want to use it. POST-EDIT: OK, I went back and looked at pic 14 again, there are indeed parallel vertical cast iron stacks adjacent to the PVC, I believe the PVC are only being utilized as vent stacks, so the sound issue stated earlier is moot. The off-gasing in fire however... (Message edited by rrl on May 21, 2007) | ||
Stephenvb Member Username: Stephenvb Post Number: 38 Registered: 02-2006 |
You can't see the water lines well enough in the pictures, but it was all push-together (victaulic-type) pressure connections that have to be crimped to complete the joint. It was exquisite. As an architect, I would consider leaving it exposed, it looked that nice. Well, maybe not the hot water... |
