Michi

Good deal! Good to hear!

Hey, the north views from the Griswold will be pretty nice too! Very "authentic" Detroit views, I'm sure! The progress is still below the ground, but one gets the feeling when you see it, that the above-ground work is right around the corner.

Oh that's good to hear. Today, I noticed a man standing out front of the Greektown Garage looking as if he was asking motorists if they had some sort of plastic card (like a membership card maybe) in order to enter the garage. I got worried that they might have changed their policies and that I gave you inaccurate information. Hopefully, if you do decide to take the route I listed, that that's not the one day everyone decides to go that route. Have fun!

Rouge River Bridge is the best view of the skyline! Too bad there isn't a pedestrian perch or something at the summit so that people can take quality photos of the city.

You shouldn't have any problems coming INTO town during the evening rush. However, avoid I-696...that gets clogged in both directions during both rush hours. My opinion, based on experiences would be to stay on I-96 all the way to downtown. You can also take the express lanes, which also move a little faster as well. Another tip would be to follow the M-10/Lodge Fwy. (Civic Center exit) to downtown. Don't take the I-75 north ramps because that always backs up from the south during Tigers games because people only know one and only one way to parking lots. Tip-tip: Once on M-10/Lodge southbound, exit LARNED Street on the left. That way you can avoid Jefferson and having to worry about merging across multiple lanes of traffic. Larned will parallel Jefferson and let you turn left on pretty much every street heading toward the stadium. Tip-tip-tip: If you are parking in a surface lot, make absolutely sure that you ask the person you are handing money to for a certificate issued by the city that says they are legitimate parking lot attendants. The people that take your money are REQUIRED to have possession of both that certificate and a city-issued button on their shirt. Otherwise, you're flirting with a scam and a) your car might not be there when you get back because it was towed away or b) you have a city-issued parking ticket on your windshield; and you just gave away $20 to some idiot AND have to pay the parking fine. My recommendation would be to find a garage to park. There is an overabundance of parking in downtown Detroit, however since everyone here acts like a bunch of lemmings following the leader they all park at or as close to the stadiums as possible. An option that I would recommend would be to park in the Greektown Garage and then go into the casino and validate your parking card...so you can park for free. The garage enterance is on Brush Street, which is most easily accessible from the Larned Street exit from the Lodge. I-96 east to M-10/Lodge: (Civic Center exit) southbound. Exit the Lodge at Larned Street (from the left lane). Larned goes under Cobo Center. Take Larned 6 blocks to Brush Street. Turn left (north) on Brush. Take Brush up 3 blocks. Go past Lafayette Blvd and the enterance to the garage will be on your left (across the street from the Atheneum Hotel). To walk to the stadiums, just take Brush north 5-or-so blocks. Let us know if there is anything else that might make your trip a little easier!

Well, it looks like I got to it sooner than later. Here's a link to the post in City Photos: http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/Grand-Ra...ote-t41762.html

Well, I obtained my goal this summer of getting over to Grand Rapids with my camera in hand. I spent Friday, Aug 31 buzzing around town exploring on my bike. From my experiences, that is the best way to see a city! You can cover so much ground and get a better feel of the community. I just love visiting Grand Rapids. I study urban planning and have formulated my ideology over the years of what makes a city and I find so much of those "ingredients" in Grand Rapids. I try to be in tune and as observant as possible when visiting a place, and it's always a pleasure to experience how GR just seems to work. I also got to see East Grand Rapids and East Town for the first time yesterday too...pleasant surprises! I'll do my best to post my photos in the next week or two, but I can't make any promises.

What are you talking about? I AM a restricted area!

Inside, they have a really big pond that you can launch motor boats and cast lewers into.

That's a parking ramp? WOAH! Good job! I think what really helped throw me off is the stairwells. Grand Rapids should encourage more retail on the first level of its new parking garages. Still, this one looks very classy.

Speaking of Fairlane Green:

That's some holy crap.

Wait. Allan's taking pictures again. I feel so nastalgic!

Salt N' Pepper Shakers from Midtown.

Yep, same goes for the guys in Toronto. I think that cities all around are unique in themselves and when they "score" with projects or public improvements, infrastructure improvements and the like, people will take notice and have heightened appreciation for the city. Even if it is just "Detroit".

Here's some new pictures of Music Hall: I'm sure it looks great at night! As I was taking these photos, I realized how very little I've photographed this building. It's really beautiful.

Yah, they installed it yesterday. I think it was "Detroit Today" on WDETfm that did a little diddy about the theater installing it. It is suppose to be seen from many parts of downtown. They intended it not to be fancy and LED, but instead be an exact, nastalgic replica of the original...since they couldn't find the original. The intention was to resurect the original.

In response to the last few comments..."Never underestimate what a Rock Financial move to downtown could do for this region." Additionally, many other firms moving back to the core of activity. The days of waste "should" be over. We're a state, region, and city in crisis. And the reality of that is the growing hardships of the educated middle class.

What was rude?

Merchant's Row retail. Sadly, we just lost the Mark English de Mode botique, located right next door to the brkfst house. Looking for me downtown? Chances are you can find me here! The Tigers played ball today...and lost...again...to the Chicago Sox. Cheli's Chilli Bar has become a popular attraction, especially the roof top area during awesome day's like today. No comment. Brush Street bisects the dual stadiums. The Elwood Bar was moved to this location on wheels, from a different one a few blocks away. I thought I smelled something foul. U of M's in town. Crystal Lofts, Woodward Avenue, Midtown/Brush Park. http://www.modeldmedia.com/developmentnews/crystallofts.aspx The Kahn-designed building just north of the Crystal Lofts. North Brush Park Development And coming full-circle of this tour is the Whitney Restaurant, finally visible with some trimming of the shrubbery and new ownership.

Luxury living on the riverfront. Good grief. lol Recall Pangborn Design from the photo above...this is largely Dominic Pangborn's Asian Village concept. If successful, he wants to try it in other cities too. http://www.modeldmedia.com/features/pangborn.aspx Renaissance Center Hart Plaza skyline today Jefferson and Woodward, the origin point of the entire 7-county metro. The Spirit of Detroit is getting stronger...but in a really sucky economy right now. Cadillac Square Park: an extension of Campus Martius Park in the heart of downtown. From the old Bagley Fountain Petanque is a popular game that is played at Campus Martius. http://www.usapetanque.org/ Someday this view will no longer exist as the Monroe Block of the Campus Martius development will be built upon, blocking the Renaissance Center. The old Kern's Clock on Woodward Avenue.

Windsor's second hotel tower to its casino complex is steadily on the rise across the river. Gabrielle Richard (pronounced "Rish-ARD")Park. This is the end of the line for the Detroit Riverwalk going east. It is almost complete all the way through the Renaissance Center to Cobo Hall. The expansion from Cobo west to the Ambassador Bridge is a future endeavor. But is an ambitious one. These photos were taken from the Belle Isle Bridge. I REALLY hope the parkland isn't going to turn into a gigantic parking lot... Paving paradise on Belle Isle. This is honestly a rediculous amount of concrete that has been poured in preparation for the return of the Detroit Grand Prix which is held on Belle Isle on Labor Day weekend in September. But...I guess the payoff is that the southern tip area of the island (closest to the skyline views) is getting a manicure. People pix. That crap on the ground is bread. Belle Isle is THEE destination in Detroit for family reunions. I was so close to getting this right. Just a little up-and-to-the-left would have done it. Pangborn Design Studio, Iron Street. http://www.pangborndesign.com/ Iron Street Lofts This is a section of the Detroit Riverwalk. It curves inland to bypass the Mt. Elliott Park ship inlet. The Harbortown complex is in the background. There are two new highrises planned for that property. Iron Street Lofts and the makings of the trails. This photo shows the riverwalk becoming the same as the sidewalk. A sneak peak from the site of the Detroit Omni Hotel. Detroit needs to embrace its French heritage a little more in the area east of downtown. The Stinky Rose in Rivertown almost made it, but one night fell to the Detroit fire plague. I think it is in debate whether the building will be saved or not. Great news on the Detroit Elevator Company Building! It will be converted into lofts. Sales starting at the end of April I believe. This is also in Rivertown, Detroit's old (but largely destroyed) warehouse district on the rver. Imagine the resurection of the fresh, historic orange brick! aaaah...

Southwest Detroit, Mexicantown Area. The new State of Michigan Welcome Center at the Ambassador Bridge border crossing to Canaduh. Note: the Mercado across the street really hasn't changed, so no new pics of it. This huge complex caught fire probably almost a year ago now, but it looked to me like one of the buildings (the one on the far left) was being renovated. I investigated... Getting closer... There it is...anybody familiar with this project? On the top, it says Merchandise Building. Back towndown. I got in trouble for taking this picture from the corner of the Federal Building. The security lady was really respectful, but she trash talked the city. I'm like, "dude, I live here". "I like Harrison Township", she says. Westin Book Cadillac Washington Boulevard I think the powerwash contrast is amazing. The dirty part doesn't even really look that dirty, so that makes the clean part immaculate! Looking up Shelby Street. Took a bath. #3 casino, and my favorite because it is the tallest, the Greektown Casino construction site. ...timeout... This is the site of the hotel tower, which will be taller than the Blue Cross Building in the background. The lovely prefab is being installed on the Macomb side (north) of the structure. I'm questioning where the promised ground floor retail is suppose to be! The view you can expect from across the water. Judging from the crane placements, there will be quite an impressive impact on the skyine as the tower rises and is topped out!

Yah, sorry to make you wait. The library at WSU closes at 9 on Saturday and was kicking me out. Here's the rest of the photos: Another store on Cass called Spy. How 9 on Third looks from the back. ...and the front. Willy's Overland Lofts is progressing very slowly on the exterior. Hopefully, the interior progress is making up for that. Someday very soon West Willis will become a nice, vibrant little side street. Don't complain. This post contains some random extras...just cuz I love Detroit that much! The Commodore, which I never really new existed, looks very sharp. It's on W. Seldon. Being from Northern Michigan, these rooftop access portals remind me of deer blinds. lol Grinell Place Lofts, Corktown. MGM Grand Detroit Casino $750,000,000 of questionable design.