I seen both buildings today. I really think that the Capitol Phramacy building is going to be nice, getting those new windows in is really going to help the look of that building. But I'm really suprised with that Frisbees pizza building, I thought it would of been a lot harder to make that building look decent, but just painting it helped a lot.
BTW, just as a warning, the admin at UP can and do read personal messages sent to others. They were also mad that I sent people over here, I think it is sort of funny how they act over there.
Hood, you watching council, tonight? It looks like the Michigan Dental Association has asked for a special permit so that they can construct the additional two floors atop the Capitol View Building (not the garage). Maybe I heard wrong, but I swear that's what I heard.
I didn't watch it, but I had heard from my dad the the State was in talks with the Boji's to build additional floors. That probably was a misunderstanding, so having this come from two sources lends to it's credibility. We'll just have to wait and see.
Also from the Building Permits in the LSJ, 406 S Washington is getting a facade rennovation. This is the two storefronts south of the Greenhouse Bistro housing the Creole Cigar Factory and the old Capitol Fur. It's really great to see the 400 block being fixed up.
It is, though, I'd hope that it would spread all the way south to the freeway. I want to see that huge parking lot on the 500 block built on, if only the Washington frontage. Perhaps a parking garage can be built behind the storefronts to give NuUnion the parking they need.
BTW, the Michigan Dental Association is saying that they are going through due dillegence, and this will be brought before the public in Janurary. Looks like we won't have to wait long to hear about this. I'm still wondering exactly how the complex will look with two more floors added, and by that I mean what they will do with the roof.
I would assume they will follow throught with the origional design. Probaby fill in the area between floors 8 and 9 then remake that pattern between floors 10 and 11. Then I would assume they will make the sloped part look better.
The brick on the Michigan Resturaunt association building ended up looking great! It looks like that really old worn brick like you find on a few of the Old Town buildings, somewhat similar to the building next to the fish ladder but a bit darker. The design is pretty nice too.
I'm wondering what time the press conference about the MDA will be, the way they describe it as adding "millions in tax revenue" makes me wonder if its something a bit more than just adding a couple floors to Capitol View.
I heard NOTHING, today, about the MDA. How odd considering the LSJ jumped all over the conference. I didn't see anything of it on WLNS or WIlX, either. Hmmm...
Anyway, a few small updates from the PSD director:
1. A business called "Decker's Coffee" will open in one of the groundfloor storefronts of the old Frizbee's building that's currently under renovation nextdoor to Club Excel (across from The Firm). It has yet to be announced.
2. The "Association Project" is moving foward, but he won't reveal anything else as hard as I've cajoled him.
3. He's saying that the "big announcement" planned for January may actually be moved back to the end of the December, but would reveal nothing else, as usual and understandbly so.
I wonder what he means by saying the Association building is "moving along?" I wonder if that means it is actually becoming more definitive or it is simply taking baby steps. I couldn't even imagine what the big announcement may be, but I'm still very, very curious.
Also Bob Tresize said in the LSJ there is interest in the MDA building, for "residential or commercial use." It also said that the deal with the Boji's is not final but comfirmed that they would have to add two 15,000 sq ft floors to Capitol View to accomodate the MDA. It said that if the deal with Boji's falls through the tax incentives would still be valid for other downtown locations. Everything seems to be falling into place to make next big for downtown, and increasingly so in years to come.
I was under the impression that this was already a done deal. The LSJ article kind of puts this into doubt. It seems like the Boji Group is decidedly less enthusiased, at the moment, about than the MDA.
Wherever they decide to move, though, I hope the MDA Building goes residential (and they HAVE to have ground floor retail if they do this), as there is no way to revive North Washington Square without residential and retail. The reason the square faired so poorly over the years is that there is absolutely NO residential, or even ground floor retail, along the northern square save for Kositcheks. It's funny how much of a chasm there feels to be between LCC and South Washington Square despite it only being three blocks of separation. It feels like 20 blocks.
Comments
BTW, just as a warning, the admin at UP can and do read personal messages sent to others. They were also mad that I sent people over here, I think it is sort of funny how they act over there.
Also from the Building Permits in the LSJ, 406 S Washington is getting a facade rennovation. This is the two storefronts south of the Greenhouse Bistro housing the Creole Cigar Factory and the old Capitol Fur. It's really great to see the 400 block being fixed up.
BTW, the Michigan Dental Association is saying that they are going through due dillegence, and this will be brought before the public in Janurary. Looks like we won't have to wait long to hear about this. I'm still wondering exactly how the complex will look with two more floors added, and by that I mean what they will do with the roof.
I'm wondering what time the press conference about the MDA will be, the way they describe it as adding "millions in tax revenue" makes me wonder if its something a bit more than just adding a couple floors to Capitol View.
Anyway, a few small updates from the PSD director:
1. A business called "Decker's Coffee" will open in one of the groundfloor storefronts of the old Frizbee's building that's currently under renovation nextdoor to Club Excel (across from The Firm). It has yet to be announced.
2. The "Association Project" is moving foward, but he won't reveal anything else as hard as I've cajoled him.
3. He's saying that the "big announcement" planned for January may actually be moved back to the end of the December, but would reveal nothing else, as usual and understandbly so.
Also Bob Tresize said in the LSJ there is interest in the MDA building, for "residential or commercial use." It also said that the deal with the Boji's is not final but comfirmed that they would have to add two 15,000 sq ft floors to Capitol View to accomodate the MDA. It said that if the deal with Boji's falls through the tax incentives would still be valid for other downtown locations. Everything seems to be falling into place to make next big for downtown, and increasingly so in years to come.
Wherever they decide to move, though, I hope the MDA Building goes residential (and they HAVE to have ground floor retail if they do this), as there is no way to revive North Washington Square without residential and retail. The reason the square faired so poorly over the years is that there is absolutely NO residential, or even ground floor retail, along the northern square save for Kositcheks. It's funny how much of a chasm there feels to be between LCC and South Washington Square despite it only being three blocks of separation. It feels like 20 blocks.