Detroit

[FangKC]

Downtown Detroit has had an impressive rebirth.

[Chris Stritzel]

Michigan Central posted a video showing the interior of the station ahead of the opening. Stunning restoration. Ironic that it took an automobile company to restore it, but it’s a win.
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/7UjUZd ... tid=WC7FNe

[GRID]

Downtown Detroit really starting to come back.

GM really stepping up too. They are moving to a new tower there.



Speaking of rustbelt cities and downtown companies, I'm sure people on this forum probably also know about Sherwin Williams's new HQ tower in downtown Cleveland.



Even post covid, there are still downtown office HQ towers going up in Midwestern/rustbelt cities. Omaha getting one.

And new HQ towers have recently opened in places like Pittsburgh, Milwaukee etc.

It's too bad HNTB couldn't have been a tenant in a new class A tower in downtown KC vs just leasing space in town pavilion. Despite vacancies, work from home etc, Downtown KC desperately needs "new" class A office space. It only has a few towers and they all date back to the 80s. It's much easier to land major leases when you have modern inventory.

[langosta]

Yes KC does need some kinda of space. There are neeer offices proposed or recently opened in the suburbs.

[Chris Stritzel]

The difference with GM moving their HQ, but not all employees, from the Renaissance Center to the Hudson’s Block (not the tower. That’s condos and an Edition Hotel) is because apparently Bedrock made a deal with GM to redevelop the Renaissance Center. Most of the office space at the Hudson’s Block will still be available for lease.

Sherwin Williams also wanted their HQ to be Build to Suit. If not for that, Cleveland would not be getting any building. Milwaukee wouldn’t have gotten that big building for Northwestern Mutual and Omaha wouldn’t be getting that Mutual of Omaha Tower.

In the case of Hudson’s, it was backed by a billionaire with a commitment to Downtown Detroit (Dan Gilbert). Such a project never would’ve happened in Downtown Detroit if not for Dan Gilbert. Same goes for the Huntington Bank Building or the Little Caesar's HQ (both were purpose built. Hudson’s is the only spec office built in Downtown Detroit in recent years).

Speculative office is hard to finance, hence the reason why Downtown KC has seen no new spec office space built. It’ll likely become easier once vacancy on existing Downtown KC product falls a little bit more.

[GRID]

Yeah, I understand it's all special circumstances. I'm not saying it's common, just saying it's happening. It's the same way KC got it's office towers in the 80's via the Frank Morgan Empire. Had it not been for that, KC may still have a 1960's skyline. KC had people like Stan Durwood, but he passed before he had a chance to really do anything with AMC. DST is gone, Hallmark has only been able to do so much. It would have been nice if HNTB could have been part of a new construction project, but at least they stayed downtown.

And I don't see KC ever getting any new downtown spec office buildings, probably ever. I mean there have been proposals around for decades, but they get no traction when interest rates are low and vacancies are low. Not in KC. It's going to take a sizable commitment by a tenant. So take advantage of a tenant like HNTB and get a new tower built to increase Class A inventory.

[TheLastGentleman]

I'm not sure "specific developments wouldn't have happened if not for specific developers" is exactly a profound observation, nor a remotely unique circumstance.

[kcjak]

I'm not sure "specific developments wouldn't have happened if not for specific developers" is exactly a profound observation, nor a remotely unique circumstance.

Right. Who cares about the reasoning behind the development...in the end those cities have new towers. Now cue the upcoming comments on KC getting needed infill over height...

[Midtownkid]

And I don't see KC ever getting any new downtown spec office buildings, probably ever.

OK, maybe not anytime soon...but ever??! How do you know what the office environment will be in KC in 2050?

[TheLastGentleman]

The year is 3500. Rockets to Mars leave from MCI spaceport. Florida lies completely underwater. Tropical vacations to Chicago are offered via hyperspeed trains. One Kansas City Place remains the tallest building in Missouri

[GRID]

Yeah, ever is a long time haha. I mean spec office towers don't really go up anywhere. That's not going to change for a while. You might see some 200,000 sq ft spec building go up, even in suburban KC, but I'm guessing it will be many decades before downtown KC sees a new substantial office tower. Even that new one that Blue Cross will occupy is quite small and is half parking and was not originally a spec build.

The days of buildings like One KC place going up are gone. For a long time at least. And KC has so few companies that would even sign a big lease downtown, so that's why I said it would have been nice if HNTB could have gotten something new constructed.

Now with so much excess suburban office space left behind by Cerner, it's Sprint all over again. It's hard to build downtown when have so much brand new class A officed space in the suburbs for half the cost.

[shinatoo]

Eternity is a very long time, especially that bit at the end. - Woody Alan, Love and Death.

[FangKC]

A New Beginning: Ford to Reopen Michigan Central Station after Multi-Year Historic Restoration

https://michigancentral.com/a-new-begin ... storation/

Michigan Central Station interior before restoration:

https://historicdetroit.org/galleries/m ... n-interior

Interior after restoration.

https://historicdetroit.org/galleries/m ... n-interior

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Michi ... ?entry=ttu

[FangKC]

Detroit is building a soccer stadium near Michigan Central Station.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sport ... 17516007/

DETROIT CITY FOOTBALL CLUB ACQUIRES LAND IN SOUTHWEST DETROIT TO BUILD SOCCER-SPECIFIC STADIUM


https://www.detcityfc.com/future-home-o ... it-soccer/

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Detro ... ?entry=ttu

[FangKC]

Walking through the restored Michigan Central station in Detroit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SUqq82Kg2o

[TheLastGentleman]

I’ve been following this a lot over the last week. This will probably go down as the ceremonial turning point for Detroit. Now they just need to get amtrak back in there, which sounds like a possibility!

[FangKC]

Detroit is adding population for the first time in six decades.

The city of Detroit has gained population for the first time in more than six decades, according to new population estimates released today by the US Census Bureau.

According to the estimate, Detroit gained 1,852 residents between July 1, 2022 and July 1, 2023, marking the first time since 1957 Detroit has not lost population in the eyes of the Census Bureau. Last year's official (adjusted) Census population for Detroit was 631,366. As of the new Census Bureau estimate, Detroit's population now stands at 633,218.

As a result of its gains, Detroit is now ranked as the 26th most populous city in America, up three notches from 29th place this time last year. According to US Census data, Detroit is now larger than Memphis (29), Lousiville (28) and Portland (27).

The City of Detroit also led the state of Michigan in total population growth in 2023.
...

https://detroitmi.gov/news/detroit-grow ... me-decades

[SingleMalt12]

25 story, 600 room JW Marriott coming to downtown Detroit.

https://detroit.urbanize.city/post/new- ... ter-square